Ratings Methodology for DIY and Container Moving Companies

Our comprehensive rating system evaluates DIY and container moving companies across 140 data points to help you find the best fit for your financial goals and moving needs.

10 companies reviewed

14 features assessed

140 data points analyzed

Methodology, by category

NerdWallet’s overall ratings for DIY and container movers are weighted averages of scores in the following categories:

Option to get an online quote.
Upfront payment and deposit requirements.
Fees to pay with a credit card.
Availability of binding quotes and/or ones that specify what amount the final price will not exceed.
Additional services.
Locations the company services.
Option to insure belongings for full value.
Ability to track items.
Guaranteed delivery on a certain date.
Better Business Bureau customer rating.
Number of BBB complaints over the past three years per 100 vehicles in a company’s fleet.
Number of U.S. Department of Transportation complaints over the past four years.
Customer service contact options.

5.0

Overall score

The movers with the highest scores offer: Online quotes. No deposit or payment when scheduling a move. No credit card fees. Binding quotes and/or ones that specify what amount the final price will not exceed. If a company doesn’t respond when we ask for information about whether they offer these options, and we can’t find the information online, then we assume a company doesn’t offer them. The lowest-scoring moving companies offer none of these options.

Features and services (55%)

The highest-scoring DIY or container moving companies offer other services to customers. They include: Packing. Unpacking. Car shipping. Storage. Debris removal. They also provide: Local, in-state, cross-country and international moves. Contents protection. A way for customers to track the location of their containers or the moving truck. Guaranteed delivery on a certain date. Compensation for late deliveries. The lowest-scoring moving companies do not offer these services.

Customer satisfaction (25%)

To determine a company’s score for customer satisfaction, the NerdWallet home services team looks at three numbers. We calculate the average for each of the following: Better Business Bureau (BBB) customer rating. The number of BBB customer complaints in the past three years per 100 vehicles in the company’s fleet. The number of Department of Transportation complaints in the past four years per 100 vehicles in the company’s fleet. We use the Department of Transportation (DOT) database to find how many vehicles a company uses. The highest-scoring companies have at least a four-star BBB customer rating and 50 or fewer customer complaints to the BBB or DOT for every 100 vehicles in their fleets. The lowest-scoring have less than a one-star BBB customer rating and 51 or more customer complaints per 100 vehicles. For brokers, we increase this to 200 customer complaints per 100 vehicles. The highest-scoring movers offer phone, chat, email, online form and app-based ways to get in touch with customer service. The lowest-scoring movers offered none or only one of those options.

Data collection and review process

NerdWallet’s home services team reviews the largest moving companies in the U.S. based on their size and how often people search for them online.

Our team gathers information the same way a customer would. We collect information from company websites and contact companies when we need more information.

The results are star ratings from poor (1 star) to excellent (5 stars). We round ratings to the nearest half-star.

Information updates

Our writers and editors review companies every year. Throughout the year, we may update companies’ information if it could affect ratings.

Factor weightings

A weighted average means some categories count more toward the final score than others.. How much a factor is worth depends on which categories our team believes are most important to consumers. We also consider which ones affect the customer experience the most.

The review team

The review team includes writers and editors who research and write about moving. Our team’s experience and knowledge of moving companies means we evaluate companies thoughtfully. We also consider companies’ services from the customer’s point of view. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet’s strict editorial guidelines.