Best movers in Raleigh, N.C.

There are plenty of moving companies in Raleigh and the Triangle areas, but it's always a good idea to research before settling on one. We explored thousands of moving company reviews from Raleigh-area Movers and used our custom Yahoo Local Services algorithm to rank them. We then compared the results, looking at Better Business Bureau (BBB) accreditation and numerous factors. When we had a shortlist, we contacted the top companies directly to inquire about services offered, pricing and fees and everything else you need to know to select the right mover for your specific needs.

Quick overview 

The best moving company in Raleigh for YOU

There's so much to do to prepare for a stress-free move : box up your books, pack your clothing and devise a plan to handle your pets while your household is in transit. Calling every moving company in your area doesn't need to be part of the hassle. However, no one choice is right for everyone. After all, even the best of the best won't work if you have a strict moving deadline and the company you want to go with is unavailable. When choosing a mover, budget and availability are the main factors to focus on.

The best overall moving company in Raleigh is Little Guys Movers . Bringing more than 30 years of experience, this top-rated Raleigh mover combines tested expertise and savvy business practices. It provides flat rate estimates, tailored to the amount of belongings you have, and there's no deposit required to book your move.

The team at Athens Moving Experts is experienced in moving large and specialty items like grandfather clocks, pianos and jacuzzis across town or state lines. With reasonable fees, this company is a great pick for residential and commercial moves alike.

Best moving companies in Raleigh, N.C.

Little Guys Movers is the best overall mover inRaleigh

Little Guys Movers is a national moving chain with franchises in states as far away as Colorado and a corporate headquarters in Denton, Texas. Little Guys Movers might not be locally owned, but it sure appeals to the locals, with strong reviews across the internet and more than 30 years of business experience. Its website breaks down what it's been up to in a detailed blog.

Little Guys Movers Raleigh offers residential and commercial moving services. It conducts moves locally and long-distance; interstate moves are also fair game. Beyond strict hauling and lifting, it also provides packing, unpacking and storage services. The team will even break down and reassemble pianos and other delicate items.

Services offered:

• Local moving and long-distance moving

• Packing and unpacking

• Storage

• Heavy and specialty item moving

• Commercial moving

Little Guys Movers pricing is a bit different than other moving companies in our guide. Instead of an hourly rate, a representative told us that it prefers to do a full inventory evaluation of your items. This allows them to offer the most transparent price, tailoring it exactly to your belongings. Because of this, it doesn't have a minimum number of hours, and travel fees are built into the custom price.

The representative we spoke to told us that a move for a small to average-sized house (a one-story home around 1,400 square feet or less) would generally cost between $1,000 and $1,400. If you have large items like a piano or pool table, Little Guys Movers typically charges $100 for them, but the representative told us the final total is priced out in the estimate.

Credit card payments incur a 3% fee. This Raleigh mover also accepts cash and personal checks. No deposits are collected; instead, payments are due when the move is complete.

Little Guys Movers is not BBB accredited , though it has an A+ rating with zero complaints. It has a 4.9-star rating on Google (864 reviews) and a 4.5-star rating on Yelp (98 reviews). The company performs background checks on all movers.

The company is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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Athens Moving Experts is the top alternative mover in Raleigh

Athens Moving Experts has been in business since 2015. During this time, it has developed a proven track record with a tight team and an impressive number of customer testimonials. It serves the Triangle, from Wake Forest to Apex. Additionally, it has a chapter in Charlotte, N.C. as well

Athens Moving Experts aims to provide reliable, customized service. The team is happy to help with specialty items like hot tubs, gun safes and grand pianos. (Read our guides to moving with pianos and firearms and gun safes for more information.) 

Athens charges $195 per hour with a three-hour minimum and a $100 deposit. It charges a $195 service fee that includes travel. When you book this company, you'll pay a minimum of $585 before fees. The representative we spoke to told us that other services like packing, boxes, overnight holds and specialty items can all incur additional costs. It asks for an itemized packing list to finalize all moving quotes.

Services offered:

• Local moving and long-distance moving

• Packing

• Heavy and specialized item moving

• Commercial moving

Payment can be made via cash, check, card (3% fee) or money order. Athens Moving Experts is BBB-accredited with an A+ rating and two complaints lodged against it. It holds a 4.9-star rating on Google (1,226 reviews) and a four-star rating on Yelp (74 reviews). A representative told us that all team members undergo background checks.

To book a move with Athens Moving Experts, call or visit the website. The business is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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BLVD Moving is the best national mover

At Yahoo Local, our goal is to highlight top local businesses, but we also understand that national moving companies can sometimes be the better option, particularly for long-distance relocations. After reviewing several nationwide providers, we chose BLVD Moving as our leading pick among the best national movers . For a closer look at how to choose between local and national companies , see our detailed comparison guide.

BLVD Moving is run by a team of experienced professionals with decades in the moving industry. Although the company currently operates only four offices in California, it offers both local and long-distance moving services throughout the United States. As a family-owned and independent company, BLVD owns its trucks and employs its own moving crews. That said, its policies allow for the occasional use of subcontractors or agents, a common industry practice during high-demand periods that's still worth noting.

We requested an estimate from BLVD for a 500-mile move involving approximately 1,340 cubic feet of household items, which is about the size of a typical three-bedroom home without major appliances. The quoted price was around $6,700, which aligns with rates from other long-distance movers. To secure a reservation, BLVD requires a 33% deposit, with half of the remaining balance due at pickup and the final portion paid upon delivery.

Services offered

• Local and long-distance moves

• Residential, commercial, and office relocations

• Professional packing

• Short- and long-term storage

• Financing options for eligible customers

If you need to cancel, BLVD will refund your deposit as long as you provide at least two business days' notice before pickup. Delivery windows range from two to 21 business days depending on distance. The delivery timeline begins on your chosen preferred delivery date, meaning shipments can take just over a month in some cases.

BLVD advises customers to schedule their move at least 30 days in advance, and even earlier during busy periods such as summer or the beginning and end of the month. The quote process is straightforward, with options for virtual walkthroughs or online inventory forms to generate quick estimates. Financing is also available for qualified customers, with interest rates starting at 0%.

BLVD Moving is accredited by the BBB and holds a B rating , with 95 complaints on file, which is a typical number for a large national mover. Customer reviews average 4.5 stars on Google (based on 1,635 reviews) and 2.4 stars on Yelp (393 reviews). All movers are company employees who undergo background checks.

BLVD operates daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. To request a quote, call or submit a request online.

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Two Men and a Truck is another great Raleigh mover

Two Men and a Truck hardly needs an introduction. It's one of the most popular moving company franchises in the U.S., but we'll just be focusing on the branch in Raleigh. Opening in 2012, this location offers moving, packing, storage and labor-only services within Raleigh and the surrounding areas.

We called the business to get an idea on how much it would cost to move a three-bedroom, 1,300-square-foot house locally in the area. During our call, we spoke with Hunter, a moving consultant with the company. Before getting to the numbers, you'll first need to list out all the furniture in your home, and provide an estimated number of boxes to be moved.

The hourly rate for three movers and one truck is $205 per hour. Four movers will cost $258 per hour. There's also a separate service fee that covers the cost of travel and fuel. Ours came out to be around $200. TVs, mirrors and mattresses will need to be packaged up separately, which will cost extra.

Services offered

• Local and long-distance moving

• Packing

• Storage

• Commercial moving

• Labor-only services

To reserve your move date, you'll be asked to pay a $100 deposit. It's fully refundable so long as you cancel at least seven days before your scheduled move date. The goods news is that the company only charges a one-hour minimum for moving jobs. After an hour has passed, you'll be billed in 15-minute increments. Including the deposit and travel fees, expect to pay at least $505 for a local house move. Note that your move will definitely take longer than an hour.

Payments can be made with cash, card or check, and there's no extra processing fee to worry about when paying with a credit or debit card. We were also told that all members of staff are full-time employees, meaning your move won't be contracted out. They also drug-screen and background-check the movers.

Two Men and a Truck (Raleigh) is not a BBB-accredited business , but it does have an A+ rating and five filed complaints. It has a 4.7-star rating on Google (1,175 reviews) and a 1.3-star rating on Yelp (14 reviews).

Business hours are from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and it closes early at 4 p.m. on Saturdays. On Sundays, its open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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Next Stop Movers is the best value mover in Raleigh

Next Stop Movers is a locally owned and operated company led by experienced, dedicated movers. It serves Raleigh, central North Carolina and the Triad areas, touting over 30,000 customers in its two decades of business. The company website features a tightly knit team, emphasizing its commitment to personal accountability as part of its brand. It aims to connect with its clients so that it can help them through all parts of the moving process, not just the lifting. For these reasons, it's our top pick for the best moving company in Raleigh. It is also the most affordable mover we spoke to in this guide.

Next Stop Movers quoted us $175 per hour for a three-person crew with a three-hour minimum. It told us that materials could cost between $75 and $120, and it also charges a one-time $99 travel fee. This means that you can expect to pay $525 and up for a move with Next Stop Movers. This pricing includes large items you may need moved, like pianos.

Next Stop Movers does not charge a deposit. Payment is due at the end of the move and can be made using cash, check or a credit card (a 3% fee is added).

Services offered:

• Residential moving

• Commercial moving

• Local moves and long-distance moves

• Packing

• Climate-controlled storage

• Short- and long-term storage

Next Stop Movers is certified for long-distance interstate moves by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). Its team is composed entirely of background-checked employees. The company won a 2023 Raleigh's Best award. It is a member of the NC Movers Association and the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce.

Next Stop Movers is accredited by the BBB and has an A+ rating. One complaint has been filed against it in the last three years. It has a 4.9-star rating on Google (589 reviews) and a five-star rating on Yelp (two reviews). It is a member of the NC Movers Association and the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce. 

Next Stop Movers is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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You can count on Yahoo Local moving advice, and this is why 

For decades, Yahoo has been a reliable source for local business information. We earn your trust by demonstrating our commitment to accuracy. Our proprietary ranking system, which blends and weights reviews from diverse, reputable platforms, delivers local rankings that we believe are the most authoritative on the internet. We share the factors that underpin our rankings, so that you can fairly assess our trustworthiness. Unlike some competitors, Yahoo Local's placements are not paid for. This ensures that we provide independent and unbiased selections. Interested in learning more? Visit our full methodology page and see below for more on how we selected the best Raleigh moving companies.

• 91 movers evaluated

• 22,268 customer reviews and ratings from five sources

• 14 ranking criteria incorporated

• Interviewed or connected with all five featured movers

• Independent price quotes sourced from all five featured moving companies

• Independently researched and fact-checked by Yahoo

• Recommendations are maintained and updated regularly

Raleigh moving FAQs

What info should you have when requesting an estimate?

No matter the moving company, there are a few pieces of information that will always come up in a consultation . Moving companies typically need to know the addresses and zip codes of the home you're moving to and from. This information will help it calculate the travel costs required for your move.

Additionally, other details about your home could affect the quote. Stairwells and elevators can all affect the logistics and price.

Many moving companies will ask you for a list of all the items you will be moving . Some companies provide quotes entirely based on an inventory of your possessions rather than a standard price by the hour.

Certain items can elevate the charge. Large and heavy items like pianos, gun safes, and pool tables often trigger a fee. Sometimes, high-value objects like fine art can also require extra fees.

While you don't need to itemize a list of every item you own before you call a mover, it is a good idea to gather as much of this information as possible before you request a full estimate.

What should you know about packing and storage in Raleigh?

Raleigh summers get humid and sweltering. If you're planning on moving in the summer months, it's a good idea to take this into consideration.

Packing can affect heat retention. If you're moving delicate valuables in the heat of summer or leaving them at a storage facility for a while, it could be a good idea to invest in climate-controlled storage.

Learn more by reading our guide to temperature- vs. climate-controlled storage . 

What's different about condo and apartment moving in Raleigh?

Oftentimes, if you live in a condo or an apartment with an elevator, you'll need to contact management to reserve the elevator's use. In rare cases, you may need to put down money to reserve the lift.

To reserve the elevator, you'll generally need to send management an email requesting the use of the elevator for a given day. If there's a desk in your condo or apartment, you can approach the representative at the desk and inquire with them.

Do you need moving permits or licenses to move in Raleigh?

Moving within the city of Raleigh does not require permits or licenses when using a moving company. You may need a temporary parking permit for the moving truck, depending on where it will be parked when the team is loading/unloading it or if it will be parked in the street overnight. Moving companies typically handle this for you, but check with your mover if you have any concerns.

Want to learn more? Check out our full guide to moving licensing and regulations in North Carolina for everything you need to know.

How much should you tip movers in Raleigh?

Moving is not a business where tips are necessary. However, if your move requires any services out of the ordinary, you feel that your movers went above and beyond or you're just feeling generous, most movers will appreciate tips. If you choose to tip, you could consider tipping a flat fee of 10% or 20%. You could also tip each mover directly in cash.

To help you in your decision, check out Yahoo Local's guide to tipping movers .

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