A man and van app that gives you the rate, not a bidding war
Pick your van size, pick your slot, see the hourly rate and the two-hour minimum before you book. No posting a job and waiting overnight for strangers to undercut each other.
A man and van app books a driver and van by the hour from your phone. TowManVan charges £35 per hour for a small van, £45 for a medium and £60 for a Luton, with a two-hour minimum and the first 15 miles included. You see the rate before booking rather than waiting for quotes.
The dominant model in UK man-and-van booking is the reverse auction. You describe your move, it goes onto a board, and operators bid. It can produce a low headline number, but it costs you a day of waiting, and the winning bid is often from whoever misjudged the job worst, which is not a good foundation for moving your furniture.
Hourly rates work differently. The rate is published, the clock starts when the crew arrives, and the incentive is to work efficiently rather than to have quoted low. For most domestic moves that is both faster to arrange and more honest about what the job actually is.
TowManVan prices by van size because van size is what genuinely varies the cost. A small van at £35 an hour suits a studio flat or a few large items. A medium at £45 covers a one or two bedroom flat. A Luton at £60, with its tail lift and roughly 1,000 cubic feet, is what a three bedroom house actually needs, and booking a medium to save £15 an hour is a false economy when it forces a second trip.
The two hour minimum reflects reality: no job is worth a driver's time below that once travel and setup are counted. The first 15 miles are included, so short local moves do not attract a mileage line at all. An extra helper is £12 an hour, packing is £25 an hour, and dismantling or reassembling furniture is £30 per item.
How the man and van app works
Choose the van
Small, medium or Luton. The app describes what fits in each in rooms rather than cubic feet, because nobody estimates their belongings in cubic feet.
Add crew and extras
One driver is included. Add a second pair of hands at £12 an hour, packing at £25 an hour, or dismantling at £30 per item.
Pick the slot
Choose a date and arrival window. Weekends and 20:00 to 06:00 carry a 1.3x surge, which is shown on the slot before you pick it.
Track and pay by the hour
Follow the van in, then billing runs in 15 minute increments from arrival with the running total visible throughout.
What it costs
Two hour minimum on every booking. First 15 miles included. Time is billed in 15 minute increments after the minimum, and the running total is visible in the app.
| Service | Price | What is included |
|---|---|---|
| Small van | £35 per hour | Studio flat, single room or a few large items. Two hour minimum. |
| Medium van | £45 per hour | One or two bedroom flat. The most commonly booked size. |
| Luton van with tail lift | £60 per hour | Three bedroom house, office moves, anything needing a tail lift. |
| Extra helper | £12 per hour | A second pair of hands. Usually pays for itself on stairs or heavy items. |
| Packing service | £25 per hour | Crew packs and wraps. Materials charged at cost. |
| Dismantle or reassemble | £30 per item | Beds, wardrobes and flat-pack that will not fit through a door assembled. |
What the app does
Van sizes described in rooms
The app tells you what fits in terms of a studio, a two bed flat or a three bed house, rather than expecting you to estimate cubic feet.
Running total while the job runs
Billing is in 15 minute increments after the two hour minimum, and you can see the total climbing rather than being surprised at the end.
First 15 miles included
Local moves carry no mileage charge at all. Longer moves show the mileage line before you book, not after.
Helpers priced separately
A second person is £12 an hour. On a first-floor flat with no lift that usually costs less than the extra hours one person would take.
Surge shown on the slot
Weekends and 20:00 to 06:00 run at 1.3x. The multiplier is on the slot when you pick it, so you can choose a cheaper window.
Free cancellation to 24 hours
Cancel more than 24 hours ahead at no cost. Inside that window a £45 fee applies, which goes to the driver who held the slot.
App booking versus quote-board bidding
| Factor | TowManVan app | quote-board bidding |
|---|---|---|
| Time to book | Minutes. The rate is published | Hours to overnight while bids arrive |
| Who turns up | A vetted operator who accepted your slot | Whoever bid lowest |
| Price certainty | Known hourly rate, running total visible | A fixed bid that can be disputed on the day |
| Changing the job | Add a helper or an hour in the app | Renegotiate with the driver at the door |
| Short-notice moves | Same-day slots where crews are free | Poor. The auction needs lead time |
man and van app questions
How much does a man and van cost per hour in the UK?
Through the TowManVan app a small van is £35 an hour, a medium £45 and a Luton with tail lift £60. Every booking has a two hour minimum and the first 15 miles are included, so a typical small local move starts at £70.
What size van do I need?
A small van suits a studio, a single room or a few large items. A medium covers a one or two bedroom flat. A Luton is what a three bedroom house needs. Booking too small to save on the hourly rate usually costs more, because it forces a second trip.
Is there a minimum booking?
Yes, two hours. Below that the travel and setup time make the job uneconomic for the driver, so every booking starts at two hours regardless of how quick the move looks.
Does the man and van app charge for mileage?
The first 15 miles are included in the hourly rate. Beyond that a mileage line appears in the quote before you book, so local moves within a town almost never attract one.
Can I add help with packing?
Yes. Packing is £25 an hour and can be added when you book or on the day. Dismantling or reassembling furniture is £30 per item, which covers beds, wardrobes and flat-pack that will not fit through a door assembled.
What happens if the move takes longer than booked?
Billing continues in 15 minute increments at the same hourly rate. There is no penalty rate for overrunning, and the running total stays visible in the app throughout.
Own a vehicle? Take jobs through the same app
Drivers keep 90 percent of every fare in year one. No weekly subscription, no lead fees and no bidding against other operators for the same job. We are signing up drivers now, ahead of the 1st of October 2026 launch.
Apply to driveMel Carrington - Head of Removals Operations
Mel ran national removal fleets at Pickfords for 15 years before joining TowManVan. She signs off van sizing, hourly rates and crew guidance on this page. Questions? Email mel@towmanvan.co.uk.
Last updated 19 August 2026. Apps launch 1st of October 2026.