Relocating can be stressful when you think about all the moving pieces (no pun intended) involved. There are articles that advise that there's no research needed and you should simply go to Home Depot and problem solved. Unfortunately, that could not be further from the truth. If relocating to a new location, we'll assume a job is already secured which hopefully is half the battle. Even so, you probably still have to find a new school for your kids, you probably have to find a new place to live, and how about the moving company? If you are the DIY type, perhaps you just need to rent a truck that's big enough to occupy your belongings and preferably at a cost efficient price. If that's you then keep reading. If it's not, this article might still apply to you so don't be too quick to exit this page.

DIY projects come with its own stress. Sometimes hauling items from the hardware store come with some logistic challenges. How do you transport those oversized drywalls or 2x4 studs when you don't own a Pick-Up Truck, a Van or a Box Truck? Not to worry because we've detailed the top rental truck companies pros and cons and which company might suit your need the most based on your use case. You might be shocked when you find out that the company with the best options are lesser known brand names.

Assumptions:

Certain assumptions were made that should be kept in mind. For instance, 4-hr and 1-day rental quote is based on the hypothetical driving distance of 20-miles. Home Depot comes with unlimited mileage so the distance in their case is a moot point. 2-day rental is based on 40-mile driving distance, 3-day rental is based on 60-mile distance, and 1-week rental is based on 100-mile driving distance.

Different rental companies offer different truck sizes so the comparison are not exactly "apples to apples" comparison. We have done the best we could to group them as closely as possible so keep that in mind as well.

We make our assessment based on various common scenarios and what people often use to arrive at their decisions. The common decision making determinants are:

Cost - For most people, this is often what matters most. Which rental company has the most affordable rental rate?

Suitability -  Some people make their decisions based on which option suits them best. Why rent a Box Truck when I only need a truck to haul 10 2x4 studs?

Duration - Finally, duration will also weigh into our decision making. It makes no sense renting a pickup truck for 4 hours if I live within 10 minutes of home depot and only need the truck for an hour. Home Depot rent out for as short duration as 75 minutes.

Small Truck & Short Rental Duration (2 hours or less) - If your goal is to buy haul a few items and happen to live somewhat close by to a Home Depot Store, then Home Depot might be your best bet. They have the advantage here because they are the only company on the list with rental duration less than 4 hours. Home Depot can rent out their trucks for as little as 75 minutes! - WINNER.....  HOME DEPOT!

Small Truck & Short Rental Duration (4 hours to 1 days) - While Home Depot might be the suitable choice for Truck rental of 2 hours or less, It might not be the best choice for rental that lasts over 2 hours. Precisely, truck rental between 4 hours and up to 1 day. U-Haul offers more favorable rate. - WINNER...  U-HAUL!

Small Truck & Longer Duration (3-7 days) - If you need to hold on to that rental truck a little longer because you are working on one of those weekend long projects than spans over multiple days or longer, then U-Haul offers the best rate. Home Depot who's there only competitor in that category charges more than 3 times U-Haul rate! - WINNER....U-HAUL!

9' to 12' Vans & Box Truck (4 hrs - 7 days) - U-Haul sweeps this category which makes the decision easier. Whether the goal is for a haul that lasts a few hours or an all-week long DIY project or even a multi-day cross country move, U-Haul has the best offering. This is based on its affordability advantage over its competitors in this truck size category. WINNER... U-Haul!

15' to 16' Medium-sized Truck - 4-hrs to 1 day rental is a virtual tie between U-Haul and Budget Truck while Budget has a slight edge when it comes to 2 day - 3 days rentals. U-Haul wins out in one week rental category. Overall, this category is declared as a...TIE

17' to 20' Large-sized Truck - U-Haul is the only competitor in this category so by default, they win. WINNER... U-Haul!

26' Extra Large-sized Truck - U-Haul wins out in all rental categories EXCEPT 3 days which was won by Budget Truck by a margin of $13 in savings. In contrast, U-Haul won the 7-day rental category by costing less than half of Budget Truck's rental for the same duration leading to a whopping savings of over $500! WINNER...U-Haul!

Overall, U-Haul is the overwhelming favorite in most of the categories above for traditional truck rental. However, CHORE TOOLS is another alternative platform that allows truck owners to rent out their trucks (like TURO but for trucks). We wish you all the best as you evaluate your options and hope that this article has helped with handling some of the stress involved with your next move, DIY project or whatever your use case might be.