U-Pack vs. 1-800-Pack-Rat

What you should know about 1-800-Pack-Rat® before choosing a mover 

When planning an out-of-state move, selecting the right moving service can make all the difference, allowing you to breathe easily during the transition. 

You might come across advertisements for 1-800-Pack-Rat® and wonder what they’re all about. Keep reading to learn more about the company and how it compares to U-Pack®, another portable storage moving option. 

Pack-Rat vs. U-Pack  

Let’s review Pack-Rat features and see how they stack up to U-Pack.  

Service areas 

Pack-Rat has locations across 35 states (plus Washington, D.C.), mostly in major metro areas. U-Pack serves thousands of small and large towns in all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico. 

Equipment 

Both Pack-Rat and U-Pack offer two weather-resistant metal equipment options for long-distance moves.

Pack-Rat Containers

• 8-foot: 404 cubic feet of space (1-2 rooms of furniture up to 4,000 lbs.)  
• 16-foot: 830 cubic feet of space (3-4 rooms of furniture up to 6,000 lbs.) 

Pack-Rat requires payment for any delivered container, whether you use it or not, so be careful not to reserve too many. 

Note: Pack-Rat also has 12-foot containers for local moves. 

U-Pack equipment  

• ReloCube® moving containers: 308 cubic feet of space (1 large room, up to 2,500 lbs.) 

• 28-foot moving trailer: Reserve by linear foot (5-foot minimum, trailer weight limit 22,500 lbs.)

U-Pack equipment options are flexible. We only charge for the containers you use or the space filled in the moving trailer. That means if you reserve too many ReloCubes, the extra ones are picked up at no cost. If you’re using a moving trailer and reserve 17 linear feet but only use 15, the price will be reduced based on the per-foot rate on the reservation.  

Getting a quote

Pack-Rat has an online quote form where you can enter origin and destination zip codes, request a delivery date and provide an email address and phone number. You’ll receive a reference number on the screen and via email instructing you to call customer service for a price. You may also open an online chat to get an estimate. 

With U-Pack, the quoting process is more straightforward. Use our free online quote form for an instant quote, or call 844-362-5303844-594-3077 to get a price over the phone. Contact information is only required to save the quote and start a reservation. 

Payment process 

With Pack-Rat, a $500 deposit is due at reservation for out-of-state moves. The monthly storage payment is due upon container delivery, and the remaining balance is due after the move. There are no refunds for unused storage time. 

There is no deposit with U-Pack. We don’t charge until after the shipment is on its way to the final destination. You can also look into financing options with Affirm for a monthly payment plan. You’ll only pay for storage if needed. 

Pack-Rat moving cost compared to U-Pack

To help you compare pricing between Pack-Rat and U-Pack, we looked at moving a 3-bedroom home from St. Louis, MO, to Raleigh, NC, in March 2025. Prices were accurate at the time of posting using each company’s recommended equipment. Actual moving costs will vary.

Pack-Rat’s price

One 16-foot moving container: $4,608.49** ($4,246.63 for container delivery plus $361.86 for 30 days of storage). The price includes contents protection coverage and tax. 

**Additional fuel charges may apply. 

U-Pack’s price

For the same move, U-Pack recommended 17 linear feet in a moving trailer for only $3,558. The price includes door-to-door delivery, equipment, transportation and standard liability coverage. Taxes do not apply. 

Prefer ReloCubes? U-Pack quoted 3 Cubes for $4,458 for door-to-door delivery for this move.  

Both U-Pack equipment options were cheaper for this example move, and we don’t charge extra for fuel! 

Compare Pack-Rat prices to U-Pack for your move

Call 844-362-5303844-594-3077 to speak to one of our moving consultants to compare U-Pack pricing to your 1-800-Pack-Rat quote. You can also use our free, no-obligation online quote form. 

If you have questions about U-Pack services or how we compare to Pack-Rat, let us know in the comments. We’re available to help! 

1-800-Pack-Rat® is a registered trademark of 1-800-Pack-Rat, LLC. Use of third-party trademarks or registered trademarks does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by such third party.