CubeSmart vs Extra Space Storage: which is cheaper?
Short answer: CubeSmart usually wins on price, Extra Space wins on reach. A CubeSmart 10x10 runs about $92 to $192 a month against $98 to $222 at Extra Space, and CubeSmart charges less for insurance and raises rates more gently after the promo. Extra Space has more than twice the locations and the stronger online booking experience, so in many markets availability decides it before price does.
CubeSmart
$92 to $192
10x10 standard / month
Cheaper headline rates, lower insurance, gentler post-promo. ~1,500 facilities.
Extra Space
$98 to $222
10x10 standard / month
Widest coverage (~3,600 facilities), best online booking, strong online-only rates.
Side by side
| Feature | CubeSmart | Extra Space |
|---|---|---|
| US facilities | ~1,500 | ~3,600 (largest by count) |
| Market share | 4.9% | 14.4% |
| 10x10 standard / month | $92 to $192 | $98 to $222 |
| 10x10 climate / month | $120 to $250 | $127 to $289 |
| First-month promo | First month free or 50% off 3 months | First month free or 50% off 3 months |
| Online discount vs walk-in | Modest | 10 to 25% online-exclusive |
| Post-promo increase | 10 to 18% at month 6 to 7 | 10 to 22% at month 3 to 6 |
| Required insurance | Sure Save, $10 to $20/mo | Customer Goods Protection, $11 to $29/mo |
| Price-lock guarantee | No | No |
| Blended rent per occupied sq ft (2024 10-K) | $23.46 | $21.68 |
Consumer price bands are sampled estimates from operator price pages and listing data; verify a live quote for your exact facility. The blended rent-per-occupied-square-foot figures are from each company's 2024 Form 10-K and are portfolio-wide averages across all unit sizes and markets, not the price of a single 10x10.
Price by unit size
| Size | CubeSmart / mo | Extra Space / mo |
|---|---|---|
| 5x5 | $45 to $85 | $48 to $92 |
| 5x10 | $62 to $115 | $68 to $128 |
| 10x10 | $92 to $192 | $98 to $222 |
| 10x15 | $118 to $245 | $128 to $278 |
| 10x20 | $148 to $305 | $162 to $342 |
| 10x30 | $202 to $410 | $218 to $458 |
Where each one wins
Choose CubeSmart when
- It operates in your market and you are optimising on monthly cost.
- You want the lower required-insurance charge ($10 to $20 versus $11 to $29).
- You plan to store long term and want gentler post-promo increases.
- You are in the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, or Texas, where its footprint is strongest.
Choose Extra Space when
- CubeSmart has no facility near you (common on the West Coast and Northeast).
- You want the strongest online booking experience and online-exclusive rates.
- You need climate-controlled space and want the widest set of options.
- You are comparing former Life Storage facilities now on Extra Space pricing.
The honest tie-breaker is availability. Extra Space's post-merger footprint of roughly 3,600 facilities is more than double CubeSmart's ~1,500, so in plenty of markets only one of the two is actually an option. Where both compete, CubeSmart is usually the cheaper booking, but always pull a live online quote from each before committing, since both run promotions that reset after a few months. See the full chain-by-chain table on our providers page.
Frequently asked
Is CubeSmart or Extra Space cheaper?
CubeSmart is usually the cheaper of the two on headline rates, typically 5 to 15 percent below Extra Space for a matched 10x10 in the same submarket. Nationally a CubeSmart 10x10 runs about $92 to $192 standard against $98 to $222 at Extra Space. CubeSmart also charges less for required insurance ($10 to $20 versus $11 to $29) and tends to raise rates less aggressively after the promo period. Extra Space can close the gap when you book online, since its online-exclusive rates run 10 to 25 percent below the walk-in price.
Which has more locations, CubeSmart or Extra Space?
Extra Space, by a wide margin. After the 2023 Life Storage merger, Extra Space operates roughly 3,600 US facilities and is the largest operator by location count. CubeSmart runs about 1,500, concentrated in the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Texas. In many markets, especially the West Coast and Northeast, Extra Space will have a facility where CubeSmart does not, so availability often decides the choice before price does.
Why is CubeSmart's blended rent per square foot higher if its prices are lower?
The two figures measure different things. The $23.46 per occupied square foot in CubeSmart's 2024 10-K and the $21.68 in Extra Space's are blended portfolio averages across every unit size and market each company operates, weighted heavily by small units and dense, high-cost metros such as New York where CubeSmart concentrates. They are not the price of a 10x10. On the ground, CubeSmart's headline rates for a comparable unit are usually lower, which is why its blended portfolio figure and its consumer pricing point in opposite directions.
Which has the better online booking and app experience?
Extra Space. Its online booking flow, transparent published rates, and app integration are generally rated the strongest of the large chains, and its online-exclusive rates reward self-service booking. CubeSmart also offers full online booking and good customer-satisfaction scores, but Extra Space's digital experience is the more polished of the two. If you want to compare and reserve entirely online without calling, Extra Space is the smoother path.
Is insurance required at both CubeSmart and Extra Space?
Yes. Both require facility insurance unless you provide proof of homeowners or renters coverage with off-premises protection that names the operator as additional insured. CubeSmart's Sure Save plan runs $10 to $20 per month; Extra Space's Customer Goods Protection runs $11 to $29 per month, on the higher end of the industry. Adding the additional-insured language to an existing renters policy usually takes one phone call to your insurer and lets you opt out of the facility plan at either chain.
Should I choose CubeSmart or Extra Space?
Choose CubeSmart if it operates in your market and you are optimising on monthly cost: it is usually the cheaper headline rate, with lower insurance and gentler post-promo increases. Choose Extra Space if CubeSmart has no nearby facility, if you want the strongest online booking experience, or if you need climate-controlled space, where Extra Space's broader footprint gives more options. In matched markets the cheapest-to-most-expensive order among the big chains is usually CubeSmart, then Extra Space, then Public Storage.