Rob Hartley

Founder, AppealDesk · February 23, 2026

Best Property Tax Appeal Services in 2026: Pricing, Coverage, and What to Know

Updated February 2026 · 12 min read

The National Taxpayers Union Foundation estimates that 30-60% of U.S. properties are overassessed, yet fewer than 5% of homeowners ever file an appeal. The main barriers are confusion — every county has different rules, deadlines, and forms — and cost. Traditional appeal services take 25-35% of your savings as their fee, which can add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars every year.

A growing market of services now helps homeowners navigate this process, ranging from full-service firms that handle everything to DIY platforms that provide the evidence and let you file yourself. Pricing models vary dramatically: from $49 flat fees to 40% contingency charges. Geographic coverage ranges from a single county to all 50 states. This report compares the eight major property tax appeal services available in 2026, with specific pricing, coverage areas, and honest assessments of who each service is best for. For a step-by-step walkthrough of the appeal process itself, see our complete guide to appealing property taxes.

How Property Tax Appeal Services Work

A property tax appeal is a formal challenge to your county’s assessed value — the number they use to calculate your tax bill. If your county says your home is worth $450,000 but similar homes are selling for $380,000, you have grounds to request a reduction. The terminology varies by state: Texas calls it a “protest,” New York calls it a “grievance,” and most other states call it an “appeal.” The process is fundamentally the same everywhere.

Property tax appeal services fall into two categories. Full-service firms handle everything: they research your property, file the appeal, attend hearings, and negotiate with the assessor. You sign up, provide your address, and wait for results. These firms typically charge a contingency fee — a percentage of your first year’s tax savings — meaning you pay nothing if they don’t reduce your assessment. DIY evidence services provide the research and documentation you need to file the appeal yourself: comparable sales analysis, filing instructions specific to your county, and a cover letter. You handle the filing, which is typically a 10-15 minute process.

The strongest appeals are built on comparable sales — recent sales of similar nearby homes at lower prices than what the county claims your home is worth. Every county has different deadlines, forms, filing methods, and hearing procedures. There are 3,143 counties in the United States, and the process varies at the county level, not just the state level. For a detailed walkthrough of how to find and evaluate comps, see our guide on how to find comparable sales for your appeal.

Property Tax Appeal Services Compared (2026)

Here’s how the major property tax appeal services compare as of February 2026, based on publicly available information from each company’s website.

This comparison is based on publicly available information from each company’s website as of February 2026. Pricing and coverage may have changed. If you represent one of these services and see an error, contact press@appealdesk.com. For more granular head-to-head breakdowns, see our detailed comparison pages.

What the Cost Difference Actually Means

Pricing models sound abstract until you run the numbers. Say your appeal results in a $1,200/year tax reduction — a typical result in many suburban counties.

Over a 3-year reassessment cycle, the gap compounds. A $1,200/year reduction costs $900 in contingency fees over 3 years (at 25%) versus $49 total at a flat fee. For a deeper breakdown of every pricing tier, see our guide on how much property tax appeals cost. To determine whether contingency-based services make financial sense for your situation, check our analysis on whether property tax protest companies are worth it.

The tradeoff is real. Full-service companies handle the entire process — you literally do nothing after signing up. If your time is worth more than the fee difference, or if you’re uncomfortable filing paperwork with your county, full-service may be the right choice. There’s no wrong answer here.

The Assessment Ratio Factor

Here’s something most comparison articles skip: not all states tax your home at 100% of market value. Many states apply an assessment ratio that taxes only a fraction of your home’s value. Tennessee assesses at 25%, Georgia at 40%, South Carolina at 4%, and Colorado at 6.8%.

This matters enormously for understanding whether your property is overassessed. A Tennessee home with an assessed value of $235,000 is valued by the county at $940,000 ($235,000 ÷ 0.25). Most homeowners — and some services — compare assessed value directly to market value without this conversion, which can make overassessed properties look underassessed.

Any service you use should understand your state’s assessment ratio. If they’re comparing your $235,000 assessed value to a $600,000 estimate and telling you you’re fine, they’re missing the conversion. Your county actually thinks your home is worth $940,000. For a complete state-by-state breakdown, see our assessment ratio guide and learn how the tax rate interacts with your assessed value.

Success Rates: What the Data Actually Shows

Published data from county and state sources shows a wide range of appeal success rates:

• Cook County, Illinois: 62% win rate at Board of Review
• Hays County, Texas: 98.68% success for formal protests
• San Mateo County, California: 97% resolved without formal hearing
• National range: 40-60% (IAAO and Lincoln Institute of Land Policy studies)

The important caveat: success rates are jurisdiction-dependent and should not be compared across counties. A 98% rate in Hays County, Texas reflects a system where informal settlements are routine. A 62% rate in Cook County reflects a more adversarial review board process. Both can result in meaningful savings for homeowners who file with strong comparable sales evidence.

Be skeptical of any service claiming a universal success rate. The numbers depend more on the county than the company. For a deeper dive into what the statistics actually mean, see our analysis of property tax appeal success rates.

Geographic Coverage Matters More Than You Think

Most property tax appeal services are regional. This matters for three reasons:

1. Homeowners in states like Tennessee, South Carolina, Oregon, and New Hampshire have very few service options
2. If you own property in multiple states, you would need multiple services under a regional model
3. County-specific knowledge — deadlines, forms, hearing board names, filing methods — varies at the county level, not just the state level

Only two services in this comparison — AppealDesk and O’Connor — offer coverage across the majority of U.S. states. Most services concentrate in Texas, which has an annual protest cycle that generates high demand. For Texas-specific details on the protest process, deadlines, and county-by-county information, see our Texas property tax protest guide. California and Illinois are the next most common coverage areas. If your property is in a state not served by Ownwell, NTPTS, PropertyTax.io, Appeal.Tax, AppealSeal, or Texas Protax, your options narrow significantly.

Check your state’s specific filing deadlines before selecting a service — the deadline is fixed and non-negotiable, and some services take weeks to deliver results.

DIY vs. Full-Service: Which Is Right for You?

Full-service makes sense if:

• Your time is worth more than the fee difference
• You’re uncomfortable with paperwork or government processes
• You have a high-value property where the savings justify the percentage
• You want zero involvement after signing up

A DIY evidence packet makes sense if:

• You want to keep 100% of your savings after the one-time fee
• You’re comfortable mailing a form or attending a brief hearing
• You want to understand what your county is doing with your assessment
• You’re budget-conscious and the math favors a flat fee

Most hearings are 10-15 minutes. In many counties, you can file by mail or online without attending in person at all. The process is less intimidating than it sounds. Even formal appeal hearings before a board of equalization or appraisal review board are straightforward when you have a prepared evidence packet with comparable sales. For a complete walkthrough, see our guide to appealing your property taxes.

How to Choose a Property Tax Appeal Service

1. Check coverage first. Does the service operate in your state and county? Most services are regional.
2. Understand the pricing model. Contingency fees compound over multi-year reassessment cycles. Flat fees don’t. Run the math on your expected savings.
3. Ask about the assessment ratio. Does the service understand your state’s assessment ratio, or are they comparing assessed value directly to market value?
4. Look for real comparable sales data. Some services use automated estimates. The strongest appeals use actual recent sales of similar nearby homes.
5. Verify the deadline. Your county’s appeal deadline is fixed and non-negotiable. Make sure whatever service you choose can deliver before it passes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to appeal property taxes?

Filing the appeal itself is free in every county. The cost comes from optional professional help: $0 for pure DIY, $49 for a flat-fee evidence packet from AppealDesk, ~$100 from AppealSeal (California only), or 25-40% of your savings from contingency-based services like Ownwell and O’Connor. Property tax attorneys charge $200-500/hour or work on contingency. See our full breakdown of how much property tax appeals cost.

Can I appeal my property taxes myself without a service?

Yes. Every county allows homeowners to file appeals directly at no cost. You will need to research comparable sales, prepare your evidence, and file with your county’s review board. Expect 15-40 hours of work for a well-prepared DIY appeal. Our complete guide to appealing property taxes walks through every step.

What is the success rate for property tax appeals?

The national success rate ranges from 40-60%, according to studies from the IAAO and Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. Rates vary widely by jurisdiction: 98.68% in Hays County, TX versus 62% in Cook County, IL. The county matters more than the service. See our property tax appeal success rates analysis for county-level data.

How long does the appeal process take?

Timelines range from 2-6 months depending on the county. Texas informal hearings happen 2-4 weeks after filing. Cook County, Illinois can take 6-12 months through the Board of Review. Most states resolve appeals within 2-6 months. The filing itself takes minutes with a prepared evidence packet.

Do I need a lawyer to appeal property taxes?

Almost never for residential properties. The appeal process is designed for homeowners to navigate without legal representation. Attorneys make sense for commercial properties, complex valuation methodology disputes, or appeals to higher-level boards or courts. In Cook County, some attorneys specialize in the triennial assessment system, but even there, most residential appeals are filed without legal counsel.

What happens if my appeal is denied?

Most jurisdictions allow further appeals to a higher board or court. In Texas, you can pursue binding arbitration ($550, refundable if you win) or file in district court. In other states, you can escalate to a state-level review board. The majority of homeowners do not escalate beyond the initial hearing, but the option exists if your evidence is strong. For the full process, see our complete guide.

The Bottom Line

Property tax appeal services vary dramatically in pricing, coverage, and what they actually deliver. Contingency fees range from 25% to 40% of savings. Flat fees range from $49 to ~$100. Geographic coverage ranges from a single county to all 50 states. Full-service means zero effort; DIY evidence packets mean 10-15 minutes of filing with professional comparable sales analysis in hand.

The right choice depends on your situation: how much you value your time, where your property is located, and how comfortable you are with a straightforward filing process. Compare the options, run the math on your expected savings, and check your county’s deadline before it passes.