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Best Moving Companies in Illinois

Author Image Written by Shane Sentelle + 1 other Reviewed by Kent Sisneros Updated 06/28/2024

The moving experience can be stressful, whether you’re moving across town or across the country. Under most circumstances, the cheapest option is moving yourself. However, this option is rarely the wisest, and it’s never the easiest. Professional moving companies can transport your belongings safely and efficiently, saving you countless hours and providing peace of mind.

If you live in Illinois, there are dozens of reputable moving services available when it comes time to move. In this article, we’ll discuss seven of the best moving companies available in your state, rating each on their services, equipment, availability, and price.


7 Top Moving Companies in Illinois

Our team researched dozens of moving companies, and these are our top-rated choices for moving companies in Illinois:


Compare the Top Moving Companies in Illinois

Our Pick
International Van Lines
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American Van Lines
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JK Moving Services
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Allied Van Lines
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North American Van Lines
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U-Pack
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Overall Rating

4.5 / 5 4.3 / 5 4.7 / 5 4.9 / 5 4.8 / 5 3.7 / 5

BBB Rating

A+ A+ A+ A+ A+ A+

FMCSA Licensing

Carrier Carrier Carrier Carrier/Broker Carrier/Broker Carrier

Average Price*

$5,250 $5,625 $7,171 $5,370 $5,969 $3,705

Deposit Required

Up to 25% Up to 50% $250 None None None

Pros

  • Flexible insurance plans
  • Free month of storage
  • Upfront pricing
  • Hires movers who average 10 years of experience
  • Provides fixed-rate quotes
  • Trains its employees regularly to efficiently handle special packing and crating
  • Background-checked movers
  • Financing available
  • Intuitive AI-assisted online quote tool
  • Climate-controlled storage facilities
  • Expedited relocation services
  • In-house vehicle shipping
  • Budget-planning service
  • No deposit
  • Only provides binding estimates
  • GPS tracking is available
  • Fast delivery times
  • Less expensive pricing than full-service movers

Cons

  • Below-average customer reviews
  • Outsources some moves
  • Requires up to a 25% deposit
  • Charges higher average prices
  • Has limited customer service on weekends
  • Requires a deposit of up to 50% of the total cost
  • Higher-than-average pricing
  • Long quote process
  • No refund on your deposit
  • Misleading quote tool
  • No weekend support
  • Slow claims process
  • Items may take 10–14 days to arrive
  • Limited storage services according to zip code
  • Three-day requirement for cancellations
  • Cancelation fee charged if within a week of your service date
  • Moves must exceed 150 miles
  • Storage only available at a company facility

Summary

We recommend International Van Lines (IVL) if you want the most moving service options possible. The company boasts one of the most extensive moving service catalogs at highly competitive rates.

We recommend American Van Lines if you’re moving high-end items or antiques because it focuses on training its staff to move difficult and valuable items.

We recommend JK Moving Services for its ability to offer financing options through its partnership with Enhancify and its high-end, white-glove packing services.

We recommend Allied if you want to ship a vehicle due to the company’s in-house vehicle relocation services.

We recommend North American Van Lines (NAVL) as the best long-distance mover overall because of its customizable insurance packages, highly rated customer service, and extensive service options.

We recommend U-Pack if you’re moving on a tight budget. You can save big if you’re willing to handle most of the labor yourself, but the company also offers third-party assistance. You can expect packing, loading services and more when moving with U-Pack.

Rating Categories

International Van Lines American Van Lines JK Moving Services Allied Van Lines North American Van Lines U-Pack

Customer Service

5 / 5
4.4 / 5
4.4 / 5
4.4 / 5
4.4 / 5
4.3 / 5

Reputation

4.3 / 5
3.9 / 5
5 / 5
3.9 / 5
3.6 / 5
4.4 / 5

Value

2.8 / 5
3.3 / 5
3.1 / 5
4.7 / 5
4.7 / 5
4.4 / 5

Service Offerings

4.7 / 5
4.7 / 5
4.7 / 5
5 / 5
5 / 5
3.4 / 5

Item Protection

5 / 5
5 / 5
5 / 5
5 / 5
5 / 5
2.8 / 5

Scheduling

4.1 / 5
2.3 / 5
5 / 5
5 / 5
5 / 5
2.3 / 5
Company Star Rating BBB Rating Deposit Required Visit Site
4.5
A+ 25% GET ESTIMATE
4.3
A+ Up to 50% up-front GET ESTIMATE
4.3
B- Up to 40% GET ESTIMATE
3.9
B Up to 33% GET ESTIMATE
4.2
B Varies between partners GET ESTIMATE
4.7
A+ $250 up-front GET ESTIMATE
4.9
A+ None GET ESTIMATE
4.8
A+ None GET ESTIMATE
4.8
A+ None GET ESTIMATE
4.0
A+ None GET ESTIMATE

Why Trust Us? We conducted 4,800+ hours of research on moving companies and crafted a ranking system based on the following research
31
Companies Considered
1000
Homeowners Surveyed
21000
Reviews Analyzed
22
Providers Compared

Our Top Picks For Moving Companies In Illinois

International Van Lines (Lead Form Test)

Best Full-Service Mover
4.9

International Van Lines (IVL) is our Best Service Offerings for Illinois residents. IVL offers a full array of moving services, including packing and unpacking, loading and unloading, and transportation. Its fleet of movers is also prepared to transport fragile and heavy items.

Pros and Cons

Pros Widely available Handles an average of 10,000 moves per year Licensed by the U.S. Department of Transportation Cons Not ideal for DIY moves Not the best provider for local moves

Services

International Van Lines can provide packing, storage, crating, and other specialty moving services. Included in your services are disassembly and reassembly of basic furniture, moving supplies like blankets and protective pads, mileage, fuel, and tolls during travel.

Though International Van Lines is best suited for a long-distance move, it can assist customers relocating within Illinois. However, it requires a minimum of a two-bedroom apartment for these local moves. Learn more about IVL services.

Cost

We received a moving quote from IVL for a two-bedroom move from Naperville to Champaign. The estimate ranges from $2,015–$3,445 for a full-service move. This includes packing and unpacking services, transportation, and loading and unloading. For the most accurate estimate, we recommend getting a free quote from International Van Lines.

American Van Lines

Best Overall Moving Labor
4.3

American Van Lines (AVL), similar to International Van Lines, is a full-service mover. AVL can assist with local, international, and interstate moves. It is available in nearly every state, can assist with specialty items, offers storage solutions, and provides vehicle shipping assistance.

Pros and Cons

Pros Weekly shuttles to all major cities Deliveries available seven days per week Last-minute moves at no additional charge Cons Prices are higher than many DIY services No instant quote information

Services

American Van Lines offers full-service and partial-pack options for international, long-distance, or local moves. With a full-service move, a background-checked team will handle every part of your move from start to finish. They will dismantle furniture, pack your items, load, transport, unload, and unpack, as well as reassemble furniture upon delivery.

American Van Lines employs specially-trained and certified movers to handle one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture, fine art, antiques, and pianos. AVL hires its movers on a full-time basis, rather than a contractual one. Each of their movers has an average of 10 years of experience. Learn more about American Van Lines services.

Cost

AVL uses binding estimates, which comes with pros and cons. This flat-rate pricing system is designed to provide peace of mind throughout the moving process. Once you submit your preferences for services and give a list of items, your rate won’t change, thanks to AVL’s bottom-line pricing.

On the plus side, your rate won’t change, making it easier to budget and plan your move. Unfortunately, this means AVL doesn’t offer instant estimates. The company also requires an up-front deposit of between 10% and 50% of your total move cost.

We recommend getting a free quote and having an AVL employee reach out with more information.

JK Moving Services

Best Specialized Packing
4.7

JK Moving offers services to Illinois as a full-service interstate mover. JK Moving has a fleet of GPS-enabled trucks, allowing you to track your belongings from anywhere in the country. Every long-distance move with JK is fully customized to your specific needs, and the company offers financing for your move.

Pros and Cons

Pros 0% financing available Convenient mobile app 24/7 customer service Cons Local moves are not available in Illinois Storage is usually purchased through a third-party company

Services

JK Moving’s services are fully customizable, so an agent can work with you to meet your specific needs. JK Moving offers a full range of services, meaning you can do some tasks on your own, or you can let JK’s staff take care of every step. JK Moving doesn’t provide local moves within Illinois, but it remains an attractive option for those moving in or out of the state.

For packing, JK Moving offers full-service packing, where professionals handle the packing of all of your belongings. JK Moving also lets customers choose fragile-only packing to take care of the most important items. DIY packing is also available with packing supplies available for purchase. Learn more about JK Moving services.

Cost

JK Moving doesn’t offer instant cost data on its website, but there are a few factors that will affect the price of your move, including:

  • Distance moving
  • Weight of your items
  • Amount of space needed
  • Time of year
  • Services needed

For a more exact estimate, we recommend getting a free quote on JK Moving’s website.

Allied Van Lines

Best for Vehicle Relocation
4.8

Allied Van Lines is a full-service mover that offers in-house vehicle shipping services. Most movers outsource this service to other companies, but Allied gives customers direct access to their vehicle movers, as well as extra perks like GPS tracking. Whether it is getting a boat ready for Lake Michigan or having your camper on-hand for Starved Rock State Park, Allied acts as a reputable mover for vehicle relocation.

Pros and Cons

Pros Offers in-house vehicle shipping services Includes GPS tracking and a personal moving agent Partners with the Salvation Army to help donate unwanted items Cons May act as a broker based on the service area Customer reviews mention a difficult insurance claims process

Services

Allied Van Lines offers a wide range of full-service and partial-service moving options, such as packing, loading, transportation, unloading, and unpacking. Allied customers may either opt to have the company handle as much of their move as possible, or they can save money with DIY services such as its fragile-only packing service and portable storage container service called Allied Express. Learn more about Allied Van Lines services.

Cost

Allied Van Lines provided us with a ballpark quote to move a two-bedroom home/apartment from Detroit to Chicago with an average number of belongings for $3,852–$4,382.

Allied also provides binding estimates, which provides a price that does not drastically change due to unexpected events during the move. The company provides these accurate estimates through in-home and virtual surveys, which Allied offers a useful mobile app to conduct. To get an accurate, free quote from a virtual survey with Allied Van Lines, provide some brief information here.

North American Van Lines

Best for Claims
4.9

If you have expensive belongings that you want comprehensive coverage for, we recommend you look into North American Van Lines. This full-service mover provides customized full-value released coverage, which provides contents protection based on the actual value of your belongings rather than a predetermined amount based on weight. In addition to this perk, the company features a transparent and thorough claims process that uses detailed and accessible forms.

Pros and Cons

Pros Provides custom contents protection plans Detailed and transparent contents protection claims process Provides personal moving agent to help with your move Cons Available agents may be limited based on your location Storage options may be limited based on your location

Services

North American Van Lines offers a wide selection of full-service and partial-service options. A noteworthy service is the company’s assistance with the installation of appliances. Learn more about NAVL services.

Cost

North American Van Lines gave us a ballpark quote to move a two-bedroom home/apartment from Chicago to St. Louis for $3,831–$4,357. The company also provides binding estimates through virtual and in-home surveys. North American Van Lines also provides a useful mobile app to help with virtual surveys, as well as help customers create a detailed, digital inventory.

To start scheduling a move with North American Van Lines, get in touch with a personal moving agent by filing out this short form.

U-Pack

Most Affordable
3.8

U-Pack, similar to PODS, offers DIY-friendly moving solutions based around self-storage containers. You can either pack and load on your own or hire outside help. U-Pack will drop off a container for you to load and then transport it to your new location. You only need to pay for the space you use, making U-Pack the most affordable option on our list.

Pros and Cons

Pros One of the most inexpensive moving options U-Pack can move you almost anywhere in the United States within 2–5 business days No down payment is required Cons Many competitors offer a wider range of services Only three days for loading and unloading

Services

With U-Pack, you’ll use your home’s size to estimate how much space you need. If you use less space than initially intended, you won’t pay for the extra space that you booked, only for what you use. U-Pack offers ReloCubes, which are individual storage containers, but you can also book space on a trailer. Learn more about U-Pack services.

Cost

U-Pack’s prices are among the most affordable in the moving industry. We received an estimate of $1,576 for a move from Naperville to Springfield. This rate includes two ReloCubes and door-to-door delivery. U-Pack estimates that this will take between four and six business days, which is much faster than many other deliveries in the industry.

We recommend getting a free quote from U-Pack for the most accurate cost info.

PODS

Convenience
4.8

PODS is a nationally recognized brand, with more than 230 storage facilities across the United States. PODS is our top choice for convenience when moving.

Instead of a traditional rental truck, PODS can deliver a storage container, which you can load and unload at your own convenience. You are allowed to keep the container at your home for 30 days, both for loading and unloading. PODS also has a nationwide network of storage facilities where you can store your belongings if your new home isn’t ready yet.

Pros and Cons

Pros Storage facilities across the United States Load and unload at your own pace Transparent pricing information on website Cons Professional packing and loading help done through third parties Limited availability during busier times

Services

PODS has several convenient options for storage and moving services. PODS can deliver a container to your home for you to load on your own schedule. You have your PODS container for 30 days both leading up to and after the big move, totaling 60 days of packing, loading, and unloading time. PODS will then deliver your container to your new home.

Containers can be stored at a PODS storage center, where your possessions will be safe and easily accessible. PODS can also put you in touch with professional packers and loaders if you need help with your possessions. Learn more about PODS services.

Cost

For a 1600-square-foot home moving from Naperville to Springfield, PODS gave us a quote of $3,327. The first payment of $817 includes the delivery of the empty container, first month’s use, and $10,000 in contents protection. The cost of transportation for the container is $1,477. The redelivery of the container to the new address and final pickup is $1,034. If you need the container for any additional time, it’s $488 per month to continue renting the container.

These prices will vary depending on the size of your move, the services required, and the time of year.


Compare the Services of the Best Moving Companies in Illinois

Easily compare how the top moving companies in Illinois stack up:

ProviderFree EstimateLocal MovesInterstate MovesLabor Included
International Van LinesGet Estimate
American Van LinesGet Estimate
U-PackGet Estimate
JK MovingGet Estimate
(except VA, MD, and DC)
Allied Van LinesGet Estimate
North American Van LinesGet Estimate
PODS

Our Conclusion

Different Illinois movers will have different needs. The size and weight of your possessions, the distance of your move, your budget, and the amount of labor needed will all affect which company will be the best choice for you. If you are moving cross-country, check out our picks for the best long-distance movers.

We recommend starting with a home inventory and getting free quotes from several companies, including International Van Lines, Allied and North American Van Lines.


Useful Resources for Residents in Illinois


Frequently Asked Questions

Is hiring professional movers worth it when moving in Illinois?

While moving yourself is usually the cheapest option, it can end up costing more than you bargained for if you don’t properly transport your items. Professional movers can save you time, but they can also save you money by protecting your most important belongings.

What is the best DIY moving company for Illinois moves?

If you’re looking to handle the packing and unpacking on your own, PODS and U-Pack are excellent options. Both companies will drop off a storage container, allow you to load it yourself, and drop it off at your new address. Storage options are also available.

How do I know how much space I need?

The best way to determine space is through an in-home estimate. Many moving companies, such as JK Moving Services, offer these in-home estimates, while other companies offer online tools to help you approximate the amount of space you’ll need.


Our Rating Methodology

We back 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.