Should I Move Myself or Hire a Mover?

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By Joe Roberts
Feb 10, 2025
9 min read
Reviewed By Alina Bradford

Whether or not you should hire professional movers comes down to your priorities. If you have a large moving budget and you prioritize convenience, hire a mover. If you need to save as much money as possible, rent a moving truck and do all the work yourself. If you can afford some convenience but can put in some work to keep costs low, rent a moving container. You can also combine these services for customized and affordable convenience.

At a glance

When you’re planning your move, you have to decide early on how much work you want to do yourself and how much you want to pay professionals to do. This determines which moving service is right for you, how convenient your move will be, and how much money you’ll spend.

What type of moving company is right for you?

Full-service movers

They handle it all.
From packing and hauling to unloading, these full-service pros get you from Point A to Point B.

Container movers

You load, they ship.
You load your belongings, but the movers store and transport them to your new home. It’s a balance of effort and cost.

Car shipping

No pit stops required
Don't want the hassle of a road trip or the extra wear and tear on your vehicle? Ship your car to your new home.

You can also get a healthy blend of convenience and affordability by mixing and matching these services. For example, you could hire movers to ship some of your furniture, then rent a small moving truck to transport the rest of your things yourself. And whichever moving service you go with, you can always hire some independent moving labor to help for a few hours.

Comparing moving services

• Hiring professional movers
• Renting a moving truck or trailer
• Renting a moving container
• Combining moving services

Finding the right moving service

Every moving customer has different needs. A college student moving out of a dorm has different budgetary, time, and convenience constraints than a family of six moving out of a five-bedroom home.

We’ll break down how different moving services work and how to decide which one is right for your situation. We’ll also give some tips for mixing moving services into an affordable cocktail of convenience.

Hiring professional movers

Pros

• Least labor
• Least responsibility
• Least driving

Cons

• Most expensive

Hiring professional movers takes away most of the stress of moving. Full-service moving companies like Interstate Moving & Relocation Group and American Van Lines take care of your entire move for you—from packing your belongings and disassembling your furniture to transporting your stuff and unpacking in your new home. If you’d rather leave the hassle and hard work to the pros, a full-service move is perfect for you.

Full-service movers we recommend

How much does full-service moving cost?

We won’t sugar-coat it: full-service moving is expensive. While rates vary widely by company and can be affected by seasonality and location, we’ve found that full-service moves typically cost around $7,600 for local moves (moves under 100 miles) and $9,140 or more for long-distance moves (moves over 100 miles).

You really do get what you pay for when you hire a full-service mover, though. These costs include all the peace of mind that comes from knowing your belongings are being handled and delivered by professionals.

Get multiple quotes

One of the most important steps of hiring a professional mover is to get several quotes. Moving companies charge differently depending on the area, so we usually recommend getting at least three quotes from reputable movers. This ensures you get the best price for your move.

Moving coverage: the safety net

All trustworthy full-service movers carry basic liability moving coverage that protects your belongings for $0.60 per pound. To illustrate, if you had a 300-pound bed frame that broke in transit, it would be covered for about $180. However, this coverage does ensure that if your movers drop your dining set, you’re not up a creek without a place setting. While basic coverage won’t fully cover repair and replacement costs for expensive items, it’s better than nothing.

Watch out for scammers

Like any industry, the moving industry has its fair share of dishonest companies that mistreat and scam customers. Here’s what you should do to steer clear of scammers:

• Make sure your estimate is “binding” before you sign a contract.
• Check customer reviews online to see if customers frequently report that the company you’ve chosen scammed them.
• Make sure the company is properly licensed and accredited.

Renting a moving truck or trailer

Pros

• Most affordable option

Cons

• Requires customer to pack and load
• Requires customer to drive

Renting a moving truck or trailer to load and drive yourself can help you save money on your move. It will be much more stressful and intense than just hiring movers, though, and you probably won’t save as much as you think.

Truck rental companies we recommend

How much do truck rentals cost

The rental fee for a moving truck can cost between $20 and $200 on average for local moves. For long-distance moves, truck rentals cost about $2080 on average, though during the busy season (from the end of spring to the beginning of fall), long-distance rentals can cost up to $5,000.

Renting a moving container

Pros

• No driving required
• More affordable than full-service moving

Cons

• Requires customer to pack and load
• More expensive than renting a truck

Moving container companies we recommend

Conclusion

While it’s by far the most expensive option, hiring a full-service moving company is the gold standard for moving in comfort and convenience. With every other option we’ve listed, you take on a lot more responsibility, labor, and stress. That said, if money is the biggest stressor in your move, then renting a moving container, doing a DIY move with a moving truck, or mixing a few moving services might be better for your situation.