Top US moving companies, independently reviewed

How to read a moving-company profile

Every carrier on this page lists the same baseline: USDOT number, MC number, BBB rating, year founded, and headquarters. Those five fields settle whether the company is real and trading. They don't, by themselves, tell you whether the company is good — that's where the editorial summary, complaint history, and price range come in.

The directory currently profiles 99 national, regional, and DIY brands. Coverage isn't ranked; the order on the hub is alphabetical-ish for browsing. The actual scoring lives on each company's own page.

What the license line actually means

USDOT is the federal carrier ID assigned by the FMCSA. Anyone moving household goods across state lines has to have one. If a website doesn't list it, that's a yellow flag at minimum.

MC number (Motor Carrier authority) is what gives the company permission to move freight for hire across state lines. It's a separate filing from USDOT and shows up on the same SAFER record.

BBB rating runs A+ through F. The letter is the BBB's own scoring of the company, not customer reviews. A company can have an A+ from BBB and still average 2.5 stars from customers — both numbers belong on the page.

National carrier, van line, or local independent

National carriers (Allied, United, Mayflower, North American, Atlas) operate as agent networks. The brand handles dispatch, billing, and tracking; the actual crew is a local agent. Quality often tracks more closely with the agent in your specific city than with the brand on the truck.

Regional and local independents own their fleet, hire their own crews, and usually price 15–25% under the national brands on local jobs. Trade-off: limited geography, smaller claims department, and capacity that disappears in peak season.

DIY platforms (PODS, U-Pack, U-Haul U-Box, 1-800-PACK-RAT) are container-and-driver services. You load and unload; they handle the long-haul. For interstate moves under 1,500 miles with a flexible delivery window, this is consistently the cheapest option that's still safe.

Questions to ask any mover before booking

• What's your USDOT number? (Verify it on SAFER while still on the call.)
• Is the quote binding, non-binding, or binding-not-to-exceed?
• What's included in the linehaul vs billed as accessorial?
• Do you subcontract this lane, or run it with your own crew and truck?
• What's the delivery window — date or range?
• What valuation coverage do you offer, and what does each tier cost?
• What's the deposit, and when is the balance due?
• What's the claims process if something arrives damaged?

Scam patterns the FMCSA flags every year

• Hostage loads — quote low, double the price on delivery, refuse to unload until you pay cash.
• Phantom companies — no USDOT, no MC, a website with stock photos and a phone number that goes to voicemail.
• Bait-and-switch quote — verbal price online, much higher binding number on move day.
• Cash-only deposit — over $100 in cash before pickup is the single clearest red flag in this industry.
• Blank Bill of Lading — never sign one. Once it's blank and signed, the carrier writes whatever they want above it.