The 8 Best International Moving Companies for Your Overseas Relocation

Best Add-On Services: Allied Van Lines

Key Specs

• No. of Countries: 130
• Packing Options: Full-, partial-, and self-service
• Vehicle Relocation? Yes

Pros & Cons

Why It Made the List

International moving is complicated enough as it is. Getting the moving services you need shouldn’t mean paying for a bunch of stuff you don’t want. Allied Van Lines offers convenient menu-like options and pricing, so you can get exactly what you want from the company and nothing that you don’t.

Allied’s long list of services includes everything you’d expect from a major international mover and even some things you may not, like cleaning and debris removal. The company takes a similar approach to its storage services. Should you need storage during your move, Allied provides a 90-day temporary storage option. That’s a big improvement on the industry standard of 30 days, after which you’re required to put your items in long-term storage.

You can get an idea of what your move may cost on the company’s website, but Allied will also give you a highly accurate estimate following a detailed video consultation with a representative who will assess your situation and go over your options. Despite all of the company’s selling points, it’s worth noting that it occasionally suffers from consumer complaints on various review platforms.

Best for Budgeting: International Van Lines

Key Specs

• No. of Countries: 140+
• Packing Options: Full-, partial-, and self-service
• Vehicle Relocation? Yes

Pros & Cons

Why It Made the List

It’s not shocking to find a company called International Van Lines on a list of the best international moving companies. In addition to being an international moving specialist, the company stands out for budgeting. That’s not to say it’s always the cheapest—though its pricing is very reasonable—but that it provides accurate upfront pricing and cost estimates for various destinations on its website, giving you a solid idea of your final bill from the start.

International’s transparent pricing might lead you to think that it offers binding quotes. It doesn’t, but the company is transparent about this fact, too. To avoid a higher-than-expected invoice, be sure to provide all of your moving details when getting your estimate. Also, be aware that International will ask for a 25% deposit to secure your move.

Best Customization: North American Van Lines

Key Specs

• No. of Countries: 130
• Packing Options: Full-, partial-, and self-service
• Vehicle Relocation? Yes

Pros & Cons

Why It Made the List

How you move should be entirely up to you. North American Van Lines understands this and offers numerous ways for you to execute your move, from simply providing you with packing supplies or offering partial moving assistance to performing fully customized moves, complete with personalized price quotes and assistance with clearing customs. It also provides basic how-to information about international moves on its website. And since North American operates from all 50 states and ships to 130 countries worldwide, it can get you to and from just about anywhere.

When it comes to pricing your move, North American takes a unique approach. You can choose to have the cost of its services presented as a binding estimate, a nonbinding estimate, or a not-to-exceed estimate, meaning the quoted price will never go up, but could, in fact, go down after the final calculations are complete.

Best for Special-Item Moving: Atlas Van Lines

Key Specs

• No. of Countries: 17
• Packing Options: Full-, partial-, and self-service
• Vehicle Relocation? Yes

Pros & Cons

Why It Made the List

Even more than a domestic move, an international move means picking up and relocating your entire life. Our lives contain all sorts of things that don’t fit in the standard boxes. Often that’s metaphorical, but Atlas Van Lines understands it’s frequently literal, too. Odd-shaped items are no problem for the company, and odd requests aren’t out of the question either. Atlas’ background-checked movers have no trouble handling items like pianos, antiques, and oversized objects.

Atlas Van Lines operates agencies in 17 countries, so there’s a good chance actual employees of the company will be available at your destination. Outside those 17, Atlas has third-party affiliate connections in countries all over the globe. Should you need to cancel your move, make sure to do so within three days of signing the work order to avoid a cancellation fee.

Best Customer Assistance: United Van Lines

Key Specs

• No. of Countries: 150
• Packing Options: Full-, partial-, and self-service
• Vehicle Relocation? Yes

Pros & Cons

Why It Made the List

Although United Van Lines can provide you with anything you need for a DIY move, its real expertise shows when you require a bit more help. When you hire the company for an international move, it will assign you a personal move coordinator who can provide information and assistance with logistics for your move, starting with a pre-move consultation to help you decide on the services you need to ensure a smooth transition.

United has agents in 46 states (excluding Hawaii, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia) and offers an array of moving services — such as customs assistance, full-service packing, and shipment tracking — to more than 150 countries. Regardless of whether you’re hiring the company to provide supplies for a DIY move or to do everything for you, United’s quoted prices always include moving insurance, ensuring you’re protected.

If you’re uncertain of your moving details when you contact the company, you can still start the process without too much concern, as United lets you book without a deposit.

Best for Full-Service Moves: JK Moving Services

Key Specs

• No. of Countries: 150
• Packing Options: Full-, partial-, and self-service
• Vehicle Relocation? Yes

Pros & Cons

Why It Made the List

JK Moving Services offers high-level full-service moves for customers who request assistance with every part of the process, including packing, loading, and transporting their belongings. Hiring the company means you’ll work with not just one representative but with a team of several professionals who can handle all the hard work for you. JK trains its associates in a two-story home at its headquarters, so any rookie mistakes are made on JK’s property and not yours. The value of this approach can be seen in the high ratings that customers give its full-service moves on consumer review sites.

The company’s premier full-service options do come with a higher price tag and JK doesn’t offer binding quotes, so be sure to tell the company all the details of your move to minimize any later billing increases. To help with the financial aspects of your move, JK offers third-party financing on its website.

Best for Small Moves: Mayflower

Key Specs

• No. of Countries: 150
• Packing Options: Full-, partial-, and self-service
• Vehicle Relocation? Yes

Pros & Cons

Why It Made the List

When your move is an international one, relocating a small amount of stuff is almost as daunting as relocating a whole houseful of possessions. Although Mayflower is well-suited to making the big moves, too, its expertise lies in smaller relocations. In the U.S., the company offers Snapmoves, a program designed exclusively for small moves. That expertise translates to small moves over international borders, as Mayflower provides customers moving abroad with a similar level of service, assigning them a dedicated moving coordinator and offering three full-service option levels, all of which come with insurance coverage. 

Mayflower provides helpful moving information on its website. Its services are available in all states except Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.

Best for DIY Moves: U-Haul U-Box

Key Specs

• No. of Countries: Unlisted
• Packing Options: Partial- and self-service
• Vehicle Relocation? No

Pros & Cons

Why It Made the List

Several international moving companies will let you pack your possessions, but if you want the complete control of a DIY move, U-Haul U-Box may be the answer you’re looking for. As a DIY moving specialist, it provides the supplies and materials while you supply the labor.

U-Haul delivers as many of its U-Box portable storage and moving containers to your home as you need. After you pack and load your belongings, the company will pick up the containers, store them if necessary, and then deliver them to nearly any port in the world when you’re ready. If you want help with packing and loading, U-Haul can’t provide that directly, but it can put you in touch with third-party affiliates.

U-Boxes only come in a single size. They measure 257 cubic feet and can hold up to 2,000 pounds. U-Haul promises to deliver your container on time, or it will deduct $50 from your invoice for each day it’s late. You can check the company’s website to determine the cost of using U-Boxes to relocate to your international destination. No matter where that is, you can be certain that it will cost far less than a full-service move.