PODS containers aren’t just for storage — they’re also a really convenient way to move. Although the price can be slightly higher than renting a U-Haul and driving yourself, you will save a boatload of money compared to full-service movers. Plus, PODS provides a unique moving experience that stands out from other moving services, making it harder to compare apples to apples from a pricing standpoint.
So how much exactly does PODS cost? It depends, of course, on where you’re going and how much stuff you have. But there are other factors to consider, such as how much PODS can save you in terms of time, effort, and other costs.
I recently had the opportunity to use a PODS container, making me not just a mover who’s loaded hundreds of PODS containers in my time, but also a PODS customer.
Keep reading to get the details on how much PODS really costs in 2024, how to save money with PODS, and who moving containers are a good fit for.
Key Takeaways
- My PODS Experience: PODS is a great middle-ground option–more affordable than full-service movers but pricier than a U-Haul, balancing convenience and control.
- Cost #1 (Two 16-Foot Containers): $8,581 for a cross-country move (3-bedroom home), including delivery, rental, transport, and redelivery.
- Cost #2 (Adding an 8-Foot Container): $3,140, with flexible delivery options and the ability to cancel if not needed.
- Why Choose PODS: PODS is ideal for temporary storage, staggered moves, or transitions between homes – simplifying the process and cutting down on stress.
What Is/Are PODS?
Technically, PODS is the name of the company (originally the acronym stood for Portable On Demand Storage), not the name of the containers they rent to their customers. Essentially, their solution is moving and storage in one package, also known in the industry as “containerized moving”.
PODS pioneered containers as a way to move and store back in the nineties, and since that time, several companies have followed suit with a similar product.
How Does PODS Work?
PODS drops off a container at your home and you take your time filling it up with your life’s possessions. Then you can either keep it in your driveway if you’re staging or remodeling your home, or have PODS pick it up and drive it to your new home.
They can move you down the street or across the country (the company even delivers to Hawaii!), or they can move your containers into one of their storage facilities. They have more than 240 indoor storage facilities around the country, so there’s usually one pretty close by.
“[With PODS,] you’re really only paying for the space you need instead of how heavy your items are…those with the best Tetris packing and loading skills will be rewarded with paying less for less space.”
PODS containers are rented by the month, which means you have 30 days to move your container and have it picked up. If you need to keep it longer, you can —you’ll just continue to get billed every month until you’re ready to return it.
It costs a little more each month to keep your container at a storage facility, but you can at least enjoy the peace of mind of knowing your stuff is extra secure —locked inside your container, which is then locked inside of a secure building.
How Is Moving with PODS Different?
The important thing to remember is that moving with PODS is different from moving with a full-service mover or a rental truck from U-Haul.
Typically, there are three ways to move:
- DIY: With a DIY move, you take care of everything, including the packing, loading, driving, and unloading. Think: renting a moving truck.
- Full Service: This is like calling in the troops to do your moving for you. The movers will sweep your property, gather up all your stuff, drive it to your new place, and you cross your fingers hoping everything will get there all in one piece. Think: van lines.
- Hybrid: A hybrid move falls somewhere in between DIY and full service. You’re taking charge of your move, but you’re not doing everything. An example is renting a truck but hiring moving labor to load it for you. Or, in the case of PODS (which is really why we’re here today), renting a moving container and having someone else drive it for you. To make things ultra-easy and get the most out of your container space, you can also pair a moving container with packers and loaders.
As covered above, PODS falls into the hybrid “sweet spot” — it’s not total DIY, but it’s just DIY enough to save you a pretty penny and give you more control over your move. It also can save your butt if you find yourself in one of the unique situations below.
Best Use-Cases For PODS
Maybe you’ve sold your house, but you don’t have a new one quite yet. Or you’re moving across the country for a job and have to go ahead alone, leaving your family to follow six months later. Or there’s a divorce, or someone passes away and you have to sort through their things. The list goes on.
I’m covering all this before I even jump into the pricing because it’s important to know what you’re getting with PODS. It’s a solution that offers a lot more flexibility and less effort than you’d get with the other moving options, especially if your move has certain complications:
- Staging your home for sale and then moving
- Staying somewhere temporarily between homes
- Downsizing with a need for temporary storage until you sort through/sell all your stuff
- Moving different people to different households (like breakups)
In situations like these, using PODS means you don’t have to move your stuff twice or multiple times, saving on the additional truck rental costs or moving labor that comes with hauling your stuff to and from storage. This also saves you a bunch of time and hassle because you don’t have to rent a truck, and then a storage unit, and then rent a truck again.
In other words, there are a lot of nuances to keep in mind when considering a PODS container. While plenty of articles will publish pricing tables for you, in most cases, you’re not making a fair comparison when you size up PODS against your other moving options.
The takeaway: The price difference between a PODS container and a rental truck can be substantial, but what’s not so obvious is the convenience you’re paying for. Make sure to factor that into your comparison shopping.
What Is the Cost of Moving Using PODS?
PODS offers local and long-distance moving, each with a different quote process.
PODS Long-Distance Moving Costs
You’re going to pay different costs and go through a different quote process when you’re moving long-distance with PODS.
Of course, just as with any moving company, the farther you move, the higher your moving costs will be. But a lot more factors go into your final price tag than just that.
How much your move costs with PODS depends on the following:
- Distance
- How many containers you’ll need
- How long you’ll need your containers for
- When you’re moving ( container availability) —especially whether or not you’re moving during the peak summer season
- Container rental and storage time. A one-month rental is included with every container, but if you exceed 30 days, you’ll have to pay the monthly rental fee again.
- Whether or not you hire professional loading and unloading help (which technically isn’t delivered by PODS, but they can refer you to local packers and loaders like HireAHelper)
PODS Long Distance Quote Process
You might be left a little frustrated if you are looking for a long-distance moving quote completely online. When it comes to long-distance moving with anyone other than a rental truck company, this is the norm.
Full-service movers have to estimate how much stuff you have by weight, which means they need to visit your home to see exactly what you’re going to be moving.
With PODS, you can get a quote right away when you call, after answering questions about the stuff you’re moving. The call took me 29 minutes, which is faster than the 50 minutes I spent awkwardly walking a van line estimator through my uncleaned house to talk about every item I’d be bringing along.
So unfortunately, even with PODS, you do have to pick up the phone to get your full quote. However, you can take comfort in knowing you’re not just getting a quote, but your final price. This means that, unless you extend your container rental period or order another container, your pricing won’t change.
By the way, a reputable or established full-service mover will usually give you a not-to-exceed quote — so if the price changes it will be in your favor. But if you add any furniture, or they missed any in their inventory, you may possibly have to pay more.
See prices for local moving labor. Read real customer reviews. Easily book your help online.
My Long-Distance PODS Quote
Here’s the process of the quote that I got from my Florida to California move for my 3-bedroom home, approx. 2,000 square feet.
First of all, when I got a local moving quote, it was recommended online by PODS.com that I opt for one 16-ft and one 8-ft container. Turns out, this is not enough space.
The Allied estimator told me that my stuff totaled 1,466 cubic feet — which he said would be three PODS containers, not two. Of course, he doesn’t work for PODS, so I knew I couldn’t take what he said at face value.
“Their 12-ft container is only available for moving locally, so before you start doing all your calculations with that one, you better make sure your move qualifies as an in-town move.”
When I spoke with my PODS sales rep, she had me answer a series of questions to give her an idea of how much stuff I was moving. In the end, her recommendation for my moderately furnished place (according to the Allied rep who had been in the industry for four decades) was two 16-ft containers and an additional 8-ft container.
The idea was to stagger my 8-ft container, which means scheduling it to arrive a couple of days after the 16-foot containers, to give me a chance to determine whether or not it would be needed. I would then be able to cancel it without any fees up until 24 hours before the scheduled delivery date.
Scenario #1: Use just two 16-foot Containers
- Delivery: $123.75 per unit X 2 = $247.50
- Monthly rent (first month): $236.25 per unit X 2 = $472.50
- Contents protection and transport fee: $50
- Contents protection plan for $25,000 worth of coverage: $79.95 per month
- Container transport: $3,722.47 per container X 2 = $7,444.94
- Redelivery fee: $143.25 per unit X 2 = $286.50
Scenario #2: Add an 8-foot container
- Delivery: $123.75 per unit
- Monthly rent: $236.25 per unit
- Container transport: $2,636.75 per unit
- Redelivery fee: $143.25 per unit
The grand total for just the two containers came to $8,581.39. It was $11,721.39 for all three containers.
This included all possible discounts. PODS was running a 25% discount that my sales rep said saved me an additional $1,300 in transit fees by applying it, and this amounted to a much better discount than what PODS was advertising, according to the sales rep.
Another thing to note was that, as of July 30, PODS only had two days, September 12 and September 26 available. If this is indicative of a typical summer, I can’t emphasize enough that you should schedule way in advance if you expect to use PODS for your summertime move.
PODS Long Distance Moving Costs vs. Other Moving Methods
How did my quote stack up against other moving methods?
Rental Truck
U-Haul was able to give me a quote online for a cross-country move from Clearwater, FL to Los Angeles, CA:
| Size | Home Size | Interior Truck dimensions (LxWxH) | Quote |
| 10′ Truck | Studio to 1 Bed Apt. | 9’11” x 6’4″ x 6’2″ | $2,477.00 |
| 15′ Truck | 1 Bed Home to 2 Bed Apt. | 15′ x 7’8″ x 7’2″ | $2,606.00 |
| 20′ Truck | 2 Bed Home to 3 Bed Apt. | 19’6″ x 7’8″ x 7’2″ | $2,866.00 |
| 26′ Truck | 3 Bed Home to 4 Bed Home | 26’2″ x 8’2″ x 8’3″ | $3,257.00 |
After my consultations with Allied and PODS, I knew I would opt for a 26-foot truck for $3,257.00 plus tax.
Full-Service Mover
For my full-service quote, I randomly chose Allied.
Their estimator came to my house and spent nearly an hour going through my home room by room. He was extremely friendly and helpful and gave me all sorts of packing tips, as I told him we would be doing the packing ourselves (they would take care of just the loading and transport). So for those who aren’t used to packing for a move, I imagine the consultation could be quite useful if your estimator is as helpful as mine was.
The grand total for my moderately furnished home was $10,716.14 for a Thursday loading date. I did a really good job pretending not to have sticker shock, by the way, when he gave me the final number.
Word to the wise: Scheduling the loading date for a weekday instead of the weekend saved me around $200.
One thing to note is that we have a pretty big shed full of tools. He said if I were to sell all my tools (which wasn’t gonna happen), that could save us $1,500. And if I were to sell maybe half our tools, that might shave off $1,000.
The Allied estimator also said that during the summertime, this would’ve been around $12,500. It goes to show you how much you can save on full-service moving if you’re willing and able to push back your move by one month.
How Much Does PODS Cost to Move According to PODS?
Now let’s take a look at what PODS says it costs on average for a 2–3 bedroom home compared to rental trucks and full-service movers. These numbers are based on what PODS publishes on their own website, as well as MoveBuddha’s estimates for rental trucks and full-service movers.
Some things to keep in mind about these numbers that follow:
- PODS’ fees include container rental for the whole month, including transport and on-site storage.
- Full-service movers include transport as well as loading and unloading, but not packing.
- Rental truck costs do not include the fuel costs or packing and loading labor.
- Actual pricing will vary depending on your specific location, dates, household size, discounts, and other factors.
PODS Cross-Country Move (Approximately 2,730–3,050 miles)
The following is how PODS says the company stacks up against other moving categories for a cross-country move.
| PODS | Full-Service Movers | Rental Truck |
| $4,002–$5,650 | $4,533–$6,999 | $1,906-$3,405 |
*This table is based on estimates from PODS and MoveBuddha for a 2-3 bedroom household (800-1,200 sf) as of December 2024. Costs don’t include insurance or taxes. Prices will vary based on specific locations, dates, the size of the household to be moved, and available discounts. For a detailed quote, call PODS at 877-350-7637. PODS estimate is for one 16-foot container.
After getting my PODS quote, which was $8,472 for two 16-foot containers, I would say that PODS’ range here might be a bit on the low side, unless you’re able to squeeze all your stuff into one single 16-foot container, which was priced at $3,722.47 for my move. And keep in mind that this doesn’t include the delivery fee and other incidental charges, which come to $489.95 per 16-ft container according to my personal quote.
Also remember that for the rental truck prices, you’re not seeing gas or travel costs, like staying in hotels for the five- or six-day trip out to L.A. from Florida.
PODS Local Moving Costs
What about moving locally? “Local” moving is always a bit hard to define, even for moving companies. Sometimes it means moving from one part of town to another. Other times, it might mean any move under 500 miles. For our purposes today, I mean from one part of town to another.
For my current home state of Florida, here are PODS moving costs according to PODS for a 2–3 bedroom home.
| PODS | Full-Service Movers | Rental Truck |
| $475–$795 | $799–$2,321 | $49–$122 |
This is what I found according to my own research:
Clearwater, FL move
I ran a quote myself for a move in August — peak moving season — for my 3-bedroom/2,000 square foot home (1 16ft container and 1 8ft container) across town to my friend’s house 2.6 miles (9 minutes) away. The total cost was $982.00 including $20 for container-only protection.
After plugging in their promo code for 25% off, this came down to $786.00 plus tax, bringing me right to the very top of the range they presented for Florida local moves.
But how much does seasonality affect PODS local moving costs? I ran the same quote but for October 1, and the total before the promo code came out to $962.00. So not that much apparently, at least in this case.
Conclusion: It seems like PODS’ local prices are at the higher end of the range they quote, at least in Central Florida.
See prices for local moving labor. Read real customer reviews. Easily book your help online.
Los Angeles
I then ran a quote for a local move in Los Angeles from Eagle Rock to Glendale, a distance of 2.9 miles. The quote came to $1,452.00. This also included the $20.00 container-only protection fee.
With their 25% off promo code, the total came to $1,158.50 plus tax.
This goes to show you that geographical area probably has a lot more to do with pricing than seasonality.
Halfway Across the Country
What about moving long-distance but not quite coast-to-coast mileage? Here’s what we get based on PODS’ estimates for Texas moving costs and Florida moving costs.
| Route | Miles Range | PODS | Full-Service Movers | Rental Truck |
| TX to CA | 1,436–1,926 | $2,002–$4,992 | $3,545–$8,850 | $1,142–$2,282 |
| FL to NY | 1,080–1,280 | $2,134–$3,583 | $3,020–$8,050 | $923–$1,706 |
The Verdict: Is It Cheaper to Move with PODS?
When compared to full-service movers, it appears that PODS is the cheaper way to move. For example, with a cross-country move, you could spend $3,436–$6,030 with PODS compared to $4,231–$9,577, but keep in mind that PODS doesn’t include moving labor.
Still, even when hiring hourly packing and loading help, moving with PODS still seems to be the more affordable option.
PODS vs. Other Solutions
As I mentioned earlier, if you’re going to be using PODS for one of those complex moving situations, it’s not really helpful to directly compare to moving with a rental truck or a full-service mover.
For example, when using a rental truck instead of PODS for a move requiring temporary storage, you’ll have to keep in mind some additional costs.
Self-Storage
I was told by my Allied rep that I would need a 10 x 25ft unit, or a couple of units that would add up to the same amount of space.
If we packed our stuff tightly, this would come to three 10 x 7.5ft units, which are priced at $269/mo each at the closest facility in Los Angeles, or $807/mo.
Still, this is slightly cheaper than storage center storage with PODS, which costs:
- $315/mo for each 16ft container
- $286/mo for the 8ft container
- $79.95/mo for contents protection ($25K coverage)
- Total: $977.95
Still, this price tag comes with zero travel to and from the storage center.
Moving Labor Help
The cheapest moving labor help I could find was $370 for 2 movers for 2 hours, and this included moving our upright piano. Based on this moving labor guide I would hire them for about 4 hours, which would bring me to $740, just to have them unload and reload my stuff for the storage trip.
That’s $740 you could save by opting for PODS, which includes built-in storage.
If you don’t hire any help, this translates into man hours. You’re probably going to spend a day doing all that work yourself, and more recovering.
“PODS should reach out to you and let you know if you’re in an area that requires a parking permit, but it doesn’t hurt to do your due diligence to find this out yourself”
Plus, there’s also the stress of having to work out the logistics of moving your stuff in and out of storage. With PODS, if you’re caught by surprise because you go past the house closing deadline or your remodeling project on your new home takes longer than you thought, you can just pick up the phone or log into your account and reschedule your pick-up or delivery. Not so with other moving solutions.
Does PODS Offer Discounts?
Every now and then PODS offers moving specials. If you’re in the military you can save, and some workplaces may also offer a discount as part of their employee benefits, so it’s worth checking out your perks package to see if PODS is covered.
If you go to PODS’ promo offers page you’ll usually find several specials such as:
- Summer and other periodic sales: Save up to 25%
- Military discount: Whether you’re active duty or inactive, you can save between 10% and 25% depending on whether or not PODS is running a big special.
Need to store your stuff? You can save even more:
- If you store your container at a PODS facility, you can save up to 15% and get your initial delivery free waived.
- If you store even longer, for 6 months or more, PODS will waive the initial delivery and “re-delivery” (when you get your stuff dropped off back off ) with 15% off monthly storage fees.
- If you store for 12 months or longer, not only will PODS give you free delivery and re-delivery, but you’ll also get 25% off your monthly storage fees.
PODS Moving Insurance
As with any moving solution, with PODS, you’re going to need to decide whether or not to get moving insurance.
Every container comes with a $20 container-only protection, which covers what it sounds like: just the container and not your stuff.
You then have an option of moving coverage for your stuff based on the replacement value. I was told by the PODS sales rep that the average person gets $20K worth of coverage, which is $69.95 per month. But since I have a lot of tools, I opted for $25K worth of coverage because it was only $10.00 more per month, and that’s a lot less than buying myself a whole new set of tools.
PODS vs. Other Moving Containers
Now, PODS isn’t the only moving container solution out there. Other portable moving containers include 1-800-Packrat, Zippy Shell, U-Pack, and U-Box. You may or may not be able to save a buck with them, but it might be worth a shot. Just keep in mind you might be compromising container quality or customer service by going with the cheaper option.
Container Sizes
Picking the right container size is one of the most critical ways to ensure you have a smooth moving experience. But it’s also critical to make sure you don’t spend too much on space you don’t need.
PODS has three container sizes to choose from with the following sizes:
| Container size | Dimensions | How much stuff |
| Large/16-Foot | Cubic feet: 835.
Exterior: 16′ x 8′ x 8′ |
Up to 1,200 sq. ft. space (3–4 rooms) |
| Medium/12-Foot | Cubic feet: 689.
Exterior: 12′ x 8′ x 8’* |
500–800 sq. ft. of space (2–3 rooms) |
| Small/8-Foot | Cubic feet: 402
Dimensions: 8′ x 7′ x 8’* |
Up to 500 sq. ft. of space |
Their 12-ft container is only available for moving locally, so before you start doing all your calculations with that one, you better make sure your move qualifies as an in-town move. The simplest way to do that is by running a quote online and seeing if you get your quote right away (local move) or if they make you call (long-distance move).
How Much Fits Inside PODS Containers?
Here are some videos that PODS has online that show you just how much you can fit into their 8-ft and 16-ft containers.
Obviously, you can pack even more into a 16-foot container, check out this video!
One of the nice things about PODS is that you’re really only paying for the space you need instead of how heavy your items are. This means that with PODS, those with the best Tetris packing and loading skills will be rewarded with paying less for less space.
As you can see, you should be filling your containers from floor to ceiling, and every few feet or so, secure your load by using cable or rope with these, known as D rings.
Will my couch fit in PODS’ 8-foot container?
The million-dollar question: will my couch fit in PODS’ small container? You’d be surprised by how much you can cram inside, and I’d venture to say that a lot of couches could fit. Our couch wasn’t one, however. At first, we thought it did…until we tried rolling down the door.
As you can see, the door has this clip, which measures a little over 1.5 inches, which means you should leave several inches of space between your loaded items and the door to be safe.
The container also has interior supporting beams that house the D rings, and they stick about 1.25 inches into the interior. This means that unless you have a narrow couch, you’re going to be losing 1.25 inches in length and 1.25 inches in width in interior space. This type of thing happens with rental trucks too, thanks to the wheel well.
This is all to say: If your couch is right on the edge between fitting or not fitting when you’re trying to pick out container sizes, it’s probably best to upsize your container length, especially because you don’t want to pack things too close to the door. This is because things may shift during transit, causing trouble when it comes time to open the door at your destination.
My Experience as a PODS Customer
Overall we had a positive experience with PODS. Our container was delivered and picked up on time, and it was clean and upscale-looking. Our drivers were friendly, fast, and obviously knew what they were doing.
Delivery
First of all, they will pick up and deliver your container using PODZILLA, which is a super cool level lift system operated by a remote. It’s a nice touch to reduce the chance of damage due to shifting.
Here is PODZILLA in action delivering my container:
What’s nice is you don’t have to be home for delivery. My driver didn’t so much as knock. By the time I met her outside, she was already backing the truck into place.
While the delivery is typically straightforward for houses like mine that have a private driveway, things can get more complex for apartment complexes, neighborhoods with HOA regulations, and urban areas with limited street parking or strict parking regulations.
If you fit into one of these other categories, you should check with your building management or HOA regarding their policies for on-site PODS containers. In cities like San Francisco or New York, reach out to local authorities to see if a parking permit is needed. In many cases, PODS’ customer service reps can help point you in the right direction if you need assistance with parking regulations or permit requirements. PODS also offers a special city moving service for driveway-less moving in certain urban areas.
PODS Moving Tips
Here are some things to know about using PODS that can make or break your experience, and impact how much money you end up spending.
- Think carefully about where you want the door to face. In their ads and commercials, PODS has its signature blue door facing streetward at the camera, but in real life, you want it facing your front door, side door, garage, or wherever you’ll primarily be unloading or loading your stuff.
- Clear the driveway of obstructions like tree branches or else PODS won’t be able to deliver your container, which can push your move back significantly.
- PODS should reach out to you and let you know if you’re in an area that requires a parking permit, but it doesn’t hurt to do your due diligence to find this out yourself, especially if you live in an urban area known for its crazy parking scene. Read the HireAHelper guide to parking permits to learn more.
I’ve been loading and unloading containers for many a year, and I can vouch for the container packing tips PODS has on their website. Definitely take the time to review these, as you’ll help ensure your stuff stays safe from damage and you’ll be able to fit more into your container. Also, you can prevent issues when it comes to opening your container. Some of the most important tips include:
- Load your container in sections and use tie-down hooks to secure items within the container.
- Do not place your mattress on top, as it can fall and lean against the door, making the door difficult to open. Instead, try loading your mattress on either side of the container or wedge it between items.
- In the last section of your container, closest to the door, use a large sheet of cardboard or four extra-large flattened boxes taped together to create a barrier. This will help prevent objects from falling against the door during transit, causing a door jam.
Also, hire moving help experienced with loading containers. Unlike rental trucks, PODS containers have to be loaded a little differently. You have to evenly distribute the weight with the heaviest items on the bottom. And loading efficiently can help you avoid having to rent an extra container, potentially saving you thousands of dollars.
That’s all I’ve got for now about PODS, but it’s definitely enough to get you started on your moving journey. In the end, because your move is unique to you, nothing replaces getting a quote yourself and doing some comparison shopping.