Cinch Home Services vs AFC Home Club: Selectable Fee vs Money-Back Guarantee
Cinch's headline feature is a selectable service fee and a long published workmanship guarantee. AFC's headline feature is a cancellation window on new contracts. Neither overlaps with the other.
Updated August 2026
Who wins what
Buyers who want to trade a higher trade fee for a lower premium.
Basis: Cinch discloses a selectable service fee tier at signup; AFC publishes a single fixed fee.
Homeowners concerned about a repair failing shortly after service.
Basis: Cinch publishes a 180-day workmanship guarantee on completed covered repairs; AFC's published re-service window is shorter.
Everyone.
Basis: Both dispatch from their own network by default with no standard published homeowner-choice provision.
Key differences at a glance
Service fee model
Cinch Home Services- Cinch Home Services
- Selectable fee tier that shifts the monthly premium
- AFC Home Club
- Fixed fee stated in the plan agreement
Workmanship guarantee
Cinch Home Services- Cinch Home Services
- 180-day published workmanship guarantee
- AFC Home Club
- Shorter published re-service window than Cinch
New-contract cancellation feature
AFC Home Club- Cinch Home Services
- Standard cancellation and refund terms stated in the agreement
- AFC Home Club
- Published 60-day money-back guarantee on new contracts, subject to conditions
Plan tier names
Even- Cinch Home Services
- Appliances Plan, Built-in Systems Plan, Complete Home Plan
- AFC Home Club
- Silver, Gold, Platinum
Parent structure
Even- Cinch Home Services
- Centerbridge Partners portfolio company
- AFC Home Club
- American Felix Corporation, also marketed as American Residential Warranty
Full scorecard
| Metric | Cinch Home Services | AFC Home Club | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan structureBoth use a matching three-tier structure with different fee and cancellation features | Three tiers (Appliances, Built-in Systems, Complete Home) with add-ons | Three tiers (Silver, Gold, Platinum) with a defined add-on list | Even |
| Service call feeA selectable tier gives buyers a lever AFC's fixed fee does not offer | Selectable tier at signup, changes the premium | Fixed trade fee stated in the plan agreement | Cinch Home Services |
| Published coverage capsBoth cap by item and tier; compare the matching tier before ranking either higher | Per-item caps vary by plan tier in the plan agreement | Per-item caps generally higher on Platinum per the plan agreement | Even |
| Waiting periodBoth publish the same standard waiting period | 30-day waiting period published in the sample contract | 30-day waiting period published in the sample contract | Even |
| Contractor choiceNeither publishes a homeowner-choice provision as standard | Provider's own network by default | Provider's own network by default | Even |
| Workmanship guaranteeThe published re-service window is a stated contract term | 180 days on completed covered repairs | Shorter published window than Cinch's stated 180 days | Cinch Home Services |
Which one is right for you?
Choose Cinch Home Services if…
- Cinch lets you pick your fee tier at signup, a choice AFC's single fixed trade fee does not give you.
- You want the 180-day guarantee Cinch backs a finished repair with, longer than Liberty's stated window.
- Cinch's named failure protection applies to specific parts and systems that AFC's plan documents do not describe with the same feature.
Choose AFC Home Club if…
- AFC's plan page names a 60-day cancellation window for new contracts, something Cinch's standard agreement terms do not call out by name.
- AFC states one trade fee upfront, skipping the tier-selection step Cinch's signup requires.
- AFC's middle Gold tier lets you step up from Silver without jumping straight to Platinum, unlike Cinch's Built-in Systems Plan structure.
Choose neither if…
- Your systems and appliances are still protected by a builder or manufacturer warranty, so Cinch's Complete Home Plan or AFC's Gold tier would be redundant right now.
- You have not reviewed the fine print behind AFC's cancellation window before assuming a refund is automatic there.
- You have not verified that Cinch and AFC both currently list your state on their published availability pages.
- Comparing Cinch's lowest selectable fee tier against AFC's fixed fee without checking what that tier does to the premium.
- Reading AFC's 60-day window as a no-questions refund instead of checking the conditions in its published agreement.
- Reading Cinch's named failure protection as coverage for every appliance and system on the contract rather than the specific items it lists.
- Getting an AFC quote before checking whether it is even sold in your state, the same oversight worth avoiding on the Cinch side.
Tools and next steps
Frequently compared next
Frequently asked questions
Which provider has a selectable service fee?
Cinch Home Services publishes a selectable service fee tier at signup. AFC Home Club publishes a single fixed trade fee.
Which provider has the longer workmanship guarantee?
Cinch publishes a 180-day workmanship guarantee on completed covered repairs. AFC's published re-service window is shorter.
Does Cinch offer a money-back guarantee like AFC?
AFC Home Club publishes a specific 60-day money-back guarantee on new contracts, subject to stated conditions. Cinch's published cancellation terms are standard contract terms rather than a named money-back guarantee.
How many plan tiers does each provider offer?
Both offer three tiers: Cinch's Appliances, Built-in Systems, and Complete Home, and AFC's Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
What is Cinch's named failure protection feature?
Cinch's plan documents name specific covered components for this feature rather than applying it plan-wide, so confirm the item list in the current sample contract.
Do these providers publish claim approval rates?
No. Cinch Home Services and AFC Home Club both leave claim approval rates undisclosed in public materials, so this comparison does not state one for either provider.
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.
- Whether Cinch's failure protection feature applies to your specific appliance or system.
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.
- Cinch Home Services plan pages - Official warranty provider, checked 2026-08-03, confidence: high
- Cinch Home Services sample contract and terms - Official warranty provider, checked 2026-08-03, confidence: medium
- AFC Home Club plan pages - Official warranty provider, checked 2026-08-03, confidence: high
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