The best junk removal service in Indianapolis depends on what you’re hauling. For appliances and scrap metal, Indy Pickup 1111 is the cheapest option in the metro at $11 per stop. For full-truck cleanouts, Fire Dawgs ($99 minimum) and Junk King lead the full-service field. Here are all seven, with 2026 prices.
Last updated: July 2026
Search “junk removal companies near me” from anywhere in the Indianapolis metro and you’ll get the same wall of results: national franchises, local haulers, and directory sites that list everyone and rank no one. Prices for the exact same job — say, one dead refrigerator on a driveway in Greenwood — can run anywhere from $11 to $300. That gap is why this list exists.
Full disclosure up front: this list is published by Indy Pickup 1111, and yes, we put ourselves first. We also put our price in the same table as everyone else’s so you can check the math yourself. Where a competitor is genuinely the better call, we say so.
Indianapolis Junk Removal Prices at a Glance
| Service | Starting Price | What They Haul | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indy Pickup 1111 | $11 per stop | Appliances, scrap metal, electronics; furniture & mattresses with small surcharges | Single appliances & metal items |
| Fire Dawgs | $99 minimum | Almost anything, priced by truck volume | Full-service cleanouts |
| Junk King Indianapolis | 1/8-truck minimum, quoted free | Almost anything, priced by truck volume | Mid-size loads, eco-minded jobs |
| 1-800-GOT-JUNK? | On-site quote only | Almost anything, priced by truck volume | Brand-name reassurance |
| Schott Services | $150 minimum | Junk, debris, heavy & oversized items | Heavy or unusual hauls |
| Two Men and a Junk Truck | Quote on arrival | Almost anything, priced by truck volume | North side full-service jobs |
| LoadUp | $65 per item | Single bulky items, booked online | Upfront online pricing |
How We Ranked These Junk Removal Companies
Three things, in order: price you can verify before a truck shows up, review track record, and how well the service fits the most common Indianapolis job (which, in our experience running 100+ stops a week, is one or two appliances — not a full truck).
One housekeeping note: College Hunks Hauling Junk appeared on most older versions of this list. As of March 2026, both of its Indianapolis locations are marked closed on Yelp, and the company’s own Indiana page no longer lists an Indianapolis branch you can book. So it’s off the list, and LoadUp is on it.
1. Indy Pickup 1111 — Best for Appliances and Scrap Metal ($11)
We’re the “Home of the $11 Pick Up,” and the model is simple: any washer, dryer, stove, water heater, grill, lawn mower, or other mostly-metal item gets picked up for a flat $11 per stop, as long as it’s outside or in the garage. Refrigerators and other freon appliances add $25 (so $36 total). Couches add $20. Every surcharge is published upfront — no on-site renegotiation.
Why so cheap? Because we’re not really a junk hauler. The metal we collect gets processed for scrap value through our family’s salvage yard on Stanley Avenue, so the item itself pays for most of the trip. The $11 covers fuel. According to Robin Wiener, President of the Recycled Materials Association, “It’s impossible to go a day — or even an hour — without using a product made at least in part with recycled materials” — your old dryer is raw material, not trash.
The numbers back it up: 2,300+ Google reviews at 4.9 stars, the largest Google review count in the Indianapolis junk removal market. Same-day and next-day pickup are typical across the core area, Greenwood to Carmel, Avon to New Palestine, and you don’t need to be home. One reviewer, Stephanie McGee, put it this way: “I got a text message saying they would pick it up the next day and when I got home from work, the water heater was gone. It was so easy.”
Pros: Cheapest price in the market by a wide margin, same-day service, licensed, bonded, and insured, local family business, contactless pickup, items recycled instead of landfilled.
Cons: This is not full-service junk removal. If your pile is mostly wood, drywall, or general household trash, we’re the wrong call — a volume hauler below will serve you better. Property cleanouts are quoted separately.
Best for: Anyone getting rid of appliances, scrap metal, or electronics who doesn’t want to pay $99-$500 for a two-minute pickup.
Got an old appliance on the driveway? Book an $11 pickup with Indy Pickup 1111 — same-day is usually available. Call or text (317) 350-1111, or book online in two minutes →
2. Fire Dawgs Junk Removal — Best Full-Service Hauler
Fire Dawgs is the strongest full-service operation in Indianapolis, and it isn’t close. Firefighter-founded and veteran-owned, the company runs $99-minimum junk removal priced by how much of the truck you fill, with labor, fuel, and disposal fees included. Its website reports more than 3,008 reviews across its Indiana, Ohio, and Texas locations, and the Indianapolis crews have a reputation for showing up on time and communicating well.
The catch is the pricing model itself: the final number is confirmed on site, once the crew sees the load. Fire Dawgs is upfront about this, and its estimates are free — but if you want a guaranteed price before anyone arrives, that’s not what volume pricing does.
Pros: Professional crews, free estimates, handles nearly anything including inside removals, strong review record.
Cons: $99 minimum makes single metal items expensive; final price set on site.
Best for: Garage and basement cleanouts with mixed junk — furniture, boxes, non-metal bulk.
3. Junk King Indianapolis — Best Franchise Option
Junk King is a national franchise with a solid Indianapolis operation and an eco-friendly pitch: big 12-cubic-yard trucks, volume pricing where you “pay only for the space you use,” and free written estimates. Aggregate review sites put the Indianapolis franchise around 4.6 stars, with customers noting punctual crews and no-surprise pricing once loading starts.
Like every volume hauler, the economics punish small jobs. The minimum charge covers an eighth of a truck whether you fill it or not, so a single appliance costs many times what the same stop costs with us.
Pros: Large trucks (fewer trips on big jobs), recycling emphasis, free estimates.
Cons: Minimum-load pricing is steep for one or two items.
Best for: Half-truck-and-up loads where the per-cubic-yard math starts working in your favor.
4. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? — Best-Known Name
The biggest brand in junk removal operates across the Indianapolis metro with the polish you’d expect from a national franchise: uniformed crews, texted ETAs, and no-obligation on-site quotes. Single items are priced individually by size, and the company doesn’t publish local rates — you find out the number when the truck arrives.
We wrote a full Indy Pickup 1111 vs. 1-800-GOT-JUNK comparison if you want the line-by-line version. The short version: for an appliance, you’re choosing between $11 and a triple-digit quote for the same driveway.
Pros: Reliable national systems, insured crews, handles almost everything.
Cons: Premium pricing, and you can’t get a firm number before the truck shows up.
Best for: People who want the familiar brand and don’t mind paying for it.
5. Schott Services — Best for Heavy and Unusual Jobs
Schott Services is a local Indianapolis operation where you deal directly with the owner, John Schott, rather than a call center. Published minimums start at $150 for curbside and small loads, with $150-$200 covering most jobs up to a pickup-truck-sized load. The company also does hauling, demolition, and heavy-item work that most junk crews turn down, and its site cites more than 2,300 five-star reviews across Google, Angi, and Yelp.
Pros: Owner-direct communication, published pricing, takes on hot tubs, pianos-in-basements, and other jobs that scare franchises.
Cons: $150 floor is high for small pickups.
Best for: Heavy, awkward, or demolition-adjacent removals.
6. Two Men and a Junk Truck — Best North-Side Local Crew
Two Men and a Junk Truck is a local brand rooted in the Carmel, Fishers, and north Indianapolis market. Jobs run with two-person crews, same-day availability is a core part of the pitch, and reviewers consistently describe the crews as fast, friendly, and thorough. Pricing is volume-based and confirmed when the crew sees the load, which makes budgeting harder than it needs to be — but the service itself earns its local reputation.
Pros: Genuinely local, responsive, strong on the north side.
Cons: No published pricing; south-side coverage is thinner.
Best for: Full-service jobs in Carmel, Fishers, Westfield, and Noblesville.
7. LoadUp — Best Online Booking
LoadUp is the outlier on this list: a national platform where you price the job online before anyone is dispatched. Indianapolis pickups start at $65 for a single bulky item, labor and disposal included, and the company reports a 4.8-star average across 339,000+ verified reviews nationwide. You can get a real number by text or through its online quote tool — no on-site estimate theater.
Pros: Guaranteed upfront pricing online, contactless options, good for odd single items like mattresses.
Cons: Not a local company — dispatch runs through a national platform, and per-item pricing climbs quickly on multi-item jobs.
Best for: One bulky non-metal item when you want a firm price without a phone call.
How Much Does Junk Removal Cost in Indianapolis?
Junk removal in Indianapolis follows national pricing closely: the average job runs about $241, with most jobs landing between $133 and $372 (HomeAdvisor, 2026). Single-item removal typically costs $60-$150, a full truckload runs $600-$800, and appliance removal specifically ranges from $50 to $400 per unit (HomeAdvisor, 2026). Against that backdrop, an $11 appliance stop is the outlier — which is exactly why we lead with it.
Two things keep Indianapolis prices in check. First, competition: the metro has an unusually deep bench of haulers for a city its size. Second, scrap value: 59.8% of appliance material was recovered for recycling in the EPA’s most recent measurement (EPA, 2018 data), and that recovered steel is worth real money — it’s the reason metal-focused services can charge a fraction of volume-hauler rates. Marion County residents can also use the city’s heavy trash service for some large items, though pickup windows and item rules vary by district.
For the full price breakdown by job type, see our guides to junk removal costs in Indianapolis and when $11 pickup beats paid junk removal.
How Do I Choose a Junk Removal Company?
Match the company to the job before you compare anything else. Here’s the order we’d work through — honestly, it’s the same checklist we’d give a family member:
- Identify what you’re actually hauling. Mostly metal or appliances — use a metal-focused service ($11 here). Mixed household junk by the truckload — use a volume hauler.
- Get the price before the truck arrives. Published pricing (Indy Pickup 1111, Fire Dawgs, Schott, LoadUp) beats on-site quoting. If the number can change on your driveway, budget for the high end.
- Verify licensing and insurance. Any legitimate company will confirm it’s insured before the crew touches your property. We’re licensed, bonded, and insured; the reputable haulers on this list are too.
- Check review count, not just the star rating. A 4.9 from 2,300+ reviews tells you more than a 5.0 from 12.
- Ask where your stuff ends up. Recycling and donation should be the default answer, not a premium add-on.
One more local wrinkle: if what you’re clearing out includes a whole vehicle, none of the companies above are the right call. Our sister company Cash Car Heroes pays cash for junk cars with free towing included.
Not sure which category your stuff falls into? Text a photo to (317) 350-1111 and we’ll tell you straight — even if the answer is “call a volume hauler instead.” See how the $11 pickup works →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best junk removal company in Indianapolis?
It depends on the job. For appliances, scrap metal, and electronics, Indy Pickup 1111 is the best value at $11 per stop with 2,300+ Google reviews at 4.9 stars. For full-truck mixed cleanouts, Fire Dawgs ($99 minimum) is the strongest full-service option in the metro.
What is the cheapest junk removal in Indianapolis?
Indy Pickup 1111, at $11 per stop for appliances and mostly-metal items left outside or in the garage. The next-cheapest verified starting prices are LoadUp at $65 per item and Fire Dawgs at a $99 minimum. Full-service haulers average about $241 per job nationally (HomeAdvisor, 2026).
How much does junk removal cost in Indianapolis?
Most Indianapolis jobs land between $133 and $372, with a national average of $241 (HomeAdvisor, 2026). A single item runs $60-$150 from full-service haulers, and full truckloads run $600-$800. Metal items and appliances are the exception: those cost $11 per stop with Indy Pickup 1111.
How do I choose a junk removal company?
Match the service to the load first: metal and appliances go to a metal-focused service, mixed junk goes to a volume hauler. Then confirm the price before the truck arrives, verify the company is licensed and insured, weigh review counts (not just star ratings), and ask whether items get recycled or landfilled.
Is the $11 pickup really $11?
Yes, for anything that’s mostly metal by weight — washers, dryers, stoves, water heaters, grills, mowers — left outside or in the garage. Specialty items carry published surcharges on top of the $11: freon appliances like refrigerators add $25, couches add $20, and inside removal is extra. Every price is listed before you book.
Do junk removal companies take refrigerators?
Yes, but freon changes the price everywhere. Federal rules require refrigerant recovery, so refrigerators cost more than other appliances at every service. Indy Pickup 1111 charges $11 plus a $25 freon surcharge ($36 total) for a fridge outside or in the garage; full-service haulers commonly charge $100 or more for the same pickup.
Did College Hunks Hauling Junk leave Indianapolis?
Both Indianapolis locations — Castleton and the southwest side — are marked closed on Yelp as of March 2026, and the company’s Indiana junk-removal page now shows bookable branches only in Merrillville and South Bend. That’s why College Hunks doesn’t appear in this year’s rankings and LoadUp took the seventh spot.
The Bottom Line
Indianapolis has a genuinely competitive junk removal market, and the “best” company is the one built for your specific pile. Full truck of mixed junk? Fire Dawgs or Junk King. Heavy oddball item? Schott. One bulky thing, priced online? LoadUp. But if what you’re staring at is an old appliance or anything mostly metal, the math isn’t close: $11 with Indy Pickup 1111, same-day in most of the metro, from a local family business with 2,300+ reviews backing it up.
Ready to clear it out for $11? Book your pickup with Indy Pickup 1111 — Greenwood to Carmel, Avon to New Palestine, same-day when available. Schedule your $11 pickup →