2022 U-Booty Truck Rental Review

Move.org gathered dozens of quotes and posed as customers to evaluate U-Haul'south pricing, client service, insurance coverage, and additional services.

Uhaul Logo

4.2 out of 5 stars

4.two

  • Pros

    Widest availability

  • Pros

    More than size options than Budget or Penske

  • Cons

    Infamously unreliable reservations

Lesser line: U-Haul is the most widely available moving truck rental visitor, and it's also one of the cheapest. Unfortunately, U-Haul has overwhelmingly negative customer reviews and unreliable reservations, so it may  not be your best moving truck rental option.

U-Booty is basically the only moving truck rental company with a household name, and it'south easy to see why. With over 21,000 locationsane and a larger option of moving trucks than nigh any competitor, U-Haul is an industry leader in terms of availability and customer options.

To peak it all off, U-Haul is one of the cheapest moving truck companies, though its prices tin can be higher than Budget'southward and Penske's prices.

How much does U-Haul cost?

We gathered over a hundred quotes from the country's superlative moving truck rental companies to compare average rates, and we found that U-Haul'due south prices are pretty low but not the lowest.

We found that U-Haul'due south boilerplate price for a local motility (100 miles or less) is almost $38.70 + $0.99/mile. For comparison, Upkeep'south average local price is $27.60 + $0.47/mile, and the industry-wide average is roughly $169.65 + $0.73/mile.

For long-altitude moves (over 100 miles), U-Haul'due south boilerplate price is $i,945.68, Penske'south is $1,944.92, and the average industry rate is $2,077.

So, while U-Haul's rates were never the lowest we saw, they were pretty close, and they were consistently far below industry averages.

U-Booty pricing

To requite y'all an idea of what your move might cost, here's a choice of quotes we got for U-Haul's x-pes and 26-foot moving trucks.

U-Haul 10-foot truck rental prices

Move altitude

Quote

50 miles $24.24 + $0.99/mile
463 miles $607.42
1,033 miles $one,612.85
2,060 miles $ii,307.05

Information equally of October, 2020. Prices practise not include whatever add-on services or coverage options. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

U-Haul 26-human foot truck rental prices

Movement altitude

Quote

50 miles $47.38 + $0.99/mile
463 miles $829.56
one,033 miles $three,387.69
two,060 miles $3,032.49

Information as of October, 2020. Prices practise not include any improver services or coverage options. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

U-Haul toll factors

Moving truck rates fluctuate frequently, and it's impossible to predict exactly how much your move will cost before getting your quote. That said, there are several factors that can predictably affect your U-Booty rental rate:

  • Your move engagement
  • When y'all book
  • Taxes
  • Mileage
  • Ecology fees
  • Add together-on rentals and services
  • Moving coverage

How your movement date can touch on your U-Haul cost

Moving truck rates are all almost supply and demand, so your price will be lower if you motility when less people are moving. Belatedly bound and summer are peak moving seasons in about of the country, then y'all can usually get a lower price by moving in fall and winter.

How your U-Booty price can change depending on when you book

Rental rates increase equally more people book their moving trucks, so booking early means you'll score a lower rate than people who book afterward you.

How mileage factors into your U-Haul price

For local rentals, U-Booty charges a mileage rate of $0.99 per mile, which is calculated and added to your final toll after your motility. The more y'all drive your truck, the more information technology will cost y'all.

For long-distance rentals, U-Booty figures mileage a piffling differently. Depending on how far yous're moving, U-Booty will assign a maximum number of miles you tin can drive your truck and charge you for those miles upfront. If you get over those allotted miles, you'll be charged actress. Unfortunately, you won't exist refunded for unused miles if you lot drive less than your allotment.

U-Haul's environmental fees

For every truck rental, U-Booty charges a small environmental fee that ranges from $one–$5. U-Booty uses this money to update its trucks and facilities to make sure they're every bit environmentally friendly as possible.

What will your U-Booty price exist?

Since truck rental rates depend on so many factors, it's incommunicable to predict exactly what your price volition be. The just way to know for sure is to get your ain quote.

U-Haul coverage options

Moving coverage costs extra, simply U-Haul doesn't require that you buy any when you hire your truck. If y'all become without it, though, y'all'll take to foot the bill for absolutely any damage to your truck or belongings.

U-Haul has several unlike coverage options to allow you to choose how much protection yous pay for.

U-Haul coverage comparing

Safetrip®

While U-Haul includes Safetrip on its moving coverage page, Safetrip is more like a glorified roadside assistance programme than a traditional moving coverage plan. Here's everything it includes:

  • Lockout services
  • Assistance if the truck gets stuck in mud or snowfall
  • Replacement truck keys
  • Trailer hookup assistance
  • Fuel services if the truck runs out of gas
  • Jump-start services

On boilerplate, Safetrip only costs $5, and though it doesn't provide harm coverage, it's certainly prissy to have during a long booty across the country.

Consider paying for Safetrip even if you forego other coverage options.

Safemove

Safemove is U-Haul's most basic moving coverage for its trucks. Hither'southward what it covers:

  • Blow and theft damage for the truck
  • Accident impairment for your belongings
  • Medical/life protection for you and a rider

The exact cost of Safemove coverage varies from ane rental to another, simply we've found that it costs about $77 on boilerplate, and U-Haul claims that it tin can internet yous up to $80,000 in potential benefits.

Safemove Plus

Safemove Plus is exactly what it sounds similar: Safemove plus a piffling fleck more. This is all it covers:

  • All the coverage included in Safemove
  • Exclusion-costless coverage for all accidental impairment to the U-Booty truck
  • $1,000,000 in supplemental liability coverage

As you'd wait, this extra coverage costs a little actress as well. On average, Safemove Plus costs about $132.

Safetow

If you hire a U-Haul tow dolly or moving trailer, you can also purchase U-Haul's Safetow towing coverage. Here's what Safetow covers:

  • Damage waiver for a U-Haul trailer or towing device
  • Cargo protection
  • Medical/life protection

The cost of Safetow really depends on what y'all're towing, and in that location are several levels of cargo protection to cull from, and then it's impossible to nail downwards an average price.

U-Haul features and services

  • Local moves
  • One-way (long-distance) moves
  • Rental trucks
  • Cargo, utility, and car/motorbike dollies and trailers
  • Hitch installation
  • EZ-load ramps
  • Calendar month-to-month storage
  • U-Box moving and storage containers
  • Packing supplies
  • Moving equipment rentals
  • Loading assist and aid-for-hire
  • Moving coverage

U-Haul's moving trucks

According to U-Haul'due south website, it's the but moving truck company that works directly with truck manufacturers to specifically design its trucks for household moving.3 We can neither confirm nor deny that U-Booty is the only moving truck company that does this, simply the focus on household moving really shows through in the pattern of U-Haul'southward trucks.

Every U-Haul truck comes with a low loading deck to brand information technology easy to lift heavy boxes and article of furniture into the truck from the ground. Additionally, every U-Booty truck larger than the ten-foot option comes with an EZ-load ramp to provide an easy grade up into the truck'south cargo expanse.

U-Haul's trucks are as well equipped with gentle suspension to continue the trucks from rattling over bumps, protecting your property from harmful jolts and shaking.

Each U-Haul truck over the x-pes size also has a "Mom's Attic" which is a small compartment of the cargo expanse that sits above the truck's cab. This compartment is great for safely transporting fragile items like dishes and picture frames.

U-Haul truck sizes and specifications

Truck size

Pickup truck

Cargo van

x pes

15 foot

17 foot

20 foot

26 foot

Internal dimensions

vii ft. 10 in. x 5 ft. two in. x 1 ft. 9 in.

9 ft. 6 in. 10 5 ft. 7 in. ten four ft. 8 in.

9 ft. 11. In. x 6 ft. four in. x six ft. 2 in.

fifteen ft. 10 7 ft. viii in. x 7 ft. 2 in.

16 ft. nine in. x 7 ft. 8 in. x seven ft. two in.

xix ft. vi in. ten seven ft. 8 in. x 7 ft. two in.

26 ft. ii in. x 8 ft. 2 in. x 3 ft. three in.

Capacity

Single room

Studio flat

1-chamber apartment

ane-bedroom home

ii-bedroom home

ii-sleeping room home

4-sleeping room domicile

Weight limit (lbs.)

one,897

3,880

2,850

6,385

six,160

5,700

9,010

Interior infinite (cu. ft.)

Due north/A

245

402

764

865

1,016

1,682

Fuel tank capacity (gallons)

34

25

33

40

40

40

lx

Miles per gallon

xix

18

12

10

x

ten

x

Information every bit of April 21, 2021.

U-Haul'south cargo trailers

Cargo trailers offer the same protection against the elements as rental trucks—they're simply smaller and allow you to bulldoze your ain car instead of a huge vehicle. Yous tin also tow them behind a U-Haul rental truck if y'all need a petty more infinite than the truck alone could provide.

If you lot're transporting a pocket-size load (like a single room's worth of piece of furniture) or fragile items, cargo trailers are a safer bet than throwing your things in the dorsum of a pickup truck.

Here's the full list of U-Haul'southward cargo trailer sizes:

  • 4 10 8 ft.
  • 5 x 8 ft.
  • 6 x 12 ft.

U-Haul'south utility trailers

A utility trailer is perfect for hauling outdoor furniture, oddly shaped items, or heavy belongings that can take an open ride on the highway. If you have an L-shaped exclusive to haul to your new house, a utility trailer might be perfect for your situation.

Here's the total list of U-Haul's utility trailer options:

  • 4 10 7 ft.
  • v x eight ft.
  • 5 x 9 ft.
  • 6 10 12 ft.
  • 6 10 12 ft. (with ramp)

U-Haul's car carriers

If you need to send your vehicle—and professional car shipping is off the table—U-Haul has trailers specifically for cars and motorcycles. Its auto trailers tin can hold between iii,450 and v,290 pounds depending on which one you lot hire, and they tin adapt small to medium-sized cars (but probably non something as large as a RAM 1500).

Heads upwardly: Some people notice that towing a auto behind their U-Haul or personal truck makes driving up hills hard and more time-consuming. This is just one of the many reasons hauling your vehicle, while cheaper, is far less user-friendly than shipping information technology. If yous want a full cost/benefit analysis, check out our guide to Shipping Vs. Towing Your Car.

Hither's the full listing of U-Booty'southward car carrier options:

  • Tow dolly
  • Car carrier
  • Motorcycle trailer

U-Haul also sells an array of trailer hitches, hitch balls and mounts, trailer wiring, and other towing essentials.

U-Box: U-Haul's moving and storage container

U-Haul isn't just for DIY-ers. If y'all're looking to do a hybrid movement where yous load upward and the professionals drive, yous tin can rent U-Haul'south U-Box moving and storage container.

The U-Box is 95 x 56 x 83.5 inches and can hold up to ane room's worth of stuff, then yous may accept to rent more than ane.

The biggest drawback is that the U-Box is made of wood, so it isn't every bit sturdy or durable every bit moving containers fabricated of metal like those on our list of the Best Moving and Storage Containers.

To larn more than about U-Booty's U-Box, become check out our U-Box Moving Container Review.

What to know about U-Haul

At present that nosotros've talked almost U-Booty'due south pricing and services in broad strokes, permit'southward focus a little more on a few of the company's more than unique features.

U-Haul is the most widely available moving truck company

Like we said before, U-Haul has over 21,000 locations across the United States and Canada. This doesn't but make U-Haul the most widely available truck rental visitor, information technology makes information technology several times more than available than its contest.

For perspective, Penske has over 3,200 locations worldwide4 and Budget has around 1,600 in the continental The states.v

This wide availability can benefit y'all as a customer in 2 of import ways: it can salve you money, and information technology can make your move more than convenient.

How U-Booty's availability can relieve you lot coin

Like we explained earlier, moving truck rental prices are ruled by supply and need. Considering of this, a moving truck visitor with more than locations and trucks in a given area can offer better rates in that area.

This trend actually showed up in our pricing research. If yous'll remember, U-Haul's prices weren't the everyman; Budget has improve average prices for local moves and Penske has improve prices for long-altitude moves. However, U-Haul's prices were amongst the lowest, and they were ever far cheaper than industry averages.

Additionally, U-Haul'due south availability means you're probable to have a rental location near your old abode and your new one. Considering of this, yous can salvage some money on mileage y'all'll use picking up and dropping off your truck if y'all're moving locally.

How U-Haul's availability can make your motility more convenient

On superlative of saving y'all money, having U-Haul locations near your onetime and new dwelling is patently more convenient. Whether you're moving locally or long distance, you lot probably don't want to drive any more than you have to. U-Haul's immense number of locations all but guarantees that you don't need to drive besides far to choice up or drop off your moving truck.

U-Booty has the about services of any moving truck visitor

Between its huge option of trucks, diverse assortment of dollies and trailers, and improver services similar storage and moving labor, U-Haul provides far more than services than any competitor.

Some of these services, similar U-Box, might be unnecessary for your move. Still, by giving customers access to all these unlike add-ons and features, U-Booty brings one-cease shopping convenience to DIY moving.

Any y'all need for your move, whether it's a truck and a trailer, a storage unit, or just a few moving boxes, y'all can find it at U-Haul.

U-Haul has terrible customer reviews

Unfortunately, low prices, broad availability, and an impressive menu of services tin can't make upward for bad customer service. In reviews across websites like Yelp and Google Reviews, U-Haul customers report being cheated and mistreated by the company in frightening numbers.

U-Booty's unreliable reservations

One of the most mutual customer complaints is that U-Booty doesn't honor its reservations. Some customers report having to brand do with dissimilar trucks U-Haul had bachelor instead of the trucks they reserved, while others have to option up their trucks at different locations than planned.

In extreme cases, a few customers even written report existence left truckless on moving day or having their reservations cancelled past U-Booty.

In place of an bodily reservation guarantee, U-Haul pays $50 to customers whose reservations it can't fulfill as planned. Withal, some customers even report existence stiffed their $50.

To be fair to U-Booty, nosotros practice sometimes see this type of disappointing behavior from other moving truck companies. Additionally, moving truck supply often depends on customers returning trucks on time, then it isn't ever the company's fault if your truck isn't bachelor.

However, the sheer volume of U-Haul customers with unfulfilled reservations is concerning, and it's something to be enlightened of before deciding to hire from U-Haul.

Other customer service issues

In add-on to reservation complaints, U-Haul customers also report that they were charged unfairly, they couldn't get ahold of the visitor'southward customer service when they needed help, and their trucks were in bad shape at fourth dimension of pickup.

These complaints are also common for other moving truck rental companies. In general, you should always have client reviews with a grain of salt since people are more likely to write bad reviews than adept ones.6

That said, the number of U-Haul customers reporting negative experiences is far higher than the negative reviews for nigh other truck rental companies. Does this hateful that yous should forego U-Haul completely? Not necessarily. Only if a better-reviewed company similar Penske is available in your surface area, it'due south probably a safer bet.

Methodology

Movement.org analyzes and ranks truck rental companies using a five-step research process:

  • Compare quotes. We gathered 118 quotes from v moving truck companies. These pricing quotes included trucks that can motion unmarried-sleeping room apartments, five-bedroom houses, and everything in betwixt. Prices also included moving distances ranging from fifty miles to 2,060 miles.
  • Mystery shopping. We thoroughly review each company'southward website and phone call every company several times to assess the moving services, transit protection, and customer service provided past each truck rental company.
  • Analyze reviews. To understand how customers experience well-nigh each truck rental company, we read through hundreds of customer reviews and analyzed thousands of star ratings customers go out on third-party review platforms like Yelp and Google Reviews.
  • Truck comparisons. We compare companies based on the moving truck sizes and truck types they offer (moving vans, flatbed trucks, box trucks, etc.). We also look at moving-specific features like loading ramps and tow dollies included with their trucks.
  • Annual review. We annually revise our truck rental reviews and update them throughout the year to proceed our recommendations upwardly-to-appointment.

FAQs about U-Haul

Does U-Haul have unlimited mileage?

No. For local moves, U-Haul charges a mileage rate of $0.99 per mile. This mileage rate is calculated after yous render your moving truck, and it is then added to your final cost. For long-distance moves, U-Haul estimates how many miles yous'll need to drive and charges for them upfront. If you go over this allotted mileage, y'all'll be charged extra.

How much does U-Haul accuse per mile?

For local moves, U-Haul charges $0.99 per mile. For long-distance moves, we've calculated that U-Booty's rates average out to near $1.60 per mile. This long-altitude rate is based on our ain pricing research, not whatsoever official rate listed by U-Booty.

Does U-Booty charge per day?

Kind of. U-Haul advertises that a ten-pes truck starts at $nineteen.95 per day for a local move, though it doesn't advertise if larger trucks have higher daily rates. For long-distance moves, U-Booty calculates how many days you will demand to drive to your new home, then lets you rent the truck for those days. If yous go over that time allotment, you'll exist charged late fees.

If you know beforehand that you need to add more days to your time, you can prepay $40 per twenty-four hours to avoid late fees.7

How old practise you lot have to be to hire a U-Haul?

U-Haul but lets customers that are 18 years former or older rent moving trucks. For trailers, y'all just need to be sixteen years onetime to hire. U-Haul requires renters to provide a valid driver'due south license before they rent moving equipment.8

Our recommendation

U-Haul certainly isn't the best moving truck rental visitor. The company'due south customer reviews alone prove that. However, U-Haul'due south rates are nothing to cry most, and the company's huge selection of services get in a competitive option for any move. Additionally, the visitor's wide availability ways it might be your best pick if it'due south your only selection in some areas.

While we don't recommend U-Haul outright, yous should at to the lowest degree bank check out the company's services and get a quote to run across what U-Booty tin practice for you.

Set up to see how much a U-Haul rental volition cost you?

Now that y'all know all about U-Haul, it'due south time to get your gratis quote and run into how much renting your U-Haul truck will price.

If yous want to see how U-Haul measures upward to its competitors, check out our listing of the best moving truck rental companies.

Other moving truck rental picks

Desire to see how U-Haul compares to some of its competitors? Read these reviews to get the full scoop:

  • Penske Truck Rental
  • Budget Truck Rental
  • Enterprise Truck Rental
  • Habitation Depot Truck Rental

Recommended resources

If you're set up to get your DIY move rolling, read these guides to program and successfully execute on every step of the procedure:

  • The But Moving Checklist Yous'll Ever Need
  • How to Pack a Moving Truck Similar the Pros
  • How to Programme Your Moving Road Trip

Our reports on U-Haul customers' experiences

Sources

  1. AMERCO, "Company History." Accessed May iii, 2021.
  2. U-Haul, "I Calendar month Costless Storage at U-Haul Self-Storage Locations." Accessed May 3, 2021.
  3. U-Haul, "U-Booty Truck Rentals." Accessed May iii, 2021.
  4. Penske, "Our Companies." Accessed May 3, 2021.
  5. Marketing Charts, "Bad Customer Service Interactions More than Likely to be Shared Than Adept Ones," April 15, 2013. Accessed May 4, 2021.
  6. U-Haul, "Frequently Asked Questions." Accessed May 3, 2021.
  7. U-Booty, "Often Asked Questions." Accessed May 3, 2021.
  8. U-Booty, "Frequently Asked Questions." Accessed May 3, 2021.

Joe Roberts

Written by

Joe Roberts

Joe Roberts is a professional author with a degree in writing studies and over 4 years of copywriting experience. He previously worked at Overstock.com, where he wrote nigh furniture, home decor, and moving. Joe has moved all over Utah, and so he knows his style around a moving truck—and he spends his fourth dimension (and money) expanding his personal library then it will be even heavier next time he moves.