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

best moving companies in Tampa

3 Best Moving Companies | How We Chose | Best Overall | Best for Moving on a Budget | Best for Long-Distance Moves | Cost of Movers | Avoiding Scams

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If you're looking for a mover in Tampa, you have plenty of options to choose from. There are 408 full-service movers operating in the Tampa area. And 116 of them are rated 4 out of 5 stars or above.

Local full-service movers, such as Brothers EZ Moving and Bull Moving, will pack up all of your belongings, load them onto the truck, deliver them to your new residence, and unload everything. All local movers in Tampa can move you across town. And some, like All About Moving Tampa Bay, can move you out of the state or across the country.

We researched local moving companies in Tampa and ranked the top three so you know where to begin your search.

3 Best Moving Companies in Tampa (at a Glance)

Company What We Like Avg. Customer Rating
Brothers EZ Moving Best Overall 4.4 (1811 reviews)
Bull Moving Best for Moving on a Budget 4.6 (1126 reviews)
All About Moving Tampa Bay Best for Long-Distance Moves 4.9 (120 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 Tampa

1. Brothers EZ Moving: Best Overall

According to our research, Brothers EZ Moving is the best moving service for Tampa residents. This Tampa-based company operates in Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, and Sarasota counties.

Brothers EZ Moving's services include labor-only and full-service residential moves. It also offers corporate and long-distance moving. Brothers also handles moving for special items like pianos, safes, or even cars.

The rates for Brothers EZ Moving services are very affordable. Our quote for moving a three-bedroom home was only $922 — several hundred dollars cheaper than the city average of $1,640.

Reviewers say that the movers are fast, efficient, and friendly. It does have a fair amount of negative reviews that mention poor communication and damage. But because those reviews are mostly several years old, we're not too worried.

Brothers EZ Moving has one driver per vehicle. That's not bad, but it could mean some delays or scheduling issues.

2. Bull Moving: Best for Moving on a Budget

Bull Moving is our top pick for movers in Tampa who are on a budget. It handles full-service residential and commercial moves in Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas counties. And it also offers long-distance moving, packing, and junk removal.

Its rates are more affordable than most local Tampa moving companies. Bull Moving quoted us $1,425 to move a three-bedroom home — a bit lower than the city average of $1,640.

Bull also has lots of positive reviews on third-party sites. Customers said it had excellent services and a careful, hard-working team. There were a few complaints about damage, but that's pretty typical for any moving company. And Bull Moving's customer service team responded to those complaints and worked to resolve the issues.

The company only has one driver per vehicle, which isn't a direct issue, but it might cause some delays or scheduling issues.

3. All About Moving Tampa Bay: Best for Long-Distance Moves

All About Moving Tampa Bay is a great choice for long-distance moving services in Tampa. The company offers local and long-distance residential and commercial moves throughout Tampa Bay. Its pricing model lets you pick what you need, from labor-only to full-service moving. And you can even add on storage and junk removal.

All About Moving Tampa Bay reviews are overwhelmingly positive. Reviewers say that they had a great experience with the moving team and customer service support. There are very few negative reviews, and most of these are a few years old.

All About Moving has two drivers per vehicle. So you probably won't experience delays or scheduling issues. There are enough employees to handle any job even if one worker calls out sick.

How Much Do Movers Cost in Tampa?

On average, a full-service move in Tampa costs $383 for a studio apartment and about $1,640 for a 3-bedroom home. Larger homes cost even more: a 5-bedroom home will cost around $2,834. And moving out of state or long-distance within Florida will be even more expensive.

Full-service moving rates depend on how much stuff you have, how far you're moving, how fast you need to move, and how much help you'll need. We recommend reaching 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.

Moving Companies in Tampa to AVOID

Be wary of low quotes that seem too good to be true.

Unified Van Lines

This company was one of several that scammer Andrey Shulkin used to defraud clients and steal over $2.5 million. Shulkin roped people in with low quotes. Then during the moves, he inflated the quoted shipping costs and held belongings hostage until customers paid more. He was later sentenced to 78 months in prison for his role in the extortion scheme. In short, don't use this company.

How Far in Advance Should I Reach Out to a Mover in Tampa?

If you're moving locally within Tampa, 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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