Flat-Rate vs Hourly Movers in NYC
What is flat-rate moving?
Flat-rate moving means you agree on one total price before move day, and that price is what you pay. Hourly moving bills the crew's time, so the total depends on how long the day runs. In NYC, hourly crews commonly quote $100–$200 per hour, and elevators, parking and walk-ups decide how many hours that turns into.
Flat-rate vs hourly at a glance
| Flat-rate | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay | One price, quoted before move day | Clock time × crew rate, known only afterward |
| Typical NYC rate | Packages from $295 (Economy), $695 (Preferred), $1,295 (Stress-Free) | $100–$200 per hour for a two-person crew |
| If the elevator is slow or traffic backs up | Price does not move | Every extra minute is billed |
| If you have more stuff than you counted | Volume buffer covers it (20 cu ft Economy, ~25% Preferred, ~50% Stress-Free) | More boxes means more hours |
| Who carries the risk | The price you book is the price you pay | You carry the timing risk |
Why NYC makes hourly pricing unpredictable
The clock is the part of a New York move you control least. A shared freight elevator booked for a two-hour window, a truck parked a block away, or a fifth-floor walk-up each add time, and under hourly pricing each one lands on your bill. A flat rate puts that variability on the mover, which is why it suits renters moving on a fixed budget.
- One number to budget against, before move day.
- A volume buffer, so a few forgotten boxes do not reprice the move.
- The $2,500 Move Guarantee on every booking, with licensed and insured movers.
What flat-rate costs in NYC
Movd packages start at $295 for Economy (20 cu ft of volume grace), $695 for Preferred (about 25% cushion, 10 free boxes) and $1,295 for Stress-Free (about 50% cushion, full packing). Across 3,504 priced NYC moves in our booking data, the monthly median ran from $495 in October to $827 in December, so a mid-week, mid-month date in fall is usually the cheapest way to book. See the full breakdown on NYC moving costs or compare how hourly rates are calculated.
Flat-rate prices by month
Median booked price for a Movd flat-rate move, by month (3,504 priced NYC moves, 2025–2026). Because the price is fixed before move day, you can pick the month that fits your budget instead of guessing at hours.
| Month | Median flat-rate price |
|---|---|
| January | $754 |
| February | $780 |
| March | $678 |
| April | $718 |
| May | $646 |
| June | $699 |
| July | $695 |
| August | $634 |
| September | $562 |
| October | $495 |
| November | $754 |
| December | $827 |
Get your flat-rate price
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