American Home Shield vs AFC Home Club: Selectable Fee vs Money-Back Guarantee
American Home Shield sells a selectable fee tier across three broad plans. AFC Home Club sells a fixed fee across three named tiers and backs new contracts with a published 60-day money-back guarantee.
Updated August 2026
Who wins what
Buyers who want to trade a higher trade fee for a lower premium.
Basis: American Home Shield discloses a selectable service fee tier; AFC Home Club states a single fixed trade fee.
Everyone.
Basis: Both dispatch from their own network by default with no standard published homeowner-choice provision.
Depends on the tier compared.
Basis: AFC's Platinum tier publishes higher caps than its own Silver tier, and American Home Shield's Combined plan publishes higher caps than its Appliances plan, so the comparison depends on tier rather than brand.
Key differences at a glance
New-contract cancellation feature
AFC Home Club- American Home Shield
- Standard cancellation and refund terms stated in the contract
- AFC Home Club
- Published 60-day money-back guarantee on new contracts, subject to conditions
Service fee model
American Home Shield- American Home Shield
- Selectable fee tier tied to the monthly premium
- AFC Home Club
- Fixed fee stated in the plan agreement
Plan tier names
Even- American Home Shield
- Appliances, Systems, Combined
- AFC Home Club
- Silver, Gold, Platinum
State footprint
American Home Shield- American Home Shield
- Sold in most states
- AFC Home Club
- Sold in a defined set of states
Add-on list
Even- American Home Shield
- Standard add-ons layered on the Combined plan
- AFC Home Club
- A defined published list of eligible add-ons
Full scorecard
| Metric | American Home Shield | AFC Home Club | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan structureBoth use a three-tier base structure with separately priced add-ons | Three tiers (Appliances, Systems, Combined) with add-ons | Three tiers (Silver, Gold, Platinum) with a defined add-on list | Even |
| Service call feeA selectable tier gives buyers a lever a fixed fee does not offer | Selectable tier, changes the premium | Fixed fee stated in the plan agreement | American Home Shield |
| Published coverage capsCaps depend on the specific tier quoted from either provider | Per-item caps vary by plan tier in the sample contract | Per-item caps generally higher on Platinum per the plan agreement | Even |
| Waiting periodBoth publish the same standard waiting period | 30 days from contract start | 30 days from contract start | Even |
| Contractor choiceNeither publishes a homeowner-choice provision as standard | Provider's own network by default | Provider's own network by default | Even |
Which one is right for you?
Choose American Home Shield if…
- You want to select your own service fee tier rather than a fixed number.
- You live in a state where AFC Home Club's plan is not on the current availability list.
- You want the operating scale of a longer-established, publicly traded parent company.
Choose AFC Home Club if…
- You want a published 60-day window to cancel a new contract for a refund, subject to its stated conditions.
- You would rather have one fixed trade fee than choose a tier at signup.
- The Platinum tier's item list and caps already match what you need without add-on shopping.
Choose neither if…
- Your systems are new enough to still carry a builder or manufacturer warranty for the same failures.
- You have not read the specific conditions attached to AFC's money-back guarantee before assuming a full refund applies.
- You would rather self-fund a repair reserve than pay recurring premiums for infrequent claims.
- Assuming AFC's 60-day money-back guarantee has no conditions without reading the stated terms.
- Choosing American Home Shield's lowest fee tier without modeling the resulting premium increase.
- Requesting an AFC Home Club quote before confirming it is sold in your state.
- Comparing Platinum's marketed caps against American Home Shield's lowest tier rather than a matching tier.
Tools and next steps
Frequently compared next
Frequently asked questions
Does American Home Shield offer a money-back guarantee like AFC Home Club?
AFC Home Club publishes a specific 60-day money-back guarantee on new contracts, subject to stated conditions. American Home Shield's published cancellation terms are standard contract terms rather than a named money-back guarantee, so confirm the current wording directly.
Which provider has the more flexible service fee?
American Home Shield lets you select a fee tier at signup. AFC Home Club publishes one fixed trade fee across its plans.
Is AFC Home Club sold in every state?
No. AFC only lists a specific set of approved states on its plan page, so nationwide sale should not be assumed for your address.
What is the difference between AFC's Silver, Gold, and Platinum tiers?
Gold adds appliance categories on top of Silver's core systems list, and Platinum combines the broadest published item list with the highest tier's caps. Confirm the exact item list in the plan agreement.
Which company has been operating longer?
American Home Shield is one of the longer-operating brands in this category and is owned by publicly traded Frontdoor. AFC Home Club, also marketed as American Residential Warranty in some materials, has a shorter public operating history disclosed on its site.
Do either of these companies publish claim approval rates?
No. American Home Shield and AFC Home Club both omit an audited claim approval rate from public materials, so an unsourced percentage for either should not factor into your decision.
Verify these details yourself
- Actual claim approval outcomes for either provider.
- The exact conditions attached to AFC's 60-day money-back guarantee for a specific state.
- Your address-specific premium and fee combination for either provider.
Methodology and sources
Specifications, pricing, warranties, and availability may change. We verify key details against official or reputable public sources and note where information is estimated or not publicly disclosed. HomeownerAnswers does not perform product testing.
- American Home Shield plan pricing and sample contract - Official warranty provider, checked 2026-08-03, confidence: medium
- AFC Home Club plan pages - Official warranty provider, checked 2026-08-03, confidence: high
- AFC Home Club terms and sample contract - Official warranty provider, checked 2026-08-03, confidence: medium
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