3 Best Moving Companies | How We Chose | Best Overall | Best for Trusted Reputation | Best for Long Distance Moving | Cost of Movers | Avoiding Scams
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Los Angeles has over 1,000 moving companies. Choosing the right one is like finding a way across town without hitting traffic on the freeway.
To help you find a mover that meets your needs, we narrowed down the field to the best 588 moving companies with a 4-star rating or higher. Then, our team spent over 100 hours researching and comparing the top options.
We also considered LA-specific factors you might experience, like dealing with added time due to extra traffic and tricky parking situations.
Read on to see our top picks for movers in Los Angeles.
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3 Best Moving Companies in Los Angeles (at a Glance)
| Company | What We Like | Avg. Customer Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Affordable Moving - SoCal | Best Overall | 4.7 (1476 reviews) |
| Mission Movers | Best for Trusted Reputation | 5.0 (1085 reviews) |
| NorthStar Movers | Best for Long Distance Moving | 4.5 (2184 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 Los Angeles
1. Affordable Moving - SoCal: Best Overall
Affordable Moving earns the spot as the best overall mover in LA for having great reviews, solid rates, and a comprehensive menu of moving services. Company reviews show that many Affordable Moving reviewers are repeat customers. Some recurring points of praise include punctuality, fast and competent labor, and responsive communication. The occasional negative review mentioned damaged items and lateness.
Affordable provides a wide spectrum of moving services. It can handle basics like residential and commercial moves, as well as storage and packing services, labor-only moves, and car shipping. It also does long-distance moves, so if you’re moving out of state, give this company a look.
Finally, Affordable Moving earned a medium reliability rating from us, since the company employs one registered driver for its single moving vehicle.
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⚡ 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. |
2. Mission Movers: Best for Trusted Reputation
Mission Movers holds a perfect five out of five customer rating based on nearly 1,100 reviews. It’s rare for a business with so many reviews to have a perfect rating, so Mission Movers must be doing something right! A quick survey of reviews backs that up; satisfied customers repeatedly cited Mission’s great communication, professional crew, and punctuality.
Mission Movers offers a spectrum of moving services, including furniture disassembly and assembly, local residential and commercial moves, and moving box rental. This company also offers long-distance moving if you’re moving across or out of California.
Finally, Mission earned a medium reliability rating from us; it employs three registered drivers for its three company vehicles.
3. NorthStar Movers: Best for Long Distance Moving
NorthStar Movers is the go-to Los Angeles mover if you’re relocating out of state. NorthStar can move you to any U.S. state, and it even offers international moving services — both door-to-door moves and the less-expensive door-to-port move, which transports your stuff to any international port or airport. Besides standard residential, local moving services, NorthStar offers specialized services like luxury moving, production moves, art and piano moving, and storage services.
This company has solid reviews, too. Satisfied customers mentioned prompt communication, careful handling, and high-quality interstate moving, while the occasional negative reviews mentioned damage to items.
NorthStar Movers earned a low reliability rating from us. While it maintains a moderately-sized seven-vehicle fleet, it doesn't employ enough drivers to man them all simultaneously, which severely limits scheduling possibilities.
Next Steps: Compare Moving Companies in Los Angeles
How Much Do Movers Cost in Los Angeles?
Using professional full-service movers in Los Angeles will cost you about $284 for a studio apartment and $1,415 for a 3-bedroom home. Larger homes will cost more — expect to pay $2,483 for a 5-bedroom house. Out-of-state and long-distance will cost even more.
Full-service moving rates can vary widely depending on the specifics of your move, so reach out to a moving company for an accurate quote.
⚠️ Avoid parking fines: Make sure your mover has an oversize parking permit, available for $10.00 per day. Find out more.
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.
Moving Companies in Los Angeles to AVOID
East Freight Logistics
In June 2021, several clients of East Freight Logistics complained when they realized their belongings were never going to be delivered. Instead of delivering the customers' goods, the company stashed everything away in a storage unit. It then failed to pay the storage unit bill, and some clients' belongings were actually auctioned off by the storage company.
How Far in Advance Should I Reach Out to a Mover in Los Angeles?
If you're moving locally within Los Angeles, 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 Los Angeles,” 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
