Last updated: August 2026 · Chicago experience ranking

Best Movers in Chicago, IL (2026 Ranking)

Verdict

MOOvers Chicago Inc. is our top recommended moving company in Chicago.

Key takeaways

  • • MOOvers Chicago Inc. is our overall pick for Chicago.
  • • The Professionals Moving Specialists is the High-rise and COI option.
  • • These rankings are unbiased and not paid promotions.
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Chicago, IL mover ranking

Rank, experience score, and Google listing at a glance. The price column is one published figure from that company compared with others on this ranked list — not a citywide average.

Rank Company Experience score Google Price Quote
#1 MOOvers Chicago Inc. 8.52/10 5.0 (614) Get quote
#2 The Professionals Moving Specialists 8.66/10 5.0 (6,522) Get quote
#3 Windy City Movers (Montech Inc.) 8.00/10 4.7 (472) Get quote
#4 Melendez Moving Inc. 8.64/10 4.9 (220) — Get quote
#5 Midway Moving & Storage, Inc. 8.72/10 4.3 (610) — Get quote
#6 Sweet Home Movers Chicago Inc. 9.10/10 4.8 (207) — Get quote
#7 Alliance Moving & Storage (HK&RP LLC on SAFER) 7.82/10 4.9 (384) — Get quote
#8 Move-tastic! (Move-Tastic, Incorporated) 7.90/10 5.0 (3,784) — Get quote

Published rate versus others on this ranked list (same unit: hourly or job total). Not a citywide average.

How we rank movers

Our top recommendations

Top pick

MOOvers Chicago Inc.

Published hourly rates

8.52/10

Runner-up

The Professionals Moving Specialists

High-rise and COI

8.66/10

Also great

Windy City Movers (Montech Inc.)

Starting-from home prices

8.00/10

Shortlist first. Open "Why this score" for licenses, NAP notes, sources, and which bars are inferred.

#1 · 8.52/10

MOOvers Chicago Inc.

Google 5.0 (614)

Care 7.7
On time 9.4
Quote matched 8.2
Friendly 9.4
Easy to reach 7.9

Who it's for. You want a crew-size hourly table, including the walk-up line, before you call.

Skip if. The two-and-a-half-hour minimum plus warehouse travel is more clock than your job needs.

Customers said. Customers: 5.0 from 614 Google reviews. Praise: clear quotes, repeat Chicago apartment crews, short-notice jobs. Watch: a missing-items 1-star; BBB A+ with 2 complaints in 3 years.

Price

Get quote
Published rates

Pricing guide: 2 movers $148-$195/hr; 3 movers $198-$260/hr; 4 movers $248-$330/hr, through 8 movers $448-$590/hr; 2.5 hour minimum; extra truck $200; third-floor walk-up $75-$95; elevator/long carry no fee (company policy). Typical totals labeled not quotes: studio $700-$1,100; 2BR apt $1,100-$1,700.

Versus this ranked list, not a citywide average.

Why this score
Moving Company HQ Best Moving Companies in America award seal

2026 award

Best Moving Companies in America Award

MOOvers Chicago earned the Moving Company HQ Best Moving Companies in America award after earning the highest score in this best-movers guide.

See how the award is scored

5201 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60639

Licenses and NAP

  • • Legal name Moovers Chicago Inc.; DBA MOOvers Chicago / Moovers Chicago (about page). Founded February 4, 2014 by Cezar (company about page).
  • • 187592 / IL C.C. #187592 MC and USDOT Number 2901815 (credentials page).
  • • SAFER 2901815 (as of 08/25/2026): MOOVERS CHICAGO INC; ACTIVE; AUTHORIZED FOR Motor Carrier of Household Goods; MC-1281320 (not printed on fetched site pages); 5201-5211 W Grand Ave; same phone.

#2 · 8.66/10

The Professionals Moving Specialists

Google 5.0 (6,522)

Care 7.9
On time 9.4
Quote matched inferred 8.7
Friendly 9.4
Easy to reach 7.9

Who it's for. You have a Chicago high-rise or COI job and you want that briefing in writing.

Skip if. You need a locked crew tariff, not typical Chicago ranges.

Customers said. Customers: 5.0 from 6,522 Google reviews. Praise: named packing crews (Javier O / Jose / Roberto), early arrival, no-damage jobs. Watch: a quoted-hours 1-star; BBB A+ with 1 complaint in 3 years.

Price

Get quote
Published rates

2026 pricing guide: Hourly rates in Chicago typically run $130 to $220 per hour for licensed movers; company typicals labeled realistic 2026 ranges, not a gig-economy crew — studio $300-$600; 1BR $400-$800; 2BR $600-$1,200; 3BR house $1,000-$2,000; 4BR+ $1,800-$3,500+; 2BR packing add-on $400 to $1,000 plus materials. That is typical/company-guide language, not a filed-tariff card. High-rise article: reserved freight elevator often 3 to 4 hour windows on weekdays only; COI usually with $1 million to $2 million in liability coverage — company experience, not ordinance.

Versus this ranked list, not a citywide average.

Why this score

3918 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

Inferred bars (mean of this company's observed bars): Quote matched.

Licenses and NAP

  • • ILCC MC#: 136144 (moving-credentials). No USDOT printed; SAFER not queried from a site number. Long-distance is marketed without a federal number on pages fetched.
  • • FMCSA city list legal-name match (as of 7/31/2026): THE PROFESSIONALS MOVING SPECIALISTS INC, USDOT 3383907, MC 1086504, 3918 N Western Ave; hhg_authorized; entity carrier; 0 complaints in the last four years. A different row, THE PROFESSIONALS INC (USDOT 1505885, 3801 North St Louis Avenue), is not HHG-authorized. Confirm which legal name is on the estimate.

#3 · 8.00/10

Windy City Movers (Montech Inc.)

Google 4.7 (472)

Care 6.7
On time 8.7
Quote matched inferred 8.0
Friendly 9.4
Easy to reach 7.2

Who it's for. You want starting-from home prices to compare, and you will confirm the legal name on the contract.

Skip if. The job leaves Illinois, or the name on the paper does not match.

Customers said. Customers: 4.7 from 472 Google reviews. Praise: on-time Elston Ave crews, named office/crew (Josh/Dash). Watch: unanswered furniture-damage note; 30 of 472 are 1-star; BBB A+ with 2 complaints in 3 years.

Price

Get quote
Published rates

Quote: local moves start as low as $407 studios/1BR, $540 2BR, $675 3BR, $810 4+. Minimum blog: 2+1. Terms: 2-hour minimum; travel fee amount unpublished; elevator/access delays billed at the working hourly rate. Service FAQ $120-$180/hr is labeled typical Chicago, not a Windy City crew tariff.

Versus this ranked list, not a citywide average.

Why this score

5222 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60630

Inferred bars (mean of this company's observed bars): Quote matched.

Licenses and NAP

  • • SAFER 4338139 (as of 08/25/2026): MONTECH INC dba WINDY CITY MOVERS; physical 1211 Diane Ln, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007; phone (505) 681-0119; no MC; operating authority NOT AUTHORIZED.

#4 · 8.64/10

Melendez Moving Inc.

Google 4.9 (220)

Care 6.7
On time 9.4
Quote matched 8.7
Friendly 9.2
Easy to reach 9.2

Who it's for. You have a walk-up, alley, or winter job and you want no surprise stair or long-carry fees.

Skip if. You want a printed hourly before you call, or the job is interstate.

Customers said. Customers: 4.9 from 220 Google reviews. Praise: named 4th-floor crews (Navil), on-time jobs. Watch: listing temporarily closed with no street; a 2-year 1-star on an unfinished same-building job; BBB Not Rated and marked out of business.

Get quote
Why this score

Licenses and NAP

  • • Site: 3900 N Normandy Ave, Chicago, IL 60634; +1 (206) 803-7770; DOT #3120049; MC #087428; IL Lic/Cert #220206; City License #70318261.
  • • Identity flags: Normandy vs Dakin; 206 area code; interstate marketing vs SAFER NOT AUTHORIZED and city-list not HHG-authorized.

#5 · 8.72/10

Midway Moving & Storage, Inc.

Google 4.3 (610)

Care 8.4
On time 9.4
Quote matched inferred 8.7
Friendly 9.4
Easy to reach 7.7

Who it's for. You need elevator and parking-permit planning from a Chicago household-goods carrier, and you will get the tariff rate in writing.

Skip if. You want a printed hourly on the site before you call.

Customers said. Customers: 4.3 from 610 Google reviews. Praise: named crews (Mario/Francisco; Jonathan), explained charges. Watch: 91 of 610 are 1-star; matching BBB file is Not Rated with 0 complaints.

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Why this score

4100 W Ferdinand St, Chicago, IL 60624

Inferred bars (mean of this company's observed bars): Quote matched.

#6 · 9.10/10

Sweet Home Movers Chicago Inc.

Google 4.8 (207)

Care 8.4
On time 9.4
Quote matched inferred 9.1
Friendly 9.2
Easy to reach 9.4

Who it's for. You have a River North or Lincoln Park walk-up and you want parking-permit and freight-elevator briefing.

Skip if. You need printed license numbers on the site before you quote.

Customers said. Customers: 4.8 from 207 Google reviews. Praise: last-minute crews, truck loading, reasonable city-to-suburb quotes. Watch: owner-communication 1-star; BBB A+ with 1 billing-minimum complaint in 3 years.

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Why this score

65 E Scott St Apt 10N, Chicago, IL 60610

Inferred bars (mean of this company's observed bars): Quote matched.

Licenses and NAP

  • • Contact/schema: 65 E Scott St Apt 10N, Chicago IL 60610; (312) 219-5388. Local-moving footer also prints 533 W Barry Ave apt 3k. IMAWA: 4147 W. Unit 1 and IL License Number 234543 MC (association listing, not ICC verification; MCIS 234543 was captcha).
  • • About: licensed by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ILCC) — number not on fetched official pages. DOT/MC claimed, not printed. SAFER not queried from a site number.
  • • FMCSA city list legal-name match (as of 7/31/2026): SWEET HOME MOVERS CHICAGO INC, USDOT 3932260, MC 1457788, 65 East Scott Street Apt 10N; hhg_authorized; entity carrier; 0 complaints in the last four years. That USDOT is not printed on fetched official pages.

#7 · 7.82/10

Alliance Moving & Storage (HK&RP LLC on SAFER)

Google 4.9 (384)

Care 7.2
On time 8.4
Quote matched 7.9
Friendly inferred 7.8
Easy to reach inferred 7.8

Who it's for. You want walk-up quote details explained, and you will put the performing legal name on the estimate.

Skip if. You need a locked company tariff, not typical Chicago bands.

Customers said. Customers: 4.9 from 384 Google reviews. Praise: careful handling (68), efficient movers, fair pricing. Watch: 10 of 384 are 1-star; named 1-star snippets did not load; BBB A+ with 0 complaints.

Price

No public rate

typical 2BR $700-$1,400

Get quote
Published rates

2BR blog: typical 2BR $700-$1,400; typical hourly 2 movers $120-$170, 3 movers $170-$210, 4 movers $210-$250 — labeled typical Chicago, not Alliance's locked tariff. Homepage roughly $1,500 to $2,500.

Why this score

4305 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

Inferred bars (mean of this company's observed bars): Friendly, Easy to reach.

Licenses and NAP

  • • Site: 4305 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago and 3201 Tollview Drive, Rolling Meadows; 847-378-4949; USDOT: 2882675; footer ICC MC: 214854.
  • • SAFER 2882675: legal name HK&RP LLC dba ALLIANCE MOVING & STORAGE; MC-967507; Rolling Meadows physical; (847) 414-4682; AUTHORIZED household goods.
  • • Site does not print HK&RP LLC on fetched pages. ICC MC 214854 vs federal MC-967507. 214854 is not treated as a confirmed ILCC.

#8 · 7.90/10

Move-tastic! (Move-Tastic, Incorporated)

Google 5.0 (3,784)

Care 7.9
On time 7.9
Quote matched inferred 7.9
Friendly inferred 7.9
Easy to reach inferred 7.9

Who it's for. You need parking-permit and COI help, and you will get the tariff hourly in writing.

Skip if. You want a printed dollar menu on the site before you call.

Customers said. Customers: 5.0 from 3,784 Google reviews. Praise: careful handling (368), kind staff, efficient movers. Watch: 27 of 3,784 are 1-star; named 1-star snippets did not load; BBB A+ with 3 complaints in 3 years.

Get quote
Why this score

3100 N Tripp Ave, Chicago, IL 60641

Inferred bars (mean of this company's observed bars): Quote matched, Friendly, Easy to reach.

Licenses and NAP

  • • IMAWA: 158678 MC. MCIS 158678 returned reCAPTCHA. No USDOT on fetched pages; SAFER not queried from a site number. No identity mismatches on the site roster.
  • • FMCSA city list legal-name match (as of 7/31/2026): MOVE-TASTIC, INCORPORATED, USDOT 1906350, MC 675927, 3100 N Tripp Ave; hhg_authorized; entity carrier; 0 complaints in the last four years.

Compare Chicago mover quotes

Use this ranking to choose a shortlist, then compare written estimates for your date, inventory, access, and service needs.

Give every company the same addresses, inventory, stairs/elevator/alley facts, and date. Illinois jobs need a written estimate before the move starts. That estimate is not binding; the 110% delivery rule still applies. Movers must file a tariff with the ICC.

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Move Details
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Contact Info
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Confirmation

Also compared (not scored in the top 8)

These names were checked on fetched sites and, where a USDOT was printed, on SAFER, and against the FMCSA Chicago-area city list as of 7/31/2026.

Company Why it is not in the scored list
New City Moving (newcitymovers.com) Footer IL ICC #158051 and 2929 N. Privacy policy lists a Carrollton, TX compliance department (2400 Old Mill Rd.). No USDOT, no dollar menu (/pricing/ 404). City list has two rows at that street: NEW CITY MOVING & STORAGE LLC (USDOT 4020807, hhg_authorized, entity carrier, 3 complaints: 1 in 2025, 2 in 2026) and NEW CITY MOVING (USDOT 3078026, not HHG-authorized, 1 complaint in 2025). Identity flags without a matching number printed on the site.
Reebie Storage & Moving (reebieallied.com) Allied Van Lines agent; Clark Street landmark since 1880. Claims ICC and federal licenses without printing numbers. Homepage FAQ typical Chicago $300-$1,800, not a Reebie tariff. No city-list match under Reebie. Allied van-line numbers were not treated as Reebie's USDOT.
New World Van Lines (nwvl.com) Chicago HQ 5875 N. Rogers Avenue; ILCC No. MC 7776, US DOT No. 258748, ICC No. MC 162485 match SAFER 258748 on legal name, street, and federal MC. SAFER entity type CARRIER/BROKER (household-goods broker and carrier — not broker-only). City list for 258748: entity carrier, hhg_authorized, safety Satisfactory, 1 complaint in 2025. Same street also lists NEW WORLD VAN LINES OF ILLINOIS (USDOT 2215840, not HHG-authorized) and NEW WORLD TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS CORP (USDOT 1463697, entity broker + carrier, HHG-authorized). Site phone (773) 685-3399 vs SAFER (773) 509-5937. Homepage is corporate/global relocation, not a local hourly apartment menu, so it was not scored as a consumer hourly carrier.

Windy City, Melendez, Alliance, and Sweet Home are scored above and cannot win the credentials category for the reasons in those sections. Re-check MCIS; statuses change.

How we ranked these movers

Licenses are a pass/fail gate. Customer experience is the score: five bars for care, on time, quote matched, friendly, and easy to reach. The award follows this ranking and cannot be bought.

The award follows this rubric. It does not guarantee availability, final price, or move-day results. Companies cannot buy the award, ranking, availability, or price.

See how we rank movers
Source notes

MovingCompanyHQ reviewed public pages and official lookups for Chicago household-goods movers in August 2026 (primary fetch 2026-08-26) and scored eight companies that had enough public evidence for all six points. Additional names are listed as also compared with the reason they were not scored as consumer hourly carriers or lacked a complete file. FMCSA city-list fields (HHG-authorized, entity type, complaints, safety rating, HQ) are from the Chicago-area household-goods extract as of 7/31/2026 (209 records; 176 Chicago HQ). Roster companies were matched by USDOT or legal name. The other names on that list are not dumped here.

This page does not guarantee availability, final price, damage outcomes, or licensing status on your move date. Always confirm current credentials in ICC MCIS, insurance, written estimate terms, crew size, access charges, valuation coverage, and deposit policy before booking.

BBB ratings are not used in any score. Google Maps listings independently opened 2026-08-27. Stars and review counts are as printed on the listing header. Company-site review widgets were not used. Alliance uses 4305 N Lincoln Ave (4.9 / 384), not Rolling Meadows Tollview. Move-tastic uses 3100 N Tripp Ave (5.0 / 3,784). MOOvers uses Grand Ave HQ, not Kedzie. Windy City uses Elston, not Elk Grove.

ICC MCIS search and entity pages returned reCAPTCHA on 2026-08-26. ILCC numbers are recorded as printed. This page does not call any carrier ICC-verified. Helpline 217-782-6448.

Chicago move-day rules this rubric looks for: alleys and 3-flats / walk-ups (Moovers publishes a $75-$95 third-floor walk-up charge); CDOT Occupy ROW Moving Van Parking at ipi.cityofchicago.org, $25.00 per day per vehicle on the 2025 fee schedule (still the live PDF on 2026-08-26 — confirm before relying on $25); ward courtesy signs are not ticket/tow enforceable; COI and freight elevators are building/HOA rules; winter (NWS Chicago O'Hare 1991-2020: January mean 25.2 F, January snow 11.3 in, annual snow 38.4 in); Lake Shore Drive CDOT truck-on-LSD/boulevard permit $50 on the 2025 schedule; MCC 9-72-020 restricts freight vehicles on boulevards.

Additional sources

Best Movers in Chicago, IL FAQs

Who is the best moving company in Chicago, IL?
MOOvers is our pick for Chicago. They print matching Illinois and federal numbers and a crew-size hourly table. 187592, USDOT 2901815. 2 movers $148-$195/hr; 3 $198-$260/hr; 4 $248-$330/hr, through 8 movers $448-$590/hr; 2.5-hour minimum plus travel from the warehouse.
Who else should I quote in Chicago?
Quote The Professionals for high-rise and COI (ILCC MC# 136144). Quote Midway when you want matching ICC #78520 and DOT #730844 at Ferdinand Street; they do not publish an hourly dollar menu. Quote Move-tastic for parking permits and COI (Il.C.C.
Why didn't Windy City win if it publishes starting prices?
They publish starting-from home prices (studio/1BR from $407, 2BR $540, 3BR $675, 4+ $810). Ask which street and which USDOT will be on the contract. SAFER for USDOT 4338139 lists Elk Grove Village and is not authorized interstate; the site lists Elston Avenue and MC 1694629.
Is Sweet Home licensed?
Official pages claim an Illinois Commerce Commission license without printing the number. Ask them to put the ILCC and USDOT on the estimate, then look them up before you book.
Is Alliance Moving & Storage the same as HK&RP LLC?
SAFER lists the legal name for USDOT 2882675 as HK&RP LLC, DBA Alliance Moving & Storage. Put the performing legal name on the estimate. Footer ICC MC 214854 is not the federal MC (MC-967507).
What should I verify before hiring any Chicago mover?
Legal name; ILCC household-goods number in MCIS (intrastate) and/or USDOT/MC on SAFER (interstate); written estimate (Illinois: not binding, 110% at delivery); crew size including travel time; stairs/alley/freight plan; whether the mover files the CDOT $25/day Moving Van permit; valuation (Illinois default 60 cents/lb unless upgraded); performing carrier if a brand and a legal name differ.
Do alderman No Parking signs replace a CDOT permit?
1st Ward and 47th Ward call those signs non-enforceable courtesy for self-moves. Commercial movers use CDOT Occupy ROW Moving Van Parking. 2nd Ward: if your mover tells you to get the permit from the alderman, that is not correct.