3 Best Moving Companies | How We Chose | Best Overall | Best for Trusted Reputation | Best For Straightforward Local Moves | Cost of Movers | Avoiding Scams
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Moving a 3-bedroom home in Nashville using a full-service mover typically costs $2,249. It's more expensive than the national average of $1,963.
Nashville has more than 210 moving companies for you to consider, though, so it's possible to get a deal.
We made it easier to choose from Nashville's moving companies by selecting the top three movers in the city. Our team evaluated pricing, reliability, and customer experience. We selected the best overall, best for trusted reputation, and best for local moves.
3 Best Moving Companies in Nashville (at a Glance)
| Company | What We Like | Avg. Customer Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Bellhop Moving | Best Overall | 4.3 (1942 reviews) |
| Music City Movers | Best for Trusted Reputation | 4.9 (143 reviews) |
| Horse Power Movers Of Tennessee | Best For Straightforward Local Moves | 5.0 (34 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 Nashville
1. Bellhop Moving: Best Overall
Our top moving service in Nashville is Bellhop Moving, which stands out for its quick quotes, easy booking, and affordable pricing. Bellhop earns mostly positive online reviews, with clients praising the company for its fast and efficient service. Bellhop also has some negative ratings, mainly due to sudden cancellations, the size of its trucks, and improper care of items.
Bellhop Moving has branches in 27 states, with multiple professional movers available in East Nashville for both local and long-distance moves. Besides full-service residential moving, Bellhop also offers commercial moving, labor-only services, and self-storage via the portable container storage company PODS.
Bellhop earns a high reliability rating for having more than five drivers per vehicle, which means it can complete a job even if some of its workers call in sick.
Bellhop Moving’s pricing is well below the city average. It quoted us $1,284 to move a three-bedroom home, which is almost half the price of the city average of $2,249.
2. Music City Movers: Best for Trusted Reputation
We recommend Music City Movers, a local moving company in Nashville, because it has more than 30 years of experience in the field and a stellar reputation. In most of its 143 online reviews — a low amount compared to other moving companies — clients rave about Music City's personable, efficient, and careful team. The few negative reviews customers gave Music City Movers mostly focus on how long it took to complete the job.
Music City Movers' moving services are available throughout Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Besides full-service residential moving, the company also handles commercial and storage moving, as well as partial moving. It can also handle pianos, gun safes, yard art, and other large items.
Music City Movers earned only a medium reliability rating because of its 1-to-1 ratio of drivers to vehicles. Service may be delayed if an employee calls in sick. However, the company claims it hasn't missed an appointment since 1986.
3. Horse Power Movers Of Tennessee: Best For Straightforward Local Moves
Horse Power Movers is a moving company in Nashville that’s best for straightforward local moves. The company has more than 18 years of experience in the market. Only 34 customers have rated Horse Power Movers online, but those reviews rave about the company's affordable quotes, organized approach, and quick and careful service.
Horse Power Movers handles local moves in Nashville or anywhere in Tennessee. It’s also licensed and authorized to perform interstate moves.
Horse Power Movers only earns a medium reliability rating, however, because of its 1-to-1 ratio of drivers to vehicles. While this doesn't affect the jobs it can handle, if a worker gets sick and can’t come into work it may delay your move.
How Much Do Movers Cost in Nashville?
Full-service movers in Nashville typically cost $443 for a studio apartment and $2,249 for a 3-bedroom home. Expect to pay more for larger homes. A 5-bedroom home, for instance, will cost about $3,963. Long-distance and interstate moves cost more.
Full-service moving rates vary depending on 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 Nashville?
If you're moving locally within Nashville, 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 Nashville,” 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
