Best Iowa City Movers
Updated Jun 20, 2025
Looking for reliable Iowa City movers? See our top 10 recommended movers in Iowa City, IA based on extensive analysis. We analyzed 30 moving companies in Iowa City across 12,010 review data points and more than 18,000 movers nationwide using our 11-point rating system to help you determine which Iowa City moving company to hire. See the top 10 Iowa City movers, get data-based information on Iowa City moving costs, the cheapest movers in Iowa City, and our top recommendation for Long distance movers.
Key Takeaways:
- You First Moving is our overall top recommended moving company in Iowa City
- You First Moving is the most affordable movers in Iowa City
- Expect to spend somewhere between $495 and $1,578 on local Iowa City moving services
- Our rankings and results are unbiased & backed by data… NOT paid promotions
Best Moving Companies in Iowa City, IA
| Rank | Company | Score | BBB Rating | Avg Move Duration | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | You First Moving | 9.47 | NR | 5.5 hours | |
| 2 | Adamantine Spine Moving | 9.44 | A+ | 2.5 hours | |
| 3 | Horizon Movers and Climate Control Storage | 9.42 | A+ | - | |
| 4 | Best Move Inc | 9.25 | A+ | - | |
| 5 | White Glove Movers | 9.12 | A+ | 2.25 hours | |
| 6 | Hemmen Moving | 9.11 | A+ | 3 hours | |
| 7 | Iowa Moving 1 | 9.09 | A+ | 2 hours | |
| 8 | UniMovers Cedar Rapids | 9.02 | NR | 2 hours | |
| 9 | College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving | 8.46 | F | 2.25 hours | |
| 10 | Action Moving & Storage, Inc. | 8.38 | A+ | 4 hours |
Our Top Recommendations
You First Moving
2894 106th St Suite 110, Urbandale, IA, 50322
11-Point Rating
Best moving company overall in Iowa City, IA. You First Moving takes the #1 spot for our overall ranking and is the top recommended movers in Iowa City.
You First Moving is the number 1 ranked moving service in Iowa City, IA with an overall score of 9.47 out of 10. Based on our extensive analysis, this is an Exceptional score and places it in the top 98.84% of all movers in Iowa and the top 98.33% of moving companies nationwide. They score better than 29 other Iowa City moving companies and better than 170 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 | ↑ 18.6% | 173 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Punctuality | 9.78 | ↑ 22.5% | 47 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Affordability | 9.57 | ↑ 26.3% | 22 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Communication | 9.72 | ↑ 30.8% | 47 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Stick to Prices | 9.32 | ↑ 56.3% | 12 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Speed | 9.89 | ↑ 17.2% | 87 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Friendliness | 9.90 | ↑ 13.4% | 125 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Will Hire Again | 9.85 | ↑ 22.4% | 173 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Professionalism | 9.87 | ↑ 20.7% | 112 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Conflict Handling | 6.60 | ↑ 62.3% | 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 - 9.57/10
How affordable was the moving service?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Communication - 9.72/10
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 - 9.32/10
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 - 9.89/10
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!
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 - 6.60/10
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: Not Authorized for Interstate Moves (last checked 6/28/25)- 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
Adamantine Spine Moving
656 S Governor St, Iowa City, IA, 52240
11-Point Rating
Best movers to hire if you've got a tricky move where things could go wrong. Adamantine Spine Moving has a proven track record of making things right with their customers.
Adamantine Spine Moving is the number 2 ranked moving service in Iowa City, IA with an overall score of 9.44 out of 10. Based on our extensive analysis, this is an Exceptional score and places it in the top 98.27% of all movers in Iowa and the top 98.06% of moving companies nationwide. They score better than 28 other Iowa City 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 | 9.77 | ↑ 17.7% | 209 | 3 | 98.6% | |
| Punctuality | 9.78 | ↑ 22.6% | 69 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Affordability | 9.15 | ↑ 20.8% | 37 | 3 | 92.5% | |
| Communication | 9.62 | ↑ 29.5% | 116 | 3 | 97.5% | |
| Stick to Prices | 9.13 | ↑ 53.1% | 21 | 1 | 95.5% | |
| Speed | 9.47 | ↑ 12.2% | 68 | 4 | 94.4% | |
| Friendliness | 9.73 | ↑ 11.4% | 140 | 3 | 97.9% | |
| Will Hire Again | 9.66 | ↑ 20.1% | 201 | 6 | 97.1% | |
| Professionalism | 9.71 | ↑ 18.8% | 141 | 3 | 97.9% | |
| Conflict Handling | 8.19 | ↑ 101.3% | 13 | 2 | 86.7% | |
| Precision & Care | 9.67 | ↑ 22.0% | 115 | 2 | 98.3% |
Recent Adamantine Spine Moving Reviews
Quality - 9.77/10
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 - 9.15/10
How affordable was the moving service?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Communication - 9.62/10
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 - 9.13/10
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 - 9.47/10
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 - 9.73/10
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 - 9.66/10
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
Conflict Handling - 8.19/10
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 - 9.67/10
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 6/27/25)- USDOT: 1471037
- MC: 556716
- ENTITY TYPE: Carrier
37
Registered Trucks, Tractors, or Vans
41
Registered Drivers
5/19/25
Most Recent USDOT Update
428,269
Annual Interstate Miles (2024)
Detailed Customer Insights
Based on our analysis of Adamantine Spine Moving's customer reviews:
2.5 hrs
Local Move Duration
based on 5 reviews
8 days
Interstate Move Duration
based on 4 reviews
Horizon Movers and Climate Control Storage
10981 118th St, Davenport, IA, 52804
11-Point Rating
Horizon Movers and Climate Control Storage is the number 3 ranked moving service in Iowa City, IA with an overall score of 9.42 out of 10. Based on our extensive analysis, this is an Exceptional score and places it in the top 97.69% of all movers in Iowa and the top 97.78% of moving companies nationwide. They score better than 27 other Iowa City moving companies and better than 168 movers in Iowa.
Our Research
11 Point Rating
| Metric | Score Out of 10 | vs Nationwide Comparison between Horizon Movers and Climate Control 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 | 9.76 | ↑ 17.6% | 159 | 1 | 99.4% | |
| Punctuality | 9.66 | ↑ 21.0% | 34 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Affordability | 9.08 | ↑ 19.9% | 12 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Communication | 9.64 | ↑ 29.7% | 41 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Stick to Prices | 8.74 | ↑ 46.5% | 6 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Speed | 9.73 | ↑ 15.3% | 38 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Friendliness | 9.86 | ↑ 12.9% | 98 | 0 | 100.0% | |
| Will Hire Again | 9.74 | ↑ 21.0% | 151 | 1 | 99.3% | |
| Professionalism | 9.71 | ↑ 18.8% | 98 | 2 | 98.0% | |
| Conflict Handling | 7.99 | ↑ 96.5% | 7 | 1 | 87.5% | |
| Precision & Care | 9.69 | ↑ 22.3% | 94 | 2 | 97.9% |
Recent Horizon Movers and Climate Control Storage Reviews
Quality - 9.76/10
Overall quality of the service provided on moving day.
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Punctuality - 9.66/10
Did the crew show up on-time with the required equipment?
Recent Customer Praises
Recent Customer Complaints
Overall Review Distribution
Affordability - 9.08/10
How affordable was the moving service?
Overall Review Distribution
Communication - 9.64/10
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 - 8.74/10
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 - 9.73/10
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 - 9.86/10
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 - 9.74/10
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
Conflict Handling - 7.99/10
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 Horizon Movers and Climate Control Storage
- Local Moving
- Long Distance Moving
- Climate Control Storage
- Portable Storage
- Junk Removal
- Free Packaging Materials
- Shrink Wrap for Furniture
- On-Site & In-Home Free Estimates
- Same Employees Round-Trip
- All Furniture is Shrink Wrapped
Licenses
We do not currently have license data to display for Horizon Movers and Climate Control Storage
Detailed Customer Insights
Based on our analysis of Horizon Movers and Climate Control Storage's customer reviews:
Best Move Inc
Burlington, IA, 52601
11-Point Rating
White Glove Movers
4600 Commercial Ave, Marion, IA, 52302
11-Point Rating
Hemmen Moving
1293 W Ave, Ames, IA, 50014
11-Point Rating
Iowa Moving 1
2958 99th St # 5, Urbandale, IA, 50322
11-Point Rating
UniMovers Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids, IA, 52405
11-Point Rating
College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving
10500 Hickman Rd suite h, Clive, IA, 50325
11-Point Rating
Action Moving & Storage, Inc.
514 Clark St, Sioux City, IA, 51101
11-Point Rating
How Much Do Movers Cost in Iowa City, IA?
Movers in Iowa City, IA cost on average $495 for a crew of 2 movers and a truck to move a 1 bedroom apartment up to an average of $2,969 for 4 movers and a truck to move a 4 bedroom house. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by type of move and home size.
| Home Size | Crew Size | Labor Only | Movers & Truck | Full Service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | 2 | $124 | $309 | $557 |
| 1 Bedroom | 2 | $198 | $495 | $866 |
| 2 Bedrooms | 3 | $445 | $1,114 | $1,949 |
| 3 Bedrooms | 3 | $631 | $1,578 | $2,877 |
| 4 Bedrooms | 4 | $1,188 | $2,969 | $5,197 |
| 5+ Bedrooms | 4 | $1,485 | $3,712 | $6,434 |
*Please note: These Iowa City moving prices are rough approximations based upon nationwide data as well as local Iowa City and/or Iowa data. To determine the exact costs associated with your move, get a quote from a licensed Iowa City mover.
How we ranked the top Iowa City 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 Iowa City, IA.
Rating Methodology
Here's the methodology we used to come up with the best movers in Iowa City:
Our original review-based ranking algorithm
We started with a total of 30 companies that offer moving services in the Iowa City area.
From these 30 companies, we analyzed a total of 5,307 reviews dating all the way back to July 2010.
We also reviewed a total of 2 state and federal moving licenses from these 30 companies and 147 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 12,010 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 1,238 Iowa City 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 College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving) vs older more established companies (like Action Moving & Storage, Inc.).
The Great Guys Moving 11-Point Rating Breakdown
Our 11-point rating criteria scores every Iowa City 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 12,010 data points across 30 moving companies and 5,307 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 Iowa City.
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 Iowa City movers have performed over time
11-Point Rating Comparison
Detailed breakdown of Iowa City moving company 11-point ratings
Iowa-wide 11-Point Percentile Comparison
See how the top movers in Iowa City compare to all movers in Iowa
 Quality |  Punctuality |  Affordability |  Communication |  Stick to Prices |  Speed |  Friendliness |  Will Hire Again |  Professionalism |  Conflict Handling |  Precision & Care | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | You First Moving Exceptional9.47 | 99 | 97 | 96 | 99 | 98 | 99 | 98 | 100 | 99 | 88 | 99 |
2 | Adamantine Spine Moving Exceptional9.44 | 96 | 98 | 82 | 96 | 96 | 69 | 82 | 93 | 93 | 97 | 94 |
3 | Horizon Movers and Climate Control Storage Exceptional9.42 | 96 | 94 | 80 | 97 | 91 | 90 | 95 | 97 | 94 | 96 | 96 |
4 | Best Move Inc Exceptional9.25 | 90 | 88 | 81 | 91 | 78 | 82 | 87 | 90 | 88 | 95 | 91 |
5 | White Glove Movers Exceptional9.12 | 85 | 89 | 88 | 83 | 79 | 95 | 86 | 82 | 92 | 85 | 88 |
6 | Hemmen Moving Exceptional9.11 | 88 | 86 | 94 | 88 | 91 | 93 | 87 | 88 | 82 | 71 | 92 |
7 | Iowa Moving 1 Exceptional9.09 | 76 | 73 | 67 | 90 | 87 | 92 | 81 | 78 | 80 | 89 | 77 |
8 | UniMovers Cedar Rapids Superb9.02 | 90 | 82 | 70 | 74 | 82 | 91 | 94 | 96 | 91 | 73 | 91 |
9 | College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving Fabulous8.46 | 78 | 63 | 64 | 66 | 42 | 82 | 95 | 81 | 96 | 57 | 71 |
| 10 A | Action Moving & Storage, Inc. Very Good8.38 | 65 | 91 | 56 | 83 | 49 | 59 | 78 | 69 | 69 | 39 | 59 |
Percentile Ranking
List of All Iowa City Moving Companies Analyzed
See all of our Iowa City moving company reviews
- College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving
- Iowa Moving 1
- Lint Van Lines
- U-Pack
- Two Men and a Truck
- Porter Moving Company
- UniMovers Cedar Rapids
- Maher Brothers Transfer & Storage
- PODS Moving & Storage
- Heck's Transfer and Moving
- Allied Van Lines
- Horizon Movers and Climate Control Storage
- Action Moving & Storage, Inc.
- Adamantine Spine Moving
- NeX Level Moving
- Always Moving Forward
- Helping Hands Moving Services LLC
- Stannard Relocations LLC
- Caring Transitions of Northeast Iowa
- Hemmen Moving
- All Mighty Movers
- You First Moving
- White Glove Movers
- O'Brien Moving and Storage
- Elite Moving Services
- Best Move Inc
- ProfessionalMovingGuys
- C & K Transfer, L.L.C.
- Field Bros. Moving, Inc.
- Lifeson LLC
Frequently Asked Questions About Moving in Iowa City
How much should you tip movers in Iowa City, IA?
In Iowa City, it’s common to tip movers around 10-20% of the total moving cost or roughly $5 per mover per hour, especially if they’re hauling bulky furniture through neighborhoods like Northside or maneuvering boxes up narrow downtown apartment stairs. Showing gratitude in this way helps keep morale high during any big relocation. As a final touch, you might also offer them something refreshing like an iced coffee from a local café to show appreciation for all their hard work.
Is it cheaper to make a DIY move in Iowa City?
Taking the DIY route might save you a few bucks in Iowa City, but don’t forget extra costs for truck rental, fuel, and packing materials—plus the challenge of navigating traffic on I-80 with a loaded vehicle. Sorting out a hand truck, moving pads, and friends to help can also stretch your timeline. If you’re committed to rolling up your sleeves, check out truck rental in Iowa City to find the right vehicle for your do-it-yourself move.
Should I hire labor-only movers?
If you already have a truck or storage container and just need an extra set of hands, labor-only services are perfect for your move in Iowa City. Whether you’re loading furniture for a short hop from Coralville to the South District or rearranging heavy items in a house near College Green Park, these pros handle the toughest tasks. Check out Iowa City moving labor for skilled assistance that fits your schedule and budget.
What if I need to move something special like a piano or pool table?
For challenging items like pianos, pool tables, or even hot tubs, you’ll want qualified specialists in Iowa City who know how to protect and transport your valuables. Whether you’re moving a cherished upright piano from the Longfellow neighborhood or situating a pool table in a new rec room near the Iowa River, professionals ensure safe handling every step of the way. Consider hiring Iowa City piano movers or pool table movers for a smoother, stress-free experience.
