How Much Should You Tip Movers? (10–20% Chart)
By the Round Rock Affordable Movers crew · October 20, 2026 · 5 min read
Tipping movers is never required. It's completely optional, but always appreciated. If you'd like to tip, a common rule of thumb is 10–20% of your total moving bill, split evenly among the crew. On a $400 move, that's $40–$80 total.
Is tipping movers required?
No. You are never required to tip your movers. A tip is a thank-you, not part of the bill. At Round Rock Affordable Movers your price is the hours worked times your crew's hourly rate, plus a truck fee if your move needs a moving truck, and that's all you owe. Every customer gets the same careful service, whether they tip or not.
The numbers below are not a required amount. They're just a guide for customers who'd like to say thanks and want to know what's typical.
Why a tip means so much to a good crew
Good movers are hard to find, and even harder to keep. Moving is one of the toughest jobs there is: hours of lifting, carrying, and climbing stairs, in Texas heat, cold, or rain, while being careful with the things that matter most to you. The movers who do it well take real pride in their work, and every mover on our crew is background-checked before they ever step into your home.
Tips are a big part of how we keep a solid, experienced crew together. At Round Rock Affordable Movers, 100% of every tip goes to the movers who did your move. None of it goes to the company. When you tip, it goes straight to the people who carried your things, it tells them their hard work was noticed, and it helps make sure the next family gets the same great crew.
What your crew does that you might not see
- ✓Their day starts long before they knock on your door: gearing up, loading equipment, and driving to you
- ✓Wrapping and padding your furniture so it rides safely
- ✓Planning the safest way to get each big piece through tight hallways, turns, and doorways
- ✓Loading the truck tight, like a puzzle, so nothing shifts on the road
- ✓Carrying sofas, dressers, and appliances up and down stairs, one careful trip after another
- ✓Showing up in any weather: summer heat, where the inside of a moving truck gets even hotter, cold mornings, and rain or drizzle
- ✓Keeping your move on schedule so you're not paying for wasted time
- ✓Staying just as careful with your things in hour five as they were in minute one
The 10–20% rule
The simplest way to tip movers is the same way you'd tip for most services: a percentage of the bill. Etiquette experts back this up. Lizzie Post, president of the Emily Post Institute, has suggested setting aside about 20% of the total cost of a move for tips, split among the movers, and tipping on the higher side when the crew also packs or the home is hard to reach, like a walk-up.
For a quick, easy move, 10% is a solid thank-you. For a long, hot, heavy, or stair-filled day, 20% is generous and very much appreciated.
Tipping chart: how much to tip by bill amount
If you'd like to tip, find the amount closest to your bill, then split the total evenly among your movers.
| Your bill | 10% tip | 15% tip | 20% tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| $250 | $25 | $38 | $50 |
| $400 | $40 | $60 | $80 |
| $600 | $60 | $90 | $120 |
| $1,000 | $100 | $150 | $200 |
Totals for the whole crew. A guide only, not a required amount. Tipping is always optional and up to you.
When to tip toward 20%
- ✓Stairs, especially second- and third-floor walk-up apartments
- ✓Heavy or awkward items like sectionals, safes, or a washer and dryer
- ✓When the crew packs or unpacks for you
- ✓Long carries from the door to the truck
- ✓Hot Texas summer days (or cold, rainy ones)
- ✓A crew that goes out of its way, like reassembling furniture just how you want it
How to give the tip
Cash works great. You can hand it to each mover at the end of the job so everyone gets an even share, or give it to the lead mover to split with the crew.
Paying by card? Just let us know, and we can add the tip to your final balance at checkout. Either way, 100% of it goes to the movers on your job.
Not able to tip? That's completely fine. There are other great ways to say thanks: cold water or a snack on a long day, or a quick Google review that mentions your movers by name. Reviews help our crew get recognized for their work, and they mean more than you might think.
Sources: Brick Underground: tipping guidance quoting Lizzie Post, Emily Post Institute