Moving containers
PODS vs U‑Box: how much fits in each?
PODS needs fewer containers than U‑Box for every home size. Our 2‑bedroom list (73 pieces), packed in 3D the same way into both, takes one PODS 16 ft (74% full) against 4 U‑Haul U‑Boxes.
Which to pick
Pick PODS if you'd rather have fewer containers to book and fill (our 2‑bedroom takes one PODS 16 ft against 4 U‑Haul U‑Boxes).
Pick U‑Box if your spot is narrow (each one stands on 8'0" × 5'0", 160 sq ft for all 4, against 16'0" × 8'0", 128 sq ft).
The details
- On your driveway. One PODS 16 ft: stands on 16'0" × 8'0". 4 U‑Haul U‑Boxes: each stands on 8'0" × 5'0". Leave room beside each for the delivery truck, and check whether your street or HOA needs a permit.
- What they are. PODS: an aluminum-skinned steel box with a roll-up door on the end. U‑Box: a treated-plywood box with one swing door on the end.
- Weight. A PODS 16 ft allows 4,200 lb, and a U‑Haul U‑Box allows 2,000 lb. A home with a piano, a safe or a garage full of tools can run out of weight before it runs out of space.
- Small moves. Smaller steps waste less space: the smallest PODS is 293 cu ft inside, a U‑Box is 257 cu ft inside.
Each container is priced on its own, so the count drives the quote. Ask each company for the delivery and pick-up fees, the price for your distance, the monthly rate if it waits in storage, and what one more container costs if you run out of space.
The 2‑bedroom, container by container
By home size
| Home | PODS | U‑Box |
|---|---|---|
| Studio apartment | 1 × 12 ft | 2 U‑Boxes |
| 1‑bedroom apartment | 1 × 12 ft | 3 U‑Boxesthe 3rd takes 2 pieces |
| 2‑bedroom apartment | 1 × 16 ft | 4 U‑Boxesthe 4th takes 2 pieces |
| 3‑bedroom house | 2 × 16 ft | 7 U‑Boxesthe 7th takes 6 pieces |
| 4‑bedroom house | 2 × 16 ft + 1 × 12 ft | 9 U‑Boxes |
| 5‑bedroom house | 4 × 16 ft + 1 × 8 ft | 12 U‑Boxesthe 12th takes 3 pieces |
For a company with several sizes, the mix that needs the fewest containers: its biggest size, with a smaller one for the last load when that is enough.
The containers side by side
| Container | Inside (L × W × H) | Our measure | They say | Max load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PODS 8 ft | 6'6" × 6'0" × 7'6" | 293 cu ft | 402 cu ft | 5,200 lb |
| PODS 12 ft | 11'6" × 7'0" × 7'6" | 604 cu ft | Not published | 4,700 lb |
| PODS 16 ft | 15'6" × 7'0" × 7'6" | 814 cu ft | 835 cu ft | 4,200 lb |
| U‑Haul U‑Box | 7'11" × 4'8" × 6'11½" | 257 cu ft | 257 cu ft | 2,000 lb |
"Our measure" is the published inside length × width × height. Where a company's own cubic feet differ, we show both: none of them says how it counts.
What each company says one holds
- PODS 8 ft: about 1 room.
- PODS 12 ft: about 2–3 rooms.
- PODS 16 ft: about 3–4 rooms.
- U‑Haul U‑Box: about a room and a half; a 2‑bedroom home needs 2 to 4.