Our 2024 Review: International Van Lines
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International Van Lines (IVL) scored the highest in our evaluation of the best moving companies, standing out for its extensive services. With its custom crating for specialty items and single point of contact throughout the moving process, IVL provides you with a tailored experience to help eliminate all stress regarding your move.
Our team created an extensive methodology to assess moving companies, scoring them on their services and features, reliability, flexibility, and overall value. We also evaluated thousands of consumer reviews to appraise each company’s customer experience. Read our guide to determine if IVL is the right company for your next move.
388 movers requested and received a free no-obligation quote from one of the above companies in the last 30 days.
Our Rating of International Van Lines
Based on our rating system, IVL earned 4.7 out of 5 stars, the highest of all the moving companies we assessed. Here’s an overview of the standards we used to evaluate each moving company.
- Services and features: Our team rated each company based on its essential services, the moving materials offered, and extra features such as climate-controlled storage and crating.
- Reliability: We explored each company’s reputation, years in business, state and international availability, and expertise.
- Cost and value: This evaluated the company’s pricing, promotions, and insurance options.
- Flexibility: We assessed the company’s customer support, cancellation policy, and quote process.
Read on to discover how IVL performed in each category.
Services and Features
IVL scored 4.6 out of 5 stars for its services and features, on par with most of its competitors. Like other movers, it offers services such as loading and unloading, furniture disassembly and reassembly, and short-term storage.
We liked that it offers custom crating, which can protect musical instruments, chandeliers, and other valuable items with a uniquely built crate. Competitors such as American Van Lines, BLVD Moving, Interstate Moving & Relocation (IMRG), and Moving APT fail to offer this service.
The company also stands out from competitors such as American Van Lines, Safeway Moving Inc., and BLVD Moving for providing vehicle shipping. Additionally, we found that it supplies a larger selection of moving supplies than any of its competitors, which can streamline your move.
IVL lost points for failing to provide post-move cleanup services, which you’ll find with a mover such as American Van Lines or IMRG. It also lacks a self-service option, so you’d be better off booking NAVL or Allied if you prefer to do most of the move yourself.
Note: When scoring for services and features, we looked at the company’s standard services, packing materials, and extra features.
Reliability
IVL received a perfect score of 5 out of 5 stars for reliability. Founded in 2000, it has a longer track record than competitors such as Safeway and IMRG.
Similar to its competitors, the company is insured and bonded and background checks all of its moving crew members. This provides better peace of mind that your household goods are protected and reduces the risk of moving fraud.
We’re impressed with IVL’s presence in more than 150 countries. The company mainly relies on ocean freight but uses air freight to expedite global moves for a fee. It also provides overseas auto transport services. Many of its top competitors—American Van Lines, Safeway, BLVD Moving, IMRG, and Moving APT—don’t offer international moving services at all.
We also appreciated that IVL has a carrier license, unlike IMRG and Moving APT. With this designation, you can expect a higher level of customer service and expertise than you might with subcontracted movers.
Note: To gauge a company’s reliability, we examined its overall reputation, years of experience, availability, and level of expertise.
Cost and Value
In our analysis of cost and value, IVL earned 4 out of 5 stars, higher than the other moving companies we reviewed.
The company requires a 25% deposit to reserve your move, which is lower than American Van Lines and Safeway’s deposit. Additionally, we liked that it offers financing options, which is a big benefit if you don’t have all the money upfront to move. Only one other competitor we reviewed—JK Moving Services—provides financing.
IVL offers financing through a lending partner, Enhancify. You can compare your financing options on the Enhancify website with a soft credit inquiry that won’t impact your credit score before making a decision.
Unlike Safeway, BLVD Moving, and Moving APT, IVL also provides an added layer of protection with third-party insurance, which bulks up your moving insurance coverage based on the weight of your belongings.
The biggest drawback we found is that IVL doesn’t default to binding estimates, which nearly all of its competitors do. Likewise, the company doesn’t offer price matching, which would lower your moving quote to match better offers from other companies. If you’re looking for a mover that offers price matching, explore American Van Lines, Safeway, or Moving APT.
Note: We considered a company’s pricing, discounts, and insurance to assess its cost and value.
Flexibility
IVL scored 5 out of 5 stars in our evaluation of its flexibility, one of only three companies to secure a perfect score. It earned this rating by offering free cancellations, unlike Safeway, Allied, NAVL, and IMRG. This flexible feature allows you to adjust your moving plans without worrying about added costs.
We loved that IVL pairs you with a singular contact who aids you from the time you obtain your free quote to the day of the move, unlike American Van Lines, Safeway, BLVD Moving, Mayflower, IMRG, and Moving APT. This service gives you a clear line of communication and a more tailored experience.
We also appreciate that you can schedule your move online, an option you don’t have with American Van Lines and Moving APT. This provides more flexibility by not requiring you to call during business hours.
IVL also earned points for its use of GPS tracking.
We contacted a representative to learn more about IVL’s GPS tracking. She told us that IVL uses in-house tracking to protect its drivers and monitor your belongings, notifying you of their progress throughout the move.
All the companies we reviewed, excluding BLVD Moving, include GPS tracking, and we were happy to see that IVL grants peace of mind with this feature.
Note: When scoring for flexibility, we looked at the cancellation policy, quote process, and customer support.
Our Summary and Review of International Van Lines
- Founded: 2000
- State Availability: 50
- Deposit Required: Up to 25%
- USDOT: #2293832
- ✔ Local Moves ✔ Long-Distance Moves ✔ International Moves
IVL is a full-service moving company that provides local, interstate, and international moves. It had the highest overall score of the moving companies we reviewed, mainly due to its lineup of moving services, which includes vehicle shipping, custom crating, and moving materials.
The company also stands out for its flexibility—you can take advantage of free cancellations, which major competitors such as Allied Van Lines and North American Van Lines don’t offer. This perk assures you that you won’t be penalized if your moving needs change.
We were also impressed with IVL’s substantial discount offerings. The company extends promotions to military members, veterans, seniors, students, and AAA members, making it even more cost-effective for you to move if you fall into those categories.
IVL outscored its competitors for its overall cost and value, but the biggest drawback we found was its lack of binding quotes. While competitors such as American Van Lines, United Van Lines, and Mayflower Moving default to a binding estimate that locks in your rate, IVL provides ballpark quotes that are subject to change at the time of your move. This is inconvenient if you prefer to know what you’re paying upfront.
Pros and Cons
Here are some key advantages and disadvantages of IVL to consider:
Pros
- Matches you with a dedicated moving consultant throughout your move
- Boasts flexible payment plans and several discounts
- Creates custom crates for specialty items such as grand pianos
- Ships vehicles for interstate and international moves
- Provides moving kits, blankets and pads, stretch wrap, and boxes
Cons
- Defaults to ballpark estimates rather than binding ones
- Doesn’t provide post-move cleanup services
- Has no do-it-yourself (DIY) or self-service moving option
International Van Lines Moving Services and Pricing
IVL offers a lineup of à la carte services you can combine to create a customized moving plan. These range from simple loading and unloading to more involved moves with packing services, storage, furniture assembly, and vehicle shipping.
The cost of your move is determined by the distance, the weight of your belongings, the services you choose, and a handful of other factors. Keep reading to learn about IVL’s services and costs.
Moving Services Offered
Move Distance Availability
- Local
- Interstate
- Long-distance
- International
Basic Moving Services
- Loading and unloading
- Packing and unpacking
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly
- Fragile and antique packing
- One month of free storage
Extra Features
- Climate-controlled storage
- Custom crating
- Specialty and large item moving
- Vehicle shipping
Pricing Breakdown
Here’s a price breakdown for a three-bedroom move with and without packing through IVL. We obtained these quotes by directly contacting a sales representative during our secret shopping process.
| Move Type | Cost Range (Without Packing) | Cost Range (With Packing) | Move Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local | $3,000–$6,500 | $3,500–$8,050 | 30 miles |
| Long-Distance | $3,500–$12,000 | $4,000–$13,600 | 1,300 miles |
| International | $9,900–$15,550 | $10,500–$16,750 | 3,800 miles |
We appreciated the transparency during the quote process. When we contacted a rep to get a quote for a move from Raleigh to Durham, she quickly recommended a local moving company as a more cost-effective option.
International Van Lines Reviews
We analyzed hundreds of IVL’s 1,500 reviews published on the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Google Reviews, and Trustpilot.
Our team found that many homeowners praised the IVL team for being courteous and efficient and handling their items carefully. Meanwhile, we discovered some negative reviews that cited delays, price increases from the moving quotes they received upfront, and poor communication on the delivery date.
We chose these reviews because they highlighted common complaints and compliments among IVL’s customers. Tushar’s review called out the company for adding unexpected charges on their moving date, which is a common complaint for moving companies that don’t default to binding estimates.
Meanwhile, Kevin praised the movers for carefully handling his family’s china and antique cars, which suggested to us that IVL can be trusted with your priceless belongings.
Breakdown by Review Site
Here’s an overview of how IVL interacts with customers on the BBB, Trustpilot, and Google Reviews:
- BBB: IVL’s Coral Springs, FL, BBB profile has an A+ rating, no accreditation, and a 2.98 out of 5-star rating. We observed that the company responds to complaints but not to every review.
- Trustpilot: IVL is verified by Trustpilot and has a rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars. Our research revealed that the company only responds to positive Trustpilot reviews and fails to address complaints.
- Google Reviews: The company has an average of 4.2 out of 5 stars on Google Reviews. While it hasn’t always responded to complaints, IVL has addressed all of its recent reviews, providing practical solutions to customer concerns.
We saw a few trends when we researched IVL’s customer reviews. First, we noted that its scores are on par with those of competitors such as Safeway and American Van Lines on all the sites we reviewed. It also significantly outscored NAVL and Allied on the BBB website.
We were impressed with IVL’s generally positive reputation on online review sites but felt the company could do a better job addressing complaints. Although representatives are quick to resolve issues on Google Reviews, they only respond to positive reviews on Trustpilot and exclusively address complaints with the BBB.
*All review scores were accurate when published.
Compare International Van Lines to Other Moving Companies
IVL offers customized moving solutions for everything from local to cross-country moves. Compared to its competitors, it stands out for offering à la carte services but falls short by failing to provide binding quotes.
| Company | Star Rating | State Availability | Service Model | No. of Specialty Services | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 States | Carrier and broker | 9 | GET ESTIMATE | ||
| 48 States (not in AK or HI) | Carrier and broker | 9 | GET ESTIMATE | ||
| 50 States | Carrier | 10 | GET ESTIMATE | ||
| 50 States | Carrier | 10 | GET ESTIMATE | ||
| 50 States | Carrier and broker | 10 | GET ESTIMATE |
Is International Van Lines Right for You?
International Van Lines can be worth the investment if you’re looking for customizable moving services from an experienced company with a proven track record.
IVL is one of the best movers we’ve researched for complex moves. It has the services and expertise needed to pack and move unique items with care. It could also be a worthwhile choice if you’re planning an international move because of its vehicle shipping services, air and freight transit, and presence in more than 150 countries.
Moreover, its free cancellations and a wide array of discounts make it an appealing choice if you want a balance of quality and value.
While the lack of binding quotes might deter some customers, IVL’s wealth of positive reviews suggests that most customers are satisfied with the value the company brings to their move. Just be aware that your moving costs might fluctuate from your initial quote.
International Van Lines FAQ
What items can International Van Lines not move?
Like other moving companies, International Van Lines can’t move prohibited items such as fireworks, aerosol cans, alcohol, pool chemicals, and financial documents. It’s also restricted from moving perishable items unless the move is less than 150 miles away and can be completed in 24 hours.
Does International Van Lines charge extra to move heavy items?
Yes. International Van Lines charges extra to move large, bulky, or oddly shaped items that can’t easily be stacked. This includes items such as canoes, treadmills, and pianos. The company also charges an added fee to handle motorcycles.
Is International Van Lines better than American Van Lines?
Yes. Our comparison of the two companies determined that International Van Lines is a better moving company overall than American Van Lines since it provides international moves, more flexible payment options and savings opportunities, and a more customizable moving experience. However, American Van Lines has a few distinct advantages, mainly its use of binding estimates and offering of post-move cleanup services.
How We Chose the Top Moving Companies
We researched and analyzed dozens of full- and self-service moving companies and formulated a moving review methodology based on a number of factors, including package options, pricing, and reputation. We also identified customer pain points based on customer review analysis, proprietary consumer surveys, and interviews with former and current moving professionals.
Speaking directly to a representative at each company, we determined the number of package options available, the coverage provided, the types of moves available (long-distance, local, and international), and any extra perks offered, such as mobile apps, moving checklists, and 24/7 customer service.
We also gathered pricing data from each of the companies and determined whether they provide ballpark estimates or binding quotes. To determine reputation, we evaluated companies based on their rating with the Better Business Bureau as well as their overall score on Yelp.
