We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners.
Bellhop Moving Review 2025
Bellhop offers dedicated truck service and local hourly labor, but the company's customer complaints record puts it lower on our list.
Some or all of the mortgage lenders featured on our site are advertising partners of NerdWallet, but this does not influence our evaluations, lender star ratings or the order in which lenders are listed on the page. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners.
How is this page expert verified?
NerdWallet's content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure the information is as clear and complete as possible.
Dalia Ramirez writes about home security for NerdWallet. She has previously written on topics including estate planning, cryptocurrencies, small business software and personal finance. Dalia has a B.A. in science and technology studies and a certificate in critical theory from Wesleyan University. Her work has appeared in publications including The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg and The Associated Press. She is based in Los Angeles.
Mary Flory leads NerdWallet's growing team of assigning editors at large. Before joining NerdWallet's content team, she had spent more than 12 years developing content strategies, managing newsrooms and mentoring writers and editors. Her previous experience includes being an executive editor at the American Marketing Association and an editor at news and feature syndicate Content That Works.
Senior Editor & Content Strategist
Bellhop Moving (also called Bellhop Movers on the company website) is a broker that connects customers with carriers for full-service interstate and cross-country moves, including packing and debris removal services.
Bellhop is middle-of-the-road compared to other full-service moving companies we reviewed. Bellhop is a broker, and the company doesn’t offer full-value protection for your belongings and works with third-party providers for services such as car shipping and storage.
However, Bellhop had fair customer satisfaction scores compared to other companies. It also offers dedicated truck service, which can be pricey but means that your stuff won’t share truck space with someone else’s stuff — and it may be more likely that your delivery will arrive on time because there’s only one destination.
Bellhop was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Bellhop coordinates moves with independent movers and carriers for local (within the same city), long-distance and cross-country moves within the continental United States.
Bellhop can also coordinate local hourly labor, including home organization and event setup, and partners with PODS for self-storage. Here are some of Bellhop’s major offerings and what we think you should know.
Local and interstate moves
Bellhop can set up both local and long-distance moves. For a local move, you can choose between labor-only services, such as for unloading a storage unit, or full-service moving with a team and a truck.
For a long-distance move, you can choose between a dedicated truck for just your stuff, a PODS container with Bellhop labor for loading and unloading or just labor if you want to rent and drive your own moving truck.
Bellhop charges a deposit that’s 10% of the total cost of your move, even if you book at the last minute. It’s due 48 hours after booking your move, or charged when you book if you book less than 48 hours before your move start time.
Bellhop charges a service fee to help cover supply, travel and fuel costs. The company does not disclose the fee amount, but it’s noted on its website that the fee varies by market and depends on factors like driving distance.
Bellhop does not charge a fee to pay with a credit card.
Bellhop does not offer a paid day-certain delivery service, though a Bellhop representative told NerdWallet over the phone that with the dedicated truck service, delivery time is guaranteed within about an hour window, and Bellhop will partially reimburse you for any delays.
You can contact customer service via phone, online chat, online support request form or the Bellhop app, which is a comprehensive variety of contact methods compared to other companies we reviewed.
International moves
Bellhop does not coordinate international moves.
Storage
Many people who move need extra time to find or prepare new homes, which is why movers that offer storage can be especially helpful. Bellhop offers storage services in partnership with PODS, a DIY moving company that provides storage container rentals.
After packing your storage container, Bellhop movers can transport it to one of PODS’ over 230 storage facilities across the country. You can also store a PODS container in your driveway.
The Bellhop website also suggests Neighbor.com and Storelocal Storage for additional self-storage options.
Packing and unpacking
For an extra fee, Bellhop can send trained movers to your house to sort and pack your belongings, including fragile items. You’ll need to provide your own boxes, bubble wrap, paper wrap and tape, or you can buy packing supplies from Bellhop.
You also can add on unloading services at the other end of your move. If you want to reduce the cost, you can ask the movers to only pack or unpack certain rooms or certain things.
Vehicle shipping
Bellhop does not offer vehicle shipping, so you’ll need to arrange that service independently if you need to transport a car or motorcycle to your new home. Other full-service moving companies do offer car transport.
Customer service
To evaluate customer satisfaction, we consider Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings, which is based on customer reviews, and the number of complaints customers have filed with the BBB in an effort to resolve an issue with a company. We also consider complaints filed with the U.S. Department of Transportation.
We found that Bellhop’s customer satisfaction rating with the BBB is worse than many of its competitors' ratings, giving it a less favorable standing. It has a relatively high number of customer complaints filed with the BBB, but very few complaints filed with the Department of Transportation compared to its competitors.
Bellhop Moving cost
Like most moving companies, Bellhop doesn’t provide reliable price quotes online. The quote takes several factors into account, including how far you're moving, how much stuff you have and whether you need a truck.
Bellhop offers virtual walkthroughs, so you won’t need to let anyone into your home before your move. The virtual walkthrough allows the company to see what you’re moving and how hard it will be to get those things out of the house and onto the truck. Bellhop offers a flat-rate pricing option that guarantees you won’t pay unexpected fees on moving day.
Bellhop charges a service fee to help cover business costs. You can expect a dedicated truck to be significantly more expensive than a PODS container.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Beware of websites that claim to tell you how much your move is going to cost. None of the full-service moving companies we reviewed provide reliable price quotes online. Virtually every moving company requires contact with a salesperson and a visual survey of your belongings to provide a reliable cost estimate.
Tracking your shipment
To find out where your moving truck is located in transit, you’ll need to call Bellhop customer service. There’s no online tracking service.
Things Bellhop won’t move
Bellhop will pack and ship most things, but not:
Perishable items, including food.
Weapons, explosives or flammable liquids, including fuel in scooters or lawnmowers.
Cleaning chemicals.
Unboxed electronics.
Drugs, drug paraphernalia and other items prohibited by law.
What if Bellhop damages my stuff?
Moving companies are liable for loss or damage to your stuff during transportation. But the extent of that liability depends on which kind of liability coverage you choose. Federal law requires movers to offer you two liability options
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Liability & Protection. Accessed Jun 18, 2025.
Released Value. This protection is free but only pays 60 cents per pound. So if the movers ruin your 300-pound couch, you only get $180, even if the couch was expensive.
Full Value Protection. Under this option, the mover is liable for the replacement value of items that it loses, damages or destroys. You have to pay extra for this option, but unless you explicitly choose the Released Value option, movers must automatically move your stuff under the Full Value Protection level of liability. In this scenario, if the movers ruin your 300-pound couch, they have to repair the couch or pay the replacement value of the couch.
However, because Bellhop is a broker, not a mover, the company does not offer liability insurance. You can purchase third-party insurance for your move, or your homeowners insurance might also provide some coverage.
Bellhop offers a damage protection policy with a $2,000 coverage limit, allowing you to file a claim with the company for any damages.
🤓Nerdy Tip
Liability coverage isn’t the same thing as insurance, so state insurance laws don’t apply to the coverage movers provide.
Alternatives to Bellhop
Company
NerdWallet rating
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formulas take into account multiple data points for each financial product and service.
Other services offered
Deposit required?
Customer ratings
Based on Better Business Bureau rating and number of complaints per 100 vehicles to the BBB and Department of Transportation.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formulas take into account multiple data points for each financial product and service.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formulas take into account multiple data points for each financial product and service.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formulas take into account multiple data points for each financial product and service.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formulas take into account multiple data points for each financial product and service.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formulas take into account multiple data points for each financial product and service.
NerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formulas take into account multiple data points for each financial product and service.
NerdWallet's Home Services team evaluated full-service moving companies across several factors, including availability of online quotes, upfront payment or deposit requirements, fees to pay with a credit card, availability of binding and/or not-to-exceed quotes, availability of additional services, geographical breadth, availability of full-value protection, truck trackability, availability of day-certain delivery, Better Business Bureau (BBB) customer rating, number of BBB complaints over the last three years per 100 vehicles, number of U.S. Department of Transportation complaints over the last four years per 100 vehicles and customer service contact options. Because costs can vary with the circumstances of each move, it's best to get quotes from multiple companies before making a decision. Read more about how NerdWallet rates full-service moving companies.
