Best Moving Companies in NYC 2026: A Guide Based on Performance, Reviews, and Product Offerings

The Moving Problem

If you put a Manhattan zip code into Google to look for movers, it shows a list of over 200 companies to choose from. That is a lot to sort through before deciding who to trust with all of your most precious possessions.

If you've moved in New York before, you already know the drill: a bad mover can leave your couch on the sidewalk while a doorman waves the truck off for missing a Certificate of Insurance (COI). A good mover shows up on time, with the paperwork in hand, and has your kitchen unpacked by dinner.

And a bad mover? You don’t want to find out after someone drops your television or racks up thousands of dollars of damages to your building walls that the mover you hired is one of the estimated dozens or hundreds of unlicensed and uninsured groups!

According to multiple companies, most moves happen between May and September every year, and you will be competing with the majority of the city to book the right company. And, as FlateRate moving points out, the best crews book up first, so there is no time to waste before making your reservation.

But before you collect quotes, here's how we suggest looking at your options.

Methodology

The Internet abounds with reviews, but can they be trusted?

According to an article published in International Journal on Economic and Business Management, “online reviews significantly influence consumer decisions” and “Google Reviews are often preferred for local services”. Numerous firms also tout that trust in online reviews in general is between 88% and 93%, which makes them a solid place to start looking.

Google is constantly working to fight off fraudulent reviews, but there is still a safety in numbers. According to Sterling Sky, a search engine optimization firm, Google more heavily scrutinizes businesses with a higher volume of reviews. We combed through 64 different moving companies that show a physical location in New York city and filtered the list down to companies with a rating over 4.5 stars, and over one thousand reviews. This left us with a list of 9 of the most recognized movers.

Next, we took a look at one of the oldest firms in the ratings business: Better Business Bureau (BBB). Of these nine companies, four do not have BBB Accreditation, and one had a D- rating. Yikes!

Taking these out, left us with four of the top rated firms in the city. These companies all maintain an A+ rating with the BBB and are listed below.

Top Moving Companies in New York City

FlatRate Moving (flatrate.com)

Founded: 1991
Ratings: Google, BBB
Self-Service Storage in NYC: Yes

Moving is already stressful enough, and hourly-rate pricing can be a part of it. In 1991, FlatRate entered the New York City market with a single philosophy that they baked into their name: give their customers a predictable, up-front move price, and stick to it.

It may seem surprising in 2026, but many movers still operate on an hourly basis: typically $120 to $250 / hour, depending on crew size. If traffic is perfect, parking is perfect, the elevators work like they’re supposed to, and you don’t need to spend extra time getting that one couch around a tough corner, then it might seem like a promising way to save money. But let’s be real: how often does everything go perfect in this city?

FlatRate has been quoting flat, all-inclusive rates since 1991, and it’s such a good idea that many companies since have followed suit. The price you get before the move is the price you pay: no surprise charges for stairs, no hourly time clock that accelerates at hour four.

Having been in business and led by their founder since the beginning, their crews are experienced, professional, and prepared. The kind of team that knows a New York building before they arrive and handles whatever comes up, without it showing up on your invoice.

In addition, FlatRate was one of only two companies on the list with self-service (where you can visit the unit personally) storage facilities in New York City. Others either did not offer storage you could access or have their facilities in New Jersey.

Big Apple Moving (bigapplemoving.com)

Founded: 1979
Ratings: Google, BBB
Self-Service Storage in NYC: No

Big Apple Moving has remained focused on moves from, to, and within New York City from their beginning in 1979. They maintain impeccable Google reviews, and support same-day moves.

They also care about their presence in the community, and donate their resources and services to various local charities.

While they offer storage services, access is restricted to their team members, and they prefer the full-service model where they pick up or drop off the stored items on your behalf.

Dumbo Moving (dumbomoving.com)

Founded: 2007
Ratings: Google, BBB
Self-Service Storage in NYC: No

Dumbo Moving, with their headquarters unsurprisingly based in Brooklyn, has a solid reputation. They are a good option when your timeline is compressed or your booking window is short, as they have a track record of success with last-minute and urgent move requests.

Dumbo also puts community service at the heart of their work, partnering with Move for Hunger to regularly transport food from retailers to food banks around the city.

Roadway Moving (roadwaymoving.com)

Founded: 2008
Ratings: Google, BBB
Self-Service Storage in NYC: No

Roadway is a well-reviewed mover with strong ratings and broad availability across the United States. While they are not specifically focused on New York City, their reviews within the city are strong.

Despite being a nationwide firm, they pride themselves on not sub-contracting out the moving work. According to their website, they “use only our own trucks and trailers, and the only people you as a customer will engage with are Roadway Moving employees”.

Conclusion

With thirty-five years focused on New York City, the flat-rate model still does what no other pricing model in this category does: remove the variable that wrecks moving budgets. Having pioneered this approach and maintained their reputation ever since, FlatRate Moving checks the boxes to book your move with confidence.

One piece of advice if you take nothing else: book early. The best crews fill their calendars before peak season starts, and by June, you might not be able to reserve your first choice.