Our promise. We provide a buying advantage with verified reviews and unbiased editorial research.
Our Buyers Guide Top Picks:

Colonial Van Lines Reviews
About Budget Truck Rental
Budget Truck Rental offers individual and commercial moving services. The company provides rental trucks, packing supplies and moving services. It offers some discounts and is widely available. Renters can choose between a range of cargo vans, pick-up trucks and 12-foot to 26-foot trucks.
Featured Reviews
I rented a 16' truck from Budget a few weeks ago and received great customer service from all of the employees that I met. I picked up the truck the evening before my move, Linda ...
Read full reviewRented a 16 ft truck to move my mother from Indiana to Georgia. Other than the line at the pickup being long, everything else was just as good as expected. Truck was clean and ran...
Read full reviewWhat is Budget Truck Rental?
Budget Truck Rental is a moving truck company that caters to individual and commercial clients. It operates nationwide with more than 1,600 company-owned and dealer locations. You can choose between cargo vans, pick-up trucks and 12- to 16-foot trucks, depending on how much you need to transport. All the trucks in its fleet have automatic transmissions, power steering and power brakes, making them easy to operate. Many also come with walk ramps or liftgates.
You can also rent towing equipment, hand trucks and furniture pads from Budget and get packing, loading and unloading assistance from its partner company HireAHelper. Budget also offers protection plans for its rental trucks, which include supplemental liability insurance and roadside assistance. It provides discounted fees for AARP members, military veterans, students, members of the Bar Association, EMTs, firefighters and police officers.
Budget Truck Rental services
Budget Truck Rental has thousands of locations around the country. You can make a reservation online, on the phone or in person. To get a quote and finalize your reservation, you’ll need to determine when you need the truck, where you’ll pick it up and drop it off and what size vehicle you need. Budget offers traditional trucks measuring 12, 16, 24 and 26 feet long. For smaller moves, you can rent a cargo van or pick-up truck.
Budget also rents out its trucks for light commercial use, offers towing equipment like car carriers and tow dollies, sells packing supplies and rents out hand trucks and furniture pads. You can also opt to get packing, loading and unloading assistance from HireAHelper.
Budget Truck Rental prices
Budget Truck Rental’s rates vary depending on the type of move. Its prices include a flat daily charge for the truck rental, per-mile fees, gas, taxes and fees. It also requires a $150 refundable deposit. The per-mile fee can range from $0.60 to $1.00, and the daily truck cost can vary from $19.99 to $49.99 or more.
You can also add liability coverage, but this will increase the price. Budget also charges no-show fees and late-return fees. Your cost will depend on where you’re moving from and to, when you need the truck, truck size and any extra services you desire. Its weekday rental prices are generally cheaper than weekend rates.
Budget Truck Rental FAQ
Are Budget trucks reliable?
Yes, Budget’s trucks are reliable. All its locations perform 10-point inspections on the equipment before each rental. The company maintains its equipment regularly, purchases new trucks annually and retires older vehicles. If something does go wrong, the company offers 24/7 roadside assistance.
Does Budget Truck Rental take debit cards?
Yes, Budget accepts payment by debit card. You can pay with debit at the time of the reservation and when you return the truck. If you use a debit card, the deposit amount will appear in your account as a hold.
What do I need to rent a truck from Budget?
To rent a Budget truck, you need a valid driver’s license and a credit or debit card. On the day of your reservation, you must present your license and a second valid form of ID. This can be a credit/debit card, valid passport, Social Security card, U.S. military ID card, employer-issued photo ID, a current utility bill or a pay stub.
Where is Budget Truck Rental available?
Budget Truck Rental has over 1,600 locations in the U.S. You can use its location finder to find the closest rental facility.
Is Budget Truck Rental good?
Budget Truck Rental offers rental trucks, moving services and packing supplies for individuals and commercial customers. For those taking on a DIY move, this is an ideal service. The company has thousands of locations around the country, and it’s generally affordable for local moves. However, its fees can add up quickly, especially if you’re planning a long-distance or multiday move, and insurance coverage and roadside assistance come at an extra cost.
Budget Truck Rental Reviews
ConsumerAffairs has collected 866 reviews and 1,940 ratings.
A link has directed you to this review. Its location on this page may change next time you visit.
- 4,350,951 reviews on ConsumerAffairs are verified.
- We require contact information to ensure our reviewers are real.
- We use intelligent software that helps us maintain the integrity of reviews.
- Our moderators read all reviews to verify quality and helpfulness.
Reviewed Dec. 1, 2023
They knew that they did not have inventory and still let me register for a truck. Drove forty minutes to pick it up and the guy at the counter laughed. Please call the pick up location before you drive over and waste your time, better yet, call a different company, I know I will. Penske for now on. At least they tell you if they have a truck!
Reviewed Nov. 22, 2023
They put my life at risk by renting me a truck that they were fully aware had problems and they did not disclose this to me. And they charge a way higher price than they say in the description and they kept my deposit for no reason.
Thanks for subscribing.
You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter! Enjoy reading our tips and recommendations.
Reviewed Nov. 1, 2023
No rating - this was an absolute awful truck rental. I drove from NJ to CA. The guy at Budget in Wilmington, DE never did a truck inspection. When I mentioned the tire pressure light was on, he said he just filled them. Also, no handtruck at their location - had to drive an extra 30 minutes for it. When I got home, it needed oil, coolant and the tire pressure light was flashing (all tires should have been at 80 PSI - they were below 50PSI..). For 2 days it sounded like a jackhammer above our heads.
The rubber flap around the windshield was off and pounding the top of the truck. When we called Budget, the rep. thought we were at a construction site. Every time we stopped we had to push it back in. The 3rd night, we parked at a motel (backed into a spot) and the shifter went like a broken arm, you couldn't put the truck in park. Had to use the emergency brake. As the truck was packed, I told roadside asst. immediately that if the truck couldn't be fixed, we needed it towed out to offload onto another truck.
2 days later, the new truck came, but no tow and no orders to take the old truck back. Also, the new truck's engine light was on. Thankfully the guy who brought the new truck was kind enough to check the fluids hoping the light would go off, after transmission fluid and coolant were added, the light stayed on. Very unsettling as we had 7 hours more to drive through high elevation and very few rest stops. Didn't use the air and went very slow as to not push the engine. Had a death grip on the steering wheel as it was loose.
Roadside assistance was the biggest joke - you have to do their job for them. They didn't listen to me when I mentioned we needed a tow in order to offload our things. It took over 32 phone calls back and forth (many times I was on hold more than 30 minutes) for there to be any resolution. This was especially unsettling as we had to still move out of an existing home and move into a new home with movers scheduled at the new home in less than 20 hours. We got there with just 12 hours to move out, sleep and move into the new place. Roadside assistance did not care - they are in NC and are behind a desk. I will never use Budget again - they are not professional and roadside assistance was an absolute joke. I wish I could upload the videos...
Reviewed Oct. 7, 2023
It’s not often I pen a blistering review for a company, but Budget Truck Rental has indeed outdone themselves. If one was to design a masterclass in how NOT to conduct a business, Budget would surely take the top prize. From the outset, their art of deception takes center stage. They lure you in with alluring online quotes, only to double the price when you're about to seal the deal. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. The real pièce de résistance is their fraudulent claim of their trucks being "commercial vehicles." This assertion is not only ludicrously false under NM statute but is also blatantly exposed by the simple fact that you don't need a commercial driver's license to rent one of their vehicles. So why this fabricated claim? To force you into purchasing their damage waiver. A brazen attempt at gouging unsuspecting customers.
Think you've caught on to their scam and want out? Think again. The escape isn’t smooth sailing either. They have a charming little $50 fee in place for cancellations. Because why let someone leave without one last parting gift? If you value your time, money, and peace of mind, steer clear of this quagmire. Don’t be seduced by the initial attractive rates they dangle in front of you – because the true cost is hidden in deceptive practices and added fees. For those looking to rent a truck without the accompanying migraine, U-Haul is a tried and true alternative. In the vast landscape of truck rental options, do yourself a favor: bypass Budget. Your wallet and sanity will thank you.
Reviewed Sept. 11, 2023
I made two reservations at Budget over the weekend. The night before a representative called to inform me that, despite my reservation, there was no truck available. I then asked what about my second reservation. He said, still no trucks available. They still charged me a no-show fee even though they told me there was no truck for me.

Reviewed Sept. 6, 2023
I picked up the truck in Queens, NY. The price quotes on the confirmation email was $1721.95. The Budget employee charged me $2072.70. He didn't explain the price difference. The truck was old and filthy. After loading the truck and driving for about forty minutes the AC failed. I called customer service and was given an appointment the next day to get it fixed. The trip to the repair shop and the "repair " took until late afternoon. Less than twenty-four hours later the AC failed again. Contacting customer service took hours. The next morning a repair shop began repairs. A part was needed and the AC was fixed around midafternoon. The check engine light was on. The mechanics were troubleshooting the problem for more than an hour.
Finally Budget informed me that another truck would be provided. The replacement truck wasn't available until noon and then the items in the first truck needed to be moved to the replacement truck. It was late afternoon before the trip was resumed. In both repair shops there were no facilities for the customers to wait comfortably and the heat index was in the triple digits.
The replacement truck was clean and ran without any problems. After unloading it on Sunday I called Budget about dropping it off. I was told the drop off place was open. When I arrived at the drop-off place it was closed and only physical drop off was allowed. This necessitated an unplanned overnight stay since I was almost two hundred miles from home. Finally I received an email several days after dropping off the truck that I was being billed $57 to refuel the truck that was towed from the repair shop in Tennessee.
Reviewed Aug. 11, 2023
I reserved a truck online to pick up at 5 pm for their Ankeny, Iowa location. The day of, Budget Truck informed me that I must go to a different location, 10 miles out of the way, and they would not waive the extra mileage that would count against my trip. I arrived at the new location in Des Moines at 4:55, 5 minutes prior to my pick-up time. Upon arrival, no one was there to help me. I tried calling their location's number and Budget Trucks' main help number, and I received no answer for 15 minutes. Once I was finally able to get on the phone with someone, they informed me that I would not be able to get a moving truck for a couple of hours and that I would have to drive to an even further location (that would still count against my mileage). I was forced to find another moving truck (which was basically impossible) for the next day. All in all, we canceled the reservation, but I would never go to this place again.
Reviewed July 28, 2023
I needed a truck to relocate my office from Phoenix to Los Angeles. I made a reservation about a week to ten days before I needed the truck. Late the day before I received a telephone call that the truck was not available, but that I could get one in Northern Arizona. This is going to cost me between $5,000 and $7,500, because I have people assisting me and they have to fly to Arizona. I would not recommend that you ever use Budget for a truck rental.
Reviewed July 20, 2023
I've rented trucks from Budget Truck every year since 2017, to include earlier this year. However, when I went to pick up a truck for a recent rental, the location had no record of my reservation. I found out later that Budget Truck had changed the location and pick-up date without even telling me! On top of that, they charged me a $75 no-show fee, which they later refunded. Unfortunately, Budget Truck can no longer be relied upon.
Reviewed July 20, 2023
Rented a Budget 16-foot truck. Check engine light was on when I picked it up. Representative said the catalytic converter was recently changed and the check engine light was on but the truck was fine. I loaded the truck proceeded by my first destination, unloaded, and started on my way to 2nd destination when all dashboard lights came on (oil, battery, etc.), engine cut out and there was no use of steering brakes, etc. Turned truck off, turned back on, proceeded to drive and happened again about 1/2 mile down the road. I pulled over, called roadside assistance via Budget, waiting three hours for a mechanic who determined that the issue was due to an off market catalytic converter that was installed. He also said the loud noise was a leaking exhaust despite the fact the truck said "quiet cab" on the door. It was 7 pm and we were far from home so we found a place to stay and called at 8 am next morning.
The tow truck did not show up until 1 pm, then towed the truck with belongings to our second destination. We unloaded the truck and Budget said to call roadside assistance for the second tow, waited two hours and tow company called to say they didn't want to tow because it was raining, and he would pick it up in the morning. So I had my husband who picked us up and drove us home. Over 32 hours delay and budget will not fully reimburse for the hassle. What a mess and loss time at work. All because they cheaped out with an off market catalytic converter.
Budget Truck Rental Company Information
- Company Name:
- Budget Truck Rental
- Website:
- www.budgettruck.com
You’re signed up
We’ll start sending you the news you need delivered straight to you. We value your privacy. Unsubscribe easily.