Editorial comparison · updated 2026
Best Movers in New York (2026): 5 Companies Compared
In New York the shortlist is decided by paperwork and by stairs. Ask the managing agent for the building's certificate-of-insurance requirements before you contact a single company, then ask each one whether it can produce that exact COI and reserve the service elevator on your date. That question alone eliminates most of the field.
This page is for comparing companies. If you'd rather skip straight to hiring, movers in New York, NY has local cost bands, neighborhoods, parking and building rules, and a vetted match.
How we chose, and how you should
These are real, nationally operating companies and marketplaces with branches serving New York. It is not a paid ranking, they are listed alphabetically, and we publish no invented star ratings. Judge each against the same public methodology we use, the Union 5-point standard. Most are franchises or marketplaces, so quality varies by the specific local branch.
Which kind of mover actually works in New York
Full-service crews are the only realistic option for most New York moves. Buildings want a certificate of insurance naming the building, the managing agent, and the owner, often with specified coverage limits, plus a reserved service elevator inside a weekday window; co-ops may want board notice on top. Walk-ups pose the opposite problem, four or five flights and a stairwell that decides what fits. There is effectively no way to reserve curb space, so crews double-park and work against the clock, which makes crew size and an early start the difference between a six-hour and a ten-hour job. Labor-only marketplaces fit an in-building move or a small studio, but they generally cannot satisfy a managing agent, which is what most New York moves actually require.
New York's mover market is enormous and includes both long-established union shops and a churn of new operators. Check the NYSDOT authority for an in-state move, the USDOT number if you're leaving the state, and the complaint record either way.
Why there are no container services on this list
We've left the portable-container options off the New York list. A container has to sit somewhere for days, and between the absence of reservable curb space, alternate-side rules, and buildings that won't host one, that's not something most New York addresses can offer. Container-style moves here generally mean loading at an off-site facility, which is a different service from the curbside drop these companies are built around.
The 5 companies, compared
All My Sons Moving & Storage
Full-serviceA family-owned, multi-generational full-service mover with branches across the Sun Belt, handling local and long-distance moves, packing, and storage.
- Best for
- Full-service local and in-state moves that want packing and storage under one roof.
- Verify before you hire
- Confirm your local branch's USDOT or state authority on FMCSA SAFER, and read recent reviews and the estimate structure, full-service pricing varies by branch.
Bellhop
Labor marketplaceA technology-enabled moving service that coordinates vetted movers for loading, unloading, and local moves, with transparent hourly booking online.
- Best for
- Tech-forward local moves and labor-only load/unload help booked online.
- Verify before you hire
- Check how the crew and any transportation are provided in your city, whether a truck is included, and the insurance/valuation terms for your booking.
College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving
FranchiseA national franchise offering local moving alongside junk removal and donation pickup, useful when a move includes clearing out unwanted items.
- Best for
- Local moves paired with decluttering, donation hauling, or junk removal.
- Verify before you hire
- Franchises are locally owned, so verify your specific location's license, insurance, and reviews, quality can differ between franchisees.
Two Men and a Truck
FranchiseOne of the largest franchised moving networks in the country, offering local and in-state full-service moves, packing, and junk removal.
- Best for
- Standard full-service local and in-state moves from an established franchise network.
- Verify before you hire
- Each location is independently owned, verify your local franchise's USDOT/state authority, insurance, and recent reviews before booking.
U-Haul Moving Help
Labor marketplaceA marketplace connecting you with independent local labor providers to load or unload a truck or container you rent separately.
- Best for
- Budget labor-only jobs when you're renting a truck or container yourself.
- Verify before you hire
- Providers are independent, read each provider's reviews carefully and confirm whether they carry liability or workers' compensation coverage.
What to verify for a New York mover
Intrastate household-goods carriers in New York are licensed by the New York State Department of Transportation; a move that crosses into New Jersey, Connecticut, or anywhere else out of state needs federal USDOT household-goods authority. We verify the one that applies.
- USDOT vs MC numbers, what a legitimate mover actually has to hold.
- How to check a mover's license, state by state, in a few minutes.
- Certificates of insurance, what buildings require and how to get one.
- Broker or carrier? Several names on this list are marketplaces, not the crew.
Choosing a mover in New York, frequently asked
What exactly will my building's certificate of insurance require?
Most managing agents publish a sample: who must be named, typically the building, the managing agent, and the ownership entity, plus minimum liability and workers' compensation limits. Get that sample first and hand it to each company you're considering. A mover who works the city can usually turn one around in a day; one who can't is telling you it doesn't do buildings like yours.
How much does a walk-up change the cost of a New York move?
Substantially, because it's crew hours. Four or five flights with a tight landing turn means more movers and a slower pace, and an honest estimate prices that in rather than discovering it on the day. Tell every company the floor and whether there's an elevator before you compare anything.
For the full local picture, cost bands, neighborhoods, parking and building rules, see movers in New York, NY, where every match clears the same 5-point standard.
Company names are trademarks of their respective owners and appear here for identification and editorial comparison only. Moving Union is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, the companies listed. Always confirm a mover's current license, insurance, and reviews before hiring. Sources: FMCSA SAFER and the FMCSA National Consumer Complaint Database (https://movingunion.com).