Allied vs Mayflower Van Lines (2026): Side-by-Side Cost and Service
Allied and Mayflower are the flagship carriers of the two largest US van-line conglomerates: SIRVA (Allied + North American Van Lines) and UniGroup (Mayflower + United Van Lines). Both are established carriers founded in the late 1920s. Both offer the full slate of binding-not-to-exceed pricing, Full Value Protection, in-home or video surveys, dedicated and consolidated service tiers. The structural difference is the parent-company ecosystem. Below is the comparison plus the practical guidance on which to pick when.
Side-by-Side Spec Comparison
| Spec | Allied Van Lines | Mayflower Transit |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1928 | 1927 |
| Parent company | SIRVA | UniGroup |
| USDOT number | 076235 | verify in SAFER |
| Sister company | North American Van Lines | United Van Lines |
| Service coverage | All 50 US + international | All 50 US + international |
| Agent network size | 450+ agents | 400+ agents |
| Binding not-to-exceed | Yes, standard | Yes, standard |
| Dedicated service tier | Yes ($1,500-$3,500 premium) | Yes ($1,500-$3,500 premium) |
| Storage in transit | Yes, 30-90 days | Yes, 30-90 days |
| Full Value Protection | 1-2 percent of value | 1-2 percent of value |
| Specialty item handling | In-house specialty crews | In-house specialty crews |
| Approved corporate relocation carrier | Yes, widely | Yes, widely |
Verify USDOT numbers via the FMCSA SAFER lookup.
The SIRVA vs UniGroup Ecosystem
SIRVA owns both Allied and North American Van Lines. UniGroup owns both Mayflower and United Van Lines. For a consumer shopping for a cross-country move, that means when you request a quote from Allied you are getting bid from the SIRVA agent network; when you request from Mayflower you are getting bid from the UniGroup agent network. Same job, different agent pool, potentially different price.
The pragmatic move is to request quotes from all four major brands (Allied + NAVL + Mayflower + United) and let internal price competition surface the best deal. Most experienced movers do this. The variance across four quotes for the same 2BR / 1,500-mile job is often 25 to 35 percent between cheapest and most expensive, which translates to $1,200 to $2,500 in real savings on a $5,000-$7,000 job.
Within the SIRVA family, North American Van Lines often quotes 5 to 10 percent below Allied for the same job. Within the UniGroup family, United Van Lines and Mayflower price within 3 to 6 percent of each other. So the typical pattern is: North American Van Lines bids cheapest, Allied and Mayflower bid in the middle, United bids slightly above Mayflower.
Service quality is similar across all four. FMCSA complaint records are similar. Binding-not-to-exceed compliance is similar. Claim resolution times are similar. The choice between Allied and Mayflower (or among any combination of the SIRVA / UniGroup quartet) usually comes down to which specific local agent is bidding your job and which crew gets dispatched.
Who Should Pick Which
- Pick Allied if: The Allied local agent at your origin has strong reviews. Allied's SIRVA-family pricing tends to come in 3-7 percent below Mayflower on dedicated single-truck service.
- Pick Allied if: You want to evaluate North American Van Lines too. SIRVA's internal cross-brand quote process can surface the cheapest SIRVA-family bid.
- Pick Mayflower if: The Mayflower local agent at your origin has strong reviews. Mayflower tends to come in slightly cheaper on consolidated mid-distance lanes (1,000-1,500 miles).
- Pick Mayflower if: You want UniGroup's sister-brand pricing comparison with United Van Lines on the same job.
- Always get both quotes plus North American and United. Four-way internal SIRVA + UniGroup quote competition often surfaces $1,200-$2,500 in savings on a typical 2BR / 1,500-mi move.
FAQ
Is Allied or Mayflower better?
Neither is broadly better. They are two of the most-established US household-goods carriers and consistently top-tier on FMCSA records, claim resolution, and binding-not-to-exceed pricing. The right pick depends on the specific agent serving your origin and destination cities and which quote comes in lower. Get both quotes.
Which is cheaper?
On the same job, they typically price within 5 to 10 percent of each other. Allied trends slightly below Mayflower on dedicated single-truck service and consolidated coast-to-coast. Mayflower trends slightly below Allied on Midwest and Southeast consolidated lanes where UniGroup has stronger network density.
Are Allied and Mayflower owned by the same company?
No. Allied Van Lines is part of SIRVA (along with North American Van Lines). Mayflower Transit is part of UniGroup (along with United Van Lines). They are direct competitors representing two separate van-line conglomerates.
Do they offer the same insurance and binding-estimate options?
Yes. Both offer FMCSA-mandated Released Value Protection (free, $0.60/lb cap) and Full Value Protection (1-2 percent of declared value). Both offer binding-not-to-exceed as standard. Both have in-house and brokered third-party coverage options.
Should I get quotes from both Allied and Mayflower for the same move?
Yes. The 5-10 percent pricing spread between them on the same job is normal and worth checking. Also get quotes from their sister companies (North American Van Lines for Allied, United Van Lines for Mayflower) since SIRVA-family and UniGroup-family carriers often have meaningful internal pricing variance.
Which has better online tools?
Both have comprehensive online quote tools, customer portals, and shipment tracking. Functionality and quality are roughly equivalent. UniGroup historically invested more in customer portal UX; SIRVA has closed the gap. Neither would be a decisive reason to pick one over the other today.