Best Moving Companies in New York (2023)

New York has a lot to offer, from the bustle of the Big Apple to the quiet solitude of the Catskills. Whether it’s city life or country living you’re after, a reliable, professional mover can help make your relocation to the Empire State stress-free.

This Old House Reviews Team researched dozens of providers and analyzed hundreds of online reviews to determine our picks for the best moving companies nationwide. We narrowed that list down to the top movers serving New York City and elsewhere in the state.

The highest-rated moving companies in New York include the following:

• International Van Lines: Best Overall Full-Service Mover
• Interstate Moving & Relocation Group: Most Efficient
• American Van Lines: Most Experienced Moving Labor
• Moving APT: Best Customer Service
• Safeway Moving Inc.: Most Customer-Oriented
• JK Moving Services: Most Customizable Full-Service Mover
• Allied Van Lines: Best for Vehicle Relocation
• North American Van Lines: Best for Claims
• PODS: Most Convenient

International Van Lines

We chose International Van Lines (IVL) as our overall pick for best movers serving New York based on the company’s widespread availability, comprehensive menu of services, and experience in the industry. IVL handles local, long-distance, cross-country, and international moves of all sizes. You can choose various add-on options like vehicle shipping and short- and long-term storage to customize your move.

Pros & Cons

✔ Provides special handling of large or high-value pieces, such as fitness equipment and antiques
✔ Partners with some of the best movers in NYC
✔ Refunds deposits on moves canceled with at least 48 hours’ notice

✘ Charges an additional $150 for large items that can’t be stacked and $350 to handle motorcycles
✘ Outsources most local moves within NYC

Services

International Van Lines provides full- and partial-packing services supported by add-on options. The company offers two contents coverage plans, which cover your items based on their actual estimated value. The total-loss coverage is the more affordable option but only applies when entire moving shipments are damaged or lost. All-risk insurance will provide you with coverage of individual items that are broken, damaged, stolen, or lost during transit. Here are some of the primary services most IVL partners can provide:

• Crating
• International moving
• Local and long-distance moving
• Packing
• Piano moving
• Unpacking

Cost

International Van Lines’ website features a list of industry-standard moving fees that might apply to your relocation. Since IVL does not provide binding estimates—prices that will not change on moving day—it may be helpful to review the fees so you are not surprised by additional charges.

IVL requires a 25% deposit to book a moving date and accepts cash and credit card payments.

Sample Quote: $4,200–$6,150 (three-bedroom house moving 1,400 miles away)

Get a Quote: To receive a more detailed estimate, take this brief online survey to find out how much your move with IVL would cost.

Learn More: International Van Lines Review

Interstate Moving & Relocation Group

Interstate Moving & Relocation Group (IMRG) is a moving broker that can handle your relocation from NYC to anywhere in the tri-state area and beyond. Its qualified teams offer residential and commercial moving services plus various specialty add-ons. IMRG will price-match moves of any size.

Pros & Cons

✔ Has breakdowns of the best NYC movers on its website
✔ Offers price matching to ensure you don’t overpay
✔ Provides free guides and resources for urban moving

✘ Has no moving trucks of its own
✘ Provides varied service across the five boroughs

Services

IMRG’s qualified moving teams offer several basic and specialty services. From local moves within Brooklyn or Manhattan to long-distance moves to California, IMRG can provide the following services:

• Crating
• Disassembly and reassembly
• Insurance coverage
• Packing
• Storage
• Vehicle shipping

Cost

IMRG’s cost calculator yielded a quick quote of $3,900–$7,000 for a two-bedroom move between Manhattan and Brooklyn. We factored a long carry and three flights of stairs into the cost to account for typical city moving conditions. You should factor extra charges for conditions such as these into any quote you receive.

Learn More: Interstate Moving & Relocation Group Review

American Van Lines

If you want added reassurance that your belongings will be safely handled while en route to or from New York, American Van Lines may be a residential moving company to consider. The company is a full-service local, long-distance, and international mover with highly skilled moving crews.

American Van Lines only hires full-time, fully vetted movers and requires them to complete ongoing training and certification. Additionally, there are specific moving crews for antiques and pianos to ensure movers are certified in one or both of those areas.

Pros & Cons

✔ Has climate-controlled storage units with 24/7 security monitoring
✔ Offers price matching for competitor estimates
✔ Provides a guaranteed delivery date (at an additional cost)

✘ Does not provide online instant quotes
✘ Outsources in-state moves

Services

American Van Lines can handle full-service and fragile-only packing requests in New York. The company has a variety of add-on services, which include the following:

• Antique moving
• Custom crating
• Furniture assembly/disassembly
• Heavy item moving
• Packing and unpacking
• Secure storage options

Cost

American Van Lines does not provide instant quotes online or over the phone but will give you a binding estimate, or flat-rate pricing, after a thorough home review. The virtual review includes evaluating your home’s layout and size and a detailed inventory of items in your moving shipment. The exact price of your move will use that information, along with the distance and date of your move, to calculate a binding estimate.

To schedule a move with American Van Lines, you’ll need to pay a deposit of up to 50% of your total moving cost, which is a bit heftier than deposits required by other companies on our list. You can pay with a credit card or cash.

Sample Quote: $6,000 (three-bedroom move from White Plains, NY, to New Orleans, LA in mid-June)

Get a Quote: Fill out this quick questionnaire or call 877-960-3186 to get a free quote from American Van Lines.

Learn More: American Van Lines Review

Moving APT

Although Moving APT does not directly provide moving services, the brokerage stands out for its quality customer service. As a moving broker, Moving APT utilizes its network of more than 2,500 independent providers to help plan your move to or from New York. Moving APT will oversee the entire process once it connects you with a mover in your area.

The company’s website includes helpful resources, such as annual ratings on the best long-distance moving companies in its network, advice on packing, and articles specific to the top moving destinations. Moving APT claims to give accurate and reliable instant online quotes utilizing a research database on pricing. The website also has a live chat feature if you need assistance planning your move.

Pros & Cons

✔ Has resources and guides to help with last-minute and urban moves
✔ Provides 24/7 support through its website
✔ Offers multiple discounts, including one for senior citizens

✘ Has received customer complaints through the U.S. Department of Transportation
✘ Will not cover damages caused by in-network moving companies, which could be concerning if your old or new apartment has tight hallways and stairwells

Services

Moving APT can coordinate local, long-distance, and international moves throughout the United States. Customers can opt for full or partial-service packing plans and choose from add-on options, such as vehicle shipping. Here are some add-ons you can expect from Moving APT:

• Antique and fine art moving
• Car shipping
• Custom crating
• Full-service and fragile-only packing
• Local and long-distance moving

Cost

Like moving carriers, Moving APT will calculate your moving estimate based on the date, distance, and size of your move. In most cases, the company can conduct a virtual home review and provide you with a binding estimate.

Moving APT offers military and senior citizen discounts and discounts for differently abled individuals. If you are making a local move (50 miles or less) within New York or decide to book a move of any distance well in advance, Moving APT will provide you with a lower rate.

Sample Quote: $8,000 (three-bedroom move from New Orleans, LA to White Plains, NY in mid-June)

Get a Quote: Take this brief online survey or call 833-916-3463 to get a free quote from Moving APT.

Learn More: Moving APT Review

Safeway Moving Inc.

Safeway Moving Inc. is a moving broker and carrier that provides long-distance moving services in NYC and beyond. Although Safeway doesn’t offer carrier services within the NYC area, its partner moving companies are among the best NYC has to offer.

Pros & Cons

✔ Partners with some of the best movers in NYC
✔ Requires moving partners to have $1 million insurance policies, which complies with the highest standards of any apartment building or HOA
✔ Offers flat-rate pricing for all moves
✘ Requires a 40% deposit
✘ Provides no local moving help

Services

Safeway Moving Inc. offers long-distance moving assistance for clients relocating anywhere in the United States. Many of its partners have years of experience providing standard and specialty moving services, including the following:

• Fine art and antique moving
• Long-distance moving
• Packing
• Packing supplies
• Piano moving
• Vehicle shipping

Cost

Safeway bills every move at a flat rate. No matter which services you need, your moving quote will include tolls, long carries for walk-up apartments, heavy item moving, and more. Safeway bills a 40% deposit to reserve one of its moving partners. Availability will vary depending on the date and your exact moving route.

Learn More: Safeway Moving Review

JK Moving Services

JK Moving is an excellent option for those who want to create a customized moving plan. The full-service moving company provides various optional services from which to choose. Customers can choose the options that best meet their needs and moving budget by using JK Moving’s user-friendly website and mobile app.

Pros & Cons

✔ Has a mobile app to speed up the quote process for clients in a hurry
✔ Offers live 24/7 customer support
✔ Provides in-house financing
✘ Requires a virtual consultation for all NYC moves
✘ Only provides long-distance service in NYC

Services

JK Moving offers standard full-service moves that include packing, unpacking, loading, and unloading. Customers can customize their move to or from New York with optional services, such as short- and long-term storage and vehicle relocation. Other offerings include the following:

• GPS tracking
• Packing and unpacking
• Valuation coverage options
• Vehicle shipping
• Virtual estimates via mobile app

Cost

JK Moving assigns a personal moving coordinator to all customers to help them create a moving package. Factors that impact the cost of your move with JK Moving include when and where you plan to move and the size of your move, measured in total weight.

To schedule a move with JK Moving, you must pay a $250 deposit via cash, check, or credit card.

Sample Quote: $14,000 (three-bedroom moving from White Plains, NY to New Orleans, LA)

Get a Quote: To get started with JK Moving, take this online questionnaire or call 1-571-487-8929.

Learn More: JK Moving Services Review

Allied Van Lines

Allied Van Lines may be a good fit if you need to ship your car or boat as part of your move to or from New York. The company has been in business for nearly a century and is well-equipped to accommodate moves of all distances and sizes.

Additionally, Allied owns and operates its own fleet of open and enclosed vehicle carriers. Open car carriers are the more affordable of the two options but don’t provide protection from the elements. While pricier than open carriers, enclosed carriers might be better if you have a classic car or another high-value vehicle, as they don’t expose cargo to inclement weather and roadway hazards.

Pros & Cons

✔ Assigns a personal moving consultant to each move
✔ Covers vehicles up to $100,000 with no deductible during transit
✔ Provides a container service called Allied Express that is ideal for city moves

✘ Requires customers to schedule their long-distance move at least a month in advance
✘ Does not have 24/7 customer support for claims

Services

Allied Van Lines provides standard full-service offerings like packing, unpacking, loading, and unloading. The company can also handle fragile-only packing requests and offers add-on options such as appliance disconnection and reconnection and furniture disassembly and reassembly. Allied Van Lines also has its own mobile moving-and-storage container line, similar to PODS.

Allied also offers the following services:

• Commercial moving
• Crating
• Fragile-only packing
• Loading and unloading
• Packing
• Packing supplies
• Storage
• Vehicle shipping services for cars, boats, motorcycles, and more

Cost

According to the online tool on Allied’s website, it would cost between $11,179 and $12,355 to move a three-bedroom home from White Plains, N.Y., to New Orleans in early summer. Allied Van Lines can give you a binding estimate following a virtual assessment of your home and moving inventory.

You do not have to pay a deposit to schedule a move with Allied Van Lines.

Get a Quote: Start your free quote with Allied Van Lines with this simple online form or by calling 877-483-9424.

Learn More: Allied Van Lines Review

North American Van Lines

North American Van Lines is an experienced full-service company that can handle local, long-distance, and international moving requests. North American’s standout service is its streamlined claims process. For example, if one or more of your items is damaged, stolen, broken, or lost during the move, you can easily file a claims form directly through the company’s website.

If you prefer to speak to a representative, North American has a dedicated claims support line, so you won’t have to navigate a general customer service automated menu.

Pros & Cons

✔ Has locations in Queens, Long Island, and Poughkeepsie to help service NYC moves
✔ Offers discounts to members of the American Legion and trade unions
✔ Provides a Not-to-Exceed pricing option that allows actual costs to be less—but never more—than estimated

✘ Provides limited storage options, depending on location
✘ Has mixed customer reviews due to outsourcing some of its moving requests

Services

North American Van Lines provides customizable full-service and partial-packing moves. Add-on options include vehicle transport and appliance disconnection and reconnection. Service offerings typically depend on location, but can include the following:

• Fragile-only packing and crating
• Packing and unpacking
• Storage
• Valuation coverage for high-value items
• Vehicle shipping

Cost

We used the calculator tool on NAVL’s website to determine the cost of moving a three-bedroom home from New Orleans to White Plains, N.Y., in early summer. According to the online calculator, that cost would be approximately $8,179–$9,758. Like most companies, North American Van Lines determines cost based on the distance, size, and date of your move.

NAVL offers a discount program for American Legion members that includes $100,000 in protection of household items, exclusive moving and storage discounts, guaranteed estimates, and nonpeak rates year-round. Union members and their families have access to a similar program that includes a $50,000 contents protection plan, packing, moving, and storage discounts, and year-round nonpeak rates.

North American Van Lines does not require a deposit and accepts cash, credit cards, and certified checks.

Get a Quote: Take this quick online survey or call 877-624-0912 for your free quote from North American Van Lines.

Learn More: North American Van Lines Review

PODS

PODS is a convenient alternative to the full-service approach to moving. The company provides mobile moving-and-storage containers delivered directly to your home and gives you up to 30 days to load and unload your items. PODS will then pick up your filled containers and take them to your new home in New York or elsewhere. The company provides services and storage facilities in every state except Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming, with limited availability in West Virginia and Vermont.

Pros & Cons

✔ Offers containers in multiple sizes
✔ Provides optional moving labor through a third-party partner
✔ Ships vehicles

✘ Offers varied container availability across its three NYC locations
✘ May not be a good fit for apartments, condominiums, or neighborhoods with restrictions on parking

Services

PODS has 8-foot, 12-foot, and 16-foot steel-framed containers. An 8-foot container is ideal for studio apartments, while a 16-foot container can hold belongings from a typical 1,200-square-foot home. Note that PODS only rents 12-foot containers for local moves under 50 miles. PODS units are available for the following:

• Local moving
• Long-distance moving
• On-site or climate-controlled storage

Cost

PODS only gives online price quotes for local moves, so you must call a customer service representative for any relocation over 50 miles. PODS will honor your quote, which includes a one-month container rental and pickup and delivery fees, for up to seven days.

When we called PODS, we were given a quote of $3,750 to move a 16-foot container from New Orleans to White Plains, N.Y.

The company offers a 15% discount on container rentals with the purchase of at least three months of storage, but this deal only only applies to local moves. You can pay online by credit card. Cash and checks may be accepted at some physical locations.

Learn More: PODS Review

Moving labor in any location typically comes with two- to four-hour minimum charges. This means that no matter how little work your movers have to do, you’ll have to pay a minimum fee for booking assistance. According to U-Haul, statewide average moving labor costs are $273 for two hours of help from two movers.

HireAHelper currently puts the average cost of NYC moving from a full-service provider at $457. This assumes a two-hour move with two movers in a 16-foot truck. Your costs will vary depending on the elevator or stairwell access in your building, the carrying distance between your building and the moving truck, and any specialty moving requests you made. Get your quote well in advance to ensure that you book with the best movers for you.

New York’s tight streets and busy roads make hiring movers a necessity for moves requiring anything beyond basic services. Qualified professionals are better equipped to move furniture and household goods through tight stairwells, cope with elevator constraints, and deal with long carries. Aside from this, some high-rise apartment buildings have narrow time windows in which they allow movers to operate elevators. This will require that you hire a punctual professional moving company to help with your move.

If you are looking for a full-service moving experience, we recommend looking into International Van Lines or American Van Lines, since both companies are experienced and offer a variety of add-on options. While these recommendations are good starting points, it’s important to consider your particular needs and budget. It’s also prudent to contact at least three moving companies to request quotes and review services before making your decision.

The This Old House Reviews Team backs up our moving company ratings and recommendations with a detailed rating methodology to objectively score each company. We conduct research by reading through the company websites, analyzing customer reviews, conducting consumer surveys, requesting quotes, and speaking with customer representatives. We then score each moving company against our review standards for services, contents coverage, scheduling, trailer and container options, additional benefits, and reputation to arrive at a final score out of 100.

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.