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The 3 Best Moving Companies in Columbus, Ohio (Based on Customer Reviews, Cost, and More)

best moving companies in Columbus

3 Best Moving Companies | How We Chose | Best Overall | Best for Range of Services | Best for Trusted Reputation | Cost of Movers | Avoiding Scams

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If you're looking for a mover in Columbus, you have many options. Columbus has 35 full-service movers rated 4 stars or above.

Local full-service Cbus movers pack up all of your things, load them into the truck, and then deliver them to your new home where they'll unpack everything. If you need to move farther than just across town, some movers also provide long-distance and interstate moves.

Deciding on which moving service to use can be tricky. In total, we assessed 130 local moving companies in Columbus, Ohio, and ranked the top three so you can know where to begin your search.

🚚 Ready to get moving? Compare top moving companies near you, get custom quotes, and see all available discounts. 100% free with no obligation. Get started now!
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3 Best Moving Companies in Columbus (at a Glance)

Company What We Like Avg. Customer Rating
Mr Mover of Ohio Best Overall 4.7 (674 reviews)

Efficient Moving Best for Range of Services

4.9 (216 reviews)

Moyer's Movers Best for Trusted Reputation

5.0 (89 reviews)

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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 Columbus

1. Mr Mover of Ohio: Best Overall

Mr. Mover of Ohio is the best overall mover in Columbus because of its solid reputation and wide variety of services. Happy reviewers mentioned the movers' professionalism along with the company’s prompt communication. The rare unhappy reviewers usually complained about damaged items.

Mr. Mover offers local residential, commercial, interstate, and even international moves. This company also offers specialized moving services like partial moves, complete full-service moves, labor-only moves, and inner home moves.

Finally, Mr. Mover earned a high reliability rating from us because it employs well over two registered drivers for each of its six company vehicles. This means it’ll likely be capable of booking your move whenever you need it done, even during peak season.

⚡ Quick Tip: We recommend getting custom quotes from independent moving brokers. These services are free to use with no obligation and make it easy to compare multiple options to find the best fit and value. Get instant quotes here.

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2. Efficient Moving: Best for Range of Services

Efficient Moving earns high marks for the sheer variety of moving services it offers. These include standard local residential and commercial moves, long-distance moves, packing and unpacking, loading and unloading, and in-house moves. It can even help with specialty moves for items like pool tables, pianos, grandfather clocks, exercise equipment, and more.

This company has good company reviews, too. Happy customers mentioned the professional movers that make up the crew, while the occasional negative reviews mentioned damage to items.

We gave Efficient Moving a low reliability rating because it employs a single registered driver for its two company vehicles. This limits the company’s ability to schedule moves, especially during busy times.

3. Moyer's Movers: Best for Trusted Reputation

Moyer’s Movers has very good reviews, averaging a near perfect 4.97 out of 5 based on nearly 100 reviews. Surveying the company reviews, satisfied customers singled out the company’s professional movers, punctuality, and efficient work. The very rare negative reviews touched on spotty communication.

Moyer’s provides local residential and commercial moves, as well as storage solutions. The company operates only within the state of Ohio, so if you need a long-distance interstate mover, you’ll need to look elsewhere.

We gave Moyer’s Movers a low reliability rating from us because it employs fewer than one registered driver for each of its four company vehicles. This limits the company’s ability to schedule moves, especially during busy times.

Next Steps: Compare Moving Companies in Columbus

How Much Do Movers Cost in Columbus?

On average, hiring a full-service mover in Columbus costs $528 for a studio apartment and about $2,713 for a 3-bedroom home. A 5-bedroom home costs $4,781. Moving out-of-state or long distance across Ohio will cost more.

Full-service moving rates can vary widely depending on the specifics of your move. 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.

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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.
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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 Columbus?

If you're moving locally within Columbus, 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:

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