But planning a long-distance move can be stressful enough without having to sift through all the options to find the best moving companies.

The best DIY container moving companies are U-Haul, U-Pack, Smartbox and PODS. Some require deposits.

PODS beats several competitors on pricing policies and offerings and doesn't charge to pay with a credit card, though it has more BBB customer complaints than some of the other companies we reviewed.

For almost every distance of move, renting a moving truck and driving it yourself is going to save you the most money. The one exception to this rule is for long, cross-country moves.