Moving Soon? These Are the Best Packing and Moving Box Calculators to Use First
If you’ve ever tried to eyeball how many moving boxes you’ll need, you already know how badly that ends. You start confidently with a 20-box estimate, and the next thing you know, you’re on your fourth emergency Home Depot run for more.
After a few chaotic moves of my own, I’ve learned the hard way that packing and moving box calculators can save a whole lot of headaches. They’re built for people like us, the ones who forget that the linen closet counts as a room and the ones who have accumulated 27 mugs without noticing.
So in the last few weeks, I’ve tested various packing and moving box calculators to see how they stack up.
Here are the best of the best.
At a Glance
| Provider | Best For | Info Given | My Take |
| moveBuddha | Accurate, all-around estimates | Box counts & costs | The most balanced and precise, with great logic, clean UI, and zero fluff. |
| U-Haul | Buying everything in one place | Full supply cart & box counts | Very convenient; slightly high estimates but great for cautious packers. |
| Moving.com | Fast estimate with a detailed box breakdown | Box counts by type, supplies, & cost | Simple flow but surprisingly detailed; includes wardrobe and picture boxes. |
| HireAHelper | First-time movers needing guidance | Box counts & supply suggestions | Friendly, beginner-safe, & slightly generous with estimates. |
| Extra Space Storage | Cleanest, easiest UI | Box count & storage size suggestion | A beautifully simple tool with low-leaning estimates. |
| Packeze | Full households, mixed items, zero guesswork | Exact box counts by size & cart-ready list | Detailed but simple with generous estimates. |
| Allied Van Lines | Large homes or moves with room-by-room detail | Room-based supply breakdown | Tight estimates unless you’re honest about clutter; excellent room summaries. |
| Scotch Brand | Estimating tape, wrap, & packing materials | Visual supply list | Not a full box calculator but still extremely useful. |
Why Packing Calculators Matter
Packing calculators are important because:
- Most of us dramatically underestimate our belongings, especially in places like kitchens, bathrooms, and closets.
- The box size you choose matters! Books should not go into large boxes unless you want to experience new shoulder and lower back injuries.
- Getting too few boxes means panic purchases, rush fees, and more stress than necessary.
- If you’re hiring movers, misjudging your volume can add surprise fees or require a bigger truck.
Calculators don’t just help you buy the right number of boxes… They reduce friction, save money, and keep your move from turning into a last-minute scavenger hunt.
How Packing and Moving Box Calculators Work
Most packing calculators function like a quick-and-dirty inventory assistant. You tell them:
- How many rooms you have
- Whether you’re a minimalist or a maximalist
- The size of your home
- Which rooms have extra stuff (hello, craft closet)
Then, the tool:
- Estimates your total volume based on U.S. household averages
- Breaks volume into box types (small, medium, large, wardrobe, dish packs, etc.)
- Adjusts for factors like a fully stocked kitchen vs. “I eat takeout 6 days a week”
It’s important to note that not all calculators work the same way. For example, some tools use general volume assumptions, while others use item-based logic.
That’s why you’ll notice estimates varying by 10–40%. It’s not that one is wrong; it’s just that each one thinks in slightly different ways.
The Best Packing & Moving Box Calculators
So let’s get into it and go tool by tool. To keep things apples-to-apples, I used the same scenario for each calculator: a 2-bedroom apartment, five rooms to pack, two people, and “average” belongings. Finally, you’ll notice that the more extreme differences in costs will usually come from add-ons like tape, packing paper, stretch wrap, etc.
1. moveBuddha’s Packing & Moving Box Calculator
Best for accurate, all-around estimates
moveBuddha’s packing & moving box calculator is the one I trust most. It’s clean, straightforward, and doesn’t overwhelm you with weird categories like “napkin rings” or “miscellaneous dining décor.” It feels modern and responsive, and it’s not buried under ads or upsells. But what I love most is how it uses realistic volume assumptions while letting you dial up or down your “stuff intensity.”
You just tell it the number of rooms you have to pack, the number of people moving, and your lifestyle (minimalist vs. hoarder).
Then, you get the estimated boxes and costs:
It also lets you download a PDF of your results, keeping everything in one tidy file so you’re not having to redo the calculator later on unless your plans change.
2. U-Haul’s Moving Supplies Calculator
Best for people who want to buy everything in one place
U-Haul’s moving supplies calculator is the definition of convenient. You enter room types, how much stuff you have, and mattress quantities, and it spits out a polished shopping cart of boxes, tape, bubble wrap… everything you’d ever need for a move.
Do they overestimate? A little. Their list leans on the generous side, which is honestly perfect if you pack cautiously or have fragile items.
I’ll just say this: I’ve never regretted having extra packing paper.
But what stood out to me most was how quickly you can convert your estimate into an order. For people who want the “add to cart and move on” experience, this one wins.
3. Moving.com’s Packing Calculator
Best for a fast estimate with a surprisingly detailed box breakdown
Moving.com’s packing calculator is surprisingly accurate for small to medium-sized homes. The tool asks about the number of bedrooms and persons, your lifestyle (whether you’re a minimalist, modest, or a pack rat), and your packing style.
The interface is clean and direct, and the results are quite detailed — including the required number and size of any boxes you might need, plus packing supplies. There’s also an estimated cost, and the tool allows you to print the list or email it.
4. HireAHelper’s Packing Supplies & Moving Box Calculator
Best for first-time movers who want handholding
HireAHelper’s calculator is nothing technically special, but it feels particularly human to me, especially their copywriting. Like most other tools, it asks about the number of bedrooms and people, whether you’re packing a shed or shop, and what kind of lifestyle you have (minimalist, somewhere in between, or packrat).
I will say that their estimates run just a little high, which is perfect if you’re an over-padder, a cautious packer, or someone who’d rather have leftovers than come up short. It also gives you box counts by size and suggestions for supplies like tape and bubble wrap.
5. Extra Space Storage’s Moving Box Calculator
Best for the cleanest, easiest user interface
This calculator from Extra Space Storage is especially clean, easy to use, and gives you the recommended supplies without overcomplicating the process. If you need to put your belongings in storage, it also suggests a unit size.
In terms of accuracy, it trends a bit low. However, it’s perfect if you’ve got a fairly simple setup and not a basement that could pass as a museum of forgotten hobbies.
6. Packeze’s Box Calculator
Best for full households, mixed item sizes, and zero guesswork
Packeze’s box calculator is quite simple and more visual than most others, including friendly illustrations and a quiz-style interface.
It generates a neatly organized, though generous, list with exact counts for each box size, and a moving box supply list you can add straight to your cart.
What I love is how streamlined the whole experience feels. It gives you highly specific recommendations without making you click through endless menus.
7. Allied’s Packing Calculator
Best for big moves where room-by-room planning matters
Allied’s packing calculator is easy to use, and it’s the only one so far that asks how long you’ve lived in your home (likely to better guesstimate how much junk you have lying around). You’ll also describe whether your cabinets and closets are clutter-free or filled to the brim.
It then gives you a summary breakdown of what supplies you’ll need — though I found it to be on the tight side, so if you choose “clutter-free,” make sure you really don’t have any clutter.
I really liked the supply breakdown by room here. It made the whole thing feel intuitive, almost like someone had already mapped out my packing strategy for me.
8. Scotch Brand’s Moving Supply Calculator
Best for people who need supply estimates (tape, wrap, paper)
This one’s a bonus. Because while it’s not great at generating box estimates, Scotch Brand’s moving supply calculator is one of the simplest, cleanest tools for calculating miscellaneous moving supplies. It’s basically four questions and done, complete with visual sliders to describe your living space and lifestyle.
The results page feels almost soothing. You get a tidy summary of your home, followed by a nice shopping list of tape, cushion wrap, and small/medium/large boxes.
I especially like how everything is laid out in neat product tiles; it’s easy to skim, compare, and add to your cart if you’re already team Scotch. And if you tend to underestimate supplies (hi, that’s me), their print-ready summary is incredibly handy.
Where Most Moves Go Wrong With Box Counts
You’d think estimating boxes would be straightforward: count your rooms, buy a stack, done. But almost every mover (including me, repeatedly) ends up misjudging something.
Here are the places people consistently get tripped up:
- Underestimating the kitchen: Kitchens are sneaky. Those mugs, utensils, and baking trays quickly add up and can take twice as many boxes as expected.
- Buying too many large boxes: Large boxes are rarely your friend, especially if you have lots of heavy items. Medium boxes are the workhorse of every move.
- Forgetting seasonal or sentimental items: Seasonal and sentimental items pile up quickly, from decorations to camping gear to old photo albums.
Bonus: My Packing Supply Checklist
As a bonus for sticking around until the end, here’s a handy checklist of the supplies that truly matter during a move.
| Packing Supply Checklist | |
| Boxes |
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| Protection |
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| Tools |
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| Specialty |
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Ready to Pack Smarter? Start With the Right Calculator
Packing doesn’t have to be painful, chaotic, or filled with panic-bought boxes from wherever is still open at 9 p.m. The right calculator does the mental math for you and helps keep your budget under control. Whether you’re a minimalist or someone whose belongings multiply when you’re not looking (me, honestly), one of these calculators will make your move smoother and maybe even a little satisfying.
When you’re ready, I’d start with the moveBuddha packing & moving box calculator. In my experience, it’s the most accurate, the most balanced, and the most reliable for the majority of homes.
Now, take a deep breath and get your boxes ready. You’ve got this.