Here’s the honest verdict up front: if what you’re getting rid of is metal or an appliance, Indy Pickup 1111 will cost a fraction of 1-800-GOT-JUNK — $11 versus a $129-and-up minimum. But if you have a full truck of mixed household junk, trash, and debris, 1-800-GOT-JUNK does something IPU doesn’t: they’ll haul all of it. This is a fair, side-by-side look at where each one wins.
Last updated: June 2026
Both are legitimate services — they just solve different problems. 1-800-GOT-JUNK is a full-service national brand that takes almost anything and does all the lifting. Indy Pickup 1111 is a local specialist in metal and appliances at a flat $11 base per stop. The right choice depends entirely on what you’re throwing out.
The Quick Verdict
- Getting rid of metal or an appliance (washer, dryer, fridge, water heater, AC, scrap)? → Indy Pickup 1111. It’s dramatically cheaper, often by $100+ per item.
- Clearing a full room or truckload of mixed junk, trash, and debris? → 1-800-GOT-JUNK (or another full-service hauler). That’s what they’re built for.
- A mix of both? → Pull the metal and appliances with an $11 pickup first, then use a full-service hauler for the rest — you’ll pay far less overall.
Master Comparison
| Feature | Indy Pickup 1111 | 1-800-GOT-JUNK |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $11 base per stop + item surcharges | Volume-based, ~$129–$400+ per job |
| Minimum charge | $11 | ~$129–$150 |
| What they take | Metal, appliances, furniture, mattresses, TVs | Almost anything — trash, debris, furniture, appliances |
| Who does the work | They do | They do |
| Speed | Same-day / next-day | Same-day / scheduled |
| Reviews | 2,173 Google reviews, 4.9 stars | Fewer local reviews (regional franchise) |
| Coverage | Indianapolis metro | Indianapolis metro (national brand) |
| Best for | Metal & appliances, budget, single items | Full-service, mixed loads, everything-must-go |
Price Comparison, Item by Item
This is where the gap is widest. 1-800-GOT-JUNK charges by how much of the truck you fill, with a minimum around $129-$150 no matter how small the job — so a single item is their most expensive scenario and IPU’s cheapest.
| Item | Indy Pickup 1111 | 1-800-GOT-JUNK |
|---|---|---|
| Washer or dryer | $11 | ~$129–$200+ |
| Water heater | $11 | ~$129–$200+ |
| Refrigerator | $36 ($11 + $25 freon) | ~$129–$200+ |
| Single mattress | $31–$46 ($11 + $20–$35) | ~$129–$200+ |
| Couch | $86 ($11 + $75) | ~$129–$250+ |
On a single appliance, that’s roughly $100 to $190 in savings for the exact same result — your item hauled away. The advantage is largest on metal and appliances (where IPU’s $11 base shines) and narrows on non-metal items like furniture, where IPU’s surcharge reflects the lower scrap value. Full surcharge list is on the pickup items and pricing pages.
What 1-800-GOT-JUNK Does Well
Credit where it’s due — there are real reasons to call them:
- They take almost anything. General household trash, cardboard, construction debris, yard waste, mixed junk — the stuff IPU doesn’t handle, they do.
- Full-truck jobs. For a whole-house cleanout or a room packed floor-to-ceiling, their volume model and crew are built for it.
- National brand recognition. Consistent process, uniformed crews, and availability across the country if you’re coordinating from out of town.
If your job is “make all of this disappear regardless of what it is,” a full-service hauler is the right tool, and 1-800-GOT-JUNK is one of the established names.
Where Indy Pickup 1111 Wins
- Price on metal and appliances. $11 versus a $129+ minimum isn’t close. For single items especially, it’s the difference between pocket change and a three-figure bill.
- No minimum to clear. One washer costs $11, not a truck-minimum. You never overpay for a small job.
- Reviews and local focus. 2,173 Google reviews at 4.9 stars, built entirely on Indianapolis metal-and-appliance pickups — far more local track record than the regional franchise.
- Speed for simple jobs. Same-day and next-day pickup, often booked from a single text with a photo.
- Responsible recycling. Everything goes to our recycling facility; freon is recovered per EPA rules, metals are sorted, nothing goes to a landfill.
When to Choose 1-800-GOT-JUNK
Pick the full-service route when:
- You have a full room or truckload of mixed junk you don’t want to sort.
- The job includes general trash, construction debris, or non-metal items IPU doesn’t take (see what we don’t haul).
- You want one crew to clear everything in a single visit and price isn’t the priority.
When to Choose Indy Pickup 1111
Pick the $11 pickup when:
- You’re getting rid of anything metal or an appliance — washer, dryer, stove, water heater, fridge, AC, scrap.
- You have one or a few items and don’t want to pay a full-service minimum.
- Budget or speed matters and the item qualifies.
- You want it handled today or tomorrow with a quick, published price and no surprise quote.
For a mixed job, the smart play is both: an $11 pickup for the metal and appliances (the part a hauler overcharges for), then a full-service hauler for the leftover trash. Our property cleanout guide and $11 vs. full-price comparison walk through that hybrid approach.
Two Real Indianapolis Examples
The single appliance. A dead washer sitting in the basement. With Indy Pickup 1111, that’s $11 at the curb, or $51 if we carry it up from the basement ($11 + $40 inside removal). 1-800-GOT-JUNK’s minimum is around $129 no matter what — so even the inside-removal version with IPU is less than half the price.
The garage clear-out. A washer, a dryer, an old water heater, and a pile of scrap shelving, all set at the curb. With IPU, that’s $11 total — one stop covers every standard metal item. A full-service hauler prices that by volume; a load like that easily runs $200-$300+. On this kind of job the gap is enormous, because you’re paying $11 for exactly the metal and appliances a hauler charges the most to move.
How Booking Works with Each
The process is different, and it matters for speed:
- Indy Pickup 1111: text a photo to (317) 350-1111 or book online, get your published price up front, and most pickups happen same-day or next-day. You know the cost before anyone shows up.
- 1-800-GOT-JUNK: book an on-site estimate window online or by phone; the crew assesses the load and gives you a volume-based quote when they arrive. It’s a proven process, but you typically learn the final price at the truck, not before.
For a known item like an appliance, IPU’s up-front flat price removes the guesswork — there’s no “we’ll tell you when we see it.”
Book the $11 Pickup
If it’s metal or an appliance, skip the $129 minimum:
- Text a photo to (317) 350-1111 or book online with your items.
- We confirm the price up front — $11 base plus any published surcharge, no surprises.
- We haul it, same-day or next-day. Hours are Monday-Friday 8am-5pm and Saturday 9am-2pm (closed Sunday), across Greenwood to Carmel and Plainfield to New Palestine. See how it works.
The Bottom Line
Both services are legitimate; they just fit different jobs. For metal and appliances, Indy Pickup 1111 wins decisively on price — $11 versus a $129+ minimum — with a bigger local review base and up-front pricing. For a full truckload of mixed junk, trash, and debris, 1-800-GOT-JUNK’s full-service model is the better tool. And for a job that’s a bit of both, use IPU for the metal and appliances first, then a hauler for the rest, and pay the least overall.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Indy Pickup 1111 cheaper than 1-800-GOT-JUNK?
For metal and appliances, dramatically — $11 base per stop versus a $129-$150 minimum, a savings of roughly $100-$190 on a single item. The gap narrows on non-metal items like furniture, where IPU adds a surcharge, but IPU is still typically cheaper. 1-800-GOT-JUNK becomes competitive only on large, mixed, full-truck jobs.
How much does 1-800-GOT-JUNK cost in Indianapolis?
1-800-GOT-JUNK prices by volume — how much of their truck you fill — with a minimum around $129-$150 and single-item and partial loads commonly running $129-$400+. Because of the minimum, small jobs are their most expensive scenario relative to a flat $11 pickup.
What’s the difference between Indy Pickup 1111 and 1-800-GOT-JUNK?
1-800-GOT-JUNK is a full-service national hauler that takes almost anything, including trash and debris, priced by volume. Indy Pickup 1111 is a local specialist in metal and appliances at a flat $11 base per stop. For appliances and metal, IPU is far cheaper; for a full load of mixed junk, the full-service hauler is the better fit.
Can Indy Pickup 1111 take everything 1-800-GOT-JUNK takes?
No, and we’re upfront about it. IPU handles metal, appliances, furniture, mattresses, and TVs — not general household trash, cardboard, food waste, construction debris, or hazardous materials. For those, a full-service hauler is the right call. The cheapest approach on a mixed job is to use IPU for the metal and appliances and a hauler for the rest.
Which has better reviews?
Indy Pickup 1111 has 2,173 Google reviews at 4.9 stars, all built on Indianapolis metal-and-appliance pickups — a much larger local review base than the regional 1-800-GOT-JUNK franchise. For appliance and metal jobs specifically, that local track record is worth weighing.