A moving container and a full-service carrier solve the same problem in almost opposite ways. PODS drops a container in your driveway and you do the labor. A Plus Moving and Storage sends a crew and a truck, and we do it. Which one is cheaper depends almost entirely on how much of the work you are willing to take on yourself.
How each one actually works
With PODS, a container is delivered to your home. You load it on your own schedule. PODS collects it, moves it to your destination or into one of its storage centers, and redelivers it when you are ready. You do not have to be present at pickup. For a long-distance move PODS directs customers to the 16-foot container, which holds roughly the contents of a 1,200 square foot home; the 12-foot container is limited to local moves and storage.
With A Plus, a licensed interstate crew packs what you want packed, loads the truck, drives it, and unloads at the other end. We are a federally licensed household goods carrier operating under US DOT 3006268, moving to all 48 contiguous states. You get a binding written estimate before anything moves.
Cost: the honest version
Container moves are usually cheaper on the invoice because you are supplying the labor. Independent 2026 cost guides put a cross-country PODS container in roughly the $3,000 to $5,800 range, with long-distance moves under 1,000 miles closer to $1,000 to $3,000, plus storage of roughly $150 to $359 per container per month if you need it. Those are orientation figures, not quotes; PODS pricing moves with season, region and container size.
On our side we publish actual invoice data rather than estimates. Across 669 completed A Plus interstate moves, most long-distance moves landed between $2,000 and $19,300, and a three-bedroom home moving 1,000 to 1,500 miles ran $6,200 to $7,800. The full ranges by distance band and home size are in our Moving Cost Index.
Compare those two sets of numbers carefully. A container quote covers transport. A full-service quote covers transport plus the labor, equipment, padding, disassembly and reassembly you would otherwise be doing yourself over several days.
What the container price does not include
- Loading labor. Either you and your friends do it, or you hire loaders separately, which erodes the price gap quickly.
- Loading skill. A badly packed container shifts in transit. Damage inside a container you loaded is generally your problem.
- Driveway access. A 16-foot container needs somewhere legal and level to sit, at both ends. HOAs and city permits can complicate that.
- Timing certainty. Container transit windows are typically wider than a scheduled carrier delivery spread.
When PODS is the better choice
- You are moving a studio or small apartment and the budget matters more than the weekend.
- Your dates are uncertain and you want to load now and deliver later, using the container as storage.
- You have able-bodied help and no fragile, oversized or specialty items.
- You are doing a staged move into a home that is not ready yet.
When a full-service carrier is the better choice
- You have a three-bedroom house or larger and a realistic view of what loading it takes.
- You have a piano, a gun safe, a pool table, antiques or medical equipment.
- You need a binding written price rather than a variable one.
- You are moving for work, on a deadline, or without local help at either end.
- You want one licensed carrier accountable for the shipment end to end.
The fastest way to compare properly
Get a container quote and a binding carrier estimate for the same inventory, then add the cost of loading help to the container figure. A ten-minute video walkthrough is enough for us to produce a binding estimate, so the comparison costs you nothing but the time. See how a video survey compares to an in-home estimate, or read how to record a good walkthrough.
Frequently asked questions
Is PODS cheaper than hiring movers?
Usually on the invoice, because you supply the labor. Independent 2026 cost guides put a cross-country PODS container at roughly $3,000 to $5,800. Across 669 completed A Plus interstate moves, most full-service moves fell between $2,000 and $19,300. The gap is loading labor, equipment and liability, so add the cost of loading help before comparing.
What size PODS container do I need for a long-distance move?
PODS directs long-distance customers to the 16-foot container, which holds roughly the contents of a 1,200 square foot home. The 12-foot container is limited to local moving and storage.
Who is responsible if something breaks inside a container I loaded?
Generally you are. If you load the container, damage caused by how it was packed is your responsibility. A licensed carrier that loads the truck carries valuation coverage on the shipment.
When is a full-service mover the better choice?
Three-bedroom homes and larger, moves with a deadline, moves without help at either end, and any shipment containing a piano, gun safe, pool table, antiques or medical equipment.