3 Best Moving Companies | How We Chose | Best Overall | Best for Moving on a Budget | Best for Range of Services | Cost of Movers | Avoiding Scams
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St. Louis has over 141 moving companies. Choosing the best one is like picking a favorite barbecue joint — there are just too many to decide.
We narrowed the field down to the 36 best full-service movers by eliminating companies with an average rating below 4 stars. Then, our team spent 100 hours researching and comparing the top companies based on things like cost, reputation, and customer experience.
Read on to see our top picks for the best overall moving company in St. Louis, the best budget mover, and the mover with the best range of services.
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3 Best Moving Companies in St. Louis (at a Glance)
| Company | What We Like | Avg. Customer Rating |
|---|---|---|
| College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving - St Louis | Best Overall | 4.6 (3333 reviews) |
| Simple Moves | Best for Moving on a Budget | 4.4 (1388 reviews) |
| Arch Moving | Best for Range of Services | 4.5 (1249 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 St. Louis
1. College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving - St Louis: Best Overall
College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving is our top recommended moving service in St. Louis because of its stellar reviews, range of services, and 15 years of experience.
Past customers praise its moving team for being efficient, friendly, and communicative, as well as for making the entire process stress-free. Those that left negative company reviews cited damage to belongings and a poor claims process.
The moving company has multiple branches throughout the U.S. — St. Louis included. Besides labor-only and full-service residential and commercial moving, it also handles long-distance moves, removals, and donation pickups.
College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving only has one driver per vehicle it owns. This can become a potential source of delays, as a missing employee on the day of the move can greatly impact your move schedule.
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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. Simple Moves: Best for Moving on a Budget
Simple Moves is our pick for the most affordable local moving company in St. Louis. Previous customers said the company is very communicative, professional, and prompt and provided a pleasant and stress-free moving experience. Negative company reviews revolve around scheduling issues, miscommunications with pricing, and damage to belongings.
The company caters to residents of St. Louis and the surrounding areas. Simple Moves can handle full-service residential and commercial moving, as well as specialty item movies. It also provides packing materials and storage solutions.
We gave Simple Moves a medium reliability rating for only having one driver for each vehicle it owns. This can lead to potential scheduling concerns if an employee doesn’t show up to work on the day of the move.
Simple Moves gave us an affordable quote for a 3-bedroom move — only $1,200. That’s several hundred dollars cheaper than the St. Louis average of $2,635.
3. Arch Moving: Best for Range of Services
Arch Moving is an experienced professional mover offering a wide range of services. Former clients praise it for being easy to contact, providing experienced and friendly movers, and delivering quick and efficient services. Those that left negative reviews warn of late arrivals, poor handling of items, and damages to their belongings.
Its moving services are available throughout Missouri and in some counties in Illinois. It can handle local and long-distance moving for residential and commercial clients, as well as senior moving. It also provides labor-only services and specialty item moves.
Although it has a large fleet of trucks, Arch Monly gets a medium reliability rating for having a one-to-one ratio of drivers to vehicles. This can lead to delays and scheduling conflicts if an employee calls in sick on the day of the job.
Next Steps: Compare Moving Companies in St. Louis
How Much Do Movers Cost in St. Louis?
On average, hiring full-service movers in St. Louis costs about $450 for a studio apartment and $2,635 for a 3-bedroom home. Full-service moving for a 5-bedroom home will cost around $4,703.
Full-service moving rates can vary widely depending on the specifics of your move. For example, long-distance or out-of-state are usually more. Reach out to a moving company for an accurate quote.
⚠️ Reserve a spot for your truck: Apply online for a temporary parking permit for a moving truck.
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 St. Louis?
If you're moving locally within St. Louis, 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 St. Louis,” 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
