Penske vs. U-Haul

How Penske and U-Haul compare

How to actually decide

Get quotes from both companies for your exact route, truck size, and dates. Pricing swings too much based on distance and timing for either Penske or U-Haul to be predictably cheaper in every situation. A quote for a midweek move in October can look completely different from the same route on the last Saturday of June. If your origin or destination is a smaller town, call ahead to confirm location availability on both ends. Network size matters far more in rural areas or secondary markets, where one company might have a nearby dealer and the other requires a long pickup or drop-off drive. In major metros, both are typically well represented, so that particular concern falls away.

Book earlier rather than later if your move falls during a peak window. The end of the month and the summer moving season, roughly May through August, are when truck availability tightens up most for both companies. A popular route booked at the last minute can leave you settling for a larger truck than you need, which costs more in fuel and harder handling, or a smaller one that forces a second trip or leaves belongings behind. You might also pay a premium to secure the correct size when inventory is thin. Use each company's online size calculator as a starting point, but round up a category if you are between sizes or unsure. A truck that is slightly too big costs less in practice than a second trip, a trailer added on afterward, or the headache of repacking to fit everything in a tighter space.

Specific Penske and U-Haul price and fee differences worth knowing

For a local move of comparable truck size, U-Haul's rates have come in at roughly half the cost of Penske's in independent comparisons. (Source: HireAHelper)

The gap can hold up on long interstate routes too — in one Tampa-to-Los-Angeles price comparison, Penske's total came in about $1,000 higher than U-Haul's, even though Penske often includes unlimited mileage on one-way moves and its trucks tend to get slightly better fuel economy. (Source: HireAHelper) Penske's higher base rate tends to outweigh those savings on most routes, though not always — get quotes for your specific route before assuming either direction.

A few concrete fee differences show up if your plans change mid-rental: U-Haul charges an extra $40 to add a day to a truck rental, while Penske's added-day fee runs closer to $100. Penske also charges roughly $10 to add a second driver to the rental agreement, something U-Haul doesn't charge extra for. (Source: U-Haul)

Network size isn't close, either: U-Haul operates more than 20,000 locations across all 50 states, compared to roughly 3,000 Penske locations across 49 states. (Source: U-Haul) That gap matters most when either end of your move is a smaller town rather than a major metro area, where both companies are typically well represented anyway.

Fuel policy is a smaller line item but worth checking directly on the rental agreement itself. Most truck rentals from either company expect the tank returned at or near the same level it was rented at, and charge a refueling fee plus a per-gallon premium if it is not. The per-gallon rate at the counter is typically set well above local pump prices, and the flat fee on top makes it worse. Filling up yourself just before drop-off, at a regular gas station rather than at the rental counter, is almost always cheaper. Plan your final route to pass a station near the return location so you are not scrambling at the last minute or paying the convenience penalty.

What else to compare beyond these two

Budget Truck Rental is a third major option worth a quick quote comparison — see our full truck rental comparison guide covering all three.

Also worth a quick look before you commit to driving a truck yourself: portable moving containers, where the company drops off a container, you load it, and they drive it to your destination, and full-service movers, who handle packing, loading, transport, and unloading. These sit at different points on the cost-versus-effort spectrum than a DIY truck rental. Neither is automatically cheaper than Penske or U-Haul, but for a large household or a route you are not comfortable driving yourself, the total cost comparison can shift once your own time, effort, and risk are factored in. A cross-country drive in a 26-foot truck with a car towed behind is a multi-day commitment that not everyone wants to make, even if the base rate looks attractive.

Beyond the rental truck itself

Both companies also rent moving supplies, including dollies, furniture pads, and boxes, and offer their own damage waiver options. Compare these add-ons too, not just the base truck rate. A lower truck price with expensive supply add-ons or a steep damage waiver can end up costing more overall than a slightly higher all-in quote elsewhere. Furniture pads in particular add up fast if you need a dozen or more for a full household, and buying your own boxes sometimes beats rental pricing if you have time to source them. Run the full tally before deciding which quote is actually the better deal.

Check what your own auto insurance policy or credit card already covers before buying a rental company's damage waiver outright. Some personal auto policies extend limited coverage to rented moving trucks, and some credit cards include rental coverage as a card benefit, though both vary enough by provider that it is worth a quick call to confirm rather than assuming either way. Do not rely on general rules; get the specifics in writing or from a representative who can note your call. Both companies also offer moving-help marketplaces that connect renters with local labor-only helpers for loading and unloading. This is worth pricing out separately from full-service movers if you just need extra hands for a few hours rather than a full crew and dedicated truck.

Do you need a special license to drive a Penske or U-Haul truck?

Federal law requires a commercial driver's license (CDL) once a single ("straight") truck's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) reaches 26,001 pounds — below that threshold, a standard driver's license is enough. (Source: 49 CFR § 383.91, Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute)

That is exactly why the largest DIY-friendly rental trucks offered by every major company, Penske, U-Haul, and Budget alike, top out at a GVWR just under that line. It is a deliberate design choice across the whole rental industry, not a Penske-specific or U-Haul-specific feature. Staying below that threshold is what keeps their biggest trucks drivable on a regular driver's license instead of requiring a commercial one. If you ever come across a rental option advertised above that weight class, expect CDL requirements and possibly DOT medical-card requirements that a typical one-time interstate mover will not have and does not want to obtain for a single move.

Even without a CDL requirement, a 20-plus-foot rental truck drives noticeably differently from a personal vehicle. Wider turns, longer stopping distances, and higher side-wind sensitivity are all realities you should prepare for. Spend time practicing in an empty parking lot before pulling onto the highway, especially if this is your first time driving something this size. Get a feel for how the truck tracks through turns and how much earlier you need to brake. Pay attention to posted height clearances too. Rental trucks are taller than they look from the driver's seat, and a missed clearance sign at a parking garage, drive-through, or low bridge is a common, avoidable source of damage claims that can cost you your deductible or worse.

Frequently asked questions

Related resources

• All storage & containers guides
• U-Haul vs. competitors comparison
• Moving truck size guide