Range across tiers
Choice Home Warranty
3.7/5 · BBB B
“Budget-focused homeowners who want predictable low service fees and straightforward plan choices.”
Photo · Im Greg / Unsplash
American Home Shield
4.1/5 · BBB B
“Homeowners who want broad systems coverage with the flexibility to lower premiums by accepting a higher service fee.”
Photo · Naomi Hébert / Unsplash
vs
§ 01Round by round
The Warranta verdict
The decision turns on what you are protecting against: a big systems failure or a tight monthly budget. American Home Shield carries the higher annual caps (up to $6,000/yr) and a selectable $100 or $125 fee, while Choice undercuts it with a flat $85 fee and lower premiums. Choose AHS for broad systems coverage; Choice is the wrong call only if you can absorb its $3,000 per-item cap for the lower running cost.
Round by round · 10 criteriaSourced ratings
| Criterion | Choice Home Warranty | American Home Shield | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 3.7 | 4.1Wins | — |
| Pricing | 4.3Wins | 3.7 | — |
| Coverage | 3.6 | 4.5Wins | — |
| Claims process | 3.2 | 3.8Wins | — |
| Customer service | 3.3 | 3.6Wins | — |
| Contractor network | 3.5 | 4.3Wins | — |
| Pricing | WinsWins | — | Choice runs a lower flat $85 service fee and competitive monthly pricing; AHS premiums trend higher but the $100/$125 selectable fee adds flexibility. |
| Coverage breadth | — | WinsWins | AHS offers higher annual caps and covers some undetectable pre-existing conditions and improper installs; Choice caps items at $3,000/yr. |
| Claims experience | — | WinsWins | Both have notable denial complaints on BBB; Choice faced a state regulatory action over denials, giving AHS a narrow edge here. |
| State availability | Tie | Tie | Both cover the major high-CPC states; availability is effectively a tie across VA, NC, TX, and FL. |
Choice Home Warranty
BBB B · 2008
3.7
Overall
American Home Shield
BBB B · 1971
4.1
Overall
§ 02Who wins for you
If
“Pricing matters most”
Choice runs a lower flat $85 service fee and competitive monthly pricing; AHS premiums trend higher but the $100/$125 selectable fee adds flexibility.
EdgeChoice Home Warranty
If
“Coverage breadth matters most”
AHS offers higher annual caps and covers some undetectable pre-existing conditions and improper installs; Choice caps items at $3,000/yr.
EdgeAmerican Home Shield
If
“Claims experience matters most”
Both have notable denial complaints on BBB; Choice faced a state regulatory action over denials, giving AHS a narrow edge here.
EdgeAmerican Home Shield
If
“State availability matters most”
Both cover the major high-CPC states; availability is effectively a tie across VA, NC, TX, and FL.
Evenly matchedToo close to call
Across 4 rounds, American Home Shield takes more than it loses, but the right pick still turns on which of these criteria you weight. See the verdict above.
§ 03The figures, side by side
Choice Home Warranty
- Monthly premium
- $46–$65/mo depending on plan
- Service fee options
- $85
- Service fee range
- Flat $85 service-call fee
- Annual coverage limit
- $3,000/yr per covered system or appliance
- Waiting period
- 30-day waiting period for new direct-purchase plans
- Eligibility notes
- No home-age limit; pre-existing conditions excluded
- Available in
- 7 states (VA, TX, FL, NC, CO, GA…)
At a glance
Per visit, paid to tech
Across plan tiers
Resets each contract year
Before claims are eligible
Home age / pre-existing
Excludes territories
American Home Shield
- Monthly premium
- $30–$95/mo depending on plan tier
- Service fee options
- $100$125
- Service fee range
- $100 or $125 trade service-call fee
- Annual coverage limit
- Up to $6,000/yr on systems; per-appliance caps apply
- Waiting period
- 30-day waiting period for new plans (waived on real-estate transactions)
- Eligibility notes
- No home-age limit; pre-existing/known issues excluded
- Available in
- 8 states (VA, TX, FL, NC, CO, CA…)
At a glance
Range across tiers
Per visit, paid to tech
Across plan tiers
Resets each contract year
Before claims are eligible
Home age / pre-existing
Excludes territories
Choice Home Warranty
3.7/5 · BBB B
“Budget-focused homeowners who want predictable low service fees and straightforward plan choices.”
See a quote
FTC ↘Warranta earns a commission when you buy a plan through links on this page. This does not affect our editorial analysis or the price you pay. Disclosure policy
American Home Shield
4.1/5 · BBB B
“Homeowners who want broad systems coverage with the flexibility to lower premiums by accepting a higher service fee.”
See a quote
FTC ↘Warranta earns a commission when you buy a plan through links on this page. This does not affect our editorial analysis or the price you pay. Disclosure policy
Round winners and the use-case cards above reconcile against Warranta’s rating methodology. Scores are on a 5-point scale.
Warranta earns a commission when you buy a plan through links on this page. This does not affect our editorial analysis or the price you pay.
Commissions are paid by the provider. Affiliate program applications are pending, so outbound links are currently placeholders.
We review monetized pages quarterly for FTC-compliant disclosure placement.
How we get paid →