To help you pick the best interstate moving company for your next move, we analyzed dozens of long-distance movers and then pared them down to the top five.
Read on to see who made the cut as 2020’s best interstate movers—and to learn the right questions to ask when you’re shopping around.
Top 5 long-distance moving companies

International Van Lines—Best overall
American Van Lines—Best for up-front pricing
Allied Van Lines—Best for customer service
North American Van Lines—Best for customization
PODS—Best for tight budgets
Fun Fact Badge
DID YOU KNOW?

The two main move types moving companies offer are local and long-distance moves. Interstate moves cross state lines and encompass long-distance moves, but long-distance moves don’t necessarily cross state lines and aren’t always considered interstate moves.
Still not sure which type your move is? We’ve got you covered with our list of the five best long-distance movers.
International Van Lines—Best overall

Overall rating
4.8 / 5
Get a Quote
Call 888-740-2285

International Van Lines (IVL) is both a moving broker and a carrier that works with over 3,000 partners worldwide. IVL has an impressive lineup of services ranging from crane lifting and piano transport to full-service packing and motorcycle hauling.
IVL can handle everything from local and interstate to—you guessed it—international moves. Like a few of the other best movers on our list, IVL is transparent about the breakdown of your final bill.
PROS
Worldwide availability
Short- and long-term storage options
Trash and debris removal
Helpful online and over-the-phone quote process
CONS
25% up-front deposit
Reports of movers showing up late
Above-average prices
International Van Lines at a glance

Company information
MC # 729978
USDOT # 2247789
Broker Yes
Carrier Yes
Data as of 1/10/2020.
Why we recommend International Van Lines

It does it all

Since IVL is both a moving broker and a carrier, it’s able to offer every moving service you could want while still giving each move a personal touch. In addition to full-service moves for intrastate, interstate, and international moves, IVL offers services that many other interstate moving companies can’t (or don’t):
Long- and short-term storage facilities
Furniture assembly and disassembly
Custom crating
Transportation for specialty items (hot tubs, pianos, etc.)
Auto shipping
Boat transport
Home cleaning
Junk and debris removal
Through IVL, these services are available virtually anywhere in the country. Even if the company’s in-house staff can’t provide one of these services in your area, IVL’s wide network of partnerships enable it to outsource (or broker) that service to another company that IVL trusts.
So no matter where you’re moving from, where you’re moving to, or what your move requires, IVL can handle it.
It has transparent pricing

As we’ve mentioned (and you’ve probably experienced), pricing is one of the biggest pain points in moving. IVL tries to solve this problem by spelling out everything that goes into your quote, from the rate for each flight of stairs to the increased cost of bulkier items.
In our eyes, this kind of pricing transparency is a trademark sign of a reliable moving company.
Not only does this build trust between you and your mover, but it also helps you budget accurately. If we have the choice to pay what we expected or cough up an extra $250 or more after our move, we’ll take the first option, please!
In our experience, IVL’s transparency doesn’t mean it’s significantly more affordable than its competitors. However, based on the number of customers who leave happy with their move and the wide array of services IVL offers, we believe it’s well worth the cost.
Get money
DID YOU KNOW?

IVL hooks veterans and older adults up with a 10% discount on every move. So whether you served your country, are enjoying retirement, or both, let your IVL rep know so you can save a few bucks on your final bill.
To learn more, read our full International Van Lines Review.
American Van Lines—Best for up-front pricing

American Van Lines
Overall rating
4.8 / 5
Get a Quote
Call 888-251-6478

Most companies that provide everything American Van Lines does are brokers or broker-carrier hybrids that outsource part or all of your move to other companies. But AVL is different. Whether you need auto shipment, full-service moving, or storage services, AVL’s background-checked staff handles every part of your move.
In addition to all these services, American Van Lines is committed to fair prices and customer satisfaction, and it uses a flat-rate pricing system so you always know exactly what you’re going to pay.
PROS
Flat-rate pricing
Binding estimates
Price-matching
Background-checked movers
Certified piano and antique movers
CONS
No online quotes
Frequent phone calls
American Van Lines at a glance

Company information
MC # 294798
USDOT # 614506
Broker No
Carrier Yes
Data as of 1/10/2020.
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WHAT’S THAT NAME AGAIN?

American Van Lines’ name is very similar to North American Van Lines (which we’ll talk about in a little bit), so the two are often confused—even by search engines like Google. Despite how similar their names are, the two companies are very different. For example, AVL is a van line, while North American Van Lines is a van line AND a broker.
Why we recommend American Van Lines

It uses flat-rate pricing and gives binding estimates

AVL doesn’t offer quotes online, so you might be surprised to see them ranked as our favorite company for up-front pricing. What earns AVL this rank in our book is its flat-rate pricing system.
Flat-rate pricing means AVL doesn’t charge an hourly rate, and it doesn’t charge extra for mileage or fuel. Once AVL has a full inventory of your belongings and knows how far you’re moving, it’ll calculate one flat estimate for your move based on how much your shipment weighs and how many days it’ll take to get from point A to point B.
While instant online quotes are convenient, they’re often inaccurate representations of what your move will actually cost in the end. Flat-rate pricing ensures that your binding estimate will accurately predict what your move will cost.
You won’t even pay extra if the loading process takes a couple extra hours or the moving crew has to take a detour because of construction. With an hourly company, you would likely need to pay more in either of these circumstances.
As an added bonus, many cross-country movers who charge flat rates are motivated to do their work quickly and efficiently so they can turn a profit (you’ll pay the same amount if the move goes more quickly than projected), so your shipment might get delivered ahead of schedule.
It has excellent customer service

Up-front pricing is certainly a nice perk, but even the best perks and benefits can be overshadowed by poor customer service. You probably wouldn’t be too grateful to have a flat-rate estimate if the representative servicing your move was rude to you over the phone or in person.
That’s why we looked into AVL’s customer service, and we’re happy to report that the company has an excellent track record in this department as well. In fact, AVL’s customer service was recently recognized by Newsweek as some of the best in the moving industry.
On top of this impressive kudos from Newsweek, AVL also has hundreds of glowing customer reviews that praise its punctuality, fair prices, attention to detail, professionalism, and (surprise) customer service.
If you want to learn more, read our full review of American Van Lines.
Allied Van Lines—Best customer experience

Overall rating
4.6 / 5
Get a Quote
Call 855-886-2648

Allied Van Lines is a full-service long-distance mover that maintains one of the largest moving networks in the world. Not only does it partner with plenty of agents (local moving companies) to meet your needs, it provides stellar service too.
A great in-home estimate experience, excellent customer service, and a wide range of services make this mover a shoo-in on our list.
PROS
Responsive customer service representatives
Pleasant in-home moving estimate experience
Appliance disconnection and reconnection
Pricing transparency
CONS
No affordable storage options for small loads
“Guaranteed” prices not always guaranteed
Allied Van Lines at a glance

Company information
MC # 15735
USDOT # 76235
Broker No
Carrier Yes
Data as of 1/10/2020.
Why we give Allied Van Lines a gold star

Its representatives are easy to work with

In-home moving estimates are fairly similar from one moving company to another. Of all the in-home estimates we experienced, however, we enjoyed Allied’s the most.
An in-home estimate is one of the easiest ways to tell if a moving company (and its representatives) are trying to push you into a sale. Ask yourself: Are they pressuring you to commit to their services? Or does your quote seem suspiciously low?
We know—inviting a stranger to walk through every room in your home sounds like the beginning of a customer service horror story. But our in-home estimate with Allied was nothing short of helpful, honest, and stress-free.
It was evident that Allied’s relocation assistant had our best interest—achieving a comfortable, affordable move—at heart.
We never felt like we were being sold anything during the process, which was a welcome experience. In fact, our relocation specialist even advocated for not using certain services because he didn’t believe they were worth the money for our one-bedroom apartment.
You can read more about our in-home estimate in our full Allied Van Lines review, but overall, it was a very positive experience.
It has responsive customer service agents

If we didn’t make it clear enough in reason number one, we’ll make it clear here—we were very impressed with Allied’s customer service during each and every one of our interactions.
The in-home estimate was just the tip of the iceberg. Each time we reached out to Allied’s representatives to ask questions about our move, they responded quickly and thoroughly. It didn’t matter if we were giving them a phone call or sending them an email, each response was prompt, and they didn’t make us feel like we were burdening them with our requests.
If customer service is important to you, you likely won’t go wrong with Allied.
To learn more, read our full Allied Van Lines Review.
North American Van Lines—Best for customizing your move

Overall rating
4.7 / 5
Get a Quote
Call 855-898-6625

With industry experience dating back to 1933, North American Van Lines is a seasoned full-service mover that can get your things safely and smoothly from point A to point B.
Plus, with over 500 local movers, North American Van Lines boasts one of the nation’s largest fleets—so it can likely service your move whether you’re in Arizona or Arkansas.
PROS
Large network of local moving agents
Quick ballpark estimates
Excellent moving resources
GPS shipment tracking
CONS
Mediocre customer service
Reports of broken furniture
North American Van Lines at a glance

Company information
MC # 107012
USDOT # 070851
Broker Yes
Carrier Yes
Data as of 1/10/2020.
Why we give North American Van Lines a thumbs up

It allows you to customize your move

From full-service and fragile-only packing to appliance disconnection and reconnection to furniture disassembly and reassembly, North American offers a slew of add-on moving services.
This means you choose services based on how much you can afford. If you have an unlimited budget, you can go entirely full service and have a North American moving crew pack and load everything for you. If money is tighter, you can have movers pack only your most fragile items or pack all of it yourself and simply have the movers load and haul.
North American makes it clear which services are included in the overall cost of your move and which are extra. Full-service packing, for example, is extra.
You can also pay for help you want once you’ve arrived at your new home (reattaching the legs on your dining room table or plugging in your smart TV, for example).
We think this freedom to tailor your move shows that North American is flexible and considerate of its customers’ needs (and budgets).
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HEADS UP

If you fill out an online request for an estimate from North American Van Lines, expect an initial barrage of emails and phone calls. Luckily, it’s easy to get your name removed from the call list, but it can feel overwhelming in the meantime.
It walks you through your move from start to finish

It’s easy for moving companies to forget that this may be your first rodeo—and even if it isn’t, every move comes with its own challenges.
North American Van Lines gets it.
Instead of confusing moving lingo that you’ve never heard before, North American’s website has moving guides and blog posts written in plain language. This can help you feel confident in every step of the process—which is important with something as chaotic and overwhelming as moving.
Plus, North American’s organized process and helpful checklists cover all your questions well before your move. This will come in handy when it’s 2:00 a.m. the night before your move and you’re staring at your ceiling fan thinking, “Wait, did I ask about packing my fragile stemware and wedding china?”
We also love that North American provides instant ballpark estimates for your move, instead of saying, “Great! Check your inbox and maybe a quote will be there.” This makes comparison shopping easier because you’ll have your quote in-hand immediately.
To learn more, read our full North American Van Lines Review.
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SPEAKING OF CHECKLISTS

If you’re looking for a thorough checklist that will carry you through every step of your move, then we’ve got you covered. Our step-by-step moving checklist can help you hire your moving company, unpack your last box in your new home, and everything in between.