Two movers wrapping a sofa in quilted pads on a US porch

Ways to move

Moving containers and freight trailers

You load a container or a slice of a freight trailer yourself, and the company hauls that loaded space to your next address or into storage. Haulest is not a carrier and is not paid by these companies.

Containers and trailers side by side, as each company publishes them.

Company	Type	Sizes	Largest	Weight limit	Built from	Where
PODS	container	8 ft, 12 ft, 16 ft	835 cu ft		Steel	US, CA
U-Box (U-Haul)	container	One size	257 cu ft	2,000 lb	Wood	US, CA
U-Pack	container and freight trailer	ReloCube, Freight trailer	1,944 cu ft		ReloCube: steel and aluminium	US, CA
1-800-PACK-RAT	container	8 ft, 12 ft, 16 ft	830 cu ft	6,000 lb	All steel	US
Zippy Shell	container	10 ft, 15 ft	680 cu ft	5,500 lb	Galvanised steel mesh; some locations offer a 16 ft all-steel unit	US
SMARTBOX	container	One size	280 cu ft		Wood frame with a fabric cover	US
MI-BOX	container	8 ft, 16 ft, 20 ft			Steel; the company's pages give both about 7 ft 2 in and about 8 ft as the width	US, CA
Go Mini's	container	12 ft, 16 ft, 20 ft	900 cu ft		Steel	US, CA
BigSteelBox	container	8 ft, 10 ft, 20 ft, 40 ft	564 cu ft	15,000 lb	ISO-certified steel shipping containers	CA

Sources: PODS: container sizes; U-Haul: U-Box dimensions; U-Pack: moving equipment; 1-800-PACK-RAT: container sizes; Zippy Shell: FAQ; SMARTBOX: unit specifications; MI-BOX: container sizes; Go Mini's: container sizes; BigSteelBox: container sizes and features.

Size it

How many containers your home needs

Go Mini's 16 ft, 900 cu ft×1
PODS 16 ft, 835 cu ft×2
1-800-PACK-RAT 16 ft, 830 cu ft, 6,000 lb limit×2
Zippy Shell 15 ft, 680 cu ft, 5,500 lb limit×2
Go Mini's 12 ft, 675 cu ft×2
1-800-PACK-RAT 12 ft, 620 cu ft, 6,000 lb limitLocal moves only×2
BigSteelBox 10 ft, 564 cu ft×2
Zippy Shell 10 ft, 420 cu ft, 3,500 lb limit×3

A rough fit: 900 cu ft for a typical 2 bedroom home, divided by each container's published volume. Heavy homes hit weight limits before they fill the space.

Companies

9 companies

How moving containers and freight trailers work

The final trailer bill moves up or down with the feet you actually fill, with a 5 ft minimum.

A container stays at your door while you load it. PODS, 1-800-PACK-RAT, and BigSteelBox drop a steel box, then move it to the new address or a storage center. U-Box is smaller: you load one or more boxes at home or at a U-Haul location, and U-Haul ships them. Zippy Shell, SMARTBOX, MI-BOX, and Go Mini's follow the same door delivery pattern through local franchise or dealer networks.

U-Pack offers two ways to ship. ReloCube containers are priced per cube, and unused reserved cubes are not charged. A freight trailer is shared with commercial freight, never another household's goods, and you pay per linear foot used. ABF Freight, U-Pack's parent carrier, drives. The final trailer bill moves up or down with the feet you actually fill, with a 5 ft minimum.

Quotes split the bill differently. PODS prices each container by distance, size, and storage months, and some locations bill delivery, pickup, transit, and the first month of storage separately. U-Box quotes per box by distance, and transport, delivery, pickup, and one month of storage are typically bundled. 1-800-PACK-RAT and BigSteelBox quote by container, distance, and storage time. Zippy Shell, SMARTBOX, MI-BOX, and Go Mini's prices are set by the local franchise, operator, or dealer.

Picking a size

The 40 ft is storage only and cannot be moved loaded.

Cubic feet tell you how much fits. PODS lists 402 cu ft (8 ft), 689 cu ft (12 ft), and 835 cu ft (16 ft). The 12 ft is local moves and storage only. U-Box holds 257 cu ft with a 2,000 lb limit. A ReloCube holds 308 cu ft. 1-800-PACK-RAT lists 404, 620, and 830 cu ft, with 4,000 lb on the 8 ft and 6,000 lb on the 12 and 16 ft.

Room counts are a starting point. A PODS 8 ft fits a studio or one room up to about 500 sq ft, the 12 ft about 500 to 800 sq ft, and the 16 ft up to about 1,200 sq ft. U-Box fits about a room to a room and a half. SMARTBOX fits one room under about 600 sq ft. Zippy Shell: one to two rooms (10 ft) and two to three (15 ft).

Check the weight limit. BigSteelBox lists 351 cu ft and 15,000 lb on the 8 ft, 564 cu ft on the 10 ft. The 20 ft fits a two- to four-bedroom home. The 40 ft is storage only and cannot be moved loaded. Go Mini's: 675 cu ft (12 ft) and 900 cu ft (16 ft). MI-BOX runs from an 8 ft dorm or garage to a 20 ft for four to five rooms.

Container or freight trailer: when each wins

The space holds 1,944 cu ft, and a divider wall locks off your section.

A container wins when the box can wait at your door. You load on your own days, then the company moves or stores that same container. PODS, 1-800-PACK-RAT, Zippy Shell, MI-BOX, and Go Mini's are built around that hold. Zippy Shell comes on a street-legal trailer and can be dropped where a larger container truck will not fit. MI-BOX sets the container down level, so it can go where a tilt-bed truck cannot.

A freight trailer wins for a whole home. U-Pack trailers are 8 ft wide and 9 ft high, billed per linear foot with a 5 ft minimum. The space holds 1,944 cu ft, and a divider wall locks off your section. You pay for the feet you fill, so the bill moves up or down. Each ReloCube holds 308 cu ft.

Small boxes win for a single room. U-Box at 257 cu ft and a 2,000 lb cap fits about a room to a room and a half, and more boxes mean more cost. A steel model announced in 2026 lists about 255 cu ft and the same 2,000 lb limit. SMARTBOX is one wooden box at 280 cu ft, sized 8 x 5 x 7 ft, for one room under about 600 sq ft.

Where people get caught out

Some PODS locations bill delivery, pickup, transit, and the first month of storage separately, so ask what the quote includes.

The truck has to reach the drop spot. A container needs ground space to be set down and loaded. Zippy Shell fits places a larger container truck will not, and sizes vary by market. MI-BOX fits places a tilt-bed truck cannot. Go Mini's boxes are 8 ft wide and 8 ft high, which can miss a tight alley. Ask the local branch before you book.

Street placement can require a city permit. If the container will sit on a public street instead of a private driveway, check local rules before delivery day. That permit is a city matter, separate from the moving quote. Loading days are yours because you pack the container yourself. A short window can leave furniture behind, so confirm how long the box stays before pickup.

Storage months and local-only sizes surprise people. Some PODS locations bill delivery, pickup, transit, and the first month of storage separately, so ask what the quote includes. U-Box typically bundles transport, delivery, pickup, and one month of storage. The PODS 12 ft is local moves and storage only, and the 1-800-PACK-RAT 12 ft is local moves only. BigSteelBox's 40 ft cannot be moved loaded.

Ask out loud

Questions people ask

How does a container move differ from a freight trailer?: A container is delivered for you to load, then the company moves that box to the new address or into storage. A U-Pack freight trailer sells space by the linear foot inside a trailer filled with commercial freight, never another household's goods, and a divider wall locks off your section.
How many cubic feet are in the smaller boxes?: U-Box holds 257 cu ft and 2,000 lb. SMARTBOX holds 280 cu ft. A U-Pack ReloCube holds 308 cu ft. The PODS 8 ft is 402 cu ft, and the 1-800-PACK-RAT 8 ft is 404 cu ft.
What should I ask before trusting a quote?: Ask what the quote includes. Some PODS locations bill delivery, pickup, transit, and the first month of storage separately. U-Box typically bundles transport, delivery, pickup, and one month of storage. U-Pack does not charge unused reserved ReloCubes, and the trailer bill follows the feet you fill.
Which sizes cannot make a long-distance move?: The PODS 12 ft is local moves and storage only. The 1-800-PACK-RAT 12 ft is local moves only. BigSteelBox's 40 ft is storage only and cannot be moved loaded.
Who sets the price at franchise and dealer brands?: Zippy Shell and Go Mini's prices are set by the local franchise. SMARTBOX prices are set by the local operator. MI-BOX prices are set by the local dealer. Ask that branch for sizes and prices.

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