If you’re moving to, from, or in Alabama, a moving company can help the moving process run more smoothly and efficiently.
In this article, we’ll discuss both types of companies, listing our top choices for best moving companies in Alabama. Read on to learn more about each company and find out which company is right for your specific needs.
Best Moving Companies in Alabama
Through in-depth research, we determined that the best moving companies in Alabama are:
- International Van Lines: Best Overall Full-Service Mover
- American Van Lines: Most Experienced Moving Labor
- JK Moving Services: Most Customizable Full-Service Mover
- Allied Van Lines: Best for Vehicle Relocation
- North American Van Lines: Best for Claims
International Van Lines: Best Overall Full-Service Mover
International Van Lines (IVL) is our top choice for a full-service mover. International Van Lines services include every step of the moving process. A skilled team of moving labor will pack and unpack your belongings, load and unload the truck, and transport your belongings anywhere in the country, keeping your most important items safe.
Pros & Cons
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of International Van Lines:
✔ Full-service moving from start to finish
✔ Can support moves to 180 countries
✔ Can transport your car as well
✘ More expensive than self-service moving
✘ Sample quote information is not precise
Services
International Van Lines can move you across town or across the world just as comfortably.
International Van Lines services:
- Local moving
- Long-distance moving
- Auto transport
- International moving
- B2B shipping
- Packing supplies
- Air freight services
- Corporate and military relocation
- Packing services
- Loading, and unloading
- Transportation of fragile items
Cost
For a three bedroom move across Birmingham, IVL gave us a sample quote ranging from $4,200–$6,150. This estimate includes loading services and transportation, meaning you can let IVL’s professionals every step of the process.
Learn More: International Van Lines Review
American Van Lines: Most Experienced Moving Labor
American Van Lines is the final full-service mover on our list, and it specializes in moving difficult items. All professional movers on American Van Lines’ team train in a special sample home to practice protecting important belongings, making it a safe choice to protect your belongings.
Pros & Cons
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of American Van Lines:
✔ Free month of storage
✔ Moving labor trained specifically to move difficult items
✔ Custom boxes for common items
✘ Price information is hard to obtain
✘ More expensive than self-service moving
Services
American Van Lines offers a full range of services, and one month of storage is included with every move.
American Van Lines service options:
- Local moving
- Long-distance moving
- Corporate relocation services
- Military moving
- International moving
- Commercial moving
- Piano and Antique moving
- Storage solutions
Cost
American Van Lines does not offer instant quote information. However, on its website, it has sample rates for popular moving destinations, and these rates can help you better estimate your price. For a move from Houston to Los Angeles, American Van Lines has a special rate of $3,869.
Learn More: American Van Lines Review
JK Moving: Most Customizable Full-Service Mover
JK Moving is also a full-service mover. JK Moving believes that every long-distance move is different, so it matches move coordinators with every move to create a custom plan of attack. Its trained fleet of moving labor is prepared to handle your most fragile items, including pianos and antiques. Every mile of your move will be planned and GPS tracked, giving you maximum peace of mind while your possessions are in transit.
Pros & Cons
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of JK Moving:
✔ GPS tracking on shipments
✔ Storage solutions available
✔ Professional moving labor
✘ Local moves not available in Alabama
✘ More expensive than self-service moving
Services
The company does not offer local moves in Alabama, but those looking for a long-distance mover should consider JK Moving. It can create a custom plan for all kinds of long-distance moves.
JK Moving Services include:
- Packing and unpacking
- Loading and unloading
- Long-distance moves
- International moves
- Corporate relocation services
- Commercial and office moves
- Government moves
- Storage
Cost
JK Moving does not readily provide cost information. We recommend that you have a list of inventory on hand to speak with an agent. From there, your agent can better determine your quoted rate.
Learn More: JK Moving Review
Allied Van Lines: Best for Vehicle Location
Allied Van Lines offers a range of moving options, from full-service packages to DIY support, and it also provides short- and long-term storage, moving kits, and helpful online resources. Allied is the oldest moving company in the U.S., with more than 90 years of experience in the industry.
Allied can ship a variety of vehicles, including cars, trucks, SUVs, and vans, as well as motorcycles, boats, and snowmobiles. The company maintains its own fleet of open and enclosed car carriers. Open carriers are the trucks you’ve likely seen on the highway carrying stacks of new cars from auto manufacturers to dealerships. Enclosed carriers are essentially semi-truck trailers that protect vehicles from the elements or roadway hazards. For high-value vehicles, including classic cars, the enclosed carrier option offers added protection during transport.
Pros & Cons
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of Allied Van Lines:
✔ Has a quick and simple quote process
✔ Basic packages include services from a personal relocation consultant
✔ Guaranteed quotes with an in-home visit
✘ Doesn’t offer 24/7 claims support
✘ Dealing with multiple local agents can cause delays or confusion if they don’t follow the same procedures
Services
Allied’s list of moving services includes:
- Local moving
- Long-distance moving
- International moving
- Packing and unpacking
- Loading and unloading
- Custom crating
- Full-valuation coverage
Cost
Like most full-service moving companies, Allied Van Lines considers several factors when preparing a quote. Those factors include:
- The distance you’re moving
- When you’re planning to move
- The amount and weight of items being moved
- Special handling of items
Allied Van Lines offers free basic liability insurance, but supplemental insurance and add-on services, such as crating or vehicle relocation, come with an additional cost. Using the company’s online moving estimation tool, a basic package for moving the contents of a two-bedroom home from Montgomery, Alabama, to Sacramento, California, in early spring would likely cost between $6,740 and $7,709.
Learn More: Allied Van Lines Review
North American Van Lines: Best for Claims
North American Van Lines is a full-service moving company that can accommodate local, long-distance, and international moves of all sizes. North American is available in all 50 states and more than 130 countries through its extensive network of more than 500 local movers.
The company has simplified the claims process through quick online access of necessary forms and information. There are separate sections on the landing page of North American’s website for international and domestic claims. Customers can also file claims over the phone through the company’s claim support division, which is separate from general customer support.
Pros & Cons
Compare the advantages and disadvantages of North American Van Lines:
✔ Offers a Not-to-Exceed Pricing package that allows costs to fall below estimates but not above
✔ Global moving clients can follow the moving workflow using the MoovScout app
✔ Uses interactive driving simulators to train drivers
✘ Has a long in-home estimate scheduling process
✘ Some customer reviews mention complaints regarding damage caused by local moving agents
Services
North American’s list of services includes:
- Fragile-only Packing
- Full-service Packing
- Loading and unloading
- House cleaning
- Vehicle transport
- Furniture disassembly and assembly
- Moving checklists
Cost
North American Van Lines estimates cost based on distance, the amount and weight of items you’ll be moving, and your moving date. The company also factors any special handling requests into a quote. While exact costs will vary, prices range from $4,009 to $4,579 to move a two-bedroom home from Huntsville, Alabama, to Trenton, New Jersey, in early November.
Learn More: North American Van Lines Review
Compare the Best Moving Companies in Alabama
Some moving companies can deliver containers to your home for you to load yourself, while other companies take charge of every step, including packing, allowing you to focus on other important tasks.
Here you can easily compare how the top moving companies in AL stack up to one another:
Provider |
Free Estimate |
Local |
Long-Distance |
Labor Included |
Quoted Rate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
IVL |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
$4,200 – $6,150 |
|
American Van Lines |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
N/A |
|
JK Moving |
✖ |
✓ |
✓ |
N/A |
|
Allied |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
$6,740 – $7,709 |
|
North American |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
$4,009 – $4,579 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Conclusion
All the companies on our list are excellent choices for different homeowners. For the homeowners who prioritize peace of mind and choose to have a hands-off moving experience, we recommend a full-service moving company, such as International Van Lines. Even though you’ll pay a little extra for this type of company, full-service moving can save you time and protect your belongings.
For homeowners with the do-it-yourself spirit, a container delivery service like PODS may be a better option. Reaching out for a free quote from each moving company can help you acquire accurate pricing information to make the most informed decision for your move.
Useful Resources for Residents in Alabama
Our Rating Methodology
The This Old House Reviews Team backs up our moving company ratings and recommendations with a detailed rating methodology to objectively score each company. We conduct research by reading through the company websites, analyzing customer reviews, conducting consumer surveys, requesting quotes, and speaking with customer representatives. We then score each moving company against our review standards for services, contents coverage, scheduling, trailer and container options, additional benefits, and reputation to arrive at a final score out of 100.
To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.