Best Rancho Santa Margarita Movers
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Updated Jun 5, 2025
Looking for reliable Rancho Santa Margarita movers? See our top 10 recommended movers in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA based on extensive analysis. We analyzed 31 moving companies in Rancho Santa Margarita across 42,572 review data points and more than 21,000 movers nationwide using our 11-point rating system to help you determine which Rancho Santa Margarita moving company to hire. See the top 10 Rancho Santa Margarita movers, get data-based information on Rancho Santa Margarita moving costs, the cheapest movers in Rancho Santa Margarita, and our top recommendation for Long distance movers.
Key Takeaways:
- Universal OC Moving is our overall top recommended moving company in Rancho Santa Margarita
- Orange County Moving Services Inc is the most affordable movers in Rancho Santa Margarita
- Expect to spend somewhere between $1,140 and $2,084 on local Rancho Santa Margarita moving services
- Our rankings and results are unbiased & backed by data… NOT paid promotions
Best Moving Companies in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
| Rank | Company | Score | BBB Rating | Avg Move Duration | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Universal OC Moving | 9.56 | F | 6 hours | |
| 2 | Terry Moving & Storage | 9.37 | A+ | 7 hours | |
| 3 | Safe-Way Moving, Inc. | 9.28 | A+ | 5 hours | |
| 4 | Efficient Interstate Movers | 9.21 | NR | - | |
| 5 | Orange County Moving Services Inc | 9.07 | A+ | 4 hours | |
| 6 | Best Orange County Movers | 9.00 | NR | 4.25 hours | |
| 7 | EDI Moving | 8.93 | NR | - | |
| 8 | Best Priced Moving and Storage | 8.91 | NR | 5 hours | |
| 9 | Good Guys Moving | 8.71 | NR | - | |
| 10 | Affordable Reliable Moving Company | 8.69 | A+ | - |
Our Top Recommendations
Universal OC Moving
Best moving company overall in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Universal OC Moving
Laguna Woods, CA, 92637
11-Point Rating
Best moving company overall in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA. Universal OC Moving takes the #1 spot for our overall ranking and is the top recommended movers in Rancho Santa Margarita.
Universal OC Moving is the number 1 ranked moving service in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA with an overall score of 9.56 out of 10. Based on our extensive analysis, this is an Exceptional score and places it in the top 98.81% of all movers in California and the top 99.3% of moving companies nationwide. They score better than 30 other Rancho Santa Margarita moving companies and better than 2,420 movers in California. Universal OC Moving is also one of the top 150 movers nationwide (out of more than 21,000 total moving companies).
Our Research
11 Point Rating
| Metric | Score Out of 10 | vs Nationwide Comparison between Universal OC Moving & the average of all
moving companies nationwide | Positive Reviews The total number of reviews that rated the metric positively (a score of 7-10) | Negative Reviews The total number of reviews that rated the metric negatively (a score of 1-6) | Positive Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality | 9.74 | ↑ 17.4% | 124 | 1 | 99.2% | |
| Punctuality | 9.70 | ↑ 21.6% | 37 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Affordability | 9.28 | ↑ 22.5% | 29 | 1 | 96.7% | |
| Communication | 9.60 | ↑ 29.3% | 34 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Stick to Prices | 9.09 | ↑ 52.6% | 9 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Speed | 9.79 | ↑ 16.0% | 45 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Friendliness | 9.66 | ↑ 10.6% | 41 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Will Hire Again | 9.71 | ↑ 20.7% | 122 | 1 | 99.2% | |
| Professionalism | 9.71 | ↑ 18.9% | 55 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Precision & Care | 9.78 | ↑ 23.4% | 58 | 0 | 100.0% |
Recent Universal OC Moving Reviews
Quality - 9.74/10
Overall quality of the service provided on moving day.
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Punctuality - 9.70/10
Did the crew show up on-time with the required equipment?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Affordability - 9.28/10
How affordable was the moving service?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Communication - 9.60/10
Was the office staff quick to respond to questions prior to moving day? Did the moving crew notify you on the day of move regarding any changes to the original schedule? If there were any issues to resolve after moving day, was an office manager quick to respond and address problems encountered?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Stick to Prices - 9.09/10
Was a lowball quote provided to earn business only to see the final moving day price increase substantially?
Overall Review Distribution
Speed - 9.79/10
Did the movers seem to take their precious time in an attempt to increase the overall cost of the move? Remember, moving is HARD work and some breaks should be expected!
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Friendliness - 9.66/10
Was the moving crew cordial and friendly to be around on moving day?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Will Hire Again - 9.71/10
How likely a customer is to hire the same movers again for their next move.
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Professionalism - 9.71/10
Did the moving crew behave in a professional manner on moving day?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Precision & Care - 9.78/10
Were walls scratched? Did furniture get scuffed, broken, or lost?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Additional Details
Moving Services Offered by Universal OC Moving
- Storage Service
- Assembly/Disassembly
- Packing/Unpacking
- Loading/Unloading
- Full furniture assembly and disassembly options
- Labor-only loading and unloading services
- We pack your goods
- We move your goods
- We unpack your goods
- Comprehensive moving service for businesses and residents
Licenses
We do not currently have license data to display for Universal OC Moving
Detailed Customer Insights
Based on our analysis of Universal OC Moving's customer reviews:
6 hrs
Local Move Duration
based on 7 reviews
Terry Moving & Storage
25958 Commercentre Dr, Lake Forest, CA, 92630
11-Point Rating
Best movers to hire in Rancho Santa Margarita with a proven track record. Terry Moving & Storage has been moving since 1996.
Terry Moving & Storage is the number 2 ranked moving service in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA with an overall score of 9.37 out of 10. Based on our extensive analysis, this is an Exceptional score and places it in the top 95.8% of all movers in California and the top 97.41% of moving companies nationwide. They score better than 29 other Rancho Santa Margarita moving companies and better than 2,346 movers in California.
Our Research
11 Point Rating
| Metric | Score Out of 10 | vs Nationwide Comparison between Terry Moving & Storage & the average of all
moving companies nationwide | Positive Reviews The total number of reviews that rated the metric positively (a score of 7-10) | Negative Reviews The total number of reviews that rated the metric negatively (a score of 1-6) | Positive Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality | 9.46 | ↑ 14.0% | 336 | 20 | 94.4% | |
| Punctuality | 9.81 | ↑ 23.0% | 138 | 1 | 99.3% | |
| Affordability | 9.12 | ↑ 20.4% | 81 | 6 | 93.1% | |
| Communication | 9.41 | ↑ 26.7% | 158 | 9 | 94.6% | |
| Stick to Prices | 9.09 | ↑ 52.6% | 79 | 6 | 92.9% | |
| Speed | 9.72 | ↑ 15.2% | 112 | 2 | 98.2% | |
| Friendliness | 9.87 | ↑ 13.1% | 234 | 1 | 99.6% | |
| Will Hire Again | 9.42 | ↑ 17.2% | 339 | 20 | 94.4% | |
| Professionalism | 9.65 | ↑ 18.1% | 227 | 8 | 96.6% | |
| Conflict Handling | 8.13 | ↑ 100.1% | 46 | 11 | 80.7% | |
| Precision & Care | 9.38 | ↑ 18.4% | 166 | 11 | 93.8% |
Recent Terry Moving & Storage Reviews
Quality - 9.46/10
Overall quality of the service provided on moving day.
Overall Review Distribution
Punctuality - 9.81/10
Did the crew show up on-time with the required equipment?
Overall Review Distribution
Affordability - 9.12/10
How affordable was the moving service?
Overall Review Distribution
Communication - 9.41/10
Was the office staff quick to respond to questions prior to moving day? Did the moving crew notify you on the day of move regarding any changes to the original schedule? If there were any issues to resolve after moving day, was an office manager quick to respond and address problems encountered?
Overall Review Distribution
Stick to Prices - 9.09/10
Was a lowball quote provided to earn business only to see the final moving day price increase substantially?
Overall Review Distribution
Speed - 9.72/10
Did the movers seem to take their precious time in an attempt to increase the overall cost of the move? Remember, moving is HARD work and some breaks should be expected!
Overall Review Distribution
Friendliness - 9.87/10
Was the moving crew cordial and friendly to be around on moving day?
Overall Review Distribution
Will Hire Again - 9.42/10
How likely a customer is to hire the same movers again for their next move.
Overall Review Distribution
Professionalism - 9.65/10
Did the moving crew behave in a professional manner on moving day?
Overall Review Distribution
Conflict Handling - 8.13/10
Accidents can and will likely happen at some point on moving day. How a moving company responds to these accidents can say a lot about the company.
Overall Review Distribution
Precision & Care - 9.38/10
Were walls scratched? Did furniture get scuffed, broken, or lost?
Overall Review Distribution
Additional Details
Moving Services Offered by Terry Moving & Storage
- Local Move
- Interstate Move
- Packing Services
- Commercial Move
- Piano Movers
- Storage
- Car Transport
- Nationwide Mover
- Full-Service Mover
- Packing & Supplies
Licenses
State & federal license information
California Moving License
Status: Active (last checked: 12/06/24)California Moving License Information
- License Number: CAL-T189603
- License Status: Active
- Date Issued: -
USDOT Interstate License
Status: Authorized for Interstate Moves (last checked 6/28/25)- USDOT: 649215
- MC: 306297
- ENTITY TYPE: Carrier
11
Registered Trucks, Tractors, or Vans
11
Registered Drivers
5/31/23
Most Recent USDOT Update
315,000
Annual Interstate Miles (2022)
Detailed Customer Insights
Based on our analysis of Terry Moving & Storage's customer reviews:
7 hrs
Local Move Duration
based on 10 reviews
3 days
Interstate Move Duration
based on 14 reviews
Average Cost
$1,042.00
based on 3 historical data points
Safe-Way Moving, Inc.
19531 Pauling Ste. 200, Foothill Ranch, CA, 92610
11-Point Rating
Best moving service to hire if you're in a hurry. The movers at Safe-Way Moving, Inc. work fast to get the move done.
Safe-Way Moving, Inc. is the number 3 ranked moving service in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA with an overall score of 9.28 out of 10. Based on our extensive analysis, this is an Exceptional score and places it in the top 93.98% of all movers in California and the top 96.13% of moving companies nationwide. They score better than 28 other Rancho Santa Margarita moving companies and better than 2,302 movers in California.
Our Research
11 Point Rating
| Metric | Score Out of 10 | vs Nationwide Comparison between Safe-Way Moving, Inc. & the average of all
moving companies nationwide | Positive Reviews The total number of reviews that rated the metric positively (a score of 7-10) | Negative Reviews The total number of reviews that rated the metric negatively (a score of 1-6) | Positive Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quality | 9.60 | ↑ 15.7% | 386 | 14 | 96.5% | |
| Punctuality | 9.73 | ↑ 22.0% | 179 | 2 | 98.9% | |
| Affordability | 9.30 | ↑ 22.8% | 100 | 5 | 95.2% | |
| Communication | 9.14 | ↑ 23.0% | 144 | 13 | 91.7% | |
| Stick to Prices | 9.01 | ↑ 51.3% | 82 | 8 | 91.1% | |
| Speed | 9.89 | ↑ 17.2% | 224 | 1 | 99.6% | |
| Friendliness | 9.81 | ↑ 12.4% | 275 | 4 | 98.6% | |
| Will Hire Again | 9.45 | ↑ 17.6% | 387 | 21 | 94.9% | |
| Professionalism | 9.54 | ↑ 16.8% | 263 | 10 | 96.3% | |
| Conflict Handling | 6.94 | ↑ 70.6% | 14 | 6 | 70.0% | |
| Precision & Care | 9.65 | ↑ 21.9% | 237 | 6 | 97.5% |
Recent Safe-Way Moving, Inc. Reviews
Quality - 9.60/10
Overall quality of the service provided on moving day.
Overall Review Distribution
Punctuality - 9.73/10
Did the crew show up on-time with the required equipment?
Overall Review Distribution
Affordability - 9.30/10
How affordable was the moving service?
Overall Review Distribution
Communication - 9.14/10
Was the office staff quick to respond to questions prior to moving day? Did the moving crew notify you on the day of move regarding any changes to the original schedule? If there were any issues to resolve after moving day, was an office manager quick to respond and address problems encountered?
Overall Review Distribution
Stick to Prices - 9.01/10
Was a lowball quote provided to earn business only to see the final moving day price increase substantially?
Overall Review Distribution
Speed - 9.89/10
Did the movers seem to take their precious time in an attempt to increase the overall cost of the move? Remember, moving is HARD work and some breaks should be expected!
Overall Review Distribution
Friendliness - 9.81/10
Was the moving crew cordial and friendly to be around on moving day?
Overall Review Distribution
Will Hire Again - 9.45/10
How likely a customer is to hire the same movers again for their next move.
Overall Review Distribution
Professionalism - 9.54/10
Did the moving crew behave in a professional manner on moving day?
Overall Review Distribution
Conflict Handling - 6.94/10
Accidents can and will likely happen at some point on moving day. How a moving company responds to these accidents can say a lot about the company.
Overall Review Distribution
Precision & Care - 9.65/10
Were walls scratched? Did furniture get scuffed, broken, or lost?
Overall Review Distribution
Additional Details
Moving Services Offered by Safe-Way Moving, Inc.
- Local Moving
- Long Distance Moving
- Commercial Moving
- Full Service Storage
- Office Relocation
- Interstate Moving
- Packing
- California Moving
- Long Distance Moving Services
- Short-term & long-term storage
Licenses
State & federal license information
USDOT Interstate License
Status: Not Authorized for Interstate Moves (last checked 1/10/25)- USDOT: 1159748
- MC: 466131
- ENTITY TYPE: Carrier
1
Registered Trucks, Tractors, or Vans
3
Registered Drivers
1/09/24
Most Recent USDOT Update
1,550,000
Annual Interstate Miles (2022)
Detailed Customer Insights
Based on our analysis of Safe-Way Moving, Inc.'s customer reviews:
3 hrs
Hourly Minimum
based on 9 reviews
5 hrs
Local Move Duration
based on 44 reviews
2 days
Interstate Move Duration
based on 7 reviews
Efficient Interstate Movers
20 Garden View Ct, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, 92688
11-Point Rating
Orange County Moving Services Inc
16899 Jamboree Rd, Irvine, CA, 92606
11-Point Rating
Best Orange County Movers
19232 Beach Blvd, Huntington Beach, CA, 92648
11-Point Rating
EDI Moving
320025 Alicia Pkwy, Laguna Niguel, CA, 92677
11-Point Rating
Best Priced Moving and Storage
8 Eastbourne Bay, Laguna Niguel, CA, 92677
11-Point Rating
Good Guys Moving
Irvine, CA, 92606
11-Point Rating
Affordable Reliable Moving Company
2323 Main St, Irvine, CA, 92614
11-Point Rating
How Much Do Movers Cost in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA?
The average moving cost in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA is $1,254, which is based on an analysis from 53 customer reports across 6 different moving companies. In general, expect to pay somewhere between $1,140 and $2,084 for a typical move.
- Median Reported Cost: $1,254
- Expected Range: $1,140 - $2,084
- Expected Time To Complete: 4 hours
- See detailed Rancho Santa Margarita Moving Costs for a full breakdown
| COMPANY | MEDIAN REPORTED MOVING COST | AVG MOVE DURATION |
|---|---|---|
| Terry Moving & Storage | $1,042 | 7 hours |
| Student Movers | $1,140 | 4 hours |
| Meathead Movers | $1,211 | 4 hours |
| Pro Movers Inc | $1,296 | 4 hours |
| Maison Moving & Storage | $2,084 | 4 hours |
| Best Orange County Movers | $2,423 | 4.25 hours |
*Please be aware that the listed prices derive from historical customer feedback spanning several years and might not mirror the exact current rates of a company. Additionally, the anticipated cost range provided represents the 25th to 75th percentiles from the comprehensive reports of all Rancho Santa Margarita-based companies in our dataset.
How we ranked the top Rancho Santa Margarita movers
Why you should trust us
We take reviews seriously to protect people just like you! Our team has been crunching data on moving companies since 2010. Our math-based ranking system uses data, manual review, and statistical analysis to help you hire the best movers in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA.
Rating Methodology
Here's the methodology we used to come up with the best movers in Rancho Santa Margarita:
Our original review-based ranking algorithm
We started with a total of 31 companies that offer moving services in the Rancho Santa Margarita area.
From these 31 companies, we analyzed a total of 11,095 reviews dating all the way back to March 2009.
We also reviewed a total of 10 state and federal moving licenses from these 31 companies and 108 different 3rd party review and social profiles.
Each of the ~11,000 reviews was scored according to our detailed 11-point rating criteria
This gave us a total of 42,572 data points to compute individual company scores.
Reviews are time-weighted so that more recent reviews carry more weight. This helps you understand how a mover is doing today... not 5 years ago. We have 125 Rancho Santa Margarita moving company data points from the past 2 years that carry more weight.
Bayesian averages calculated to fairly account for the differences between companies that are newer(like Affordable Reliable Moving Company) vs older more established companies (like Terry Moving & Storage).
The Great Guys Moving 11-Point Rating Breakdown
Our 11-point rating criteria scores every Rancho Santa Margarita moving company across 11 of the most important criteria for a succesful moving experience.
Quality
Overall quality of the service provided on moving day.
Punctuality
Did the crew show up on-time with the required equipment?
Affordability
How affordable was the moving service?
Communication
Responsiveness before, during, and after the move.
Stick to Prices
Was the final price consistent with the original quote?
Speed
Efficiency without taking unnecessary time to increase costs.
Friendliness
Was the moving crew cordial and friendly on moving day?
Will Hire Again
How likely a customer is to hire the same movers again.
Professionalism
Did the moving crew behave professionally on moving day?
Conflict Handling
How well the company responds to accidents and issues.
Precision & Care
Were walls scratched? Did furniture get damaged or lost?
Charts & Visualizations
With 42,572 data points across 31 moving companies and 11,095 reviews, we've got a lot of data to work with. Here are some of the charts and visualizations we've created to help you understand the moving industry in Rancho Santa Margarita.
Comparing ratings, review history, and total data points
Bubble size represents the number of analyzed data points. Hover over bubbles for details.
Ranking history
How the currently ranked top 10 Rancho Santa Margarita movers have performed over time
11-Point Rating Comparison
Detailed breakdown of Rancho Santa Margarita moving company 11-point ratings
California-wide 11-Point Percentile Comparison
See how the top movers in Rancho Santa Margarita compare to all movers in California
 Quality |  Punctuality |  Affordability |  Communication |  Stick to Prices |  Speed |  Friendliness |  Will Hire Again |  Professionalism |  Conflict Handling |  Precision & Care | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Universal OC Moving Exceptional9.56 | 97 | 94 | 89 | 95 | 94 | 95 | 83 | 96 | 95 | -- | 98 |
2 | Terry Moving & Storage Exceptional9.37 | 82 | 98 | 82 | 90 | 94 | 91 | 97 | 84 | 92 | 97 | 82 |
3 | Safe-Way Moving, Inc. Exceptional9.28 | 89 | 95 | 89 | 81 | 92 | 99 | 92 | 86 | 86 | 87 | 94 |
4 | Efficient Interstate Movers Exceptional9.21 | 82 | 75 | 83 | 83 | 86 | 71 | 59 | 83 | 80 | -- | 85 |
| 5 O | Orange County Moving Services Inc Exceptional9.07 | 99 | 93 | 97 | 86 | 70 | 98 | 99 | 98 | 99 | 49 | 99 |
6 | Best Orange County Movers Superb9.00 | 75 | 82 | 72 | 81 | 79 | 72 | 92 | 76 | 77 | 87 | 78 |
| 7 E | EDI Moving Superb8.93 | 97 | 91 | 82 | 81 | 73 | 95 | 92 | 95 | 99 | 39 | 98 |
| 8 B | Best Priced Moving and Storage Superb8.91 | 69 | 69 | 89 | 91 | 73 | 86 | 82 | 72 | 73 | 82 | 55 |
| 9 G | Good Guys Moving Superb8.71 | 70 | 74 | 83 | 78 | 47 | 60 | 68 | 71 | 77 | 71 | 83 |
| 10 A | Affordable Reliable Moving Company Fabulous8.69 | 80 | 79 | 72 | 84 | 61 | 71 | 91 | 82 | 80 | 48 | 74 |
Percentile Ranking
List of All Rancho Santa Margarita Moving Companies Analyzed
See all of our Rancho Santa Margarita moving company reviews
- Pro Movers Inc
- Meathead Movers
- Maison Moving & Storage
- Orange Coast Movers, Inc.
- Orange County Moving Services Inc
- Santa Ana Movers
- Affordable Reliable Moving Company
- Best Orange County Movers
- Professional Relocating Movers
- Best Priced Moving and Storage
- Efficient Interstate Movers
- EDI Moving
- All-Ways Moving & Storage
- Best Mission Viejo Movers
- Affordable Piano Movers
- Safe-Way Moving, Inc.
- Dana Point Moving Company
- Coast Valley Moving & Storage
- Student Movers
- Terry Moving & Storage
- B & C Moving
- Universal OC Moving
- Plano Self Storage
- No Hassle Movers
- Good Guys Moving
- The Golden Residence
- Helpful Moving Inc
- Spirit Move
- Jesse's Moving & Packing
- Affordable Reliable Moving Company
- Project Welcome Home
Frequently Asked Questions About Moving in Rancho Santa Margarita
How much should you tip movers in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA?
In Rancho Santa Margarita, expressing gratitude to your movers is often done with a tip of around 10–20% of the total move cost or about $5 per mover per hour. You can adjust this amount if they handle particularly tough jobs or work extra efficiently. As an added gesture on a warm California day, offering them cold water or refreshing soda can go a long way toward keeping everyone motivated.
Is it cheaper to make a DIY move in Rancho Santa Margarita?
A do-it-yourself move around Rancho Santa Margarita can seem cheaper at first, but don’t forget about added costs like truck rental, mileage, and extra supplies. You’ll also be responsible for carefully loading items to avoid damage or injuries. If you decide to go the DIY route, check out Rancho Santa Margarita truck rental options to compare rates and find the best fit.
Should I hire labor-only movers?
For those in Rancho Santa Margarita who already have a truck, labor-only moves can be a cost-effective option. By hiring hourly movers in Rancho Santa Margarita, you get professional loading and unloading help without paying for a full-service move. Be sure to plan around local rush hours on the 241 Toll Road or I-5 to avoid traffic delays when transporting your belongings.
What if I need to move something special like a piano or pool table?
Some items, like pianos, hot tubs, or gun safes, require special care when moving around Rancho Santa Margarita. Fortunately, piano movers have the right know-how to protect delicate instruments, while pool table movers can disassemble and reassemble heavy tables correctly. Whether you live near Tijeras Creek Golf Club or off Santa Margarita Parkway, these experts ensure your prized possessions stay safe from door to door.
