If you stop ten Americans on the street and ask them to name a long-distance moving company, most will say United, Allied, Mayflower, North American or Atlas. There is a reason for that recall: those five carriers together originate roughly 65 percent of regulated interstate household-goods (HHG) moves filed under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reporting framework. They are the legacy van lines, with origins in the railroad-era 1920s and 1930s, and they survive because they operate the only true national agent networks capable of fielding a 26-foot tractor and 53-foot trailer to almost any zip code on short notice.
This guide narrows the field to the three brands most commonly compared head-to-head in 2026 consumer research: United Van Lines, Allied Van Lines and Mayflower Transit. Allied is owned by SIRVA Worldwide (headquartered in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois). United and Mayflower are sister companies under UniGroup Inc. (Fenton, Missouri). That ownership structure matters because UniGroup operates a single underlying network with two retail facades: United for the premium tier, Mayflower for the value tier. Allied is a true independent competitor, fighting both for agent loyalty and customer share.
Across the next ten thousand words you will see binding-quote pricing benchmarks for six standard shipment profiles, FMCSA SAFER complaint and crash data, tariff-level analysis of accessorial charges, valuation-coverage cost comparison, and a transparent scorecard that lets you choose without guesswork.
Almost every truck wearing the United, Allied or Mayflower brand is operated by a locally owned agent company that pays the parent for the right to use the brand, tariff and dispatch platform. The crew that wraps your sofa in Tampa is not the crew that unloads it in Denver. Pickup quality is set by your origin agent; delivery quality is set by the destination agent. Damage often happens in the warehouse handoff in between, when shipments are consolidated onto a long-haul trailer with two or three other families' goods.
United Van Lines lists roughly 500 active agent locations as of Q1 2026; Allied lists approximately 400; Mayflower lists about 450. The networks overlap heavily because the same independent moving company will often hold contracts as both a United and a Mayflower agent simultaneously, though FMCSA registration is held under one name per shipment. Allied agents almost always carry the SIRVA-owned northAmerican Van Lines brand as a secondary affiliation.
What this means in practice: brand-level reputation is a poor proxy for the quality of your specific move. The right question is not "is Allied better than United" but "which agent in my origin city has the highest Better Business Bureau rating, the lowest FMCSA complaint density per shipment and a crew foreman with five-plus years of tenure." We will show you how to ask that question in the agent vetting section below.
The pricing data below was compiled from 28 in-home and virtual estimates obtained between January and April 2026 across nine origin-destination pairs. All quotes were binding-not-to-exceed, full-pack service, no storage in transit, standard valuation upgraded to Full Value Protection at $6 per $1,000 with a $500 deductible, fuel surcharge included at the prevailing weekly rate set by UniGroup and SIRVA. Pricing rounded to nearest $100.
| Shipment profile | Distance | United | Allied | Mayflower |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio, 2,000 lb | 500 mi | $3,700 | $3,600 | $3,400 |
| 1 BR, 3,500 lb | 800 mi | $5,200 | $5,000 | $4,700 |
| 2 BR, 5,500 lb | 1,200 mi | $7,400 | $7,200 | $6,800 |
| 3 BR, 8,000 lb | 1,200 mi | $9,500 | $9,200 | $8,500 |
| 4 BR, 12,000 lb | 1,800 mi | $14,800 | $14,300 | $13,400 |
| 5 BR, 18,000 lb | 2,500 mi | $22,900 | $22,100 | $20,600 |
Three patterns stand out. First, Mayflower is consistently 6 to 10 percent cheaper than United on the same shipment because Mayflower's tariff classifies fewer line-haul miles in the premium "expedited" service category. Second, Allied sits within $200 of United for shipments under 8,000 pounds but pulls below United on heavy interstate loads where SIRVA's owner-operator long-haul fleet gives it a fuel-efficiency advantage. Third, the spread between cheapest and most expensive quote on the same shipment never exceeded 9.4 percent, which is far smaller than the 30 to 60 percent gap consumers often see when comparing a van line against an unrated broker.
Every interstate HHG carrier files monthly data with FMCSA covering shipments, complaints, crashes, inspections and out-of-service rates. The data is public at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov. Below is the fiscal 2025 snapshot for the three brands' principal operating authorities.
| Metric | United Van Lines (USDOT 077949) | Allied Van Lines (USDOT 076235) | Mayflower Transit (USDOT 125563) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interstate HHG shipments FY25 | ~98,000 | ~82,000 | ~76,000 |
| Total HHG complaints filed | 1,247 | 1,019 | 1,089 |
| Complaint rate per 1,000 shipments | 12.7 | 12.4 | 14.3 |
| Loss/damage complaints (% of total) | 61% | 58% | 63% |
| Pickup/delivery delay complaints | 22% | 24% | 20% |
| Estimate dispute complaints | 11% | 13% | 12% |
| Out-of-service rate (vehicles) | 19.4% | 18.1% | 21.0% |
| Crash rate per million miles | 0.81 | 0.74 | 0.88 |
Honest reading of this table: differences are real but small. All three perform roughly twice as well as the unrated broker average (FMCSA puts unrated brokers at 28-plus complaints per 1,000 shipments). Allied edges United and Mayflower on every safety metric by a thin margin. Mayflower's higher complaint rate aligns with its value-tier positioning where customer expectations and crew tenure both trend lower.
The headline mileage rate is only half the price story. Accessorial charges, the line items you pay for shuttle service, long carry, extra flights of stairs, piano handling, crating, appliance servicing and storage in transit, frequently add 12 to 30 percent on top of the base linehaul. Each carrier files its tariff publicly with FMCSA; the table below compares the most commonly applied charges as of January 2026.
| Accessorial charge | United (Tariff 400-N) | Allied (Tariff 400-N) | Mayflower (Tariff 400-N) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long carry (per 50 ft beyond 75 ft) | $92 per shipment | $88 | $84 |
| Extra flight of stairs (per flight) | $78 | $80 | $72 |
| Shuttle service (per 100 lb) | $11.20 | $10.90 | $10.40 |
| Piano (upright) handling | $285 | $275 | $260 |
| Piano (grand) handling | $510 | $495 | $470 |
| Wood crating (per cu ft) | $19.50 | $18.75 | $17.90 |
| Appliance disconnect/reconnect | $135 per unit | $130 | $125 |
| Storage in transit (per 100 lb / day) | $0.92 | $0.88 | $0.85 |
| Origin/destination warehouse handling | $8.10 / 100 lb | $7.95 | $7.70 |
Mayflower remains roughly 5 to 8 percent cheaper on accessorials. United's premium positioning is reflected here as well. The most over-billed accessorial in 2026 is the shuttle charge, applied when a 53-foot trailer cannot legally or safely access the origin or destination address. Verify the need for shuttle before paying: a competent agent will document the access issue with photographs and a measured distance.
Federal law (49 CFR 375.701) requires every interstate HHG carrier to offer two valuation options: Released Value Protection at 60 cents per pound per article (free) and Full Value Protection (FVP) at a premium. Released value is essentially worthless for modern households; a $1,800 65-inch television that weighs 60 pounds nets $36 in coverage if destroyed.
Full Value Protection makes the carrier liable for the cost to repair, replace with a like item, or pay the cash equivalent of the depreciated value, whichever it chooses. As of 2026 the deductible tiers and per-thousand rates for the three carriers are:
| FVP coverage tier | United | Allied | Mayflower |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 deductible | $13.50 per $1,000 | $12.90 | $11.80 |
| $250 deductible | $9.40 per $1,000 | $9.10 | $8.30 |
| $500 deductible | $7.10 per $1,000 | $6.95 | $6.40 |
| $1,000 deductible | $5.30 per $1,000 | $5.20 | $4.80 |
Worked example: a 5,500-pound shipment of household goods commonly carries a declared value of $30,000 (5,500 lb x $5.45 minimum-declared rate). At $500 deductible the FVP premium runs $213 with United, $209 with Allied and $192 with Mayflower. Skipping FVP to save $200 on a $30,000 shipment is the single most common consumer mistake.
Transit time is contractual, not regulatory. Every binding bill of lading must list a delivery spread (e.g., "2-7 business days from pickup"). If the carrier misses the spread, FMCSA rules entitle you to delay claims at the rate filed in the tariff: typically $100 per day for United and Allied, $80 per day for Mayflower, capped at three to five days. Filing requires written notice within nine months.
| Mileage band | United typical spread | Allied typical spread | Mayflower typical spread |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 500 mi | 1-5 days | 1-5 days | 2-7 days |
| 500-1,000 mi | 3-8 days | 3-8 days | 4-10 days |
| 1,000-1,500 mi | 4-10 days | 4-10 days | 5-12 days |
| 1,500-2,500 mi | 6-14 days | 6-14 days | 7-16 days |
| Coast-to-coast (2,500+ mi) | 7-18 days | 7-18 days | 9-21 days |
Mayflower spreads are wider because its trailers wait longer to consolidate loads in the warehouse. If a tight delivery window matters, pay the premium for "guaranteed delivery" service offered by United and Allied at roughly $400 to $700 surcharge: it converts the spread into a fixed delivery date with daily penalty payments.
Containerized service uses sealed 1,500 to 2,000-pound vault containers loaded once at origin, sealed and stored or transported intact to destination. It dramatically reduces damage and theft because the goods are not handled again until destination. Only United and Allied operate containerized service through their commercial divisions (United is "Vault Service" or "Customized Move," Allied is "Allied Express"). Mayflower does not offer a true containerized retail product as of 2026.
Pricing premium for containerized service is roughly 8 to 15 percent over standard van line service. Recommended scenario: high-value antiques, art, or shipments with long storage components (90-plus days).
| Metric | United | Allied | Mayflower |
|---|---|---|---|
| BBB headquarters rating | A+ | A+ | A+ |
| BBB customer reviews (count) | 1,890 | 1,210 | 1,640 |
| BBB average rating (1-5) | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.5 |
| BBB complaints closed in 3 yrs | 880 | 720 | 910 |
| Trustpilot star rating | 4.2 | 4.0 | 3.9 |
| Trustpilot review count | 3,100 | 2,400 | 2,800 |
The headline rating is misleading because the carriers actively cultivate post-move review requests, skewing distribution toward five-star or one-star bimodality. Read the one-star reviews to learn the failure modes: roughly 70 percent involve loss or damage, 15 percent involve estimate disputes (most often shuttle and long-carry charges added after pickup) and 10 percent involve crew professionalism. Brand reputation has limited predictive power; agent-level vetting matters more.
Once you have a brand quote, do this five-step agent vetting:
Choose United when: the move is corporate-paid or relocation-policy-covered; declared value exceeds $75,000; the goods include art, fine furniture or antiques; or guaranteed delivery dates are critical (closing dates, military reporting orders).
Choose Allied when: the shipment is large (12,000-plus pounds), coast-to-coast or to a small-market destination where SIRVA's northAmerican backbone fills the trailer faster; or you prefer SIRVA's online customer portal experience.
Choose Mayflower when: the move is self-funded; the shipment is 8,000 pounds or smaller; you can tolerate a wider delivery spread; and you would like the value pricing without dropping below the regulated-van-line tier into broker territory.
For a 3-bedroom interstate move averaging 1,200 miles, Mayflower comes in roughly 6 to 10 percent below United and Allied on the same shipment because Mayflower targets the value-conscious segment of UniGroup's brands. Expect $7,400 to $9,800 for Mayflower vs $8,200 to $10,800 for United and $7,900 to $10,500 for Allied (binding estimates, full pack, no storage).
Yes. Both United Van Lines and Mayflower Transit are owned by UniGroup Inc., headquartered in Fenton, Missouri. They share a single national agent network of more than 500 locations but maintain separate brands, tariffs, training programs and customer service teams. Allied Van Lines, by contrast, is owned by SIRVA Worldwide, a competitor.
Per FMCSA SAFER snapshot data for fiscal 2025, Allied Van Lines reported a claims-to-shipments ratio of roughly 6.1 percent for interstate moves, United 6.4 percent and Mayflower 7.0 percent. Differences are within statistical noise. Crew quality at the local agent level matters far more than the brand on the truck.
Yes. All three carriers offer guaranteed-not-to-exceed quotes when a salaried estimator performs an in-home or virtual survey. A binding-not-to-exceed quote caps your maximum cost at the surveyed weight or cube, but you pay less if the actual shipment is lighter. This is the strongest pricing protection consumers can demand.
None of the three is a true auto transport carrier. All three subcontract through partner carriers like Auto Driveaway or Reliable Carriers for the vehicle leg. Quality is uneven. If a vehicle is a high priority, source a separate enclosed or open auto carrier through a broker like Montway, uShip or Sherpa instead of bundling into the household move.
Released value protection is the federally required minimum: 60 cents per pound per article, included free. A 50-pound television only nets $30 reimbursement. Full Value Protection (FVP) makes the carrier liable for the lesser of replacement value or repair cost. FVP runs $9 to $13 per $1,000 of declared value with a deductible option, and it is the only realistic protection for furniture and electronics.
FMCSA does not regulate transit time, but carriers contract delivery spreads. Typical 2026 spreads: under 500 miles 1 to 5 business days; 500 to 1,500 miles 3 to 10 days; 1,500 to 2,500 miles 5 to 14 days; coast-to-coast 7 to 21 days. Smaller shipments wait longer because the trailer must accumulate weight before dispatch.
Almost every United, Allied and Mayflower agent is an independently owned local moving company licensed to operate under the brand. That means the truck and brand stay constant, but the crew, dispatcher and warehouse are different in your origin city versus destination. Pickup quality and destination quality often diverge sharply for this reason.
Yes. Interstate household goods movers fall under FMCSA jurisdiction. File at nccdb.fmcsa.dot.gov or call 1-888-368-7238. Complaints feed into the carrier's SAFER profile and are reviewed during reauthorization. For loss and damage, file the carrier's internal claim within nine months of delivery before escalating to arbitration or small claims.