Best Moving Companies in San Francisco (2026)
Independent comparison guide • Updated July 2026
Best Moving Companies in San Francisco: A Transparent 2026 Comparison
Choosing among the best moving companies in San Francisco can be difficult because every mover offers a different combination of services, pricing, experience, storage, packing, and geographic coverage.
This guide compares established moving companies serving San Francisco using publicly available information from company websites and government licensing resources. We have included CareMore Moving & Storage alongside other recognized movers so customers can compare their options in one place.
Rather than declaring one company universally best, this guide shows which movers may be best suited to different types of moves, including apartment moves, small moves, long-distance relocations, commercial projects, and moves requiring storage.
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Quick Answer:
The best San Francisco mover depends on what you need. CareMore is a strong option for local apartment and condo moves, packing, commercial moving, and customers who want moving and secure San Francisco warehouse storage from one company. Jay’s Small Moves is focused on smaller Bay Area moves, while Gentle Giant, Pure Moving, and NorthStar offer broader long-distance capabilities. The comparison below explains the differences.
Local SF Moves
Apartment & Condo Moves
Packing Services
Moving & Storage
Commercial Moving
Long-Distance Moving
Editorial disclosure:
This guide is published by CareMore Moving & Storage, one of the companies included in the comparison. We have made reasonable efforts to present competitors accurately and respectfully using publicly available information. Services, locations, policies, and availability may change, so customers should verify current details directly with each company.
Contents
- How we evaluated San Francisco movers
- Moving company comparison table
- Best movers by type of move
- Company profiles
- San Francisco moving costs
- Questions to ask a mover
- How to verify a California mover
- Frequently asked questions
How We Evaluated Moving Companies
There is no single moving company that is best for every customer. A studio apartment move within the Mission District has different requirements from an interstate relocation, a commercial office move, or a move involving several months of storage.
We therefore compared each company using practical criteria that commonly influence the success of a San Francisco move.
| Criterion | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| California moving license | Household-goods movers operating within California should hold the required state authority. |
| San Francisco experience | Local knowledge matters when dealing with hills, restricted parking, stairs, elevators, loading docks, and COIs. |
| Apartment and condo moving | Many SF moves involve compact buildings, narrow stairways, elevator windows, and HOA requirements. |
| Packing services | Professional packing can reduce preparation time and help protect fragile belongings. |
| Storage options | Storage is valuable during lease gaps, renovations, staging projects, delayed closings, and downsizing. |
| Commercial moving | Businesses may require office furniture handling, building coordination, phased moves, and commercial storage. |
| Long-distance capabilities | Customers leaving the Bay Area may need interstate transportation, coordination, and destination services. |
| Published pricing or estimate information | Clear estimates help customers understand labor, travel, materials, storage, and other possible costs. |
We intentionally have not hard-coded Google review counts into the main comparison because ratings and totals can change frequently. Customers should check each company’s current Google Business Profile and recent reviews before booking.
San Francisco Moving Company Comparison
The chart below reflects services publicly promoted by each company as of the most recent update. A checkmark means the service is clearly advertised. “Ask” means the service was not clearly confirmed in the sources reviewed and should be verified directly.
| Feature | CareMore | Gentle Giant | Pure Moving | Jay’s | Delancey Street | OCD Moving | NorthStar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local San Francisco moves | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Apartment moves | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Packing services | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Ask | ✓ | ✓ |
| Commercial or office moving | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Short-term storage | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Ask | Ask | ✓ | ✓ |
| Long-term storage | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Ask | Ask | Ask | ✓ |
| Pickup, storage and redelivery | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Ask | Ask | Ask | ✓ |
| Long-distance moving | Selected routes | ✓ | ✓ | Ask | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Published hourly rates | Quote based | Quote based | Quote based | ✓ | Ask | Quote based | Quote based |
| SF-based warehouse advertised | ✓ | ✓ | Ask | Ask | Ask | Ask | Local facilities advertised |
Note: “Ask” does not mean a company cannot provide the service. It means the service was not clearly confirmed in the public information reviewed for this guide.
Best San Francisco Movers by Type of Move
The following recommendations are based on each company’s publicly stated services and positioning. Customers should still obtain estimates and confirm availability before making a final decision.
| Moving Need | Companies to Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Local apartment or condo move | CareMore, Jay’s, Pure, OCD, CareMore | Each markets local residential moving in San Francisco or the Bay Area. |
| Moving with storage | CareMore, Gentle Giant, NorthStar, Pure | Each advertises moving and storage services, although storage terms and access policies differ. |
| Small local move | Jay’s Small Moves, CareMore | Jay’s specializes in small and local moves; CareMore handles studios, apartments, labor-only moves, and smaller SF projects. |
| Office or commercial move | CareMore, Gentle Giant, Delancey Street, OCD, NorthStar | All advertise business, office, corporate, or commercial relocation services. |
| Interstate or national move | Gentle Giant, Pure Moving, NorthStar | These companies advertise extensive long-distance or interstate capabilities. |
| Renovation or lease-gap storage | CareMore, Gentle Giant, NorthStar | Each promotes pickup, professional handling, storage, and later delivery. |
| Furniture or equipment reconfiguration | Delancey Street, CareMore, OCD | These companies advertise office reconfiguration, in-home moving, or labor services. |
When CareMore May Be the Best Fit
CareMore may be particularly suitable for customers who want a locally based San Francisco team to handle both moving and storage. The company operates from 925 Palou Avenue and provides local residential moving, apartment and condo moving, packing, commercial moving, secure warehouse storage, and scheduled redelivery.
This can be especially convenient during lease gaps, renovations, home staging, downsizing, delayed closings, or business relocations because one company manages pickup, protection, storage, and final delivery.
San Francisco Moving Company Profiles
CareMore Moving & Storage
CareMore Moving & Storage is a San Francisco-based moving and storage company operating from 925 Palou Avenue. The company serves local residential and commercial customers and holds California household-goods authority under CAL-T 0190970.
CareMore’s publicly listed services include apartment moves, condo moves, local residential moving, packing, office and commercial moving, white-glove moving, labor-only services, and short- or long-term warehouse storage.
May be a good fit for:
- Apartment and condo moves within San Francisco
- Customers who need packing and moving from one company
- Lease gaps and temporary storage
- Renovation and home-staging storage
- Office and commercial moving
- Customers who want pickup, storage, and later redelivery
Gentle Giant Moving Company
Gentle Giant began operating in 1987 and has expanded beyond its original market into multiple locations, including San Francisco. Its San Francisco service page advertises local moving, long-distance moving, storage, packing, commercial moving, small moves, and piano moving.
The company also promotes secure storage and states that its movers are full-time employees trained in packing, handling, and logistics.
May be a good fit for:
- Customers seeking an established multi-market moving company
- Local or long-distance moves
- Commercial relocations
- Packing and custom crating
- Moves requiring storage
- Piano or specialty moving
Pure Moving Company
Pure Moving Company provides local and long-distance moving services in several markets, including San Francisco. Its website advertises residential moving, commercial moving, packing, and storage-related services.
Pure publicly lists California license number MTR0191103. Because the company operates in multiple metropolitan areas, customers should confirm which storage and service options are available specifically for their San Francisco move.
May be a good fit for:
- Residential moves within San Francisco
- Long-distance and interstate relocations
- Packing and unpacking
- Customers comparing larger multi-location movers
- Residential or commercial projects
Jay’s Small Moves
Jay’s Small Moves serves San Francisco and the wider Bay Area, with a particular emphasis on small and local moves. Its website promotes residential and business moving, packing, furniture assembly and disassembly, and disposal-related services.
Jay’s also publishes hourly crew rates on its website, which can be useful for customers seeking a clearly stated starting point. Customers should review the company’s base charges, minimums, and other applicable fees when comparing total estimates.
May be a good fit for:
- Studio and one-bedroom moves
- Smaller local moves
- Customers who prefer published hourly rates
- Furniture assembly or disassembly
- Residential and small business moves
Delancey Street Moving & Transportation
Delancey Street Moving & Transportation is operated as part of the Delancey Street Foundation. Its official website advertises household moves, office moves, furniture and equipment reconfiguration, and corporate relocations.
Customers considering Delancey Street should contact the organization directly to confirm current availability, packing options, scheduling, geographic coverage, and whether storage is available for the specific project.
May be a good fit for:
- Household moves
- Office relocations
- Corporate moves
- Furniture and equipment reconfiguration
- Customers interested in supporting a social-enterprise organization
OCD Moving Services
OCD Moving Services is based in the East Bay and serves San Francisco and surrounding Bay Area communities. Its website advertises local moving, out-of-state moving, commercial moving, residential moving, packing and unpacking, piano moving, and in-house moving.
The company may appeal to customers who need help moving furniture within an existing home during renovations or layout changes, in addition to conventional origin-to-destination moves.
May be a good fit for:
- East Bay and San Francisco moves
- Residential or commercial relocations
- Packing and unpacking
- In-house furniture moves
- Out-of-state moving
- Piano moving
NorthStar Moving Company
NorthStar Moving was founded in 1994 and advertises local, long-distance, international moving, packing, commercial moving, luxury moving packages, and full-service storage. Its San Francisco pages state that local storage facilities are available for Bay Area customers.
NorthStar is headquartered in Southern California and operates in multiple regions. Customers should confirm which crews, facilities, pricing, and service terms apply to their specific San Francisco move.
May be a good fit for:
- Long-distance or international relocations
- Residential and commercial moving
- Packing and unpacking
- Art and specialty-item handling
- Customers seeking full-service storage
- Larger or complex relocations
Explore CareMore’s San Francisco Moving Services
Customers comparing movers may also find the following service guides helpful:
Apartment Movers San Francisco
White Glove Movers San Francisco
Commercial Storage San Francisco
Self-Storage vs Full-Service Storage
How Much Do Movers Cost in San Francisco?
Most local San Francisco movers charge by the hour. The final price depends on crew size, total hours, inventory, stairs, elevator access, walking distance, parking, packing, travel policies, specialty items, materials, insurance selections, and storage requirements.
Because companies use different rate structures, comparing the hourly rate alone can be misleading. One company may advertise a lower hourly price but charge separate truck, fuel, travel, materials, or base fees.
Compare the complete estimate, including:
- Number of movers
- Hourly labor rate
- Minimum hours
- Travel-time policy
- Truck or fuel charges
- Standard and packing materials
- Insurance or valuation options
- Parking or permit costs
- Storage and redelivery charges
Jay’s Small Moves currently publishes crew rates on its website. CareMore and several other companies prepare customized estimates based on the move’s inventory, access, services, and scheduling requirements.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring a San Francisco Mover
- Are you licensed to move household goods in California?
- Will your own employees perform the move?
- Is the estimate hourly, flat-rate, binding, or not-to-exceed?
- When does billable time begin and end?
- Are fuel, travel, truck, materials, or parking charged separately?
- Can you provide a Certificate of Insurance if my building requires one?
- How will furniture, floors, doors, and elevators be protected?
- Do you provide packing and unpacking?
- Do you provide storage if my new home is not ready?
- What happens if the move takes longer than estimated?
- What valuation or protection options are available?
- Who should I contact if there is a problem?
How to Verify a California Moving Company
Before hiring a mover for an intrastate household move, confirm that the business has the required California authority. Customers can review consumer information and mover requirements through the California Public Utilities Commission.
California Public Utilities Commission household-goods mover information
Ask the moving company for its license number and make sure the business name on the paperwork matches the company you hired. Be cautious if a mover refuses to provide written terms, requests unusually large cash deposits, or presents an estimate that seems dramatically lower than every competing quote.
Best Moving Companies in San Francisco — FAQs
Who is the best moving company in San Francisco?
Which San Francisco movers offer storage?
Which mover is best for an apartment move?
Which mover is best for a small move?
Which movers handle office relocations?
Should I choose the mover with the lowest hourly rate?
How many moving estimates should I get?
Do San Francisco apartment buildings require a COI?
Can one company handle moving and storage?
How early should I book movers?
Planning a San Francisco Move?
CareMore can help with local moving, apartment and condo moves, packing, office relocations, and short- or long-term storage.
CareMore Moving & Storage • 925 Palou Ave, San Francisco • 415-822-8547 • CAL-T 0190970
July 12, 2026
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