American Home Shield vs. OneGuard

What is the difference between American Home Shield and OneGuard?

Home warranty companies are designed to cover your home systems and appliances when they break down from normal wear and tear. Finding the right one for you can be challenging, though — we make the decision easier by comparing American Home Shield with OneGuard side by side, using features like pricing, service call fees, items covered and additional options. Read below to see which company best fits your needs.

Cost

Monthly premium cost	$29.99 to $69.99	$32 to $59
Average cost for combo plan	$60	$59 (HomeGuard)
Annual premium cost	$359.88 to $839.88	$384 to $708
Service call fee	$75, $100 or $125	$69
Discounts available	Not specified	Military discount

	$29.99 to $69.99	$60	$359.88 to $839.88	$75, $100 or $125	Not specified
	$32 to $59	$59 (HomeGuard)	$384 to $708	$69	Military discount

Plans

Plans available	ShieldSilver, ShieldGold, Shield Platinum	ApplianceGuard, SystemGuard, HomeGuard
Covered systems	9	9
Covered appliances	8	11
Combo plan covered items	18	18
Service recall period	30 days	30 days
Availability	47 states	3 states

	ShieldSilver, ShieldGold, Shield Platinum	9	9	18	30 days	47 states
	ApplianceGuard, SystemGuard, HomeGuard	9	11	18	30 days	3 states

Appliances coverage

Built-in food centers	—	—
Built-in microwaves
Clothes dryers
Clothes washers
Dishwashers
Ice maker	—
Instant hot/cold water dispensers
Ranges, ovens and cooktops
Refrigerators
Trash compactors	—
Water sensors	—	—
Whirlpool bathtub		—

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

Systems coverage

Air conditioning
Ceiling fans
Central vacuums	—
Doorbells
Ductwork		Only for covered HVAC units
Electrical
Garbage disposals
Garage door openers
Heating
Plumbing
Smoke detectors	—
Water heaters

—

—

Only for covered HVAC units

Other coverage

Guest unit	Add-on	Add-on
Pools	Add-on	Add-on
Roof leak repairs	—	—
Second refrigerator	—	Add-on
Septic pump	Add-on	—
Spas	Add-on	Add-on
Standalone freezer	—	—
Well pump	Add-on	Add-on

	Add-on	Add-on	—	—	Add-on	Add-on	—	Add-on
	Add-on	Add-on	—	Add-on	—	Add-on	—	Add-on

Reputation on ConsumerAffairs

Overall star rating	4.4	4.3
Verified customer reviews	Read reviews	Read reviews

	4.4	Read reviews
	4.3	Read reviews

All information accurate as of publishing date.

American Home Shield

American Home Shield (AHS) has been in business for 50 years and has grown to be one of the largest home warranty companies. It boasts 1.8 million members and a network of 17,000 licensed, independent contractors throughout the nation.

Its home warranty plans are comprehensive and include enough coverage that you likely won’t need any add-ons. But if you do, there are quite a few to choose from. All plans include coverage for improper installations, repairs or modifications and duplicates items like fridges or A/C units. It also covers items without maintenance records, which can cause claim denials with other home warranty companies. Plus, homeowners can select between three service call fee options.

American Home Shield plans

Here’s what’s covered under each available plan:

• ShieldSilver ($29.99/month): 14 major systems, including up to $1,000 or $1,500 per contract term for many items to access, diagnose, repair and replace
  • Air conditioners
  • Heating units
  • Ductwork
  • Built-in exhaust
  • Vent and attic fans
  • Main breaker and fuse panel box
  • Doorbells and chimes
  • Interior electrical lines
  • Ceiling fans
  • Garage door openers
  • Interior plumbing lines
  • Toilets, faucets and valves
  • Whirlpool tub motor and components
  • Water heaters
• ShieldGold ($39.99/month): All ShieldSilver coverage plus nine appliances, up to $3,000 per appliance per contract term
  • Refrigerators
  • Ranges/cooktops
  • Ovens
  • Dishwashers
  • Built-in microwaves
  • Garbage disposals
  • Instant hot/cold water dispensers
• ShieldPlatinum ($54.99/month): All ShieldGold coverage, an additional $3,000 per appliance per contract term and extras
  • Roof leak repairs (up to $1,500 per year)
  • Free HVAC tuneup
  • Unlimited A/C refrigerant
  • Coverage for code violations and permits (up to $1,000 per year)

Monthly prices listed here are based on quotes obtained for a 77009 ZIP code with a $125 service call fee.

What American Home Shield customers say

Customers who leave positive reviews about American Home Shield frequently mention that they are happy with the work and have their service requests resolved by helpful contractors who are good at explaining things. Some customers have left bad reviews about American Home Shield on ConsumerAffairs. Some themes we found in those reviews include the company taking a long time to fix problems and overall communication issues.

OneGuard

OneGuard is a home warranty company offering repair and replacement options when home systems or appliances break. It also has home maintenance solutions, such as garage door tuneups, to keep your home running smoothly. Additionally, its plans include several services you can make use of by simply paying the service call fee, like window and carpet cleaning.

OneGuard plans

Plan coverages and services vary by state, but below is what may be included in each package. OneGuard prices its packages starting at $25 monthly for a 1,499 square-foot home in Nevada, but prices may be higher if you’re in Arizona or Texas or have a bigger home. Each plan has optional coverage you can choose for a more robust home warranty.

• ApplianceGuard ($25/month):
  • Appliances: Kitchen appliances, kitchen refrigerator with ice maker and dispenser, dishwasher, range, oven, cooktop, built-in microwave, garbage disposal, instant hot water dispenser, trash compactor, washer, dryer
  • Services: Re-key and garage remote program, carpet cleaning, window cleaning, dryer vent cleaning, window cleaning, pest control treatment, termite treatment, lawn preemergent weed control, lawn weed kill treatment, lawn fertilization, pool maintenance, yard maintenance
• SystemGuard ($34/month):
  • Systems: Air conditioning, heating, plumbing, plumbing stoppage, water heater, electrical, ceiling and exhaust fan, central vacuum, smoke detectors, doorbells, garage door opener, equipment disposal, permits and code upgrades
  • Services: Everything included in ApplianceGuard plus A/C and heating system tuneups, garage door tuneup service
• HomeGuard ($50/month): Everything included under ApplianceGuard and SystemGuard

Depending on the system or appliance, limits for diagnosis, repair or replacement range from $500 to $2,500 per contract term. For instance, plumbing systems have a $500 maximum, while kitchen appliances have a $2,500 limit.

What OneGuard customers say

We see mostly positive feedback about OneGuard in reviews on ConsumerAffairs. Happy OneGuard customers mention satisfaction with support and technicians and say they have good results with claims, with some even mentioning they have contracts on multiple properties. On the other side, we see unhappy customers mention difficulty getting hold of customer service and issues with specific coverage or refunds.

Bottom line: American Home Shield or OneGuard?

American Home Shield focuses on providing homeowners with the most complete list of systems and appliance coverage under its plans. While the company has many add-ons to choose from, you may find that you don't need any with its combo plans.

OneGuard’s appliance-only, system-only and combo packages also include a good number of items. But OneGuard distinguishes itself by offering numerous home maintenance services that homeowners can take advantage of by paying their regular service call fee.

• OneGuard is best for homeowners within Arizona, Nevada or Texas wanting comprehensive home care coverage beyond standard home warranties.
• American Home Shield is best for homeowners looking for a complete home warranty program for their systems and appliances.