We got quotes from the best moving truck rentals in the biz to find the most affordable options for your move.
Cheapest Moving Truck Rentals
10 min readIf you're looking to save money on your next move, a cheap rental truck is far more affordable than hiring a professional mover. Saving on your truck rental can leave room in your budget for unexpected expenses or more exciting purchases like home decor.
The most affordable moving trucks offer better scheduling flexibility, plenty of spots to pick up and drop off trucks, and extra services to add on.
Just be sure to read the fine print before you agree to a cheap truck rental. Some companies offer low quotes but high final prices. Others have low rates for local moves but are more expensive for one-way trips, and so on.
We researched truck rental companies to find your cheapest options, and we identified the five best cheap truck rental companies:
We’ll explain the pros and cons of each cheap truck rental company and help you find the cheapest option for your move.
Check out where these companies rank on our best truck rental companies list.
The cheapest moving truck rental companies
- : Most accurate pricing
- : Lowest average prices
- : Best add-ons and extras
- : Best for local one-way moves
- : Another option for local moves
Benefits of Renting a Moving Truck
Compared to professional movers or using your own vehicle, cheap truck rentals can save you money on labor, fees, and time, especially if you don't have a large vehicle of your own.
You can rent cheap moving trucks over a window of time, so you can work on your schedule, adding or subtracting days for drop off. Whether that's loading over several days or taking a week to complete the drive, it gives you more flexibility on your own time.
While we love professional movers for large cross-country, multi-room moves, they aren't always necessary if you're moving into a one-bedroom apartment or small home. These companies also tend to have all the extras you need without any high sales pressure.
What to Consider When Choosing a Moving Truck
Consider these things when looking for a reliable (and cheap) moving truck rental.
Rental truck size
If you're moving to a one-bedroom apartment, you won't likely need the biggest rental truck in the fleet. Finding the right rental truck size can help you move what you've got while staying within your budget.
The best truck for your move will meet your budget and the size of your home. When looking for a cheap rental truck, think about how much you're moving. Factor in large items like furniture and big boxes of items.
Moving supplies and add-ons
Many cheap truck rental services offer moving supplies and add-on services. Depending on your needs, this may be helpful or an unnecessary temptation.
While you can find free moving boxes or borrow other items like trailers or dollies, it's nice to be able to book extra supplies along with your rental truck.
In addition to moving supplies, companies like U-Haul can connect you with roadside assistance, insurance, and even local movers to help you at your destination.
Customer service and quote accuracy
All our favorite cheap moving truck rental picks allow you to book online but watch for fine print with your final quote. Taxes and fees are standard, but you'll want to find a service that gives you a quote as close to the final price as possible.
Many of these services charge by mile, so the farther you move, the more expensive they'll be. Sometimes, a rental truck company will provide a low quote but a higher final price. Be sure to ask about other expenses like gas, insurance, and mileage before booking a cheap rental truck.
Top Companies Offering the Cheapest Moving Truck Rentals
For this data, we got estimates from our top three companies to get a better idea of moving truck prices for three fictional moving scenarios. For each search, we looked at a 16' moving truck booked two weeks in advance. We chose three locations between 30, 100, and 400 miles away from the same zip code.
Add-ons, locations, and mileage will affect final prices, but here's a rough outline of what we found.
Company | 30-mile move | 100-mile move | 400-mile move | Details |
| $166.25 |
$311.22
| $1,414.30 | Get a Quote | |
| $153.50 |
$278.20
| $988.20 | Get a Quote | |
| $131.37 |
$222.93
| $1,249.71 | Get a Quote |
All data as of publish date.
*Prices averaged for small home sizes across 3 distances between 30 and 400 miles. Prices include taxes and fees for a 16' truck.
**No add-on services are included in the prices above.
Penske Truck Rental—Most accurate pricing
Penske specializes in cheap rentals from cargo vans for moving into the dorms to 26' trucks for transporting everything in a multi-room home. While the quotes we got in our comparison weren't the cheapest overall, Penske is often praised for offering the most accurate quotes from the start.
When you book a Penske rental truck online, you'll see an itemized list of everything included in that quote. From the truck itself and a mysterious environmental fee, to taxes—it's all spelled out for you there.
Penske, automatically gives you a set number of days when you book your reservation. This number changes with the truck size you rent—from one day for smaller trucks and cargo vans up to four days for a 26' truck. If you need more time for a move, you can add extra days to your rental for $100 per day.
Penske Truck Rental costs
Data current as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Average cost calculated by comparing rental costs plus fuel for four home sizes across seven distances.
We love Penske's honest approach to pricing, but if you need assistance moving or supplies like a dolly or trailer, you'll need to try a different service. Because it only specializes in cheap moving trucks, you won't see as many add-on services from Penske as you will with other truck rental companies on our list.
Learn more in our Penske Truck Rental Review.
Budget Truck Rental—Lowest average prices
On average, Budget Truck Rental had the lowest average prices in our quest to find the most affordable moving trucks. Per trip, it was only slightly above the average prices for our 30- and 100-mile moves but was $200 to $400 cheaper than Penske and U-Haul for our 400-mile move.
We like Budget's flexible pick-up and drop-off dates option because, as we all know, there's always something that changes your plans. When you book a shorter move, you can get a day and up to 59 miles included in your price, making it a solid option for shorter one-way trips.
Budget Truck Rental costs
Data current as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Average cost calculated by comparing rental costs plus fuel for four home sizes across seven distances.
One thing to remember with Budget is its many locations offer different services. Some locations provide extras like moving supplies and rental cars. And you can add-on items like furniture pads, hand trucks, moving help, protection packages, and roadside safety for those long hauls.
Save 10% on a budget truck rental reservation
You receive an automatic discount of about 10% if you reserve a truck online with Budget Truck Rental.
Learn more in our Budget Truck Rental Review.
U-Haul—Best insurance prices
U-Haul is probably the most well-known moving truck rental company. In our searches for 30-mile and 100-mile moves, it had the lowest prices, which were around the average (or under) for the prices we found for individual trips.
Unfortunately, U-Haul's quotes aren't always accurate. The online reservation form has lots of add-on services and extras that fall into your cart at checkout if you aren't careful to remove them, leaving you surprised when you finally pay for your rental truck.
U-Haul costs
Data current as of publish date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. Average cost calculated by comparing rental costs plus fuel for four home sizes across seven distances.
Choices, choices!
U-Haul has six different trucks to choose from, including a cargo van and a pickup truck for smaller moves. You can also rent equipment, like hand trucks and furniture pads. Learn more in our U-Haul Review.
That said, if you're looking for all those bells and whistles, U-Haul can connect you with local movers to help you lift heavy items at one or both destinations. It has a huge range of moving supplies to add to your truck rental.
U-Haul offers two different insurance plans for its rental trucks: Safemove at $15 and Safemove Plus at $28, both of which have a flat rate.
U-Box: A U-Haul moving container
U-Haul has a moving container called a U-Box. Like with its moving trucks, final U-Box costs are much higher than initial quotes. But there are times when the U-Box has the lowest rates compared to other moving container companies.
Learn more in our U-Haul Review.
Home Depot—Flexible Moving Services
With Home Depot, you can rent a truck for local transport and one-way moves. They offer 8 ft. flatbed trucks, 10 ft. flatbed trucks, cargo vans, and 12 ft. HD moving trucks. Each option is available to rent for 75 minutes, daily, or weekly. Home Depot offers unlimited mileage on all moving vehicles.
A local reservation for a few hours may cost around $180 for a cargo van, which includes insurance and taxes. Unfortunately, Home Depot doesn't have a fleet of larger moving trucks of their own. Any rental larger than 12' will be through Penske.
All of this makes Home Depot best for shorter one-way trips to pick up furniture or move large single items.
What sets Home Depot apart?
Pros
Trusted movers
Customizable move
Can purchase moving supplies 
Cons
Limited truck rental options Enterprise—Another option for local moves
You may know Enterprise for its car rental services at the airport. But Enterprise truck rental services focuses on local moves. With options for pickup trucks, cargo vans, and box truck rentals, it's an excellent choice for moving any sized home within 100 miles.
But with its specialty in passenger rental cars, you won't find as many add-on services or moving supplies. We also found that you might be unable to book the truck you want at the nearest location, which may not be an issue if your move keeps you within the same area.
Pros
Large assortment of trucks
Low mileage rates
Great customer reviews
Availability in Canada and the U.S. Cons
Local moves only
Higher up-front costs
Fewer locations What sets Enterprise apart?
Enterprise has great customer reviews with many touting the company’s customer service. So, if you’re looking for a relatively affordable truck rental option that you can rely on, Enterprise is a contender. Amongst its top features are moving coverage, roadside assistance, and used vehicle sales.
Learn more in our Enterprise Truck Rental review.
How to Save Money on Moving Truck Rentals
While the exact price can vary due to many factors, there are a few hacks worth remembering when you need to rent a cheap moving truck.
Book early
Sometimes, a move can be a surprise. But for the times that you see it coming months in advance, try to book your moving truck rental early. Penske's website recommends booking a rental truck at least 24 hours in advance to make sure they have the truck you reserved ready on the lot.
In our tests, we looked at booking two weeks from the current date. This window gives you plenty of time to shop around after you reserve a truck. Many services, like Penske or U-Haul, don't require payment until the day of your move. So if you find a better rate, you can switch to that lower price.
Shop around
Booking a rental truck for moving is like booking a flight. Online searches can change rates based on how often you search, and rates can differ depending on location and date. Try a few options for different pick-up and drop-off spots.
You can also try price matching for some of these services. It doesn't guarantee that it will work, but offering proof of a better rate gives you some solid leverage to get a better price elsewhere.
Book on weekdays
Weekends are the most popular time to schedule a move, which means truck rental companies have the upper hand with pricing. Try booking your truck rental for a weekday, and you may find that rates drop from Friday to Sunday dates.
Pack strategically
Packing the truck efficiently can save you time and space. With fewer trips, you'll burn less gas and rack up fewer miles for your final price. Learn how to pack a moving truck like a pro for your next move.
Ask about discounts
In many cases, teachers, military personnel, or public servants may get a discount on their moves. If any of these apply to you, call your local moving truck rental and see what you can get.
Cheap Moving Truck Rentals FAQs
What time of year are moving trucks the cheapest?
Winter, fall, and early spring generally offer the cheapest times to rent a moving truck. With unpredictable weather, fewer people tend to move during these times of year. Just be careful driving in rain, storms, or snow!
What's the largest moving truck I can rent?
26' trucks are the largest standard trucks. They can fit up to 10,000 pounds of payload and use diesel fuel. Depending on the state(s) you drive in, you may need a special license to operate these. Check out the full dimensions from Enterprise.
What's the most fuel-efficient moving truck?
While gas mileage will vary depending on the kind of truck you rent, we found that Penske's trucks tend to be the most fuel-efficient.
Do I need insurance for my moving truck?
Technically, no. But it's a risky move, especially if you're traveling a long distance. Your own car insurance doesn't cover you while driving a rented vehicle like a moving truck, and if you're in an accident, any damages to your items won't be protected without it.
Do I need a special license to drive a moving truck?
Typically, no. You can operate a rental or box truck with a standard driver's license. But you need a commercial license to operate a 26' truck in some areas. So be sure to look up the laws in the area you're moving to find out.
The Takeaway
Whether you're moving across town or across the country, a cheap moving truck is the key to a flexible, affordable DIY move. While we love professional movers, working on your schedule with your preferences can save you time and stress by simply doing it on your own.
When booking a rental truck for your move, consider the size and distance for your move. Getting a truck that fits all your big items for one trip will save you money and time. While we like Home Depot and Enterprise for shorter, one-way moves, our favorite affordable truck rental companies overall are Penske, Budget, and U-Haul.
If you have the time and flexibility to choose when you move, consider picking off-season or weekday moves to save money. You can also book early, ask about discounts, and shop around to find the best prices and save the most money.
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