AppealDesk vs Texas Protax: Which Is Right for You?
Last updated: February 20, 2026
Quick Verdict
AppealDesk is the better choice if you want to keep more of your savings ($49 flat vs 40% contingency) or if you live outside Austin/Houston. Texas Protax is better if you want someone else to handle every step of the protest -- filing, informal hearing, and ARB representation -- and you live in their service area.
Best for budget-conscious DIY
AppealDesk — Texas homeowners who want professional evidence at a flat $49 fee and are willing to file their own protest
Best for hands-off service
Texas Protax — Austin or Houston homeowners who want full-service representation with zero effort required
Rob Hartley·Updated February 20, 2026Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | AppealDesk | Texas Protax |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $49 flat fee | 40% of tax savings ($50 minimum per parcel) |
| Pricing model | Pay once, keep 100% of savings | Contingency + market value reduction fee |
| Coverage | All 50 states, 3,100+ counties | Austin & Houston metro (Travis, Williamson, Hays, Harris) |
| Service type | DIY with professional evidence packet | Full-service representation |
| What you receive | Evidence packet, filing guide, cover letter | They handle the entire protest for you |
| Turnaround | Instant (minutes after purchase) | Follows county protest calendar (months) |
| Who files the protest | You (with step-by-step instructions) | They file via agent authorization |
| Hearing representation | No (you attend with prepared evidence) | Yes (they attend informal and ARB hearings) |
| Track record | AI-powered analysis | 38 years, 30+ employees, former appraisal district staff |
| Contract terms | One-time purchase, no commitment | Auto-renewing annual agreement (written cancellation required) |
What You Actually Keep
On a $2,000 annual tax reduction:
Texas Protax may also charge a market value reduction fee of $2.50 per $1,000 of market value reduction, even if it does not result in tax savings.
Pricing & True Cost
AppealDesk charges a flat $49 for your protest evidence packet, filing guide, and cover letter. Texas Protax charges 40% of your actual tax dollar savings, with a $50 minimum per parcel. On a $2,000 annual reduction, AppealDesk costs $49 and you keep $1,951. Texas Protax costs $800 and you keep $1,200. On a $5,000 reduction, the gap widens dramatically: $49 vs $2,000. Texas Protax also charges a market value reduction fee of $2.50 per $1,000 of market value reduction. This fee applies even if the market value reduction does not lower your taxes -- for example, if your appraised value is reduced but remains above the homestead cap. Customer reviews mention being charged fees despite seeing no actual tax savings, which is a direct result of this fee structure. AppealDesk has no hidden fees and no ongoing charges.
Service Model Differences
Texas Protax and AppealDesk represent fundamentally different approaches to property tax protests. Texas Protax is full-service: they file your protest via Form 50-162 (Appointment of Agent), attend informal hearings with the appraisal district, and represent you at the Appraisal Review Board if needed. You sign up and they handle everything. Their team includes former appraisal district employees, licensed appraisers, and staff with 250+ cumulative years of experience. AppealDesk is DIY with professional evidence: you receive a complete protest packet with comparable sales analysis, assessment ratio verification, and a step-by-step filing guide for your county. You file the protest yourself through your appraisal district's online portal (typically 10-15 minutes) and attend any hearings with prepared evidence and talking points. The question is whether Texas Protax's full-service convenience is worth $751+ more per protest than AppealDesk's DIY approach.
Texas-Specific Expertise
Texas Protax has operated in Central Texas since 1988 -- 38 years of local protest experience. Their team knows the Travis, Williamson, Hays, and Harris county appraisal districts, the ARB panels, and what arguments work in each jurisdiction. They report that 77% of their clients received reductions in 2023, with an average 7.66% reduction in appraised value. AppealDesk covers all Texas counties -- not just Austin and Houston -- with evidence packets tailored to each county's protest process. AppealDesk has documented protest success rates of 98.68% in Hays County. Texas's protest system is homeowner-friendly: most appraisal districts offer online protest filing, and the majority of cases resolve at the informal hearing stage without ever reaching the ARB. Well-prepared evidence is the primary factor in protest success, regardless of who presents it.
Coverage Limitations
Texas Protax only covers Austin and Houston metro areas: Travis, Williamson, Hays, and Harris counties. If you live in Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, El Paso, or any other Texas city, Texas Protax cannot help. They also do not serve any other state. AppealDesk covers every Texas county from El Paso to Harris to Dallas to Hidalgo, plus all 49 other states. For Texas homeowners with properties in multiple metro areas or across state lines, AppealDesk is the only option that covers everything with a single service. For Austin and Houston homeowners specifically, both services are available, and the choice comes down to pricing model and how much effort you want to invest.
Who Should Choose Texas Protax Instead
Choose Texas Protax if you live in the Austin or Houston metro area and want absolutely zero involvement in the protest process. Their team handles filing, informal hearings, and ARB representation -- you do nothing except sign the authorization form. This is particularly valuable if your property has unusual features that make comparable sales complex, if you own commercial property in their service area, or if you simply do not want to spend 15 minutes filing online. Their 38 years of local experience means they know the specific appraisal district staff and ARB panel tendencies. The trade-off is significant: 40% of your savings plus potential market value fees. On a typical Austin or Houston protest yielding $2,000-5,000 in savings, you are paying $800-2,000 to Texas Protax vs $49 to AppealDesk. For homeowners who value their time very highly or prefer a fully managed approach, Texas Protax delivers genuine convenience.
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Texas Protax — Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- +Full-service representation: they file, attend informal hearings, and represent you at the ARB
- +38 years in business (founded 1988) with 30+ employees including former appraisal district staff
- +Deep local expertise in Austin (Travis, Williamson, Hays) and Houston (Harris) markets
- +Automatic annual protest renewal so your property is protested every year without action on your part
Weaknesses
- –Only covers Austin and Houston metro areas -- no service in Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso, or any other Texas city
- –40% contingency fee is among the highest in the industry: on a $2,000 reduction, that is $800 vs AppealDesk's $49
- –Market value reduction fee ($2.50 per $1,000) can result in charges even when you see zero actual tax savings
- –Auto-renewing contract requires written cancellation -- some customers report billing disputes after trying to cancel
- –Mixed customer reviews: 4.8 stars on Google but recurring complaints about billing practices and communication delays
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Frequently Asked Questions
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