How Much Do U-Pack Alternatives Cost? 2025 Savings Guide

Seeking cost-effective alternatives to U-Pack? This article compares the expenses associated with various U-Pack alternatives, looking at the potential money-saving benefits to empower you to make the most out of your moving budget.

Our guide will cover the following:

• How much U-Pack alternatives cost
• What affects the cost of U-Pack alternatives 
• How to save money on U-Pack alternatives 
• What’s involved in using U-Pack alternatives 
• How to know if U-Pack alternatives are the best choice for you
• How to find and hire U-Pack alternatives 

Moving house is expensive enough, there’s no need to add yet more into your budget – with U-Pack alternatives, we’ll show you how to save money along the way. Let’s begin.

How Much Do U-Pack Alternatives Cost?

For our cost comparison, we’ll be looking at different DIY vehicle hire and storage unit suppliers to compare and contrast their prices to give you a well-rounded idea of the kind of costs you’ll encounter when looking to hire moving services.

To start with, let’s remind ourselves of the costs commonly associated with U-Pack hire:

House Size	Estimated Average Cost
One-bed house/apartment	$3,000
Two-bed house/apartment	$3,500
Three-bed house	$4,000
Four-bed house	$6,000+

U-Pack describes itself as a ‘non-traditional self-move service’, and works by you loading your belongings into a trailer or container. For this reason, the costs can vary greatly based on the size of your home and the associated belongings.

The rough cost for the container and transport of the belongings in a one-bed house or apartment comes in at around $3,000, rising incrementally to $3,500 for a two-bed residence and over $6,000 for a four-bed home.

These costs include mileage for transport, something which other providers may list as a separate charge, which is worth bearing in mind for larger journeys.

Now, let’s take a look at some market competitors to give you an idea of what’s possible with alternative companies:

Service Provider	Estimated Average Cost
Zippy Shell	$2,750
1-800-PACK-RAT	$3,000
UNITS	$4,250
PODS	$5,000

Zippy Shell comes in as the cheapest alternative by far, at around $2,750. It is worth noting, however, that they have limited coverage compared to other providers, and only offer one size of container which can be limiting for some customers.

1-800-PACK-RAT is next at around $3,000. Similar to Zippy Shell, they have limited coverage, only available in 30 states – but their containers are fully steel which offers a good level of protection and security during the moving process.

UNITS are next at $4,250 per average move. They have two sizes of container, are available in 37 states, and have 30-day free storage included as standard – but their prices are slightly higher than some others owing to their business being locally owned.

Finally, PODS total around $5,000 per average move. Available in 46 states, PODS has great country-wide coverage, as well as multiple size options for their containers – but they are a higher-priced alternative.

By shopping around it’s clear to see there are savings to be made when moving house if you want to opt for something alternative to U-Pack – so let’s now understand if switching companies is actually worth it.

Are U-Pack Alternatives Worth It?

If you want to be cost-conscious, opting for a lesser-known or established moving container rental company can be a great way to shave off some costs. Lesser-known companies will often offer more competitive prices than market leaders because they don’t have all the overheads a national company might, translating to savings for you.

These rental companies may also offer unique discounts or special offers that are not available with the market leaders. These discounts can further reduce your overall moving costs, helping you make a cost-effective choice.

Smaller companies typically have a more localized focus on their service, which can lead to a more personalized service than a national company might offer you. They’ll likely also go above and beyond to give you great service in order to build their reputation in the local area – it is good to note though that with a localized service may come a smaller fleet of available containers or trucks, which can translate to reduced availability during peak periods.

It’s a good idea to always check the rental company’s insurance to ensure you’re still getting a premium service when using smaller companies. It’s also important to check for any hidden fees – are all fees included up front, or is there an additional rental/mileage charge to be added to your starting fee? – be sure to check these things out before signing with any company.

Which U-Pack Alternative is the Best Choice for Me?

When it comes to picking your perfect U-Pack alternative for your upcoming move it’s important to take your personal situation into consideration – what’s right for one person may not be so perfect for the next. Some smaller companies are limited in their geographical reach, perhaps only covering 20 states, so it’s important to check that your chosen company can assist you in avoiding disappointment and wasted time.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the main pros and cons that come with choosing a lesser-known moving company.

Advantages of U-Pack Alternatives	Disadvantages of U-Pack Alternatives
Localized knowledge and a personalized service	Reduced availability if company has a small fleet
Increased chance of discounts or introductory offers, especially for newer companies just starting out	Smaller geographical reach if company is limited to a number of states
Generally lower prices than market leaders	May be more susceptible to last-minute cancellations
Supporting local businesses	Less choice of container size

The general advantage of using a smaller or lesser-known moving company is the potential for monetary discounts. This can be for a number of reasons: introductory offers, special discounts for holiday periods or added extras along with your rental, such as 30-day free storage.

These offers are usually in place to help the fledgling company gain customers in the early days or to get its name out there to gain public interest. There is usually a greater chance of localized knowledge, and you will be supporting a local business.

With this in mind, there are some drawbacks – some of the companies on our price comparison table only operate within specific states, and are not available for the entire country, which can be limiting depending on where you live. There can also be fewer container sizes to choose from, and the potential for reduced availability if the company has a small starting fleet.

Determining whether or not a smaller, localized moving company is right for you is based entirely on your individual situation – if there is a company operating in your region with introductory offers and good availability it can be a good idea to try them out and take advantage of their lower prices.

Finding the Best Container Hire Company For You

When choosing your moving container rental company it’s important to make sure all your questions are answered before signing on the dotted line. Be sure to consider:

• What types of vehicles are available – do you need a truck, trailer, or container?
• Are there mileage limits, and what happens if I go over them?
• What insurance do you offer? What happens if items get damaged during transit?
• Are there any hidden fees?
• How far in advance should I book the service?

While the answers to these questions might be easy to find on some provider’s websites, for lesser-established companies they might not be as readily available. It’s important to be sure of each and every term before agreeing to a contract to avoid paying any additional or hidden fees.

Be sure to do your due diligence and check their online reviews, or speak to friends or family members who may have used the company in the past to get verbatim feedback. Although a website can look enticing, the outcome could be far from that, so it’s best to be aware of their work ethic and service before booking.

Final Checklist

When the time comes to book your U-Haul alternative for your upcoming move, be sure to take note of our final checklist to ensure everything is taken care of so there’ll be no surprises on moving day.

• Research the company – look at online reviews and speak to friends/colleagues who may have used the company before
• Fully understand their pricing strategy, finding out about any hidden fees or charges such as mileage fees
• Ensure the company operates in your area – this is especially important if a company only works in specific states
• Find out their cancellation policy and if there is a backup option if they become unavailable at short notice
• Ask about what happens if your move gets held up and you need storage options
• Check and double-check the date you booked!

Frequently Asked Questions