AFC Home Warranty and American Home Shield (AHS) are two top-rated home warranty providers, but both companies have their own unique features. While American Home Shield scored higher in our review, with 4.8 out of 5 stars compared to AFC Home Warranty’s 4.6 stars, the best option for you will depend on your needs as a homeowner.
AFC Home Warranty offers plans that cover a mixture of home appliances and systems with a lifetime workmanship guarantee and the ability to choose your own technician. Meanwhile, American Home Shield stands out for its generous coverage limits and a comprehensive plan with added perks like a free HVAC tune-up and coverage for code violations. In this guide, we’ll cover each provider’s plans, costs, coverage and exclusions, and more so you can decide which one is right for you.
Is AFC Home Warranty or American Home Shield Better?
While both providers have their own unique perks, we recommend American Home Shield as the better choice for most homeowners because of its affordable rates for systems-only protection, generous coverage limits, and premium comprehensive coverage. AFC Home Warranty allows you to choose your own technicians and offers a workmanship guarantee for the entire lifetime of your plan, but its low coverage limits for electrical and plumbing systems may not work for some homeowners. American Home Shield’s customer reviews and our team’s own experience filing claims with the company also support our recommendations.
We Recommend AFC Home Warranty If You:
- Prefer choosing your own technician
- Want a workmanship guarantee on repairs for the lifetime of your plan
- Need unlimited HVAC coverage limits
We Recommend American Home Shield If You:
- Want affordable systems-only coverage
- Need higher coverage limits for appliances
- Prefer premium comprehensive coverage with added benefits, like roof leak protection
Comparing AFC Home Warranty and American Home Shield Side-by-Side
For a quick look at how these AFC Home Warranty and American Home Shield compare, use the table below to see how these companies stack up in terms of home warranty coverage, cost, and customer experiences.
| Category | Winner | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage | American Home Shield | Both providers offer three plan options and generous coverage limits, with one key exception—AFC Home Warranty limits plumbing and electrical protection to $500 per term, which is low compared to American Home Shield’s unlimited coverage. |
| Cost | American Home Shield | American Home Shield costs less on average and offers more consistent discount options than AFC Home Warranty, making it the winner in our cost category. However, AFC Home Warranty offers unique benefits like both annual and monthly pricing options and service call fees as low as $75. |
| Customer reviews | American Home Shield | American Home Shield has higher average scores than AFC Home Warranty on sites like Google Reviews, Trustpilot, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The company also has roughly 53,000 more reviews than AFC Home Warranty across all third-party review platforms. |
| Our experience | American Home Shield | Our in-house testers had similar experiences with each provider’s claims process, but American Home Shield stood out for its quick response times and ease of use. Our tester submitted a claim using AHS’s online portal and got a call from a contractor within five minutes, followed by a service appointment for the next day. |
AFC Home Warranty vs. American Home Shield Coverage
AFC Home Warranty and American Home Shield offer similar coverage options, though the plan tier structure is different. AFC Home Warranty offers 3–4 plans depending on your location, one for appliances only and three options with a mix of coverage for home appliances and systems. While the company offers its appliance-only Silver Plan in some areas, the other three plans cover items like heating systems, air conditioners, kitchen appliances, electrical, and plumbing. Plus, its top-tier Diamond Plan covers electronics and exterior sewer lines—both rare inclusions.
American Home Shield also offers three plans, including an affordable systems-only policy as the lowest tier and two other comprehensive options. Its highest-tier plan, ShieldPlatinum, goes above and beyond, offering extra benefits like unlimited air conditioning refrigerant, a free HVAC tune-up, coverage for code violations, and more. When comparing both providers’ top-tier plans—AFC Home Warranty’s Diamond Plan and American Home Shield’s ShieldPlatinum—we found that they’re very close in coverage, but American Home Shield covers a few more items.
What Do AFC Home Warranty and American Home Shield Cover?
Though AFC Home Warranty and American Home Shield offer similar comprehensive coverage, American Home Shield covers a few more items, like doorbells and instant hot and cold water dispensers. We compared each provider’s highest-tier comprehensive plan because, according to our 2025 survey of 2,000 homeowners with home warranty plans nationwide, 70% of homeowners purchased this type of coverage.
Browse the table below to compare AFC Home Warranty’s Diamond Plan versus American Home Shield’s ShieldPlatinum plan.
| Coverage | AFC Home Warranty Diamond Plan | American Home Shield ShieldPlatinum Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Air conditioners | ✔ | ✔ |
| Built-in exhaust/vent/attic fans | ✔ | ✔ |
| Built-in jetted hot tub motor and components | ✔ | ✔ |
| Built-in microwaves | ✔ | ✔ |
| Ceiling fans | ✔ | ✔ |
| Clothes dryers | ✔ | ✔ |
| Clothes washers | ✔ | ✔ |
| Dishwashers | ✔ | ✔ |
| Doorbells and chimes | ✘ | ✔ |
| Ductwork | ✔ | ✔ |
| Faucets and valves | ✔ | ✔ |
| Garage door openers | ✔ | ✔ |
| Garbage disposals | ✔ | ✔ |
| Heating units | ✔ | ✔ |
| Instant hot and cold water dispensers | ✘ | ✔ |
| Interior electrical lines | ✔ | ✔ |
| Interior plumbing lines | ✔ | ✔ |
| Main breaker and fuse panel box | ✔ | ✔ |
| Ranges and cooktops | ✔ | ✔ |
| Refrigerators | ✔ | ✔ |
| Roof-leak repairs | ✔ | ✔ |
| Ovens | ✔ | ✔ |
| Toilets | ✔ | ✔ |
| Water heaters | ✔ | ✔ |
Coverage Limits
AFC Home Warranty and American Home Shield both extend respectable coverage limits, with individualized benefits for certain covered items. For example, AFC Home Warranty offers unlimited coverage on HVAC systems, which is a huge plus considering heating and air conditioning units are some of the most expensive items to repair and replace. However, the company has lower $500 limits for plumbing and electrical systems that may not cover the full amount if you need extensive service.
On the other hand, American Home Shield offers unlimited coverage for plumbing and electrical, offering some of the best coverage for those systems in the industry. The company also offers up to $5,000 in coverage for HVAC systems, which should cover most repairs but may not offset a full replacement. American Home Shield also offers different appliance coverage depending on what plan you have, with $2,000 per item on ShieldGold and $4,000 per item on ShieldPlatinum.
For a closer look at how these companies compare based on coverage limits, check out the table below:
| Item | AFC Home Warranty Diamond Plan Limits | American Home Shield ShieldPlatinum Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Air conditioning | No limit stated | $1,500–$5,000 |
| Clothes washers | $3,000 | $4,000 |
| Clothes dryers | $3,000 | $4,000 |
| Dishwashers | $3,000 | $4,000 |
| Electrical | $500 | Unlimited |
| Heating | Unlimited | $1,500–$5,000 |
| Ovens | $3,000 | $4,000 |
| Plumbing | $500 | $500–unlimited |
| Refrigerators | $3,000 | $4,000 |
| Water heaters | $1,000 | Unlimited |
Add-Ons
AFC Home Warranty and American Home Shield come out fairly even when it comes to add-ons, or optional coverage you can buy for your plan. AFC Home Warranty offers seven options, while AHS has six add-ons available. Use the table below to see what add-ons each company offers and determine which ones best suit your coverage needs.
| Coverage | AFC Home Warranty | American Home Shield |
|---|---|---|
| Central vacuum | ✔ | ✘ |
| Electronics protection plan | ✘ | ✔ |
| Guest unit | ✘ | ✔ |
| In-ground pool and spa | ✔ | ✔ |
| Roof leak | ✔ | ✔ |
| Septic system | ✔ | ✘ |
| Stand-alone freezer | ✔ | ✘ |
| Sump pump | ✔ | ✔ |
| Well pump | ✔ | ✔ |
The Fine Print
While every home warranty provider has a list of exclusions and limitations in its service contract, some can become more troublesome than others when you file a claim. For example, American Home Shield will cover preexisting conditions, but only if you couldn’t detect the issue previously. If there’s any reason to believe you could have known an issue existed before you purchased your policy, the company won’t cover it, as seen in the screenshot below:
AFC Home Warranty also has some limitations that could throw a wrench into your claims process, namely its policy on maintenance records for HVAC repairs. In order for AFC Home Warranty to cover an HVAC repair, customers must provide a previous maintenance record from within the last 12 months that shows the unit didn’t need any repairs at the time of the service.
This term requires that homeowners pay out of pocket for at least one HVAC maintenance visit every year in order to cover any potential repairs. Those costs can add up over time and offset the benefits of purchasing a home warranty with HVAC coverage. If you don’t service your HVAC systems every year, and if you fail to keep detailed records of each service, AFC Home Warranty could deny claims for this system.
Cost Comparison
To get updated and accurate pricing for home warranty providers, we requested online quotes for a 2,000-square-foot, single-family home in Nashville, Tennessee. Note that your individual rate may vary depending on your state of residence and home details. You can find an outline of each provider’s corresponding plans, service fees, and monthly rates in the tables below.
Plan Cost
Although AFC Home Warranty and American Home Shield charge similar rates overall, American Home Shield is consistently cheaper, based on our pricing comparison. While the two higher-tier plans for each company were priced neck-and-neck, the biggest differences were between lowest-tier plans. American Home Shield’s ShieldSilver plan, which only covers home systems, is $13–$15 cheaper each month than AFC Home Shield’s Gold Plan, offering a more affordable option for homeowners who only need minimal coverage.
However, AFC Home Warranty has a more affordable $75 service fee option, which is lower than American Home Shield’s $100 minimum rate. Compare the two companies based on cost and service call fees in the sections below.
AFC Home Warranty Monthly Plan Cost by Service Call Fee
| Plan | $75 Service Fee | $125 Service Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | $53 | $45 |
| Platinum | $61 | $53 |
| Diamond | $92 | $84 |
American Home Shield Monthly Plan Cost by Service Call Fee
| Plan | $100 Service Fee | $125 Service Fee |
|---|---|---|
| ShieldSilver | $40 | $30 |
| ShieldGold | $60 | $50 |
| ShieldPlatinum | $90 | $80 |
Add-On Costs
AFC Home Warranty lists its add-on prices in annual amounts, while American Home Shield lists prices by month. To help you compare, we’ve listed each company’s rates both by month and by year. AFC Home Warranty is generally more affordable, however, American Home Shield has some unique coverage options, like an electronics protection plan and guest unit coverage. Check out the tables below to see how the two providers compare when it comes to add-on pricing. Note that we broke out pricing by monthly and annual rates for an easier comparison, but this may not reflect what each company offers during enrollment.
AFC Home Warranty Add-On Costs
| Add-On Coverage | Monthly Price | Annual Price |
|---|---|---|
| Central vacuum | $2 | $25 |
| In-ground pool and spa | $13 | $150 |
| Roof leak | Included with plans | Included with plans |
| Stand-alone freezer | $2 | $25 |
| Sump pump | $3 | $35 |
| Septic system | $4 | $50 |
| Well pump | $4 | $50 |
American Home Shield Add-On Costs
| Add-On Coverage | Monthly Price | Annual Price |
|---|---|---|
| Electronics protection plan | $14 | $168 |
| Guest unit | $22 | $264 |
| Pool and built-in spa equipment | $24 | $288 |
| Roof leak repair | $10 | $120 |
| Septic pump | $5 | $60 |
| Well pump | $8 | $96 |
Discounts
Qualifying for discounts can help you save on the monthly cost of your home warranty plan. Our team went through the quote process with each company to learn more about available savings opportunities.
AFC Home Warranty Discounts
AFC Home Warranty doesn’t advertise specific savings for specific groups, such as military veterans, but it does offer time-sensitive discount codes on the header of its website. These codes change on a rolling basis, but our team found that AFC Home Warranty offers such savings very frequently. For example, here’s a holiday-based code we found on the company’s website when requesting quotes:
American Home Shield Discounts
American Home Shields offers discounts for the following groups of people:
- American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) members
- Military service members
- Homeowners with multiple properties
The company also offers $100 Amazon gift cards to customers who refer a friend or family member that successfully signs up for coverage.
Our Experience With AFC Home Warranty vs. American Home Shield
Instead of only relying on third-party sites and customer reviews, we signed up for policies ourselves to give readers a firsthand account of how home warranty companies work. Read on for a more accurate picture of our experience with AFC Home Warranty and American Home Shield.
Signing Up
Both companies offer an easy signup process online, based on our experience. Simply go to the provider’s website, input your personal information, including your name and address, and choose the plan you want, along with any additional coverage you need. You can pay online and start your contract term immediately.
Claims Process
Our in-house testers for AFC Home Warranty and American Home Shield had similar experiences with claims processes. In both cases, the testers filed a claim online. Our AFC Home Warranty tester ended up completing their claim via text message and over the phone call after an initial online submission. They could then book a service technician within two or three days. Comparatively, our American Home Shield tester got a call from a contractor within five minutes of submitting a claim and booked a service appointment for the next day.
While the timelines and methods may differ slightly, both companies solved our testers’ issues in a timely manner, and neither tester had to pay anything out of pocket except for the service fee. However, our in-house AFC Home Warranty tester said the first contractor didn’t fix the issue, but they restarted the claims process and booked another contractor who resolved the problem immediately.
What Homeowners Say
AFC Home Warranty has 2,168 reviews across Google Reviews, Trustpilot, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB), averaging 3 out of 5 stars. Meanwhile, American Home Shield has 56,674 reviews across Google Reviews, Trustpilot, and the BBB, averaging 3.5 out of 5 stars.
American Home Shield has roughly 53,000 more reviews than AFC Home Warranty, showing the difference in company size and experience. While AFC Home Warranty was founded in 2009, American Home Shield has over 50 years of experience. For example, American Home Shield has over 10,000 reviews on Trustpilot, while AFC Home Warranty has less than 50 reviews. Learn more about what customers have to say about each company in the sections below.
AFC Home Warranty Reviews
AFC Home Warranty has a good amount of positive reviews on the BBB, but most only mention the signup process. These reviews don’t talk about the company’s customer service or claims process. However, many negative reviews mentioned denied claims, poor communication, and hidden exclusions.
Here are a few examples of online reviews from AFC Home Warranty customers:
“The service man came last night and diagnosed the problem with my fridge in about 10 minutes. He said he had to order the parts then would come back and do the repair. [I] received an email today to call for details. They gave me the cost they would cover to repair it. Now I wait for parts to arrive and a call from the tech for an appointment. So far so good and very easy.” —Sally G. via Google Reviews, February 2025
“I’ve tried using AFC Home Warranty for two situations ([I] bought a new house a few months ago), but AFC Home Warranty has told me both times they don’t cover my service requests … They sold me a service that was supposed to give me peace of mind with my new house, but when it actually comes to using their services, they somehow magically have something in their ‘terms and conditions’ that disqualifies me.” —Brian via Google Reviews, February 2025
American Home Shield Reviews
Like many home warranty companies, reviews for American Home Shield are split. Customers typically praise American Home Shield for its easy claims process, quick service, and effective repairs. However, most complaints were about denied claims, slow service, sub-par contractors, and poor communication.
Here are a few examples of American Home Shield customer reviews:
“I would recommend American Home Shield to any homeowner. They have consistently been quickly responsive to all of my home appliance repairs. They have truly been a life saver!” —Shaunta A. via Google Reviews, March 2025
“Just horrendous. They clearly do not screen their contractors, and when subpar (or even fraudulent) service is provided, they keep you on hold and promise follow-up calls that never happen.” —Brian P. via Google Reviews, March 2025
FAQs About AFC Home Warranty vs. American Home Shield
Does a home warranty cover plumbing?
Most home warranty companies cover plumbing under at least one plan option. Plumbing is considered a home system, so if you purchase a comprehensive plan or a systems-only plan, it will most likely cover plumbing. However, if you buy an appliance-only plan, you won’t get plumbing coverage.
What does AFC Home Warranty cover?
AFC Home Warranty covers a mix of home appliances and major systems, including:
- Heating and cooling systems
- Kitchen appliances
- Laundry appliances
- Electrical
- Plumbing
- Smartphones and home electronics
- Exterior sewer and water lines
- Ceiling, exhaust, and ductwork
However, for a full list of coverage options, check out AFC Home Warranty’s plans and see a breakdown of coverage and add-on options.
Is there a class action lawsuit against American Home Shield?
American Home Shield has been involved in several class-action lawsuits over the years, the most recent of which was a Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) class action suit in 2023 alleging that American Home Shield left prerecorded voicemail messages without consent.
Which home protection plan is the best?
The best home warranty for you depends on your coverage needs and budget. In most cases, a comprehensive plan is the best option if you want whole-home protection. Comprehensive plans cover most major home systems and appliances for full peace of mind. However, homeowners on a budget or with less coverage needs may prefer a systems-only or appliance-only plan for less money each month.
How We Evaluated Home Warranty Providers
Our team used a unique home warranty rating methodology to rank each home warranty provider across six different factors. To get information on each provider, we purchased policies, filed claims, called representatives, requested quotes, read sample contracts, and conducted customer surveys. Then, we used that data to score each home warranty provider on a 5-point scale based on the factors below:
- Coverage: According to our 2025 survey of 1,000 home warranty customers nationwide, coverage was the most important factor when shopping for a service provider. For this reason, we gave the most points to companies with high coverage caps and separate plans for appliances, systems, and total home coverage.
- Cost: We rated each provider according to its overall cost, including monthly rates, service fees, add-on pricing, and any extra fees. Since the national average cost of a home warranty is $56 per month, we gave the most points to providers offering comprehensive coverage for under $60 a month and service fees under $100.
- Trustworthiness: We gave the most points to providers with solid reputations and high scores on customer review sites like the BBB, Trustpilot, and Google Reviews. We also prioritized companies offering long workmanship guarantees of 30-days or more and no current lawsuits.
- Plan transparency: Understanding plan terms can feel difficult, especially if a provider doesn’t state coverage specifics clearly. We awarded the most points to companies that publish sample contracts online and list terms in a way that’s easy to understand.
- Customer support: Poor communication can make navigating repairs feel more difficult, so it’s important to know a provider has sufficient customer support to help you with your claims. We gave the most points to providers that offer multiple ways to submit claims, 24/7 chat availability, easy-to-use online claim portals, and quick response times for booking technicians.
- Flexibility: The best home warranty companies give customers plenty of choices for coverage, including the option to choose their own technicians. We gave the most points to providers that offer three or more plan options, multiple add-ons, and customizable service call fees.
