Best Five Stone Tax Advisers Alternatives (2026)

Last updated: February 16, 2026

The best Five Stone Tax alternative depends on your budget and location. For the lowest cost, AppealDesk provides professional evidence packets for $49 flat across all 50 states. For another full-service Texas option, Home Tax Shield or Ownwell offer similar experiences at different price points. For the broadest coverage, O'Connor operates in 40+ states.

Rob Hartley·Updated February 16, 2026

Why People Look for Five Stone Tax Advisers Alternatives

Five Stone's contingency fees may be higher than other Texas competitors, which some homeowners find hard to justify despite their strong results.

Five Stone only operates in Texas. Homeowners who own property in multiple states or are relocating need a provider with broader coverage.

Some homeowners prefer understanding and controlling their own protest rather than delegating entirely to a firm.

Five Stone Tax Advisers Alternatives at a Glance

Service	Price	Coverage	Type	Best For
AppealDesk	$49 flat fee	All 50 states	DIY with professional evidence packet	Homeowners who want professional evidence at a transparent, predictable price
Home Tax Shield	~30% of savings	Texas only	Full-service	Texas homeowners who want full-service at a potentially lower contingency rate
Ownwell	25-35% of savings	9 states (including TX)	Full-service	Homeowners who want full-service with the lowest published contingency rate
O'Connor & Associates	Percentage of savings	40+ states	Full-service	Homeowners who want the most established firm with the widest coverage
DIY (no service)	Free	Anywhere	Self-research	Homeowners with time and data skills who want to pay nothing

1. AppealDesk

AppealDesk provides a fundamentally different approach to property tax protests: professional evidence at a flat $49 fee instead of a percentage of savings. You receive comparable sales analysis, assessment ratio verification, and a county-specific filing guide. You file the protest yourself — 10-15 minutes through your appraisal district's online portal. For homeowners who felt Five Stone's fees were too high relative to their reduction, AppealDesk's transparent pricing eliminates the cost uncertainty.

See detailed AppealDesk vs Five Stone Tax Advisers comparison →

2. Home Tax Shield

Home Tax Shield offers full-service protest representation similar to Five Stone but at a published ~30% contingency rate that may be lower than Five Stone's. They combine AI/data science tools with local licensed professionals and have strong Reddit community reviews in Austin and Houston. If you liked Five Stone's full-service approach but want a potentially lower fee, Home Tax Shield is a direct comparison.

3. Ownwell

Ownwell provides full-service protest management with a clearly published 25-35% contingency fee — potentially the lowest percentage among full-service competitors in Texas. They report an 85%+ success rate and $1,148 average annual savings. If cost is your primary concern among full-service options, Ownwell's transparent pricing helps you compare directly.

4. O'Connor & Associates

O'Connor has 50+ years of experience and covers 40+ states. For Texas homeowners who may need protest services for properties in multiple states, O'Connor's broad coverage is an advantage Five Stone can't match. They bring deep institutional knowledge of Texas appraisal districts built over decades.

5. DIY (no service)

You can protest your Texas property taxes entirely on your own through your county appraisal district's online portal at no cost. Texas's homeowner-friendly protest system means well-prepared cases frequently result in reductions. The challenge is the 15-40 hours of research needed to find good comparable sales and prepare evidence.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the cheapest alternative to Five Stone Tax?

DIY is free. AppealDesk is $49 flat. Ownwell (25-35%) and Home Tax Shield (~30%) are the most affordable full-service options.

Does Five Stone Tax work outside Texas?

No. Five Stone Tax Advisers is Texas only. For other states, consider AppealDesk (all 50 states) or O'Connor (40+ states).

Is Ownwell cheaper than Five Stone Tax?

Ownwell publishes rates of 25-35% contingency. Five Stone's rates aren't prominently published but Reddit users suggest they may be higher. AppealDesk's $49 flat fee is less than both.

Can Five Stone Tax handle my income taxes too?

Yes — that's a unique advantage. Five Stone is a full tax advisory firm offering property tax protests, income tax preparation, and tax planning. Most property tax competitors focus only on property tax.

Which Austin protest company gets the best results?

Reddit community comparisons rank Five Stone among the top Austin performers. Home Tax Shield and Ownwell are also well-regarded. AppealDesk provides the evidence for you to get results yourself at $49.

Want a detailed head-to-head comparison? See AppealDesk vs Five Stone Tax Advisers →