Best Des Moines Movers
Updated Jun 6, 2025
Looking for reliable Des Moines movers? See our top 10 recommended movers in Des Moines, IA based on extensive analysis. We analyzed 42 moving companies in Des Moines across 13,542 review data points and more than 18,000 movers nationwide using our 11-point rating system to help you determine which Des Moines moving company to hire. See the top 10 Des Moines movers, get data-based information on Des Moines moving costs, the cheapest movers in Des Moines, and our top recommendation for Long distance movers.
Key Takeaways:
- Adamantine Spine Moving is our overall top recommended moving company in Des Moines
- The Approved Movers is the most affordable movers in Des Moines
- Expect to spend somewhere between $859 and $8,240 on local Des Moines moving services
- Our rankings and results are unbiased & backed by data… NOT paid promotions
Best Moving Companies in Des Moines, IA
| Rank | Company | Score | BBB Rating | Avg Move Duration | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adamantine Spine Moving | 9.54 | A+ | - | |
| 2 | You First Moving | 9.46 | NR | 5.5 hours | |
| 3 | Best Move Inc | 9.25 | A+ | - | |
| 4 | Smooth Moves Inc. | 9.23 | A | 4.25 hours | |
| 5 | The College Moving Crew | 9.19 | A+ | 2.75 hours | |
| 6 | Harvest Academy Movers | 9.17 | NR | 3 hours | |
| 7 | Rush Transport Service | 9.17 | NR | - | |
| 8 | Iowa Home Consulting | 9.16 | A+ | 3 hours | |
| 9 | The Affordable Movers | 9.13 | A+ | 2 hours | |
| 10 | Hemmen Moving | 9.11 | A+ | 3 hours |
Our Top Recommendations
Adamantine Spine Moving
2815 36th St, Des Moines, IA, 50310
11-Point Rating
Best moving company overall in Des Moines, IA. Adamantine Spine Moving takes the #1 spot for our overall ranking and is the top recommended movers in Des Moines.
Adamantine Spine Moving is the number 1 ranked moving service in Des Moines, IA with an overall score of 9.54 out of 10. Based on our extensive analysis, this is an Exceptional score and places it in the top 100% of all movers in Iowa and the top 99.05% of moving companies nationwide. They score better than 41 other Des Moines moving companies and better than 169 movers in Iowa.
Our Research
11 Point Rating
| Metric | Score Out of 10 | vs Nationwide Comparison between Adamantine Spine 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 | 9.78 | ↑ 17.4% | 161 | 1 | 99.4% | |
| Punctuality | 9.52 | ↑ 19.0% | 40 | 1 | 97.6% | |
| Affordability | 9.32 | ↑ 22.8% | 34 | 1 | 97.1% | |
| Communication | 9.69 | ↑ 30.3% | 89 | 1 | 98.9% | |
| Stick to Prices | 8.92 | ↑ 49.7% | 23 | 2 | 92.0% | |
| Speed | 9.70 | ↑ 14.4% | 59 | 1 | 98.3% | |
| Friendliness | 9.80 | ↑ 11.8% | 109 | 1 | 99.1% | |
| Will Hire Again | 9.71 | ↑ 20.2% | 159 | 2 | 98.8% | |
| Professionalism | 9.78 | ↑ 19.3% | 117 | 1 | 99.2% | |
| Conflict Handling | 9.00 | ↑ 121.2% | 11 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Precision & Care | 9.69 | ↑ 22.2% | 84 | 1 | 98.8% |
Recent Adamantine Spine Moving Reviews
Quality - 9.78/10
Overall quality of the service provided on moving day.
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Punctuality - 9.52/10
Did the crew show up on-time with the required equipment?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Affordability - 9.32/10
How affordable was the moving service?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Communication - 9.69/10
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 - 8.92/10
Was a lowball quote provided to earn business only to see the final moving day price increase substantially?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Speed - 9.70/10
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 - 9.80/10
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 - 9.78/10
Did the moving crew behave in a professional manner on moving day?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Conflict Handling - 9.00/10
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.
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Precision & Care - 9.69/10
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 Adamantine Spine Moving
- Local Moving
- Long Distance Moving
- Apartment/Condo Moving
- B2B Moving
- Home Moving
- Office Moving
- Furniture Moving
- Loading & Unloading
- Moving Into Storage
- Packing & Unpacking
Licenses
State & federal license information
USDOT Interstate License
Status: Authorized for Interstate Moves (last checked 1/10/25)- USDOT: 1471037
- MC: 556716
- ENTITY TYPE: Carrier
37
Registered Trucks, Tractors, or Vans
40
Registered Drivers
2/16/24
Most Recent USDOT Update
393,823
Annual Interstate Miles (2022)
Detailed Customer Insights
Based on our analysis of Adamantine Spine Moving's customer reviews:
You First Moving
2894 106th St Suite 110, Urbandale, IA, 50322
11-Point Rating
Get the best bang for your buck hiring You First Moving of Urbandale. They have the best affordability index score which measures both quality and affordability.
You First Moving is the number 2 ranked moving service in Des Moines, IA with an overall score of 9.46 out of 10. Based on our extensive analysis, this is an Exceptional score and places it in the top 98.8% of all movers in Iowa and the top 98.34% of moving companies nationwide. They score better than 40 other Des Moines moving companies and better than 167 movers in Iowa.
Our Research
11 Point Rating
| Metric | Score Out of 10 | vs Nationwide Comparison between You First 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 | 9.85 | ↑ 18.2% | 173 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Punctuality | 9.78 | ↑ 22.3% | 47 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Affordability | 9.56 | ↑ 26.0% | 22 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Communication | 9.71 | ↑ 30.5% | 47 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Stick to Prices | 9.31 | ↑ 56.4% | 12 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Speed | 9.90 | ↑ 16.8% | 87 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Friendliness | 9.90 | ↑ 13.0% | 125 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Will Hire Again | 9.85 | ↑ 22.0% | 173 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Professionalism | 9.87 | ↑ 20.3% | 112 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Conflict Handling | 6.57 | ↑ 61.7% | 2 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Precision & Care | 9.80 | ↑ 23.6% | 62 | 0 | 100.0% |
Recent You First Moving Reviews
Quality - 9.85/10
Overall quality of the service provided on moving day.
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Punctuality - 9.78/10
Did the crew show up on-time with the required equipment?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Affordability - 9.56/10
How affordable was the moving service?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Communication - 9.71/10
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 - 9.31/10
Was a lowball quote provided to earn business only to see the final moving day price increase substantially?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Speed - 9.90/10
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 - 9.90/10
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 - 9.85/10
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 - 9.87/10
Did the moving crew behave in a professional manner on moving day?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Conflict Handling - 6.57/10
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 - 9.80/10
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 You First Moving
- Local Moving
- Residential Moving
- Commercial Moving
- Packing Services
Licenses
State & federal license information
USDOT Interstate License
Status: Authorized for Interstate Moves (last checked 1/10/25)- USDOT: 3253628
- MC: 1296323
- ENTITY TYPE: Carrier
5
Registered Trucks, Tractors, or Vans
8
Registered Drivers
5/09/24
Most Recent USDOT Update
80,000
Annual Interstate Miles (2023)
Detailed Customer Insights
Based on our analysis of You First Moving's customer reviews:
5.5 hrs
Local Move Duration
based on 6 reviews
Best Move Inc
Burlington, IA, 52601
11-Point Rating
Best Move Inc is the number 3 ranked moving service in Des Moines, IA with an overall score of 9.25 out of 10. Based on our extensive analysis, this is an Exceptional score and places it in the top 96.99% of all movers in Iowa and the top 94.98% of moving companies nationwide. They score better than 39 other Des Moines moving companies and better than 164 movers in Iowa.
Our Research
11 Point Rating
| Metric | Score Out of 10 | vs Nationwide Comparison between Best Move 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 | 9.63 | ↑ 15.7% | 109 | 2 | 98.2% | |
| Punctuality | 9.55 | ↑ 19.4% | 25 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Affordability | 9.11 | ↑ 20.1% | 11 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Communication | 9.40 | ↑ 26.4% | 24 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Stick to Prices | 8.11 | ↑ 36.1% | 4 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Speed | 9.66 | ↑ 14.0% | 33 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Friendliness | 9.76 | ↑ 11.4% | 56 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Will Hire Again | 9.56 | ↑ 18.4% | 96 | 2 | 98.0% | |
| Professionalism | 9.59 | ↑ 16.9% | 55 | 1 | 98.2% | |
| Conflict Handling | 7.75 | ↑ 90.6% | 4 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Precision & Care | 9.58 | ↑ 20.8% | 48 | 1 | 98.0% |
Recent Best Move Inc Reviews
Quality - 9.63/10
Overall quality of the service provided on moving day.
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Punctuality - 9.55/10
Did the crew show up on-time with the required equipment?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Affordability - 9.11/10
How affordable was the moving service?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Communication - 9.40/10
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 - 8.11/10
Was a lowball quote provided to earn business only to see the final moving day price increase substantially?
Overall Review Distribution
Speed - 9.66/10
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 - 9.76/10
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 - 9.56/10
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 - 9.59/10
Did the moving crew behave in a professional manner on moving day?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Conflict Handling - 7.75/10
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.
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Precision & Care - 9.58/10
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 Best Move Inc
- Material Packing
- Local Moving
- Long-Distance Moving
- Small Moves
- Piano Moving
- Appliance Moving
- Furniture Moving
- Hourly Moving Services
- Packing Services
- Commercial Moving
Licenses
State & federal license information
USDOT Interstate License
Status: Authorized for Interstate Moves (last checked 12/18/24)- USDOT: 749231
- MC: 376435
- ENTITY TYPE: Carrier
2
Registered Trucks, Tractors, or Vans
2
Registered Drivers
11/05/24
Most Recent USDOT Update
20,976
Annual Interstate Miles (2022)
Detailed Customer Insights
Based on our analysis of Best Move Inc's customer reviews:
Smooth Moves Inc.
4137 120th St, Urbandale, IA, 50323
11-Point Rating
The College Moving Crew
Ankeny, IA
11-Point Rating
Harvest Academy Movers
8769 G24 Hwy, Indianola, IA, 50125
11-Point Rating
Rush Transport Service
Boone, IA, 50036
11-Point Rating
Iowa Home Consulting
400 SE 8th St, Des Moines, IA, 50309
11-Point Rating
The Affordable Movers
8350 EP True Pkwy, West Des Moines, IA, 50266
11-Point Rating
Hemmen Moving
1293 W Ave, Ames, IA, 50014
11-Point Rating
How Much Do Movers Cost in Des Moines, IA?
The average moving cost in Des Moines, IA is $937, which is based on an analysis from 10 customer reports across 3 different moving companies. In general, expect to pay somewhere between $859 and $8,240 for a typical move.
- Median Reported Cost: $937
- Expected Range: $859 - $8,240
- Expected Time To Complete: 2.5 hours
- See detailed Des Moines Moving Costs for a full breakdown
| COMPANY | MEDIAN REPORTED MOVING COST | AVG MOVE DURATION |
|---|---|---|
| All My Sons Moving & Storage | $859 | 2.25 hours |
| A-1 Movers | $937 | 2.5 hours |
| MidAmerican Moving | $8,240 | 3.5 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 Des Moines-based companies in our dataset.
How we ranked the top Des Moines 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 Des Moines, IA.
Rating Methodology
Here's the methodology we used to come up with the best movers in Des Moines:
Our original review-based ranking algorithm
We started with a total of 42 companies that offer moving services in the Des Moines area.
From these 42 companies, we analyzed a total of 5,850 reviews dating all the way back to February 2009.
We also reviewed a total of 0 state and federal moving licenses from these 42 companies and 190 different 3rd party review and social profiles.
Each of the ~5,000 reviews was scored according to our detailed 11-point rating criteria
This gave us a total of 13,542 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 2,682 Des Moines 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 The College Moving Crew) vs older more established companies (like Hemmen Moving).
The Great Guys Moving 11-Point Rating Breakdown
Our 11-point rating criteria scores every Des Moines 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 13,542 data points across 42 moving companies and 5,850 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 Des Moines.
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 Des Moines movers have performed over time
11-Point Rating Comparison
Detailed breakdown of Des Moines moving company 11-point ratings
Iowa-wide 11-Point Percentile Comparison
See how the top movers in Des Moines compare to all movers in Iowa
 Quality |  Punctuality |  Affordability |  Communication |  Stick to Prices |  Speed |  Friendliness |  Will Hire Again |  Professionalism |  Conflict Handling |  Precision & Care | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Adamantine Spine Moving Exceptional9.54 | 97 | 86 | 87 | 98 | 94 | 85 | 90 | 96 | 97 | 100 | 95 |
2 | You First Moving Exceptional9.46 | 99 | 97 | 96 | 99 | 98 | 99 | 98 | 100 | 99 | 88 | 99 |
3 | Best Move Inc Exceptional9.25 | 90 | 88 | 81 | 91 | 78 | 82 | 87 | 90 | 88 | 95 | 91 |
4 | Smooth Moves Inc. Exceptional9.23 | 84 | 82 | 81 | 84 | 97 | 83 | 85 | 87 | 84 | 92 | 82 |
5 | The College Moving Crew Exceptional9.19 | 95 | 97 | 94 | 95 | 71 | 80 | 93 | 94 | 91 | 88 | 84 |
6 | Harvest Academy Movers Exceptional9.17 | 99 | 99 | 85 | 99 | 63 | 97 | 97 | 99 | 99 | 75 | 100 |
| 7 R | Rush Transport Service Exceptional9.17 | 75 | 78 | 79 | 79 | -- | 60 | 50 | 77 | 72 | -- | 79 |
8 | Iowa Home Consulting Exceptional9.16 | 94 | 93 | 85 | 86 | 82 | 93 | 83 | 94 | 87 | 83 | 86 |
9 | The Affordable Movers Exceptional9.13 | 68 | 77 | 82 | 80 | 86 | 74 | 73 | 68 | 79 | 97 | 74 |
10 | Hemmen Moving Exceptional9.11 | 88 | 86 | 94 | 88 | 91 | 93 | 87 | 88 | 82 | 71 | 92 |
Percentile Ranking
List of All Des Moines Moving Companies Analyzed
See all of our Des Moines moving company reviews
- College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving
- Two Men and a Truck
- MidAmerican Moving
- The Approved Movers
- Adamantine Spine Moving
- Iowa Moving 1
- A-1 Movers
- Smooth Moves Inc.
- Lint Van Lines
- Zippy Shell of Greater Des Moines
- The Affordable Movers
- PODS Moving & Storage
- Finnemore Harris Moving Co
- Riley Moving and Storage
- U-Pack
- Select Van & Storage Co.
- Siddall Moving & Storage, Inc.
- The College Moving Crew
- Maher Brothers Transfer & Storage
- Combined Relocation Services LLC
- Hemmen Moving
- Jake N' Jose Moving Service
- Iowa Home Consulting
- Tuna Piano Service
- AA Always Affordable Movers
- Allied Van Lines
- All Mighty Movers
- You First Moving
- Elite Moving Services
- Best Move Inc
- All Iowa Movers
- Harvest Academy Movers
- UNITS of Central Iowa
- T&M Services, Inc.
- Ace World Wide of Iowa, Inc.
- North American Van Lines
- Preferred Home Delivery Service
- Senior Transitioning Services of Central Iowa, LLC
- Helpers Moving Company
- All My Sons Moving & Storage
- We Move You
- Rush Transport Service
Frequently Asked Questions About Moving in Des Moines
How much should you tip movers in Des Moines, IA?
In Des Moines, it’s typical to tip movers around 10–20% of the total moving cost or about $5 per mover per hour, especially when your move takes you across busy spots like Court Avenue or along I-235. This small gesture shows appreciation for their hard work, and you can also offer simple refreshments like a cold bottle of water or some sweet tea, a welcome treat on an Iowa summer day.
Is it cheaper to make a DIY move in Des Moines?
Opting for a DIY move in Des Moines might trim some upfront costs, but be prepared for extra expenses like packing supplies, equipment rentals, and possible tolls on I-35. You’ll also need to plan for potential mechanical issues, heavy lifting, and rush-hour traffic. If you’re set on driving your own truck, you can explore nearby options by checking local rental truck providers.
Should I hire labor-only movers?
If you only need help with loading and unloading around places like Beaverdale or Waveland Park, consider hiring labor-only movers. This option is especially handy if you’re confident driving your own rental truck but need extra muscle to navigate those apartment stairs or tight corners in downtown Des Moines.
What if I need to move something special like a piano or pool table?
From carefully moving a grand piano in the historic East Village to relocating a pool table in the outskirts of Polk County, specialty moves in Des Moines often require the expertise of professional teams. Whether you’re looking for piano movers or pool table movers, the right service ensures that prized possessions like hot tubs, gun safes, or statues get the careful handling they deserve in the heart of Iowa.
