Dropcurb vs 1-800-GOT-JUNK in Denver, CO: Price, Speed & Service Compared (2026)

1-800-GOT-JUNK uses volume-based pricing — they eyeball how much space your stuff takes in their truck, then quote on the spot. According to MoveBuddha, the national average job costs about $240. HomeGuide puts a half-truckload at $400–$600 and a full truck at $700–$1,000. On Nextdoor, a Denver customer reported being charged $249 for a single-item pickup in April 2025. There is no published price list — you must book a free on-site estimate and wait for the truck team to arrive before you know the price.

Dropcurb charges $79 for your first item, with add-ons at $19 (small), $29 (standard), or $39 (large). You see the total before you book — no on-site estimates, no truck-fraction guessing. For a single couch or mattress, you pay $79. For a couch plus two boxes, you pay $127. The price is the price.

Denver's Large Item Pickup runs every 9 weeks on your regular trash day. You can set out up to 5 large items (furniture, mattresses, large appliances) plus 10 extra bags or bundles. It's free — included in your city trash service. The catch: 9-week cycles mean you could wait up to two months, and you're capped at 5 items per cycle. If you miss your window or have more than 5 items, you're stuck until the next round. Check your schedule at denvergov.org.

1-800-GOT-JUNK Denver (7925 E Harvard Ave) has 156 reviews on Yelp as of February 2026 — a mix of praise for friendly crews and complaints about pricing surprises. On Nextdoor, one Denver customer wrote: "TRUST 1-800-GOTJUNK in Denver? MAYBE NOT!" after being charged $249 for a pickup that a third party had already paid for. The BBB profile for 1-800-GOT-JUNK Denver shows a failure to respond to 2 filed complaints. The recurring theme in negative reviews: the final price was higher than expected because the on-site estimate differed from the phone quote.

For one item, Dropcurb wins on price clarity. You pay $79, period. With 1-800-GOT-JUNK, a single item still triggers a truck dispatch and on-site estimate — Denver customers have reported paying $150–$249 for single-item jobs. Denver's municipal program is free but only comes every 9 weeks. If you need something gone this week and want to know the price before you book, Dropcurb is the straightforward choice.

For large jobs (10+ items, full rooms), 1-800-GOT-JUNK's truck-volume model can sometimes be more efficient — you fill the truck and pay one price. But that price is $700–$1,000 for a full truckload according to HomeGuide. With Dropcurb, a 10-item cleanout at the standard add-on rate runs roughly $79 + 9×$29 = $340. Even with a mix of large items, you'll likely stay under $500. Denver's municipal program won't help — 5-item cap per 9-week cycle means a full cleanout would take months.