U-Haul vs. Penske: Which Moving Truck Rental Is Best for DIY Movers?

Being the biggest names in the DIY moving industry, both U-Haul and Penske provide rental trucks and services to their customers, but which company is the better fit for you? In this article, we’ll go over all the trucks and sizes, cost, and rentable towing and moving equipment.

Key Takeaways U-Haul offers more rental trucks at a lower cost with more locations, making U-Haul more accessible. Penske towing equipment, such as car carriers and tow dollies, can only be rented when you also rent a 16-foot, 22-foot, or 26-foot Penske moving truck. Unlike Penske, U-Haul trucks have the lowest deck height and sturdier loading ramps.

Trucks and Sizes

U-Haul and Penske both have a vast lineup of rental trucks, but which trucks have more features and are the best bang for your buck? U-Haul and Penske both have four distinct box truck sizes and a cargo van. However, U-Haul stands out by offering pickup trucks with eight-foot beds, giving customers more affordable and flexible options for small moves, deliveries, and weekend projects.

Here are the features that matter most, as they can contribute to making a move easier or harder.

Perks	U-Haul	Penske
Five Vehicles with Towing Capability	Yes	No
Safe Storage Space with Mom’s Attic®	Yes	No
Lowest Deck Height	Yes	No
Shortest Loading Ramp	Yes	No

 

U-Haul trucks have a lower ride height, making getting in and out of the truck easier, and a lower ride height saves you money by increasing gas mileage because there is less air passing through the bottom of the truck, reducing drag.

Renting Towing Equipment

If you want to rent a tow dolly, auto transport, or toy hauler, all you need is a capable towing vehicle or a U-Haul truck (excluding the cargo van). Penske only rents tow dollies and car carriers with 16-, 22-, or 26-foot truck reservations.

Brands	U-Haul	Penske
Tow Dolly	Max Cargo Capacity: 4,080 lbs.	Max Cargo Capacity: 4,300 lbs.
Auto Transport/Car Carrier	Max Cargo Capacity: 5,290 lbs.	Max Cargo Capacity: 4,055 – 5,000 lbs.*
Toy Hauler	Max Cargo Capacity: 6,845 lbs.	Not Applicable

*Penske’s car carrier max capacity varies: 4,055 lbs. with a 16-foot truck, and 5,000 lbs. with 22- and 26-foot trucks.

If you need more towing capability, U-Haul takes the cake, offering a total of three distinct cargo trailers, five utility trailers, and three vehicle towing trailers. That’s 11 total trailers!

Cost

Cost is one of the biggest factors when choosing which rental truck is right for you. U-Haul offers the most affordable moving trucks due to the network of more than 25,000 U-Haul Moving and Storage Centers and Neighborhood Dealers. Penske has only around 2,600 locations, which contributes to higher mileage costs between locations for local and one-way moves.

Moving Destinations	U-Haul – 26-foot truck	Penske – 26-foot Truck
Los Angeles, CA (90011) to Salt Lake City, UT (84107)	$2,034.76	$2,228.80

Quotes were made for November 2025 and are truck-only. No insurance or any other service is included in the quoted price. Prices are subject to change.

When you save money on truck rentals, that extra money can go toward moving supplies and Moving Help® to make your move easier.

If you want to add a day to your one-way moving truck rental, Penske charges an additional $100-a-day fee. U-Haul only charges an extra $40 for a moving truck, and $20 for trailers and towing equipment. Reducing this charge makes U-Haul trucks flexible for one-way moves that require additional days.

For in-town rentals, a $150 security deposit is required for Penske reservations when paying with a credit card. If paying by cash or check, Penske requires 150% of the total reservation cost up front. For one-way reservations, Penske requires a security deposit of $150 if paying with cash or check.

U-Haul, on the other hand, charges less for security deposits and only for customers paying with cash. For in-town reservations, a security deposit of $100 or estimated rental charges (whichever is greater) is required. For one-way reservations, the security deposit is $100 plus the rental rate.

Penske requires an additional $10 fee per additional driver added; U-Haul allows you to add additional drivers at no additional cost.

Additional Services

U-Haul Storage and Moving Help by U-Haul makes it much easier to coordinate moving plans and purchase everything in one transaction. With these services, you’ll also get the reliability and excellent service that U-Haul provides to customers. You won't have to call around to get price quotes; everything is available online and in-store with U-Haul.

Plus, with U-Haul, you can get a month of free storage with any one-way truck rental.

With Penske, any additional storage or moving labor is offered through another company, requiring additional scheduling outside of a truck or trailer reservation and taking more time out of your schedule. With this comes additional caveats. If any problem arises, you’ll have to email and call multiple companies.

Moving supplies can be purchased from Penske, but only in-store, so it shouldn’t be something to rely on for your entire move. With U-Haul, you can purchase moving supplies online or in-store and have them shipped to your door or picked up in-store.

If you need hand controls on a moving truck, you must notify Penske at least 10 days in advance, and they are not available with a 22 or 26-foot truck reservation; with U-Haul, you only need to call eight days in advance, and they are available in every truck.

Only U-Haul has contactless pickup and drop-off at any hour with 24/7 truck share, making your move more flexible. Contactless drop off with Penske does exist, but pickup does not, and is completely dependent on when a Penske location opens.

Supporting Rental Items

Penske only rents the pads and appliance dolly. Only U-Haul offers the lightweight utility dolly which is great for moving boxes, and the flat 4-wheel furniture dolly. U-Haul also offers these dollies at an affordable flat rate, while the competition will raise the rates due to demand, U-Haul is always the more affordable option.

U-Haul rentable moving equipment is cheaper for both one-way and local moves. U-Haul also offers more rentable moving equipment to help with all sizes of items, from gun safes to a dining room table. You can reserve rentable moving equipment online, on the phone, or in-store with U-Haul.

Supporting Rental Equipment	U-Haul	Penske
Appliance Dolly	In-town - $10, One-Way $15	N/A
Furniture Dolly	In-town - $7, One-Way $12	N/A
Utility Dolly	In-town - $7, One-Way $12	$15-20
Furniture Pad	$5 per half-dozen	$15-20 per dozen

 

Final Takeaway

U-Haul has more rental trucks, trailers, rentable moving equipment, and moving supplies available at more locations in the US and Canada, than Penske and makes moving easier with additional in-house services like Moving Help. Keep everything in one place with U-Haul and reserve your truck today!

 

 

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