People search for storage by brand and then find the brand tells them very little about price. Rates are set per site, so two locations of one chain twenty minutes apart can differ by a lot. The starting rates do sort the chains into an order, though, and that order is worth knowing before you drive anywhere.
Starting rate by operator, US locations
| Operator | Locations we list | With a published US rate | Median starting rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| SmartStop | 112 | 57 | $23 |
| Storage King | 42 | 37 | $24 |
| Public Storage | 1,242 | 1,223 | $27 |
| CubeSmart | 344 | 343 | $29 |
| StorageMart | 153 | 91 | $32 |
| Prime Storage | 89 | 77 | $34 |
| StorQuest | 120 | 118 | $38 |
The starting rate is the cheapest unit at a site, so this compares where each operator's pricing begins rather than what a 10x10 costs at any of them. For reference, the median US 10x10 across the whole directory is $78.
What the ordering does and does not tell you
SmartStop sits lowest at $23 and StorQuest highest at $38, a spread of about $15 a month on the entry unit. Most of that reflects where each operator builds. A chain concentrated in dense city markets carries higher land costs into every rate, and one spread across smaller towns does not.
Sample size differs too. Public Storage is judged here on 1,223 US locations with a published rate, and the smaller chains on a fraction of that, so read the bottom of the table with more caution than the top.
Price the site, not the brand
Shortlist by location first and price second. Find the three or four facilities within a sensible drive, then compare those specific sites. A cheaper chain whose nearest branch is forty minutes away stops being cheaper once you count the trips, and people visit storage more often than they expect to.
How we got these numbers
Counted from the 11,482 facilities listed on StorageAtlas across 46 states and provinces. Starting rates here are US listings only, so nothing is averaged across two currencies. Each figure says how many locations it rests on. Prices are what each facility published on its own website on the day we last read it, which makes them a dated reading rather than a quote. We hold no vacancy data, so nothing here says whether a unit is free today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which storage chain is cheapest?
On the entry unit, SmartStop has the lowest median US starting rate in our listings at $23, ahead of Storage King at $24. Rates are set per location, so the cheapest chain nationally is often not the cheapest option in your town.
How many Public Storage locations are there?
We list 1,242 across the US and Canada and hold a published US rate for 1,223 of them. It is the largest single operator in our directory.
Do all locations of one chain charge the same?
No. Storage pricing is set site by site and moves with local demand, so two branches in the same city can differ noticeably. Compare the specific locations you would use.
Are independent facilities cheaper than the chains?
Sometimes, and it varies by town. Independents are also far less likely to publish rates online, so comparing them usually means a phone call.
