Home warranties help repair or replace items in your home when they break down from age or normal use. American Home Shield and AFC Home Warranty are two popular companies offering home warranty plans, and it’s essential to know the differences if you’re deciding between them. We look at them side by side to compare key features like premium amounts, service call fees and covered items to help you make the best home warranty choice for your needs.
American Home Shield vs. AFC Home Warranty cost
Your choice between these providers may come down to budget priorities. If a lower monthly payment for entry-level coverage is most important, AFC Home Warranty is the stronger choice. It also holds an advantage with a lower one-time service fee and a more affordable high-tier plan, making it the more economical option overall.
American Home Shield plans and pricing
American Home Shield lets you choose a service fee of $100 or $125, which is what you pay when you file a claim. Choosing a higher service fee reduces the monthly cost of your plan.
| Service fee | ShieldSilver | ShieldGold | ShieldPlatinum |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | $39.99 | $59.99 | $89.99 |
| $125 | $29.99 | $49.99 | $79.99 |
AFC Home Warranty plans and pricing
With any of AFC Home Warranty’s four plans, you can select a service fee of $75 or $125. If you’re OK paying the higher service fee when you need to file a claim, you can reduce the monthly cost of a plan by $5 or the annual cost by $50.
You can also get a discounted rate on an AFC Home Warranty plan by paying annually instead of monthly:
- Silver plan: $345 or $395 per year
- Gold plan: $445 or $495 per year
- Platinum plan: $545 or $595 per year
- Diamond plan: $745 or $795 per year
| Service fee | Silver | Gold | Platinum | Diamond |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $75 | $35 | $45 | $55 | $75 |
| $125 | $30 | $40 | $50 | $70 |
*Cost information is accurate as of the time of publishing. Price quotes used a Texas ZIP code; pricing may vary in other locations.
American Home Shield vs. AFC Home Warranty coverage
The main coverage difference between these companies is how they structure their basic plans. American Home Shield's plans start by focusing only on home systems. AFC Home Warranty, in contrast, starts with plans that cover only appliances. This gives customers a clear choice, though both companies offer comprehensive combo plans at their higher tiers.
 |  | |
| Coverage |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Plan | ||
| Air conditioner | | |
| Heating | | |
| Plumbing | | |
| Electrical | | |
| Ductwork | | |
| Sump pump | | |
| Water heater | | |
| Interior plumbing lines | | |
| Interior electrical lines | | |
| Exterior plumbing lines | | |
| Exterior water lines | | |
| Refrigerator | | |
| Dishwasher | | |
| Oven | | |
| Range | | |
| Cooktop | | |
| Microwave | | |
| Food center | | |
| Garbage disposal | | |
| Trash compactor | | |
| Ice maker | | |
| Hot/cold water dispenser | | |
| Range exhaust hood | | |
| Kitchen exhaust fan | | |
| Clothes washer | | |
| Clothes dryer | | |
| Toilets | | |
| Bathtub/shower | | |
| Faucets | | |
| Ceiling fans | | |
| Attic fans | | |
| Central vacuum | | |
| Doorbells | | |
| Garage door openers | | |
| Roof leak repairs | | |
| Main breaker | | |
| Plumbing stoppages | | |
| Home electronics | | |
| Smoke detectors | | |
| Jetted tub components | | |
American Home Shield vs. AFC Home Warranty add-ons
AFC Home Warranty offers a wider variety of specialty add-ons including coverage for septic systems, septic tank pumping and a stand-alone freezer. American Home Shield's list is shorter. Both companies offer add-ons for electronics protection, roof leak repairs and a pool and spa.
American Home Shield add-ons
American Home Shield offers six add-ons. See pricing for the most popular additional coverage items below.
| Optional coverage | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Septic pump | $4.99 |
| Roof leak repair | $9.99 |
| Well pump | $9.99 |
| Guest unit | $12.99 |
| Electronics protection | $14 |
| Pool and spa | $20.99 |
AFC Home Warranty add-ons
AFC Home Warranty gives you a choice of 13 add-ons. Here are the monthly costs for the most sought-after coverage items:
| Optional coverage | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Roof leak | $2.08 |
| Double oven | $2.08 |
| Stand-alone freezer | $2.08 |
| Hot water dispenser | $2.08 |
| Sump pump | $2.92 |
| Built-in microwave | $4.17 |
| Well pump | $4.17 |
| In-ground pool and spa | $8.33 |
| Electronics protection | $24.99 |
What American Home Shield customers say
American Home Shield customers leave mostly positive feedback in reviews on ConsumerAffairs, with happy customers mentioning helpful contractors, an easy claims process both online and over the phone and overall fast service. Customers who had less positive experiences mentioned that it took longer than desired to resolve issues.
I made a claim on the website for my two leaky faucets and the website was very easy to use. They then sent an email that they got it and they assigned a contractor. ... I'm very happy with the work.”
– Chad of Ortonville, MI
What AFC Home Warranty customers say
The majority reviews for AFC Home Warranty on ConsumerAffairs are positive, but a few people recently have expressed concern over contract exclusions. Positive themes we see in reviews include satisfaction with the company’s customer service and friendly staff. One customer said they felt it was a good price for the coverage.
AFC Home Club provided outstanding support with the problem being resolved. ... The company representatives are very knowledgeable, well spoken and sympathetic to the homeowner’s need.”
– Harold of Fort Washington, MD
Bottom line: American Home Shield or AFC Home Warranty?
American Home Shield and AFC Home Warranty are strong contenders in the home warranty space. AHS has fewer package offerings and no appliance-only option, but that makes its choices more straightforward.
AFC Home Warranty has a total of four packages to choose from, plus add-ons, although it covers fewer items overall for a similar price to AHS. However, AFC Home Warranty lets you choose your own service technician and has one of the lengthiest parts and labor guarantees.
- American Home Shield is best for homeowners looking for all-inclusive home warranty plans with the need for little to no add-ons for complete coverage.
- AFC Home Warranty is best for homeowners who want to choose their own technicians and who want a long parts and labor guarantee.
