We compared pricing, HVAC coverage caps, BBB ratings, and complaint history across the top home warranty companies in the U.S. to find the best options for 2026.

---

The home warranty industry has a marketing problem: almost every comparison site shows the same three numbers — monthly price, a star rating, and a BBB letter grade — while burying the number that actually determines whether a plan is worth anything: the coverage cap. A $50/month plan that caps HVAC repairs at $1,500 can leave you covering most of a $9,000 AC replacement yourself. A $65/month plan with a $6,500 cap might actually save you money the very first time you use it.

We built this ranking around that gap. Below are eight of the most established home warranty companies operating in the U.S. in 2026, compared on price, service fees, HVAC/appliance caps, and complaint history — not just marketing claims.

How We Ranked These Companies

• Coverage caps, especially on HVAC systems, since this is where the biggest gap between “cheap” and “actually useful” shows up
• BBB rating and complaint volume, weighted more heavily than star-review averages, since reviews can be gamed but regulatory and complaint records are harder to manipulate
• Monthly premium and service fee together — not premium alone, since a low monthly rate paired with a high service fee can cost more annually for anyone filing multiple claims
• State availability, since several strong providers only operate regionally
• Contract flexibility, including cancellation terms and whether customers can choose their own contractor

Quick Comparison Table

Company	Monthly Premium	Service Fee	HVAC Cap	BBB Rating	Best For
American Home Shield	~$50 – $75	$75 – $125	$50,000 aggregate/year	B	Widest national availability
Old Republic Home Protection	~$45 – $65	$75 – $100	$6,500/unit	A+	Buyers who prioritize financial strength
AFC Home Club	~$45 – $60	$75 – $125	No cap	B	Bring-your-own-contractor flexibility
Choice Home Warranty	~$49+	$100	Varies by plan	Low (see note below)	Lowest advertised entry price
Cinch Home Services	~$45 – $70	up to $150	$1,500 combined (lowest in industry)	Varies	Bundling with limited budgets
Liberty Home Guard	~$55 – $65	$65 – $125	Varies by plan	Not currently rated (see note below)	High Trustpilot satisfaction scores
Select Home Warranty	~$36 – $52	$60 – $75	Varies by plan	Varies	Budget-conscious buyers
First American Home Warranty	Competitive/starter tier	Varies	Varies	Varies	First-time buyers wanting a simple starter plan

Pricing and ratings shift often — treat this table as a starting point for comparison shopping, not a final quote. Always pull a live quote for your specific ZIP code and home size.

1. Old Republic Home Protection — Best for Financial Strength

Old Republic stands out for a reason most comparison sites underweight: it’s backed by Old Republic International, a large, publicly traded insurance holding company, which matters when you’re trusting a provider to still be solvent and paying claims years into your contract. Its HVAC coverage cap of roughly $6,500 per unit is among the most generous in the industry, and its BBB rating is consistently one of the strongest of any major provider.

Pros: Strong financial backing, high HVAC cap, consistently high BBB rating. Cons: Only available in Western and Southwestern states, so most homeowners in the rest of the country can’t use it.

2. AFC Home Club (America’s First Choice Home Club) — Best for No HVAC Cap

AFC is one of the only major providers with no cap at all on HVAC coverage, which is a significant differentiator in a market where $1,500–$3,000 combined caps are common. It also allows customers to use their own contractor rather than one assigned from the company’s network — a flexibility most competitors don’t offer.

Pros: No HVAC coverage cap, bring-your-own-contractor option, solid complaint-to-volume ratio. Cons: Less brand recognition than the big national names, so it has fewer independent reviews to evaluate.

3. American Home Shield (AHS) — Best for Nationwide Availability

AHS is the largest and most recognized name in the industry, available in nearly every state, with a per-year aggregate coverage limit (rather than a strict per-item cap) that’s relatively generous compared to smaller providers. Its size is both a strength and a weakness: broad contractor networks mean coverage almost everywhere, but some customers in rural areas report slower dispatch times than smaller regional competitors.

Pros: Available almost everywhere, high aggregate annual coverage limit, decades in business. Cons: Mixed reviews on claim speed, particularly outside major metro areas.

4. Liberty Home Guard — Best Customer Satisfaction Scores (With a Caveat)

Liberty Home Guard consistently posts some of the highest Trustpilot and Google review averages in the industry. However, its BBB rating has reportedly been withdrawn to “Not Rated” status, with a pattern-of-complaint flag noted by the Bureau — a meaningful discrepancy between how customers rate their experience publicly and how the BBB currently classifies the company. This kind of gap is worth checking directly on BBB’s site before enrolling, since accreditation status can change.

Pros: High customer satisfaction scores on third-party review sites, flexible plan customization. Cons: Currently not BBB-rated as of this writing — verify current standing before signing up.

5. Choice Home Warranty — Lowest Advertised Starting Price

Choice consistently advertises one of the lowest entry-level monthly rates in the category, which explains its popularity. That said, its BBB score has reportedly been quite low despite relatively strong Trustpilot averages — a “bimodal” pattern where some customers report smooth, fast claims and others report the opposite, with little in between. Choice also reportedly settled a significant consumer fraud action with the Arizona Attorney General’s office in early 2026, which is worth being aware of if you’re evaluating the company’s regulatory track record. As always, confirm the current status directly with your state’s Attorney General or consumer protection office, since settlements and resolutions can change a company’s standing over time.

Pros: Low advertised starting price, frequent promotional discounts, wide availability. Cons: Wide gap between review-site scores and BBB rating; a notable 2026 regulatory settlement worth researching before enrolling.

6. Cinch Home Services — Best for Bundled Bare-Minimum Coverage

Cinch offers competitive monthly pricing but comes with the lowest combined HVAC coverage cap among major providers (around $1,500), and one of the higher service fees in the category (up to $150 per visit). It can work well for buyers who mainly want protection on lower-cost appliances and are less concerned about a full HVAC replacement scenario.

Pros: Competitive base pricing, flexible plan bundling options. Cons: Lowest HVAC cap among major providers — a real risk if your AC system is aging.

7. Select Home Warranty — Best for Tight Budgets

Select consistently prices near the bottom of the market on a pure monthly-premium basis, making it attractive for buyers prioritizing cash flow above all else. As with any budget-tier provider, it’s worth reading the coverage caps and exclusions carefully, since lower premiums are sometimes paired with lower payout limits.

Pros: Lowest monthly premiums among major national providers. Cons: Coverage caps and exclusions require careful review — the lowest price isn’t always the lowest total cost.

8. First American Home Warranty — Best Starter Plan for New Buyers

First American’s entry-level “Starter” plan is built specifically around covering a wide range of core systems and appliances at a competitive price point, making it a reasonable first home warranty for buyers who want broad basic coverage without paying for premium add-ons they may not need yet.

Pros: Competitively priced starter tier, broad basic coverage. Cons: Less differentiated than specialized options like AFC’s no-cap HVAC coverage or Old Republic’s financial backing.

What the Industry Averages Actually Look Like

Based on 2026 market data across major providers, here’s what a “normal” home warranty budget looks like:

Metric	Typical Range
Monthly premium	$47 – $82/month
Median monthly premium	~$56/month
Annual premium	$564 – $984/year
Service fee per claim	$75 – $125 (as low as $25–$60 or as high as $150 depending on provider)
Average claims filed per year	1 – 3 per household

The real number to calculate isn’t the monthly premium in isolation — it’s premium × 12, plus service fee × expected number of claims. A plan with a lower monthly rate but a higher service fee can easily cost more per year than a slightly pricier plan, once you factor in how often you’ll actually use it.

Red Flags to Watch For When Comparing Providers

• A BBB rating that’s dropped to “Not Rated” or been suspended — always check the company’s current, live BBB profile rather than relying on a rating you saw on a comparison site, since these change.
• State regulatory actions or settlements, which are searchable through your state Attorney General’s consumer protection division.
• No published coverage cap on high-cost items like HVAC — if a company doesn’t disclose caps clearly, ask directly before signing anything.
• A wide gap between review-site scores (Trustpilot, Google) and BBB complaint data — this pattern often signals inconsistent claim experiences rather than an outright scam, but it’s worth extra due diligence.

For a full walkthrough of denial patterns and how to protect yourself, see Why Was My Home Warranty Claim Denied? Common Reasons.

Which Company Should You Choose?

• Want the strongest financial backing and highest HVAC cap? Old Republic Home Protection (if available in your state).
• Worried about a capped HVAC payout specifically? AFC Home Club, currently the only major provider with no HVAC cap.
• Need a provider available almost anywhere in the country? American Home Shield.
• Prioritizing the lowest possible monthly cost? Select Home Warranty or Choice Home Warranty, but read the coverage caps carefully first.
• A first-time buyer wanting a simple, well-covered starter plan? First American Home Warranty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which home warranty company has the best reputation? It depends on which signal you weight most heavily. Old Republic Home Protection tends to score highest on BBB rating and financial stability; Liberty Home Guard tends to score highest on customer review platforms like Trustpilot, though its BBB status has reportedly changed recently — always verify current standing directly before enrolling.

What is a coverage cap, and why does it matter more than price? A coverage cap is the maximum dollar amount a provider will pay toward repairing or replacing a specific item, like an HVAC system. A cheap plan with a low cap can leave you paying thousands out of pocket on a major repair, while a slightly pricier plan with a high (or no) cap may actually protect you better. Always compare caps, not just monthly price.

Is the cheapest home warranty company always the worst choice? Not necessarily, but it’s worth extra scrutiny. Lower premiums sometimes reflect genuinely competitive pricing, and sometimes reflect lower coverage caps or higher service fees that raise your effective annual cost. Run the full math (premium + expected service fees) rather than comparing sticker price alone.

Can I switch home warranty companies if I’m unhappy? Yes, generally at renewal or by canceling your current contract, sometimes with a prorated refund and/or cancellation fee depending on the provider. See Can You Cancel a Home Warranty? Refund Policy Explained for details.

Do all these companies operate in every state? No. Old Republic Home Protection, for example, operates primarily in Western and Southwestern states, while American Home Shield has closer to nationwide availability. Always confirm availability in your specific state before comparing quotes.

How often do BBB ratings and complaint records change? Regularly. Because these ratings can shift due to new complaints, resolved disputes, or regulatory actions, always pull the live rating directly from bbb.org rather than relying on a snapshot from any comparison article, including this one.

---

Related reading: Is a Home Warranty Worth It in 2026? · Home Warranty Cost by State: 2026 Price Guide · Why Was My Home Warranty Claim Denied? Common Reason

Information in this article reflects publicly available data as of mid-2026, including pricing ranges, BBB ratings, and regulatory records that are subject to change. This is not personalized financial advice — always verify current pricing, availability, and standing directly with the provider and with independent sources such as bbb.org before purchasing a plan.