Allied Van Lines is a well-established company in long-distance moving. Founded in 1928 in the U.S., Allied has grown into one of the largest van line networks worldwide. When people picture a full-service move, Allied is definitely a name that will always come to mind.
Similar to other van lines like Mayflower or United, Allied brings the same nationwide reach and experience, but customer experiences can vary by local affiliate. And while van lines promise convenience, they’re usually the most expensive option on the table. For many people, portable storage containers like PODS paired with professional loading help deliver a close-to-full-service experience for far less money and with more flexibility. And if you’re still weighing budgets, our guide to moving costs breaks down real-world price ranges by move type.
This review explores how Allied stacks up in 2025, what it costs, and whether a van line is the right fit for your long-distance move.
Overview: Allied Van Lines
Before diving deeper, here’s a quick look at Allied Van Lines’ biggest strengths and drawbacks. These highlights give you a snapshot of what to expect before we break them down in more detail later in the review.
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What to Know About Allied Van Lines
Allied Van Lines has been around for nearly a century, making it one of the oldest and most recognizable names in the moving industry. Today, Allied is part of SIRVA, Inc., and operates through a network of more than 1,000 local agents across all 50 states. That footprint extends worldwide to over 130 countries, which is why Allied is often considered when people need help with corporate relocations, cross-country moves, or even overseas shipments.
Nationwide Reach and Services
Unlike smaller moving companies that may only cover a single state or region, Allied can manage just about any type of move:
- Local and intrastate moves (handled by local affiliates)
Interstate and cross-country moves across the U.S. - International relocations supported by a global network
The service area is broad, but the actual customer experience depends on the local Allied agent who performs the work. This makes Allied both accessible and variable — there’s almost always an office nearby, but reviews can differ by location. Not sure what to tackle first? Here’s how to prepare for a long-distance move.
How Allied Van Lines Works
Booking a move with Allied starts online or over the phone. The process is fairly typical of large van lines:
- Request a Quote: Fill out a quick form or call an Allied office. You’ll be routed to the agent closest to your starting ZIP code.
Schedule a Survey: Allied doesn’t give ballpark numbers up front. Instead, they require either a virtual video walkthrough or an in-home survey to estimate the weight and volume of the belongings you’re moving. - Choose Your Services: During the survey, a relocation consultant explains add-ons like professional packing, appliance handling, or storage.
- Receive a Formal Estimate: Costs are based on weight, distance, and timing. Binding estimates may only be available after an in-home survey.
- Finalize and Move: Once you sign, Allied coordinates crews, trucks, and supplies for your move date. Your relocation consultant remains the main point of contact until delivery.
From the customer’s perspective, the website is easy to navigate. There’s an agent-finder tool, a moving resources hub, and the option to request a virtual quote. But don’t expect instant numbers — you’ll need to commit to a survey before getting anything more than general information. Before your survey, this checklist on how to prepare for a long-distance move can save you time (and maybe money).
License and Insurance
Because interstate movers are heavily regulated, Allied publishes its registration details:
- USDOT Number: 76,235
- MC Number: 15735
- FMCSA Status: Active authority, no current out-of-service orders
- State Example: In Texas, Allied operates under TxDMV license #7143
For protection, Allied provides two main coverage levels:
- Basic Liability Protection: Included at no extra cost, but it only reimburses about $0.60 per pound, per item.
- Extra Care Protection (ECP): A premium plan that covers repair or replacement based on an item’s actual value.
This licensing confirms Allied is a legitimate interstate mover. The coverage options are highlighted so you can decide whether ECP meets your needs or if you should add third-party moving insurance for high-value or fragile items. Reviewing limits, deductibles, and exclusions before you book helps you avoid gaps in protection.
Allied Van Lines Services
Allied Van Lines is primarily a full-service mover specializing in long-distance, interstate, cross-country, and international relocations. Their offerings are built for customers who want to offload most of the moving work — the packing, transportation, unloading, and often even unpacking. But like many large van lines, they also provide a la carte options so you can drop or add certain services based on your budget or how hands-on you want to be.
Here are the main services Allied offers:
- Packing: Allied’s professionals bring supplies and pack everything in your home, using techniques to protect fragile items.
- Fragile-Only Packing: If only certain delicate items need special care (china, glassware, artwork), Allied can handle just those while you manage the rest.
- Full-Service Moving: You pack everything, and Allied crews load your belongings into the moving truck and unload them at your destination.
- Unpacking: For customers who want help settling in, Allied offers unpacking services to speed up the process once the move is over.
- Storage Services: Short-term or longer-term storage is available if your move date and destination date don’t align, or you just need extra space.
- Moving Supplies: Boxes, specialty packing kits (like for mirrors, artwork, or wardrobes), tape, bubble wrap, and more are provided or sold.
- International Moving: Allied supports overseas relocations with customs, shipping, and logistics handled through their global network.
- Specialty Moves: They manage corporate relocations, military moves, vehicle relocations, and high-value or fragile item transport.
How Their Long-Distance Full-Service Option Works
When you choose Allied’s long-distance full-service package, here’s what you can expect:
- From start to finish, Allied handles packing, loading, transportation, unloading, and optional unpacking.
- Fragile or specialty items receive extra protection with custom crates, padded transport, and added coverage if you select it.
- A personal relocation consultant helps plan timelines, choose services, arrange storage if needed, and monitor progress.
- Logistics such as fuel, weight, routing, and scheduling are carefully coordinated across state lines, which often drives up the cost compared to local moves.
Allied Van Lines Costs
Allied Van Lines structures its pricing around the two biggest drivers: the weight of your shipment and the distance traveled. Add-ons like packing, storage, and specialty item handling layer on top of that. For long-distance moves, especially cross-country, costs can range anywhere from a few thousand dollars for smaller households up to well over $10,000 for large homes.
Typical Allied Costs
- Customer reports and Allied’s own tools show estimates in the $4,000–$7,500 range for a 2–3 bedroom move of ~1,000 miles.
- Large cross-country moves (4+ bedrooms) often exceed $12,000–$15,000, depending on services.
- Regional moves can fall lower, around $3,500–$6,500, but still much higher than container or DIY solutions.
How This Stacks Up
HireAHelper’s 2025 moving costs benchmarks put these numbers into perspective:
- DIY Truck Rental: $838–$5,410 for a 2–3 bedroom move
- Truck + Labor (Hybrid): $1,259–$5,862
- Freight Trailer: $3,145–$4,775
- Portable Container (like PODS): $3,076–$4,492
- Full-Service Movers: $5,000–$11,000+
This means Allied often comes in at the top end of the spectrum, especially compared to PODS with loading help, which delivers something close to a full-service experience at thousands less.
Discounts
Allied Van Lines does not appear to offer many of the standard discounts that some movers do. In particular, senior or widely advertised military discounts are not consistently available across all affiliates. When we checked:
- Many reviews say Allied does not publicly list senior or military discounts.
- Instead, Allied reps report that membership-based discounts are what to ask about: AAA, AARP, and Costco are mentioned in several customer reviews.
- Allied supports military moving programs like the “Personally Procured Move (PPM)” program, which is more about logistics/payment/reimbursement under certain military orders than a flat “military discount.”
What to do to get discounts:
- When you request a quote, explicitly ask the agent if they honor membership discounts (AAA, AARP, Costco) in your area.
- Ask if there are promotional rates or local agent-based deals. Sometimes, local branches may run promos.
- If you are associated with military relocation (PCS, PPM), mention that — there might be options or pricing considerations not obvious online.
Insurance
Allied Van Lines includes basic liability protection in every move, but most customers find it isn’t enough. That default coverage only reimburses (a maximum of $0.60) per pound per article if something is lost or damaged, which is nowhere near the actual replacement cost of a TV or laptop. For better protection, Allied offers Extra Care Protection (ECP), which is available for an added cost. Under ECP, you can choose between two valuation methods:
- Valued Inventory: You provide a list of your belongings and assign a value to each item. This is often used for smaller shipments with lots of fragile or high-value pieces, like artwork, antiques, or electronics.
- Lump Sum: Instead of itemizing, you declare a total value for your shipment based on its overall volume. This option is more practical for larger household moves, where listing every single item would be cumbersome.
Both options cover your goods from the time Allied starts packing until your belongings are fully delivered and set up at your destination. A relocation consultant can walk you through which plan makes sense for your move, but either way, it’s wise to choose one of these upgraded protections over the basic coverage.
Do You Really Need a Long-Distance Moving Company?
A long-distance mover like Allied takes almost everything off your plate. Crews come in, box up your things, carry your heavy belongings, and drive them all to your new home. For families with a lot of furniture, or for anyone who doesn’t feel comfortable behind the wheel of a 26-foot truck, that level of help is a huge relief. However, a full-service move often runs well into five figures, especially for larger homes.
That’s why more people are turning to other options, like portable containers. A company drops the container in your driveway, you load it on your own schedule, and movers can be hired just for loading/unloading. It’s usually several thousand dollars cheaper than hiring a van line, and it gives you storage if your new place isn’t ready right away. While you’re still in charge of some of the logistics, the savings can be worth it for some families.
So, do you really need a van line? If convenience matters more than the price tag, full service makes sense. But if you’d rather save money and still skip the hardest parts, a container plus labor-only movers can be a smart middle ground. Curious what it’s like to go the semi-DIY route? Here’s how one person moved across the country completely by themselves.
What It’s Like to Book With Allied Van Lines
Getting a quote with Allied feels pretty similar to other big van lines. You start online or over the phone, give some details, and then a local agent sets up a survey — virtual if you want speed, in-home if you want the most accuracy.
While the setup to get a quote is pretty simple, things sometimes go sideways in the follow-through. While some customers describe relocation consultants who were responsive and made sure the details were covered, others had the opposite: long waits for answers, trouble getting updates, or claims that dragged on.
“Allied tends to be a strong middle-to-upper-tier option: you pay more for full service, but you also get wide reach, reliability, and more consistent support for international moves and specialty services.”
Recent reviews show that split pretty clearly. Trustpilot gives Allied a 2.4 out of 5, with most ratings clustered at one star and just a handful of glowing five-star experiences. The BBB shows the company as accredited with an A+, but its customer reviews average barely above one star. In short, the Allied name carries weight, but the local office you’re paired with determines how smooth (or bumpy) the experience feels.
Before booking, it’s worth reading reviews for the specific Allied agent in your area, since they’re the ones who will ultimately handle your move. The pros and cons below matter, as they highlight what Allied does well and where customers most often run into issues.
Pros
Allied has plenty of experience
The moving industry has a bad reputation for fly-by-night companies that take advantage of consumers. Allied, in stark contrast, has been in business since 1928. Each year, Allied moves about 50,000 families, which makes it one of the most established names in the business. While you have to find out specifics regarding the service provided by your local Allied affiliate, you can be sure that the parent company is reliable and enduring.
Allied treats your belongings with care
Allied says its crews take extra steps to protect fragile items like electronics, glassware, and fine china. Representatives highlight that delicate belongings are wrapped and packed with added care to reduce the chance of damage. This focus on handling valuables is part of why Allied continues to rank highly among van lines.
That kind of detail aligns with how the company is regarded more broadly. NerdWallet ranks Allied among the top full-service movers in the U.S., and in 2024 the company was named the number one van line in the 23rd Annual Relocation Managers’ Survey on household goods shipments.
You don’t have to look far to find an Allied affiliate near you
Allied works with more than 300 agents across North America, supported by a global network in 45 countries. Coverage is broad, but availability still comes down to your origin ZIP, so it’s worth checking reviews for the specific local agent you’ll work with. Of course, you’ll have to read reviews about the nearest Allied organization to learn more about that specific store, but it will likely be there as an option.
The company works with your budget
Representatives, whether at the national or local level, provide tips for bringing down the cost of a move. The most common suggestion is to pick and choose services instead of going all-in on the full-service package. This approach lets customers scale Allied’s offerings to match their budget while still getting professional help where it matters most.
Cons
Van lines are super expensive
Yes, you’ll be relaxing on the couch while Allied staff whisk away everything you own, but you’ll also have to pay a pretty penny for the service. While a full-service package will run you top dollar, utilize the option to pick and choose services to bring down costs.
Quotes require a virtual or in-home survey
You won’t find an instant price calculator on Allied’s website. Instead, they’ll schedule a virtual or in-home survey before giving you an estimate. The virtual option is faster and more convenient than it used to be, but you still won’t get a ballpark number up front. Since costs for a 2–3 bedroom home can swing anywhere from about $5,000 to over $11,000, depending on mileage and services, it means you’ll need to invest time in the survey before you know if Allied fits your budget.
Reviews vary by Allied location
You have to do your homework about the Allied affiliate in your area. According to online reviews, each location is different and experiences vary from one to another. Sure, there is some sense of reliability because of Allied’s national reputation. But the level of service and efficiency, and even pricing, could seriously depend on who is working that day.
Allied Van Lines vs. Other Long-Distance Full-Service Providers
If you’re sizing up full-service moves, you’re probably looking at names like Allied, North American, Mayflower, Colonial, Bekins, and United. Below are the major differences and what tends to tip the scales depending on your priorities.
How They Compare
|
Competitor |
Strengths vs Allied |
Things to Watch Out For |
| North American Van Lines | – Similar services with strong tracking tools
– Often priced close to Allied for long-distance moves |
– Fewer “premium” extras in some locations
– Slower communication is reported during busy periods |
| Mayflower | – Binding quotes reduce surprises – Strong reputation for high-end service | – Often more expensive than Allied
– Extra costs can pile up on long-distance moves |
| United Van Lines | – Large national network with many agent locations
– Flexible pickup and drop-off logistics |
– Costs can creep higher with add-ons
– Pricing transparency varies by location |
| Colonial Van Lines | – Competitive pricing and occasional promos
– Can beat others on price when affiliates are less busy |
– Less brand recognition and fewer reviews
– International services not as robust |
|
Bekins |
– Strong in certain regions
– Good for specialty handling |
– Prices are often higher in underserved areas
– Scheduling can be less flexible |
Cost & Quote Differences
- In several mystery-shop or quote collection exercises, quotes for a 3-bedroom cross-country move with Allied and North American often fall in the $4,500-$7,000 range. Colonial and United often quote somewhat higher for the same move when the extras pack in.
- Allied tends to offer no upfront deposit in many cases, which is a plus compared to some movers that require 20-30% down.
- For people focused on specialty items or requiring international moves, Allied often has an edge because of its broader global network/agent infrastructure. Other movers may pass the extra cost along or be limited by the international partners’ scope.
Where Allied Wins
Allied tends to be a strong middle-to-upper-tier option: you pay more for full service, but you also get wide reach, reliability, and more consistent support for international moves and specialty services. If your priority is lowest cost, someone like Colonial or a smaller mover may beat Allied. But if you want peace of mind, more guarantees, and better cross-border options, Allied often ends up being the safer bet. If you’re comparing the big names side by side, start here: Who are the best moving companies?
Why You Can Trust HireAHelper
HireAHelper started in 2007 with just two people and a single computer in a tiny closet. Since then, we’ve grown into a platform that’s helped hundreds of thousands of families book movers and understand their options. We track real pricing, collect feedback from thousands of customers, and test moving options ourselves. Our reviews aren’t paid for by van lines or influenced by advertising. They’re based on industry research and real moving experiences, so when we evaluate a company like Allied, you’re getting an honest look at what to expect.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns Allied Van Lines?
Allied Van Lines is owned by SIRVA, Inc., the same parent company behind North American Van Lines. SIRVA is one of the largest global relocation networks, with agents and affiliates operating in more than 45 countries.
Is Allied Van Lines legit?
Yes! Allied is registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (USDOT 76235, MC 15735) and accredited by the BBB. They’re a legitimate, regulated interstate moving company.
Is Allied Van Lines a broker?
No. Allied is a carrier that works through a network of over 300 local agents. They own and operate trucks, but because service is carried out by local affiliates, the experience can vary depending on which agent you’re paired with.
Does Allied Van Lines do local moves?
Yes, but availability depends on your location. Local and intrastate moves are usually handled by the nearest Allied agent, so it’s worth checking reviews for that branch before booking.
Which company is best for moving out of state?
There isn’t one mover that works best for everyone. Large van lines like Allied, United, or Mayflower can be a good fit if you want full service and don’t mind paying for it. If price and flexibility matter more, portable containers with professional loading help are often the sweet spot. The best choice depends on your budget, your timeline, and how much of the work you want to handle yourself.