Having been in the moving services industry for almost 100 years, United Van Lines is on our list of the best moving companies with a 4.6 out of 5-star rating. United Van Lines serves all 50 states and offers an extended list of services, including local, interstate, long-distance and international moving.
The company also offers the option for auto transport, storage, full-service packing, junk removal and more. We’ve considered these offerings, as well as the typical quote process and consumer sentiment analysis, to create this comprehensive review.
*Our researchers requested an estimate for a two-bedroom full-service packing and moving from Brooklyn, NY (11202) to Hoboken, NJ (07030) – a total distance of 10 miles.
Pros
- No deposit required
- Covers all 50 states
- Extensive list of services and add-ons
Cons
- Brokers many moves, which results in varying consumer sentiments
- Higher average quote than many competitors
Table of Contents
- United Van Lines: An Overview
- United Van Lines Consumer Sentiment
- Where Is United Van Lines Available?
- What Moving Services Does United Van Lines Offer?
- How Much Does United Van Lines Cost?
- What We Like About United Van Lines
- What We Don’t Like About United Van Lines
- How United Van Lines Stacks Up
- Who Is United Van Lines Best For?
- Methodology – How We Selected the Best Moving Companies
United Van Lines: An Overview
United Van Lines offers full-service moving experiences in all 50 states and over 150 countries. With a 4.6 out of 5 ranking and 500 locations throughout the U.S., United Van Lines requires a virtual or in-person analysis before potential customers can receive accurate quotes. However, its generous cancellation policy and $0 deposit can be enough of a sweetener for someone to opt for United Van Lines.
Featured Partners
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International Van Lines
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American Van Lines
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Blvd Moving
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United Van Lines Consumer Sentiment
The Forbes Home team reviewed a consumer sentiment analysis with over 39,000 insights that revealed a fairly neutral score for United Van Lines. It ranked fourth out of 10 total moving companies on our best-of list for pricing and transparency, as well as reputation and reviews.
Overall, customers praise the company for offering a broad range of services, though some reviews complain about customer service inconsistencies, damaged or missing items and general delays.
Where Is United Van Lines Available?
United Van Lines currently conducts moves in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., though its coverage in some states may be more extensive than others. The company also provides moving services in over 150 countries, including Canada and Mexico.
What Moving Services Does United Van Lines Offer?
United Van Lines is well-known for its sizable list of offerings, but it’s important to start with the type of move you’re looking for. Below, you will learn more about which types of moves United Van Lines covers:
- DIY Moves: Though United Van Lines mostly operates as a full-service moving company, it also offers those who want more DIY options the flexibility to do so. With moving pods and self-loading and unloading options, consumers who want to take on more tasks to save money will have options with UVL.
- Local Moves: If you need to move locally, United can likely facilitate the move (though it’s pivotal to confirm the origin and destination with a representative first).
- Small Moves: If you plan to move only a studio-sized apartment’s worth of items or just enough to fill a storage unit, United Van Lines can help with both container or small moving and storage.
- Long-Distance Moves: Planning a cross-country move? United Van Lines includes full-service moving across state lines and beyond. It also includes services like car shipping, packing, unpacking and storage.
- International Moves: With coverage in over 150 countries, including Canada and Mexico, United Van Lines can accommodate several international moves, making your journey outside the U.S. as straightforward as possible.
Separately from these move types, United Van Lines hosts an impressive list of add-ons so customers can fully customize their move. The following list of services is just the start of the total host of offerings:
- Packing and unpacking
- Auto transport
- Storage
- House cleaning
- Junk removal
How Much Does United Van Lines Cost?
Overall, a move with United Van Lines will cost between $5,200 and $5,800 for a short-distance move and between $5,900 and $6,500 for a long-distance move, though it’s worth noting that we got these quotes online. The short-distance move reflects a 10-mile move from Brooklyn, NY, to Hoboken, NJ, and the long-distance move reflects a roughly 600-mile move from Brooklyn, NY, to Charlotte, NC.
The cost of a move with United Van Lines depends on various factors like the distance between the origin and destination, how much you’re moving, what time of year, month and week you need to move and what types of add-ons you require. You can get a rough estimate on the UVL website, as shown in the table below, though you won’t get a specific quote for your move without a virtual or in-person tour. You may need to wait a few days, but at least you’ll have an accurate quote.
| DISTANCE | BEDROOMS | MOVE TYPE | QUOTE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn, NY to Hoboken, NJ (approx. 6.2 miles) | 2 | Interstate move | $5,200 - $5,800 |
| Brooklyn, NY to Charlotte, NC (approx. 628 miles) | 2 | Interstate move | $5,900 - $6,500 |
What We Like About United Van Lines
When it comes to services, United Van Lines has no shortage. Whether you need car shipping, packing and unpacking, house cleaning or debris removal, United Van Lines allows customers to tailor their specific package to their move. We also like that UVL doesn’t require a deposit to book a move with them, and their free cancellation policy before the move begins allows for ultimate flexibility.
What We Don’t Like About United Van Lines
While United Van Lines has plenty of positive attributes, the not-so-great aspects of the moving provider involve budget. From our quote process, we learned that moves with UVL may cost more than many other competitors. Also, if you’re looking to get a quote quickly, UVL won’t be the company for you, as a virtual or in-person assessment is required before a quote is locked in. Lastly, UVL offers no discounts, which may be a make-or-break aspect for some.
How United Van Lines Stacks Up
| COMPANY | COST OF MOVE | FULL-SERVICE PACKING | STATES COVERED | ESTIMATE* | LEARN MORE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short distance: $5,200.00
Long distance: $5,900.00
| Yes | 50 | $5,200 | From Participating Partners
| |
| Short distance: $1040.00
Long distance: $6,120.78
| Yes | 50 | $1,040 | From Participating Partners
| |
| Short distance: $2432.50
Long distance: $6425.20
| Yes | 50 | $2,432 | From Participating Partners
|
Who Is United Van Lines Best For?
If you’re planning a full-service move anywhere in the U.S. or the more than 150 countries that United Van Lines serves and aren’t in a big rush to get a transparent estimate, you may find that UVL is a good contender. Those who require some customization with their moves should consider UVL’s extensive list of add-on services, including antique and piano moving, junk removal and more.
Moving Companies By State
Methodology – How We Selected the Best Moving Companies
We developed our list of the best moving companies by first identifying competitors that met basic criteria such as licensing, insurance and legal registration. We reviewed the 69 most widely available companies from that list and scored them all based on 89 different attributes. Each company’s rating is determined by evaluating a variety of metrics, including years in business, pricing and insurance, move types, services and options, consumer sentiment analysis, customer reviews and support, and nationwide availability.
You can find out more about how Forbes Home rates moving companies on our detailed methodology page.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who owns United Van Lines?
United Van Lines is owned by a transportation company called UniGroup Inc. The company also owns Mayflower Transit, and as of 2018, it has become a cooperative (co-op).
Is United Van Lines a broker or carrier?
United Van Lines acts as both broker and carrier on moves, meaning that for some, its own staff coordinates and executes the moves, and for others, third-party moving companies are contracted to help. This has caused some fluctuation in consumer sentiment since it’s not always the same team that contracts moves across the country.
