Most moving company owners settle for 7-10% profit margins, thinking that's as good as it gets.
It's not—because plenty of movers are hitting 20%+. 🔥
But here's the thing: 24% don't know their net margin and 54% don't track profit per job.
Meanwhile, top-performing movers are 2x, 3x, and even 5x-ing their profits.
What are they doing that you’re not? Let’s break it down.
Is 7% a good profit margin for movers?
7% isn't good—it's barely survival.
Our 2025 data shows that 90% of movers with over 1,000 annual moves and $2M in revenue track their KPIs like clockwork. And 59% of them report margins above 10%.
That's no coincidence.
Companies big and small are proving it possible to hit 20%+ margins, including newcomer Hook Em Up Moving, hometown titan 2 College Brothers, and international franchise Let's Get Moving, to name just a few.
With the right strategies, you can too. 💪
How do I calculate my moving company's profit margin?
Here's the formula that separates surviving at 7% from printing money at 20%+.
⚡Net profit margin = (net income / total revenue) x 100
Net income = everything you made minus everything you spent
Total revenue = every dollar that came through the door
It's not rocket science, but getting it right matters. A lot.
📈 Income sources:
- Local moves→ your bread and butter
- Long distance moves→ usually higher margin
- Storage→ steady monthly revenue, especially with auto-billing
- Valuation coverage→ low lift, easy profit boost
💸 Operating costs & targets:
- Crew labor = <30% of revenue
- Admin labor = <10%
- Trucks (incl. fuel, repairs, maintenance, insurance) = <10%
- Claims = <1%
How do I increase my moving company's profit margin?
These are the profit plays top movers swear by.
1. Master your math
41% of moving company owners don't track their KPIs. But 90% of best-in-class companies do—and they're hitting 20%+ margins because of it.
First step? Get your numbers in order.
Start by organizing your P&L:
- Revenue categories→ local moves, long distance, storage, packing
- Job costs→ crew labor, fuel, packing materials, cargo insurance
- Operating costs→ salaries, advertising, truck maintenance, rent
Then track your percent of revenue in each category.
For example, if your income is $500,000 and crew labor is $160,000, that's 32% of revenue. Not bad, but could be better.
2. Stop guessing which moves make money
One of the best-kept secrets in the moving industry? Tracking profit per job puts you ahead of half of movers. 🫨
You need to know which moves make money and which ones bleed cash—before the truck rolls out.
That means making profit priority #1:
- Coach your team to spot and book high-margin moves
- Review new bookings weekly
- Flag and fix underpriced jobs ASAP
Don’t chase volume at the expense of profitability. Catch profit-draining jobs in real time.
3. Double down on your best leads
Social media. SEO. Word-of-mouth. Profit-driven movers know exactly where their best moving leads come from.
Movers named Facebook, repeat / referrals, and Instagram as their top 3 lead sources in 2025. But here's what the most profitable moving companies do differently:
- 60% have affiliate programs
- 76% offer sales commission
- Spend 8-10% of revenue on marketing
- Book $430,000 per salesperson per year (avg.)
To keep tabs on your best lead sources, track these numbers:
- Cost per lead: Marketing cost / number of leads
- Marketing percent: Marketing cost / revenue generated
- Acquisition cost: Marketing cost / completed moves
Say you spend $2,000 on Google ads, get 100 leads, and complete 50 moves at $2,000 each. Here's what your metrics look like:
- Cost per lead: $20 (good)
- Marketing percent: 2% (low = underinvesting)
- Acquisition cost: $40 (good)
4. Follow up like your next job depends on it
Most movers still struggle with sales execution. And give up after just three follow-ups. 😞
Instead, do what best-in-class companies do:
- Send leads to a person, not a queue
- Get in touch within 5-10 minutes
- Automate sales follow ups
- Use scorecards to track sales KPIs
- Book 50% of leads
Want to boost your close rate? Here's what works:
- Multi-channel follow-up: Hit 'em by text, phone, AND email
- Documented process: Clear SOPs and sales scripts
- Technology: 79% of movers use CRM software—because it works
5. Don’t be a bargain a mover
More profit from fewer moves?
There’s a reason 66% of movers plan to increase prices.
Try these pricing strategies to boost profit and cash flow:
- Use demand-based pricing
- Charge premium rates for last-minute bookings
- Target upmarket customers
- Offer flexible payment options
Easy win: Get moving software that automatically saves your peak days for premium jobs.
You can do better than average
Don't bust your butt for average margins and whatever scraps are left at the end of the month. Join elite movers enjoying their payday and NOT working 80 hour weeks.
With moving software built for profit, you can finally reap the rewards of this crazy business.
✅ Quote jobs faster
✅ Schedule more efficiently
✅ Get paid on time
✅ Track margins, stop leaks
