3 Best Moving Companies | How We Chose | Best Overall | Best for Moving on a Budget | Best for Trusted Reputation | Cost of Movers | Avoiding Scams
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In Charlotte, hiring a full-service mover costs around $1,509 for a three-bedroom home. This is less expensive than the national average of $1,963. For many people, the cost is worth it.
For a three-bedroom home, you'll need four movers working for about eight hours to pack your things, load them onto the truck, deliver them to your new home, and unpack them. You can expect to pay about $50 per mover per hour, plus the cost of the truck, packing supplies, and a 10–20% tip.
We assessed 285 local movers in Charlotte and ranked the top three so you know where to begin your search.
3 Best Moving Companies in Charlotte (at a Glance)
| Company | What We Like | Avg. Customer Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Hornet Moving | Best Overall | 4.5 (2492 reviews) |
| Easy Movers | Best for Moving on a Budget | 4.2 (1759 reviews) |
| Metropolitan Moving | Best for Trusted Reputation | 5.0 (165 reviews) |
How We Chose the Companies on This List
Our team spent over 100 hours researching moving companies across the United States. We started with a list of more than 25,000 moving companies, then narrowed it down by eliminating companies that:
- Were not registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCSA)
- Had fewer than 10 customer reviews
- Didn’t have a website
- Had a relatively high number of safety and service violations according to the FMCSA
The remaining companies were ranked based on the following metrics:
- 5x: Average customer rating across all platforms (Yelp, Google, Angi, etc.)
- 4x: Total number of customer reviews (more reviews indicates a more reliable average rating)
- 3x: Total count of out-of-service violations (as indicated by the FMCSA)
- 2x: How many drivers a company has on staff per vehicles it has registered
- 1x: Whether a company is full-service or only offers labor services
Each metric was normalized and then graded on a 100-point scale. The combined weighted average of the scores determined the final ranking score.
We also mystery-shopped to gather quotes from more than 150 moving companies and surveyed our team members — who have moved more than 300 times collectively — on what was most important to them when choosing a moving company.
Who Should Use a Full-Service Mover?
We recommend full-service movers for people who can budget at least $300 for a one-bedroom apartment and at least $1,600 for a three-bedroom home.
Full-service is helpful if you have large, complicated things to move, can’t carry heavy stuff, or have a busy schedule (which may include closing on your new home). Likewise, if you don’t have friends and family available to help, hiring experts can make your move much quicker.
Full-service moving typically includes:
- Packing your items
- Disassembling furniture
- Loading the truck with your items
- Delivery to your new home
- Reassembling furniture
If you feel comfortable doing some of the heavy lifting and driving yourself, consider DIY moving or using labor-only movers who help you load your rented truck. DIY will certainly save you money (but maybe not your back).
3 Best Moving Companies in Charlotte
1. Hornet Moving: Best Overall
Hornet Moving is the top overall mover in Charlotte because it has solid reviews, a huge fleet of vehicles, and a wide selection of moving services. Satisfied customers mentioned Hornet’s fast, polite crew and reasonable prices. The occasional negative reviews mentioned damage to items and slowing down the move to rack up hourly charges.
Hornet offers residential and commercial moving, packing and unpacking, crating, furniture assembly and disassembly, senior moving, and piano moving. It also offers long-distance moving — perfect if you’re moving across the city or across the country.
We rated Hornet Moving as a medium reliability mover. While it has a sizable 24-vehicle fleet, it only maintains one qualified driver, on average, per vehicle.
In addition, Hornet can be quite pricey. Hornet quoted us an estimate of $2,560 for a three-bedroom move within Charlotte, which is more than a thousand dollars higher than the Charlotte average of $1,509.
2. Easy Movers: Best for Moving on a Budget
Easy Movers offers the full spectrum of moving services at a great price point. Satisfied customers repeatedly noted Easy Movers’ very reasonable rates and accurate estimates, as well as a generally high standard of performance. The few scattered negative reviews mostly involved damage to items, lateness, or a fee that exceeded the estimate.
Easy Movers offers local and long-distance moving, so it's a good pick if you’re moving across the U.S. The company also offers storage services, as well as packing and moving supplies. It even offers a free, no-obligation on-site survey of your move to give you an accurate estimate.
Easy Movers earned a low reliability rating from us because it employs fewer than one qualified driver per vehicle for its 10-vehicle fleet. This relatively low staffing level could lead to scheduling difficulties, especially during peak season.
3. Metropolitan Moving: Best for Trusted Reputation
Metropolitan Moving has a near-perfect 4.98 out of 5 rating based on 165 reviews. Happy customers repeatedly noted that Metropolitan showed up early and worked fast, and several reviewers said they were repeat customers — a very good sign.
Metropolitan also offers a long list of moving services, from standard residential and commercial moves to specialty services like piano moving, long and short-term storage, furniture assembly and disassembly, and home staging. It also offers long-distance moving, so if you’re heading out of state, Metropolitan should get serious consideration.
Metropolitan Moving received a medium reliability rating from us since it employs one qualified driver for its single vehicle.
How Much Do Movers Cost in Charlotte?
On average, hiring professional, full-service movers in Charlotte runs from $301 for a studio apartment to $1,509 for a 3-bedroom home. A 5-bedroom home will cost about $2,645. Interstate and long-distance moves will have added costs.
Full-service moving rates can vary widely depending on the specifics, so reach out to a moving company for an accurate quote.
Typical Cost Breakdown
The cost of your full-service move depends primarily on four key factors:
- Size of your home
- Number of movers and hours you’ll need them
- Driving distance from door to door
- Charge for use of truck (if not included in hourly rate)
At base, most companies charge an hourly rate per mover, then tack on additional fees for other factors.
| Don’t forget to tip 💸It’s common courtesy to tip your movers 10–20% of the total cost. For a three-bedroom home, that could be upwards of $300. |
Other Things That Could Increase Your Cost
Circumstances and challenges specific to your move could cost you more money.
| 🕰️ Timing |
Companies often charge higher rates for weekends, holidays, and jobs that require movers to work overtime. |
| 🎹 Specialty items |
Moving pianos or other heavy and awkward pieces might require additional time and movers. |
| 🧳 Packing supplies |
Extra bubble wrap for fragile items, large wardrobe boxes for clothes, and other packing supplies can add up. Save by providing your own. |
| 📦 Unpacking service |
Some companies offer unpacking as part of full-service moving. You can save money by doing this yourself. |
| 🏢 Difficult circumstances |
Stairs, narrow hallways, elevators, and distant parking can incur additional time and fees. |
| 🗝️ Storage |
If your new home isn’t ready, you’ll need to store your items until you can move in. |
| 🛡️ Insurance |
If your renters or homeowners insurance policy doesn’t cover transport of your possessions, you can buy insurance from your moving company or a third party. |
How to Get a Quote
You can get a quote from most movers by calling or filling out an online form to provide details about your home.
For the most accurate estimate, ask the mover to stop by your home in person or virtually to take a look at your belongings. This will allow the mover to take note of more complicated items, such as antique furniture or extra heavy items.
Alternatively, a moving broker can do the work for you, providing a quote from a carrier in your area.
How to Avoid Moving Company Scams
Check your mover’s Federal registration. You can check the company’s registration, violations, and complaint history by searching on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website.
Look for complaints on the Better Business Bureau website. Searching the company’s BBB profile can give you an idea of what kinds of complaints have been filed against the company and how the business resolved them.
Understand your rights and responsibilities. By law, every interstate mover must provide documentation about your rights as a consumer and the mover’s responsibilities. Make sure you read it carefully!
Know about your insurance options. If you’re moving within the same state, your mover may offer you coverage, or you can purchase a moving insurance policy independently. According to Federal law, interstate movers must offer two different types of valuation coverage: full value protection and released value.
If you notice one or more of these red flags when researching a moving company, it's probably best to avoid it.
How Far in Advance Should I Reach Out to a Mover in Charlotte?
If you're moving locally within Charlotte, look for a moving company about one month before your move — or two months ahead of time if you plan to move during the peak season of May through August. For interstate moves, start looking two to three months out, depending on the season.Sources
We drew from the following sources to write this article:
- “What is the Cost to Move in Charlotte,” moveBuddha
- “Here’s How to Determine How Many Movers You Need for Your Next Move,” Angi
- “How Many Movers Do I Need?” moveBuddha
- “Liability and Protection,” Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- “Spot the Red Flags,” Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
