Updated Jan 10, 2023
Updated Jan 10, 2023
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Both American Home Shield (AHS) and American Residential Warranty (ARW) are industry-leading home warranty companies that offer comprehensive plan options for your home’s most essential systems and appliances. Both companies split their coverage into three base plans with one budget-friendly option and two higher-tier combined coverage policies.
Our American Home Shield vs. American Residential Warranty review pits both providers head to head in order to call out key policy differences between the two. Keep reading to discover which of these top-rated carriers is the best home warranty company for you.
Both companies split their coverage into three base plans with one budget-friendly option and two higher-tier combined coverage policies. American Home Shield offers lower monthly premiums and a customizable service fee, but ARW touts one of the lowest flat-rate deductibles on the market plus the freedom to choose your own service technician.
Why Trust House Method
House Method’s Experts collected and analyzed 2000+ critical data points to identify what makes a great home warranty company in the eye of the consumer. Our reviews team used this data to assess over 60 home warranty providers for coverage extent, annual cost, and national availability to provide unbiased reviews so homeowners can confidently navigate key decisions about their homes.
American Home Shield | American Residential Warranty | |
Our Rating | 9.6 | 8.9 |
Website | Visit Site | Visit Site |
Plan Options | ShieldSilver ShieldGold ShieldPlatinum | Kitchen Plus Platinum Premier 4-in-1 Bundle |
Monthly Premium | ShieldSilver: $34.27 ShieldGold: $44.27 ShieldPlatinum: $64.27 *Based on $100 service fee option | Kitchen Plus: $39.99 Platinum Premier: $64.99 4-in-1 Bundle: $129.99 |
Service Fees | $75, $100, or $125 | $55 |
Availability | Not available in Alaska | Available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. |
BBB Rating | B | A+ |
Years in Business | 51 | 13 |
American Home Shield and American Residential Warranty each offer a similar stack of three base plans that start with an appliance-only level followed by a middle-tier of combo systems and appliances coverage, topped off with a comprehensive premier plan. Still, when comparing both service providers side-by-side, we found that ARW was overall more expensive per month than AHS. And yet, American Home Shield offered nearly double the number of per-item inclusions than American Residential Warranty.
With 37 more years of industry experience and concentrated home warranty coverage for competitively low rates, we scored American Home Shield higher than American Residential Warranty.
AHS offers three base plan options: ShieldSilver, ShieldGold, and ShieldPlatinum. All three plans have an unlimited coverage allowance for built-in systems. For appliance coverage, ShieldGold caps most of its annual payouts at $3,000 per item. With ShieldPlatinum, that coverage limit is boosted to $6,000 per appliance.
ShieldSilver provides homeowners with a limited coverage option for 14 integral home systems. ShieldGold and ShieldPlatinum, on the other hand, feature combined coverage for 23 systems and appliances, including laundry and kitchen items. ShieldPlatinum policyholders also have exclusive access to:
Covered Item | ShieldSilver | ShieldGold | ShieldPlatinum |
Central Air Conditioning | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Heating | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Ductwork | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Built-in Exhaust, Vent, and Attic Fans | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Ceiling Fans | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Interior Electrical Lines | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Main Breaker and Fuse Panel Box | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Doorbell | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Garage Door Openers | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Interior Plumbing Lines and Stoppages | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Hot Water Heaters | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Faucets and Valves | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Toilets | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Whirlpool Tub Motor and Components | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Refrigerators | ✓ | ✓ | |
Built-in Microwaves | ✓ | ✓ | |
Dishwashers | ✓ | ✓ | |
Ovens | ✓ | ✓ | |
Ranges/Cooktops | ✓ | ✓ | |
Garbage Disposal | ✓ | ✓ | |
Instant Hot/Cold Water Dispensers | ✓ | ✓ | |
Clothes Washer | ✓ | ✓ | |
Clothes Dryer | ✓ | ✓ | |
Roof Leak Repairs | ✓ | ✓ |
For more information about AHS, read our full American Home Shield review.
To get a free quote from American Home Shield, fill out this online form or call 888-365-2839.
American Residential Warranty splits its standard coverage into three base plans: Kitchen Plus, Platinum Premier, and the 4-in-1 Bundle. Annual coverage caps range between $500 and $1,000 per item, within an aggregate yearly payout maximum of $5,000.
At the most basic level, Kitchen Plus offers coverage for six built-in kitchen appliances, hot water heaters, and interior electrical systems. Unlike with AHS, laundry appliances aren’t included at this level unless you purchase them as an additional coverage item for an extra $9.99 per month.
Next, Platinum Premier builds on the inclusions of Kitchen Plus with nine major home systems. For maximum protection through ARW, the 4-in-1 Bundle wraps Platinum Premier with washer and dryer coverage, water/sewer line protection, an electronic protection plan, and its trademark Deluxe Advantage package.
Covered Item | Kitchen Plus | Platinum Premier | 4-in-1 Bundle |
Interior Electrical Systems | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Ranges/Ovens/Cooktops | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Refrigerators | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Built-in Microwaves | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Garbage Disposals | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Kitchen Exhaust Fans | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Water Heaters | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Central A/C | ✓ | ✓ | |
Heating Systems | ✓ | ✓ | |
Humidifier | ✓ | ✓ | |
Ductwork | ✓ | ✓ | |
Ceiling Fans | ✓ | ✓ | |
Plumbing Systems (fixtures not included) | ✓ | ✓ | |
Plumbing Stoppages(fixtures not included) | ✓ | ✓ | |
Built-in Ice Maker | ✓ | ✓ | |
Clothes Washers and Dryers | ✓ | ||
Sewer and Water Lines | ✓ | ||
Deluxe Advantage | ✓ | ||
Ultimate Electronic Protections | ✓ |
For more information about ARW, read our complete American Residential Warranty review.
American Home Shield’s premiums range from $29 to $74 per month compared to American Residential Warranty’s monthly rates of $39.99 to $129.99. Based on our cost-to-coverage analysis of both providers, AHS offers a significantly broader list of covered systems and appliances than ARW, and at a lower price.
In terms of service fees, AHS can choose between deductible amounts of $75, $100, or $125. Freedom to customize their service fee also gives homeowners more control over their premium. The higher the service fee you select, the lower your monthly or annual premium will be and vice versa. Though ARW doesn’t offer an adjustable service fee, it only charges $55 per each new service request, which is lower than the industry average.
Here’s how monthly costs between American Home Shield and American Residential Warranty vary:
Home Warranty Policy | Monthly Premium | Service Fee |
ShieldSilver | $29.27, $34.27, or $44.27 | $75, $100, or $125 |
ShieldGold | $54.27, $44.27, or $39.27 | $75, $100, or $125 |
ShieldPlatinum | $74.27, $64.27, or $59.27 | $75, $100, or $125 |
Home Warranty Policy | Monthly Premium | Service Fee |
Kitchen Plus | $39.99 | $55 |
Platinum Premier | $64.99 | $55 |
4-in-1 Bundle | $129.99 | $55 |
American Residential Warranty boasts an impressive A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) whereas American Home Shield is currently marked with a B rating. Still, AHS has been accredited with the organization since 1997 while ARW isn’t accredited at all. Both providers showcase similar average star ratings from customers with overall positive reviews, though AHS has a larger quota of testimonials simply because of more years in business.
We’ve created an overview of the AHS and ARW customer experiences below by excerpting both positive and negative reviews from each company that we felt accurately encapsulated what you can expect from either provider.
American Home Shield | American Residential Warranty | |
BBB Rating | B | A+ |
Average Star Rating | 2.25 out of 5 | 2.88 out of 5 |
Number of Online Customer Reviews | 10,383 | 223 |
BBB Accreditation | Yes | No |
Here are a few recent online reviews from American Home Shield customers:
“I came home from vacation to a hot house! I reported the issue online and paid the $100 service fee on a Wednesday around 6pm. I received an email later that with the name of my service provider and was instructed to call them for an appointment. I called Thursday morning and by Friday afternoon my AC was repaired. The whole process was easy and stress free!”
– Desiree F., 07/02/2022
“AHS always responds and assigns service very quickly, and with no hassle. However, on the last request it took 4-5 visits by two different companies to solve a very simple oven problem. Not only that, after the very first visit when the problem that was supposed to be solved and returned after 30 days came back, I had to pay for another call in order to get assistance. All previous service requests have gone without a hitch.”
– Alberto S., 08/21/2021
“We had a leak around the roman bathtub and we placed a claim with American Residential Warranty, I did this online on their website which was very user friendly. They contacted me promptly the next morning and were going to find a local provider ASAP. They called a couple of days later to let me know they were having problems finding a provider in the area. After a few more days, they decided that they were going to send me a check for $350 so I could get a plumber myself. I took care of it and was very satisfied with the result. Thanks for being on top of the claim and following up the way you did.”
– Carlos P., 06/30/2020
“There are so many appliance warranty companies out there now, that you can’t really tell one from the other. They all do about the same thing. Right now, I will be looking for another one, because ARW upped my monthly bill way more than I feel it’s worth. I was told originally that the price would remain the same, but evidently not!”
– Marla B., 03/10/2020
The key difference between American Home Shield and American Residential Warranty is that AHS is overall cheaper per month or annual than ARW with a longer list of inclusions and more comprehensive coverage, down to the add-ons. Still, ARW arguably makes up for it with its lower than average service fee and option to choose your own technician.
Yes, American Residential Warranty covers refrigerators in all three of its base policy options.
When founded in 1971, American Home Shield operated independently, however, in 1989, the company was acquired by ServiceMaster. Though AHS didn’t undergo an obvious name change, it is overseen by Frontdoor, Inc.
Whether or not a home warranty will be worth it for you ultimately depends on the extent of your coverage needs as well as your personal financial flexibility. If you have the budget to earmark at least 1% of your home’s property value per year for home repairs, then paying a monthly premium may not be worthwhile. If you don’t have an emergency fund and would have to pull directly from your savings for any household issues, we’d highly recommend considering any of the providers featured in our top seven stack.
At House Method, transparency and trust are our most important values for the reader.
To create this rating system, our team spent hours researching over 60 companies, analyzing 2500+ key data points, getting the thoughts and opinions of 1000+ homeowners, and speaking to home warranty company representatives directly. We also dug into the fine print on each company’s service agreement to ensure no detail was left out.
We developed an objective home warranty review and rating methodology to score each home warranty company based on several criteria. We used a five-point scale with a point index ranging from 0.00 to 1.00. The minimum awardable value is 0.0, whereas 1.00 is the maximum. These numeric points are translated into star ratings, using whole star increments between one and five.
Here is a quick breakdown of our five core scoring categories:
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