heybox vs. Silvan: Should you rent or buy moving boxes for your move?
Moving is enough of a hassle already. Should you go for the DIY option from the DIY store or an all-in-one logistics solution? To make the right choice when you're weighing up whether to rent or buy moving boxes, you need to know the raw, unfiltered maths for time, sweat and money.
TL;DR: The quick overview
- Choose heybox if you don't have a car in Copenhagen and want to avoid paying for a city car, dangerous transport on a cargo bike and the trip to the recycling centre afterwards.
- Choose Silvan if you have free access to a car, only need a few boxes for permanent storage in the attic, and time isn't in short supply.
What do you get when you buy moving boxes at Silvan?
Silvan sells own-brand moving boxes in four sizes. You fold them yourself, and you either collect them from the store or have them delivered for a shipping fee. Here's the range as listed on silvan.dk in October 2026:
| Box | Price each | Size (H × W × L) | Cardboard | Max. load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior | 12.75 kr | 37.7 × 34.1 × 37.5 cm | 4 mm | 20 kg |
| Senior | 16.75 kr | 34 × 37 × 55.6 cm | 4 mm | 24 kg |
| Prof Light | 27 kr | 34 × 37 × 55.6 cm | 5 mm | 40 kg |
| Prof | 36.25 kr | 37.7 × 38.5 × 67.5 cm | 7 mm | 60 kg |
The Senior box is Silvan's standard box and the one most people take home. It's made of 4 mm cardboard. If you want 7 mm cardboard, you need the Prof box, which costs more than twice as much per box.
The product pages don't say what kind of bottom the boxes have, or whether they need taping. Silvan does say that the boxes can't handle water or moisture, and that they should stand at room temperature for about a day before you use them.
Source: silvan.dk, October 2026. Prices may have changed.
Comparison: heybox vs. Silvan
Here are the two options side by side for a typical move of 30 boxes in Greater Copenhagen.
| Factor | heybox (rental package) | Silvan (buying boxes) |
|---|---|---|
| Price for 30 boxes | 540 kr in total, incl. 4-7 weeks' rental | 502.50 kr for Senior (4 mm) or 1,087.50 kr for Prof (7 mm) |
| Delivery | Free to the kerb (carrying costs 1-3 kr per box each way) | Collect them from the store yourself, or have them delivered for a shipping fee |
| Afterwards | We pick up the boxes at your new address | You have to get rid of the cardboard yourself |
| Cardboard | Double-wall corrugated cardboard | 4 mm (Senior) to 7 mm (Prof) |
| Bottom & tape | Self-locking crash-lock bottom – no tape needed | Not stated on the product pages |
The raw, unfiltered maths: what does it actually cost?
Add up Silvan's shelf prices and the Senior boxes are slightly cheaper than renting: 30 boxes cost 502.50 kr against 540 kr at heybox. But at heybox, both delivery and pickup are included in the price. If you choose Silvan's 7 mm Prof box, 30 boxes cost 1,087.50 kr.
And then there's the transport. Without a car, you have to hire a city car or a trailer to collect the boxes (see the full maths on time and transport when you buy moving boxes), and 30 flat-packed boxes are not something you should carry on a cargo bike. With heybox there are no extra costs. We show you the numbers up front.
Thin cardboard vs. professional quality: the physics of boxes
When we talk about a real alternative to Silvan moving boxes, it's not just about avoiding the transport hassle – it's about pure physics. Many people only discover the difference between cheap and professional moving boxes when they're in the middle of the move.
Thin, single-wall corrugated cardboard is simply junk. It can barely carry its own weight when filled with books. The bottom gives way, the sides bulge, and the boxes collapse easily under weight.
Our boxes, on the other hand, are made of strong, double-wall corrugated cardboard with a high 'Edge Crush Test' (ECT) value. That allows geometric column stacking all the way to the ceiling without risk of structural collapse. Because they have a self-locking crash-lock bottom, you don't need packing tape at all. Just fill the gaps with crumpled packing paper to lock the kinetic centre of gravity in place, and the box will hold anything.
The hassle afterwards: skip the trip to the recycling centre
If you buy the boxes, they're yours afterwards. They usually end up as cardboard waste taking up space until you pull yourself together for yet another trip for disposing of the cardboard at the recycling centre afterwards. With heybox you skip the clean-up entirely. We simply pick them up again at your new address.
The verdict: which option is best for you?
- Silvan is best for: You, if you have free access to a roomy car and plenty of time to collect, assemble and later dispose of the boxes yourself. If time and transport aren't in short supply for you, Silvan's Senior box is cheapest in pure material costs.
- heybox is best for: Copenhageners without a car who want to avoid hidden car-sharing costs, hauling boxes across town and the dangerous wind trap on the bike. Our solution is simple: we deliver, you pack, we pick up.
Ready for a move that just works?
Are you now working out what it costs in total to rent 50 moving boxes including delivery and pickup? Our prices are transparent, so you can easily plan your budget:
- The honest maths: No hidden fees for shared cars or fuel.
- Fixed rates: From 300 kr for 15 boxes, and optional carrying for just 1-3 kr per box.
- No clean-up: We pick up the boxes once you've unpacked.
Calculate your total price (incl. delivery & pickup)
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
It depends on the box: Silvan's Senior box is slightly cheaper in pure material costs, but at heybox delivery and pickup are included in the price. At Silvan, the Senior box costs 16.75 kr and the 7 mm Prof box 36.25 kr each (October 2026), before transport. At heybox, 30 boxes cost 540 kr including delivery and pickup.
Silvan's moving boxes cost from 12.75 kr for a Junior box to 36.25 kr for a 7 mm Prof box (silvan.dk, October 2026). The standard box, Senior, costs 16.75 kr. Delivery costs extra, and you have to get rid of the boxes yourself afterwards.
Silvan's Senior box measures 34 × 37 × 55.6 cm, which is about 70 litres. Junior is smaller (37.7 × 34.1 × 37.5 cm, about 48 litres), and Prof is the largest (37.7 × 38.5 × 67.5 cm, about 98 litres).
The bottom usually collapses because cheap boxes are made of single-wall corrugated cardboard, which lacks the structural strength needed to carry heavy items. To avoid this, choose boxes with a self-locking crash-lock bottom in double-wall cardboard.
Professional double-wall corrugated boxes with a high 'Edge Crush Test' (ECT) value are best, as they allow tall geometric column stacking without risk of collapse. These boxes distribute the weight vertically, so the bottom boxes aren't crushed.
No, professional moving boxes like the ones heybox delivers have a foldable, self-locking crash-lock bottom that completely eliminates the need for tape. You save money on supplies and avoid the hassle of peeling sticky tape off the cardboard afterwards.