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Mayflower Moving is one of the best moving companies we’ve reviewed, and it’s one of the largest in the country. It may be a fit for people who want a mover that offers other services, such as packing or car transportation, or who want a more tech-forward experience of virtual walkthroughs for quotes and an online portal.
Mayflower doesn't charge upfront deposits or fees to pay with a credit card, which we like. However, compared to the other moving companies we reviewed, it had a relatively high customer complaint rate with the Better Business Bureau.
Mayflower is one of the largest moving companies in the U.S. and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. It has more than 200 agents and is a full-service mover, meaning it does more than drive the truck. Here are some of the company’s major offerings and what we think you should know.
Mayflower is owned by UniGroup, the same corporation that owns United Van Lines. Many of its offerings are similar to United’s.
Mayflower Moving loads, transports and unloads for cross-town, interstate and cross-country moves in all 50 states.
We like that the company doesn’t require an upfront deposit or prepayment, and we like that there is no fee to pay with a credit card.
If you need help, you can contact customer service via phone, online form or the company’s app and moving portal (there’s also a chat function on the website, but we didn’t find it very useful).
Mayflower does international moves, though you’ll also likely work with one or more other companies if you’re moving outside of the United States or Canada. You get a single point of contact at Mayflower, which we think is helpful.
Basically, for international moves Mayflower will load your packed items and take them to the departure point (where that is depends on whether you’re sending your things via land, sea or air). Once your things get to the international destination, customs processes the shipment and clears it for transfer to a moving crew that delivers and unloads your items.
Mayflower can store shipments in warehouses it uses around the country, which can be really helpful if you need extra time to find or prepare a new home. Storage costs extra, though, so be sure to tell the mover what you need so you get an accurate quote.
Usually, there are two ways to go about managing storage with a mover:
Have the mover take some or all of your stuff to a storage unit that you’ve rented.
Have the mover store some or all of your stuff at one of its own warehouses.
This can be one of the worst parts of the moving process, so if you can afford to pay extra for some help here, it’s worth considering.
When you have the movers pack, they show up with the boxes and packing materials, wrap and pack everything and then label the boxes.
Unpacking involves opening the boxes, removing the packing materials, arranging your things according to your instructions and then taking away the packing materials and empty boxes.
If you want, you can have Mayflower only pack or unpack some rooms or some things (which can cut costs). Mayflower can also arrange for a third party to build custom crates for antiques and things that are fragile.
Mayflower will disassemble and reassemble bed frames, and it will unpack and place the furniture for you. If you’re unpacking yourself, you can have the company come back up to 30 days later to pick up your empty boxes and packing material.
To ship a car or truck, Mayflower loads it onto a car carrier. The company uses open-sided and enclosed car carriers. Open-sided is usually cheaper; enclosed is mostly for high-value or antique vehicles.
Example of open car carrier. Courtesy Getty Images.
If your vehicle is any of the following, it may need an enclosed carrier or special treatment:
Over 25 years old.
Has a lift kit, dually wheels, cab lights, a camper shell or oversize tires.
Is over 75 inches high or over 220 inches long.
Weighs more than 5,000 pounds.
Doesn’t work.
Is worth more than $60,000.
Car carriers are considered oversize vehicles. If your neighborhood doesn’t allow or can’t fit oversized vehicles, you may need to arrange to have the mover pick up or drop off your vehicle somewhere else.
Mayflower scored relatively low in the customer ratings portion of our rubric, largely due to a relatively high amount of complaints to the Better Business Bureau. We evaluate customer service based on Better Business Bureau rating for the company and the number of complaints per 100 vehicles to the BBB and Department of Transportation.
Like most moving companies, Mayflower doesn’t provide price quotes online. And like most moving companies, the reason is that the quote depends on several specific-to-you factors, such as:
How much stuff you have.
What kind of stuff you have.
Where your stuff is going.
How accessible the locations are.
When you want to move.
Another reason is the law. The U.S. Department of Transportation requires movers to do a “physical survey of your goods” if the mover has a place of business within 50 miles of your house. You can waive this requirement if you want, but you have to do it in writing before the mover loads your shipment.
The basic price for a Mayflower move includes:
A personal move coordinator, who helps with the logistics of your move.
Full loading, transport and unloading (note: “loading and unloading” is not the same as “packing and unpacking"; packing and unpacking costs extra). After unloading, movers will also place furniture in the room of your choice.
Disassembly and reassembly of certain items, such as standard bed frames, as well as moving appliances such as washing machines or refrigerators.
“Full Value Protection” coverage, which covers certain losses and damage that occur during the move up to a certain limit (more on this later).
Mayflower provides two kinds of price quotes.
Nonbinding estimates give you an approximate cost. They can be great for getting a quick, ballpark sense of cost, but the downside is that they can change by a lot. The final cost comes when the mover weighs the shipment.
Binding quotes guarantee you won’t be changed more than the estimate. They can be great for giving you certainty and peace of mind, but the downside is that the quote process might take longer and the mover can charge for a binding quote.
Getting a quote from Mayflower typically starts with setting up an appointment for a walkthrough in your home so the company can see what you’re moving and how hard it will be to get out. Mayflower can do this part virtually if you want.
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 price quotes online. Virtually every moving company requires contact with a salesperson and a visual survey of your belongings in order to provide a reliable cost estimate.
Mayflower will pack and ship most things, but not everything.
Batteries powering personal mobility devices.
Cordless power tools.
Scuba tanks.
Firearms (unloaded).
Clean gas cans and other fuel storage.
Alcoholic beverages.
Batteries, including car batteries.
Household cleaning products.
Corrosive chemicals or poisons.
Lawn and garden chemicals.
Flammables and explosives.
Live animals or plants.
Gas and oil products.
Compressed gas cylinders.
Candles.
Illegal items or substances.
Ammunition, including gunpowder.
Mayflower has a customer portal that you can log into to see all of your move information, including the delivery date. However, you can’t find the exact location of your shipment; you have to talk to the move coordinator to get that information.
Mayflower's shipment tracking screen.
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:
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.
You pay extra for more damage protection. Mayflower offers three packages that include add-on services.
Option 1: $225
$5,000 additional value protection.
Gold Standard Protection (which covers pairs and sets, damage to mechanical or electronic objects and damage due to acts of God, such as a natural disaster).
Identity theft protection.
Claims assist.
Option 2: $425
All Option 1 services, plus:
$25,000 additional value protection.
Debris removal
Additional delay claim payment ($250/day).
Option 3: $725
All Option 1 services, plus:
$25,000 additional value protection.
Basic wall mount disassembly and set up (up to two TVs).
Additional delay claim payment ($250/day).
Another option is to get third-party insurance for your move. Sometimes movers will sell you a policy. Your homeowners insurance might also provide some coverage.
Liability coverage isn’t the same thing as insurance, so state insurance laws don’t apply to the coverage movers provide.
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