Both approaches let you avoid driving a large rental truck hundreds or thousands of miles across the country. But that is where many of the similarities end.
Compare the equipment, space, weather protection, storage costs, loading flexibility and Military PPM capabilities before deciding which system fits your move.
Get My MoveAmerica QuoteThe MoveAmerica™ Flex Moving System uses enclosed dry commercial freight trailers. Your household goods occupy the continuous amount of trailer space required for your shipment isolated from other cargo.
Portable moving companies such as PODS® deliver one or more fixed-size containers. Charges begin when the container is delivered. Your household goods are loaded into those individual containers and the containers themselves are usually loaded onto the top outside of a flatbed trailer and become the transportation enclosure for the shipment.
MoveAmerica™: Choose Your Space • Choose Your Help • We Handle the Road
| Feature | MoveAmerica™ Flex Moving | PODS® / Portable Containers |
|---|---|---|
| Moving equipment | Enclosed dry commercial freight trailer | One or more portable moving containers |
| Space | Continuous trailer space based on the amount your shipment requires | Fixed container sizes; larger shipments may require additional containers |
| Customer drives truck? | No | No |
| Transportation | Professional commercial truck driver handles the long-distance road transportation | Container provider transports the portable container, typically on top of a flatbed truck |
| Outer transportation enclosure | Your shipment is inside the walls, roof and doors of an enclosed dry commercial freight trailer | The portable container itself is the outer transportation enclosure |
| Weather description | Enclosed dry commercial freight trailer | PODS® describes its containers as “weather-resistant” and states that they are “not completely waterproof.” |
| Loading | Load yourself, use family or friends, or request professional loading assistance | Primarily self-loading; third-party loading help may also be arranged |
| Storage model | Storage is normally an additional service when storage is actually requested or needed | Container rental time is built in as part of the service; PODS states that the first 30 days are included and customers may continue renting monthly |
| Military PPM | Military PPM transportation available on qualifying MoveAmerica shipments | PODS also serves Military PPM customers |
| Certified PPM weights | Certified light and heavy weight tickets available on qualifying Military PPM moves | PODS states that PPM/DITY weight tickets can be provided upon request |
| Best fit | Long-distance households wanting flexible trailer space, professional transportation and choices about loading labor | Customers who particularly value having a portable container available at the residence for an extended loading or storage period |
A portable-container move requires you to select from the container sizes offered by the provider.
If your household goods will not fit into the container capacity you selected, you may need another container.
PODS currently offers portable-container sizes including 8-, 12- and 16-foot units in many markets.
MoveAmerica approaches the problem differently. Your shipment uses the amount of enclosed trailer space required for your household goods.
Instead of moving from one fixed container to another, additional household goods can use additional trailer length.
This can be particularly important for larger three-, four- and five-bedroom households.
With MoveAmerica™, your household goods are loaded into an enclosed dry commercial freight trailer. The trailer's roof, walls and doors form the exterior transportation enclosure around your shipment.
With a portable-container system, the portable container itself is the transportation enclosure exposed to the elements. PODS® describes its containers as “weather-resistant” and states that they are “not completely waterproof.”
These are two fundamentally different equipment designs. For customers considering a long-distance household move, the distinction is worth understanding before choosing a service.
One advantage of a portable container is that you can keep it at the residence while you load or unload over an extended period while understanding the extra costs.
But that flexibility is part of a rental model. PODS currently states that the first 30 days are included in the price and customers may continue renting the container monthly when more time is needed.
MoveAmerica is primarily a transportation system. The trailer is delivered for loading and then moves toward destination.
MoveAmerica customers do not normally purchase monthly storage simply because transportation equipment was delivered for the move.
If storage-in-transit is actually needed at destination, it can be arranged on qualifying shipments.
MoveAmerica does not require you to choose between doing everything yourself and purchasing a traditional full-service move.
That is why we call it the MoveAmerica™ Flex Moving System. You decide how much help you want; MoveAmerica handles the long-distance transportation.
Portable containers can be extremely convenient but costly, especially when a customer wants the container available for an extended period while loading or unloading irrespective of storage or container-rental charges.
But larger household moves create a different problem: capacity.
A MoveAmerica trailer provides a large continuous loading area. Rather than splitting a household among multiple portable containers, the household goods can occupy continuous space inside the trailer up to the available equipment capacity.
One enclosed dry commercial freight trailer. Continuous space. Use the space your household needs.
A Military Personally Procured Move requires documentation that an ordinary household move does not.
MoveAmerica can arrange qualifying Military PPM transportation with:
A fair comparison should also recognize situations where portable containers have genuine advantages.
A PODS®-style container may be particularly attractive when you want to keep the container at your residence for an extended period while gradually loading or unloading, or when you don't mind paying additional storage or container-rental charges at origin or destination while loading, in storage, or unloading.
MoveAmerica™ is particularly attractive when your primary goal is a long-distance household move and you value:
The most useful comparison is not the advertised price of a container or trailer. It is what the complete move will cost for your household, your distance, your space requirements and the services you actually need.
Get a MoveAmerica™ Flex Moving quote and compare it with your portable-container quote.
Get My Instant MoveAmerica QuoteWhy Choose MoveAmerica? • Customer Reviews • Loading & Unloading Help • Military PPM Moving
MoveAmerica™ is a trademark of Railvan LLC. PODS® is a registered trademark of PODS Enterprises LLC. MoveAmerica and Railvan LLC are not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by PODS Enterprises LLC. References to PODS® on this page are solely for purposes of identifying and comparing competing moving-service alternatives. Product features and policies can change; customers should verify current terms directly with each provider.