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U-Haul vs Budget: which rental truck fits your move
U-Haul and Budget both rent box trucks and a cargo van, but they differ on sizes, fuel, one-way mileage rules, ramps, and towing. This page lines up those specs and prints how many reviews in our file mention each brand (U-Haul 0, Budget Truck Rental 3).
Anthony BaleMoving industry professional, author and writerReviewed 2026-09-28
The real differences
Budget lists 12, 16, and 26 foot trucks plus a cargo van
Sizes and fuel. U-Haul lists 10, 15, 20, and 26 foot trucks plus a 9 foot cargo van, and all of them are gasoline. Budget lists 12, 16, and 26 foot trucks plus a cargo van, the 26 foot runs on diesel, and it has no 20 to 22 foot size. The missing 20 foot is not a typo. Specs vary by model year and location.
Mileage, ramps, and towing. U-Haul one-way rentals include a set number of days and miles, and in-town is a daily rate plus a per-mile charge. Budget one-way is a route quote, round trip is a daily rate plus mileage, and pickups are local only. U-Haul 15, 20, and 26 foot have Mom's Attic and a ramp, and the 15 and 26 tow up to 10,000 lb. Budget 16 and 26 foot ramps are 1,000 lb.
How each brand rents, from its own pages. Prices are quoted per route and date, so compare quotes for the same dates.
| U-Haul | Budget Truck Rental | |
|---|---|---|
| One-way | Yes, with a set number of days and miles | Yes for trucks; pickups are local only |
| How it prices | In-town: a daily rate plus a per-mile charge. One-way: a quote for the route with allotted days and miles. Fuel, insurance, and equipment are extra. | Round trip: daily rate plus mileage. One-way: a route quote. Fuel is extra. |
| Watch for | Every U-Haul truck runs on gasoline. | Fewer sizes than U-Haul or Penske. |
Sources: U-Haul: the ultimate truck guide; Budget: 16 ft truck.
What each brand rents in each size class. Read 28 Sep 2026.
| Size class | Fits | U-Haul | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cargo van | A dorm, a studio, or a few big items | 9' cargo van, 246 cu ft | cargo van, 323 cu ft |
| 10 to 12 ft truck | A studio or a small one-bedroom | 10' truck, 402 cu ft | 12' truck, 380 cu ft |
| 15 to 16 ft truck | A one or two bedroom apartment | 15' truck, 764 cu ft | 16' truck, 658 cu ft |
| 20 to 22 ft truck | A two to three bedroom home | 20' truck, 1,016 cu ft | Not offered |
| 26 ft truck | A three to five bedroom home | 26' truck, 1,682 cu ft | 26' truck, 1,698 cu ft, diesel |
Which one fits which move
U-Haul says it has the largest network of company and dealer locations
A short local move. U-Haul in-town rental is a daily rate plus a per-mile charge, and a Budget round trip is a daily rate plus mileage, so match the box to the load. U-Haul goes down to a 10 foot truck or a 9 foot cargo van. Budget trucks start at 12 foot and also offer a cargo van. See truck sizes before you book a size.
One-way, a car, or a big house. U-Haul one-way rentals come with a set number of days and miles, and U-Haul says it has the largest network of company and dealer locations. Budget one-way is a route quote. The Budget 16 foot is its smallest that can use a tow dolly or car carrier. For a big house, U-Haul has the 20 foot and both brands stop at 26 foot.
Reviews in our licensed file that name each brand. Self-reported, not a ranking.
| Brand | Reviews | Mean rating |
|---|---|---|
| U-Haul | 0 | Too few |
| Budget Truck Rental | 3 | 3.30 |
Fuel for 1,000 loaded miles, at the US average price for the week of 21 Sept 2026. Uses the low end of each brand's mpg estimate, because a loaded truck does worse than the brochure.
| Truck | Fuel | Loaded mpg | Per 1,000 miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| U-Haul 9' cargo van | Gasoline | 18 mpg | $249 |
| U-Haul 10' truck | Gasoline | 12 mpg | $373 |
| U-Haul 15' truck | Gasoline | 10 mpg | $448 |
| U-Haul 20' truck | Gasoline | 10 mpg | $448 |
| U-Haul 26' truck | Gasoline | 8 mpg | $560 |
| Budget cargo van | Gasoline | 8 mpg | $560 |
| Budget 12' truck | Gasoline | 8 mpg | $560 |
| Budget 16' truck | Gasoline | 6 mpg | $746 |
| Budget 26' truck | Diesel | 8 mpg | $816 |
Source: US Energy Information Administration, weekly retail prices (week of 21 Sept 2026).
How to compare quotes fairly
Haulest is not a truck rental company and earns nothing from any brand
Same dates and same size class. Each brand quotes by route and date, so compare U-Haul and Budget on the same days and a similar size. A 16 foot is not a stand-in for a 20 foot, and a one-way quote is not an in-town day rate. Run both quotes before you decide.
Days, miles, fuel, coverage, equipment. Read what the quote includes: days, miles, fuel policy, coverage, and gear such as a ramp or tow dolly. U-Haul trucks in these facts are gasoline, and the Budget 26 foot runs on diesel, so the fuel stop is part of the comparison. Haulest is not a truck rental company and earns nothing from any brand. Lock the class with the truck size calculator first.
Haulest is not a truck rental company and earns nothing from any brand. Drafted with grok-4.7-medium via cursor-agent on 2026-09-24, then edited.
Ask out loud
Questions people ask
- Does Budget offer a 20 foot truck?
- No. Budget lists 12, 16, and 26 foot trucks plus a cargo van, with no 20 to 22 foot size. U-Haul does list a 20 foot truck, and that size has Mom's Attic and a ramp.
- Which of these trucks uses diesel?
- Budget's 26 foot truck runs on diesel. U-Haul's 10, 15, 20, and 26 foot trucks and its 9 foot cargo van are gasoline.
- Can I tow a car?
- U-Haul says the 15 and 26 foot trucks tow up to 10,000 lb. Budget says the 16 foot is its smallest that can use a tow dolly or car carrier, and the 16 and 26 foot trucks have a 1,000 lb ramp.
- How do I compare quotes fairly?
- Ask each brand for a quote on the same dates and a similar size. Then check included days, miles, fuel policy, coverage, and equipment such as a ramp or tow dolly.
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About Anthony Bale
A moving industry professional, author and writer. Anthony has been at different positions in the industry for the last 10 years, gaining significant knowledge on the relocation process. He himself has moved 6 times already, which helped him explore the other side of the moving process.
At Haulest he writes the US cost, hiring, and rights pages, reading the licensed review file every week so the numbers on the page are the numbers people reported.
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