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.
In this article, we'll compare key features like premium amounts, service call fees, policies and covered items to help you make the best home warranty choice for your needs.
Key insights
American Home Shield’s entry-level plan covers home systems, while AFC Home Warranty’s covers appliances.
Jump to insightAFC Home Warranty offers a wider variety of specialty add-ons, while both companies offer optional pool, spa and electronics coverage.
Jump to insightAFC Home Warranty guarantees covered repairs for the life of your contract, while American Home Shield offers a 30-day workmanship guarantee.
Jump to insightAmerican 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. 2
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. 2
| 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 2 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 | N/A | N/A |
| 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 |
American Home Shield vs. AFC Home Warranty availability
Both American Home Shield and AFC Home Warranty have large service availability. American Home Shield is currently available in all states and areas except Alaska, Hawaii and New York City. AFC is available in all states except California, Hawaii and Washington.
Keep in mind that premiums, service fees, add-ons and pricing may vary by ZIP code. The pricing you see on this page was pulled using a Texas ZIP code, so be sure to get a quote for your exact home and address since rates can vary based on where you live. State-specific policies may also apply for each company, so look for a sample contract for your state and read all the fine print before you sign up.
American Home Shield vs. AFC Home Warranty policies
Before you sign up for any warranty, make sure to read the fine print and understand all of the company's policies. Knowing all the details about your policy helps you prepare for the unexpected.
Both American Home Shield and AFC Home Warranty have a 30-day waiting period before your coverage kicks in. That means you cannot file a claim within the first 30 days of your policy. Confirm your effective date so you'll know exactly when you're first able to file a claim.
American Home Shield policies
All American Home Shield plans are 13 months long, which includes the 30-day waiting period and 12 months of coverage. You can renew your plan online in your portal.
All repairs include a 30-day workmanship guarantee. If a covered repair or replacement has an issue within that timeframe, you can call or submit a request in your app or online portal to have a Pro come back out to your home at no cost to you.
If you no longer want your American Home Shield warranty, you can cancel anytime by calling the company. If you cancel within the first 30 days, you can receive your full payment back as a refund, minus any administrative fees incurred by the company. If it's after the first 30 days, you'll receive a prorated refund of up to one month's payment, but fees vary by state, so be sure to read a sample contract for specific details before signing up.
If you move, you can call American Home Shield to transfer your policy to the new homeowner.
American Home Shield may cover pre-existing conditions as long as they were undetectable during an inspection before your coverage began.
AFC Home Warranty policies
AFC Home Warranty offers, according to the company, the longest guarantee on the work done under your warranty. All repairs have a workmanship guarantee for both parts and labor for the life of your contract. That means if you have a repeat issue or any repairs fail within your contract period, the company will repair them again at no charge to you.
AFC Home Warranty offers two plan lengths, with contract terms of either one year or three years, and you can cancel anytime. Similar to American Home Shield, you can cancel for free within the first 30 days, and receive a prorated refund for unused time if your policy is already active. Your refund may be subject to a $75 cancellation fee.
The company will reach out within 30 days of the end of your contract to discuss renewal options.
Similar to American Home Shield, you can transfer your policy to the new homeowner if you sell your house. Simply call AFC to transfer.
AFC Home Warranty does not cover pre-existing conditions. Everything covered must be in good working order and be properly maintained at the time you buy your plan.
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 longest 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.
Both companies have similar availability, so which one is best for you depends on your requirements for coverage and your budget.
