Compare Property Tax Protest Services & DIY Tools
This hub compares the property tax protest options homeowners actually shop between — full-service firms that file and represent you, and flat-fee DIY tools (including HomeTaxAppeal) that give you an evidence packet you file yourself. Every competitor fact below is quoted from that company's own public statements, with a source link and the date we checked it.
Quick reference
Pricing, fee model, coverage, whether comparable sales are shown before you pay, and guarantee — sourced and dated. See the ranking methodology for how these translate into an ordered list.
| Company | Type | Pricing | Fee model | Coverage | Comps shown before you pay | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HomeTaxAppeal | Self-service software — you file yourself | Flat $79 one-time — no contingency, no percentage of savings (see the free check) | Flat, one-time — you keep 100% of savings | All 50 states | Yes — the free check shows real comparable sales before you pay (try it) | Published no-reduction guarantee (see terms) |
| AppealDesk | Self-service DIY tool — you file yourself (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | $49 flat fee, one-time. No contingency, no percentage of savings, no recurring fee. Homepage: "$49 one time. Keep 100%"; FAQ: "You pay $49 once and keep 100% of any tax reduction you receive." Product/WebApplication/Service JSON-LD carry Offer price 49.00 USD. (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | Flat, one-time — you keep 100% of savings (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | "All 50 states, 3,100+ counties" (claimed on homepage, /about, llms.txt, and Product schema). The 3,100+ figure refers to service coverage, not page count, and is not independently verifiable. (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | No — the flow is address entry → pay $49 → packet emailed. No free comp preview or free "worth it" check; the only pre-purchase tools are a generic self-input savings calculator and a checklist. (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | Terms of Service: "Due to the digital nature of our product and the immediate delivery of materials, all sales are final." Product JSON-LD encodes MerchantReturnNotPermitted. No outcome guarantee ("cannot and do not guarantee any specific outcome"). A homepage testimonial mentions an anecdotal refund, but no formal refund policy is stated. (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) |
| Home Tax Shield | Full-service representation (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | $30 upfront plus 30% of tax savings, with "lower fees available through our partners"; claims fees are "40% below the industry average." (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | Upfront fee + a share of savings (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | Texas only — "a Texas-based property tax platform." (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | not publicly stated | No refund policy stated. Guarantees effort, not results: "we can promise a 100% attempt rate by a seasoned expert"; explicitly says no company can save you money every year. (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) |
| O'Connor & Associates | Full-service representation (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | Contingency, 50% of first-year savings — "No flat fee; just pay half of first year property tax savings." The fee is defined as 50% of the current-year tax savings (initial appraisal-district assessed value less the final value). Clients are "not billed for court costs, appraisals, expert witness fees or legal fees." (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | Contingency (a percentage of your savings) (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | Residential: Texas, Illinois, Georgia, New York. Commercial: 45 states. Houston HQ plus 9 Texas regional offices. (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | not publicly stated | No refund policy; contingency framing only — "No fees ever unless we reduce your property taxes, not even a nickel. We promise." (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) |
| Ownwell | Full-service representation (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | Contingency only — "Only pay if you save," "No upfront costs." The fee is applied to actual property tax savings in the year they appeal; Ownwell's pricing-page worked example shows a 25% fee, and the exact percentage varies by area behind a "View Pricing in Your Area" lookup. (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | Contingency (a percentage of your savings) (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | 8 states listed on the homepage: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New York, Texas, Washington. (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | not publicly stated | "Savings-or-Free Guarantee" — "If you don't save money, our service is entirely free." (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) |
| Square Deal Tax | Self-service DIY tool — you file yourself (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | $69 flat per report; "Pay for your report only after you are convinced"; bulk pricing for 10+ properties by contact. (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | Flat, one-time — you keep 100% of savings (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | 41 supported counties — predominantly Texas (Harris, Dallas, Tarrant-area, Bexar, Travis, Collin, Denton, Fort Bend, El Paso, and others) plus Cook County IL, Los Angeles CA, and Miami-Dade FL. (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | Partially — "View Property Report Summary for FREE!" and a free savings estimate by address before purchase; full comp detail is in the paid report. (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | Published refund policy (v1.3, revised 2026-04-23): refund eligible within 14 days if the report "does not identify a meaningful difference" between assessed value and comparable values, or lacks "sufficient comparable data." Not refundable: custom reports, bulk purchases, discounted reports, reports where a meaningful difference IS identified, or "Reports with a LOW case strength." Refund equals the purchase price minus payment-gateway charges. (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) |
| TaxFightBack | Self-service DIY tool — you file yourself (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | Two one-time flat tiers: "Appeal Packet — $39 one-time" (comparable-sales analysis plus a pre-formatted appeal letter) and "Premium Appeal — $79 one-time" (adds detailed comp adjustments and hearing prep). No contingency fees; positions against firms that keep "25-35% of your savings." Mentions ongoing assessment monitoring. (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | Flat, one-time — you keep 100% of savings (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | "All 50 States supported," "3,100+ Counties covered." (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | Yes per their copy — "Enter your address and instantly see your current assessed value, tax rate, and how it compares to actual market data," with over-assessment flagging and a savings estimate before purchase; AI comps are reviewable and swappable before letter generation. (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | not publicly stated |
| Texas Tax Protest | Full-service representation (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | Contingency-based; the specific rate is not published on the public site. The FAQ states pricing "varies based on the number of properties and property valuation" and is viewable only after a property lookup in the sign-up portal. (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | Contingency (a percentage of your savings) (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | "Across most of the 254 Texas counties" (residential and commercial); offices in Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | No — the firm explicitly declines to provide pre-signup savings estimates, citing TDLR Rule §66.100(m): "under TX law we cannot provide an estimate." (per publicly stated terms as of Jul 18, 2026, source) | not publicly stated |
HomeTaxAppeal is a self-service software product, not a tax consulting or representation service; nothing on this page is tax, legal, or financial advice.
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Think a fact here is wrong or out of date? Email hello@hometaxappeal.us and we'll correct verified inaccuracies within 5 business days and date the change.