TotalProtect vs American Home Shield

Service Fee (Winner: American Home Shield)
American Home Shield has a flexible service fee that varies depending on if you prefer a lower monthly fee or a lower service fee. This gives customers a say in how much they want to pay in out-of-pocket expenses, specifically repair fees. You have the choice between a $75, $100, or $125 service fee. If you choose the cheaper service fee, your warranty plan will increase in price, whereas if you select the more expensive service fee, your plan will decrease in price. Having flexibility enables you to either pay more in upfront repair costs when you make a service claim or pay more each month on your monthly bill.

TotalProtect requires a $125 service fee for all of its packages, making its offering less flexible and more expensive than American Home Shield's.

Home Warranty Cost (Winner: American Home Shield )
TotalProtect and American Home Shield have similar price points for most of their home warranty plans. However, American Home Shield offers a flexible service fee, which may be a deal breaker. If you want the choice between a cheaper monthly fee or a cheaper service fee, we suggest going with American Home Shield.

Contract (Winner: American Home Shield)
American Home Shield and TotalProtect require one-year contracts for their warranty services. However, if you renew your AHS warranty after one year, the company will offer you a month-to-month contract option. If you want a more flexible contract and plan to keep your home warranty for more than one year, American Home Shield is your better option.

Basic Coverage (Winner: TotalProtect)

American Home Shield and TotalProtect both separate their basic coverage into two separate plans: a Systems Plan and an Appliances Plan. TotalProtect's Appliances Plan is about $36 cheaper than AHS's. However, American Home Shield's plan includes coverage for a freestanding ice maker, a garage door opener, and a built-in food center, which TotalProtect's plan does not. If you're looking for more extensive coverage, American Home Shield is the better option. If you're looking for the cheaper price point, TotalProtect is the better choice.

TotalProtect's Appliances Plan ($383.40 per year) includes the following:

American Home Shield's Appliances Plan ($419.88 per year) includes the following:

TotalProtect's Systems Plan ($491.40 per year) warranty covers these items:

American Home Shield's Systems Plan ($419.88 per year) warranty covers these items:

TotalProtect's Combo Plan includes the following items that American Home Shield's Combo Plan does not: toilets, sump pumps (AHS offers this as add-on coverage for $30 per year), whirlpool baths, and interior gas lines. However, American Home Shield offers coverage for a built-in food center, which TotalProtect does not.

American Home Shield's cost for combo coverage is nearly $100 cheaper than TotalProtect's. If you don't mind the few missing items on the company's combo coverage, American Home Shield is definitely the better home warranty for you, especially if you're looking for the cheaper price point.

Add-On Coverage Options (Winner: American Home Shield)
TotalProtect only lists optional pool and spa coverage as add-on coverage, and there is no price available, so it is unclear what the homeowner will need to pay for this additional coverage. American Home Shield, on the other hand, offers a variety of add-ons, including coverage for pools and spas ($159.96 per year for pool only), well pumps ($84.96 per year), septic pumps ($30 per year), a guest unit ($179.88 per year), and an electronic extended warranty ($216 per year).

Build-Your-Own Coverage (Winner: American Home Shield)
Many homeowners want the option to create their own coverage plan rather than select from premade plans. Build-your-own packages give you the option to only include the select systems and appliances you want coverage for. American Home Shield offers a build-your-own plan that allows you to hand-select any of its offered items, and if you do this on AHS's website, it will show you your monthly total in real-time as you add on more items. This makes pricing transparent and gives you a better idea of whether or not building your own plan is the better option than picking a premade warranty plan. 

TotalProtect does not offer a build-your-own package option and only provides its three premade plans. 

Pre-Existing Condition Coverage (Winner: TotalProtect)
Unlike most home warranty companies, TotalProtect offers coverage for pre-existing conditions. This means that the company will repair or replace systems and appliances even if they malfunctioned or failed previous to you purchasing home warranty coverage.

American Home Shield does not offer coverage for pre-existing conditions.

Licensed Contractors (Winner: American Home Shield and TotalProtect)
Both American Home Shield and TotalProtect have licensed and qualified contractors to take care of your appliance repair and replacement claims. You don't have to worry about finding your own service technicians and doing added research. Both companies provide a trusted network of workers.

Customer Benefits (Winner: TotalProtect)
If you purchase DuPontTM or Arm & Hammer® air filters, AHS will give you up to a 50 percent discount. The company also offers a refer-a-friend discount that gives you a $25 Amazon gift card when your referred person signs up for an AHS home warranty.

TotalProtect offers a 180-day Workmanship Guarantee for all of its customers. This guarantees TotalProtect's work for six months. The company also does not charge customers for their first month of service, making the warranty completely free until the second month. All of TotalProtect's warranty plans are eligible for a free month of service.

Time in Business (Winner: American Home Shield)
American Home Shield has been a leader in the home warranty industry since 1971. It is one of the most well-known home warranty providers out there.  TotalProtect is a part of the Cross Country Group and has only been in business since 1998. If you're looking for the company with the most experience, American Home Shield is your best option.

Customer Reviews (Winner: American Home Shield)
TotalProtect has a low star rating from consumers on BestCompany.com. Common complaints include poor customer service, expensive prices, hidden fees, and lengthy wait times. American Home Shield has a lower star rating from consumers as well, but customer satisfaction it is better with AHS than with TotalProtect.

TotalProtect vs American Home Shield: Which is the Better Option? 
TotalProtect is on par with American Home Shield in that it has licensed contractors, additional customer benefits, extensive warranty coverage, and reasonable prices. However, American Home Shield is the better option overall when considering its other offerings. American Home Shield has a flexible service fee and a contract, a cheaper Systems Plan and Combo Plan, a customizable build-your-own plan, more add-on coverage items, more experience in the industry, and better customer reviews compared to TotalProtect.