Ownwell Alternatives in 2026: Compare Fees and Coverage by State

The best Ownwell alternative depends on your state and how you want to pay. If you'd rather pay a flat fee than give up a share of your savings, TaxDrop One costs $129 per property per tax year, is refunded if there's no reduction, and is available in parts or all of Texas, California, Georgia, Florida, New Jersey and Maryland. In Texas you can also hire a full-service firm: TaxDrop Pro (1% of the assessment reduction, only if it wins), O'Connor (half of first-year tax savings) or Five Stone Tax Advisers (40% of tax savings, in seven counties). In New Jersey and Maryland, Ownwell doesn't list appeal service at all, so a flat-fee packet or filing it yourself are your main options. For comparison, Ownwell charges homeowners 25–35% of the tax savings it wins, depending on the state, and nothing if it doesn't save you money.

Competitor fees and coverage below come from each company's own website as of September 24, 2026. Rates change, so check the provider's site for your address before you sign.

What Ownwell charges and where it works

To compare alternatives fairly, start with what Ownwell actually offers:

• Fee: a contingency fee on the actual tax savings for the year it appeals. Ownwell's FAQ says homeowners pay 25–35% of those savings, depending on the state. Its Texas comparison page lists 25%. Its Georgia comparison page lists 35%, plus a $20 fee if it secures a three-year assessment freeze. Its pricing page says the rate varies by jurisdiction.
• Risk: no upfront cost, and no fee if it doesn't save you money (Ownwell calls this its "Savings-or-Free Guarantee").
• Coverage: appeals in Texas, California, Washington, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, New York, Colorado and Pennsylvania. Ownwell also offers retroactive homestead exemption filing in most states.
• Service: Ownwell's FAQ says its local property tax consultants handle hearings and negotiations for you.

That's a solid full-service model. People usually look elsewhere for one of three reasons: they'd rather pay a known flat price, they own property in a state Ownwell doesn't serve for appeals (New Jersey or Maryland, among TaxDrop's states), or they want a specific local firm.

Ownwell alternatives at a glance

County filing fees are separate from any company's fee. Among TaxDrop's states, TaxDrop's state pages list a $15 value adjustment board fee in Florida and a $5–$150 fee in New Jersey, depending on assessed value. Georgia and Maryland charge nothing to appeal.

What each fee looks like on the same win

Say an appeal cuts your tax bill by $1,000 for the year:

TaxDrop Pro works differently. Its fee is 1% of the reduction in assessed value, not a share of the tax dollars saved. If that $1,000 in savings came from a $50,000 value cut at a 2% combined tax rate, the Pro fee would be $500. At that rate, a 25% savings-based fee would cost less. Because Pro is tied to the value reduction, a lower tax rate makes it more expensive compared with your savings. Run both with your own numbers.

Where a flat fee wins: $129 costs less than a 25% contingency once your savings go above $516 a year, and less than a 35% contingency above about $369. Below those amounts, a percentage fee costs fewer dollars, though you give up the work of filing yourself. See TaxDrop pricing for plan details.

The main alternatives, explained

TaxDrop One: flat fee, you stay in control

TaxDrop One is a self-guided appeal platform. For $129 per property per tax year, you get the forms for your county and an evidence package: MLS sales data, county assessment data, counterpoints to the assessor's evidence, an email script for negotiating with the assessor, and talking points for a board hearing. A tax consultant reviews every case. The analysis and savings estimate are free, so you see the number before you pay. TaxDrop says that if you file, use its evidence package and don't save, you get a full refund.

Good fit if: you'd rather keep 100% of the reduction and don't mind filing and attending the hearing yourself.

Not a fit if: you want someone else to handle every step. Outside Texas, TaxDrop doesn't offer full service.

How TaxDrop One works

TaxDrop Pro: full service in 17 Texas counties

TaxDrop Pro registers as your agent, files the protest, analyzes comparable sales and assessments, negotiates with the appraisal district and presents your case to the review board. The fee is 1% of the assessment reduction, and you pay nothing if there's no reduction. Pro is Texas-only and limited to select counties, so check your address. See the Texas property tax consultant page.

O'Connor

O'Connor's website says it handles residential property taxes in Texas, Illinois, Georgia and New York, and commercial properties in 45 states. The residential fee is half of first-year tax savings, with no fee unless it reduces your taxes. O'Connor files the protest and attends the hearing. Its fees page says the fee applies to the protested year only, and that the contract stays in effect until you cancel it, with O'Connor protesting each year. Compare it with TaxDrop One on our O'Connor alternative page.

Five Stone Tax Advisers

Five Stone charges 40% of the tax savings it secures, with no upfront cost. Its FAQ lists residential service in Travis, Hays, Williamson, Burnet, Bell, Tarrant and Denton counties, and commercial service across Texas. Its agreement has a continuous representation clause: it stays in effect until you cancel in writing, which you can do any time before your protest is filed.

File it yourself

Every state lets owners appeal without hiring anyone. It's free apart from any county filing fee, but you pull the comps, meet the deadline and present the case yourself. In Texas, the deadline is generally May 15 or 30 days after your appraisal notice is delivered, whichever is later. California's regular window runs from July 2 to September 15 or November 30, depending on the county. See our property tax protest deadlines by state and the DIY vs professional guide.

Best Ownwell alternative by state

Texas

Texas has the most options: TaxDrop One in 43 counties, TaxDrop Pro in 17, Ownwell at 25%, O'Connor at half, and Five Stone at 40% in seven counties. Houston homeowners should start with our Harris County protest guide. For a full Texas comparison, read Ownwell alternatives in Texas or see Texas protest services.

California

Ownwell handles California appeals. TaxDrop offers TaxDrop One only, in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Alameda, Santa Clara, Contra Costa and Sacramento counties, with no full-service option in California. Appeals go to your county's assessment appeals board. Read Ownwell alternatives in California or see California appeal services.

Georgia

Ownwell lists 35% of savings, plus $20 if it secures a three-year freeze. O'Connor lists Georgia residential service at half of first-year savings. TaxDrop One covers Fulton, Gwinnett, DeKalb and Chatham counties. You have 45 days from the date on your Annual Notice of Assessment. Ownwell's own FAQ notes that in Georgia a property's taxable value can go up on appeal, so review the evidence before you file. See Georgia appeal services and protest companies in Atlanta.

Florida

Ownwell handles Florida appeals. TaxDrop One covers all 67 counties, plus the county's $15 filing fee. The petition window is roughly 25 days from when your TRIM notice is mailed, the shortest of TaxDrop's six states. See Florida appeal services and appeal companies in Miami.

New Jersey

Ownwell's FAQ doesn't list New Jersey for appeals, and O'Connor's residential states don't include it. TaxDrop One covers all 21 counties. New Jersey decides appeals using the Chapter 123 ratio, so being over-assessed isn't always enough to win. TaxDrop checks the ratio before you file. Most of the state files by April 1. Burlington, Gloucester and Monmouth counties file by January 15, and towns that ran a revaluation file by May 1. See New Jersey appeal services and New Jersey appeal companies.

Maryland

Ownwell's FAQ doesn't list Maryland for appeals. TaxDrop One covers all 24 jurisdictions. You have 45 days from your reassessment notice, or you can file a Petition for Review by January 1 in years you didn't get a notice. Maryland charges no filing fee. See Maryland appeal services and Maryland appeal companies.

When Ownwell is still the right call

• You own in Colorado, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania or Washington. TaxDrop doesn't serve those states.
• You want full service outside Texas. TaxDrop Pro is Texas-only. Ownwell's consultants handle hearings in the states it serves, including California, Florida and Georgia.
• Your likely savings are small. Below about $516 a year, Ownwell's 25% Texas fee costs less than $129.
• You already have an open Ownwell case this year. Let it finish before you switch.

How to switch from Ownwell

1. Finish this year's case first. Ownwell's own FAQ says it can't take a property that already has an appeal filed for the current tax year. Switching providers in the middle of a season rarely helps.
2. Read your agreement and cancel in writing before next year's notices arrive. O'Connor and Five Stone both describe agreements that continue until you cancel, so check the terms of whichever service you use.
3. Put next year's deadline on your calendar. Use our deadlines by state page.
4. Landlords: see whether one company can handle multiple rentals.

For the full market, including fees for more firms, see property tax protest companies compared. For a head-to-head comparison, see TaxDrop vs Ownwell.

FAQ

What is the best alternative to Ownwell?

It depends on your state and budget. For a flat fee in TX, CA, GA, FL, NJ or MD, TaxDrop One costs $129 per property per tax year and is refunded if there's no reduction. For full service in Texas, compare TaxDrop Pro (1% of the assessment reduction), O'Connor (half of first-year savings) and Five Stone (40% of savings, in seven counties). Filing yourself is free.

How much does Ownwell charge?

Ownwell's FAQ says homeowners pay 25–35% of their actual tax savings, depending on the state, with no upfront cost and no fee if it doesn't save money. It lists 25% in Texas, and 35% plus a $20 three-year-freeze fee in Georgia. Check its pricing page for your address.

Does Ownwell work in New Jersey or Maryland?

Ownwell's FAQ lists appeals in nine states: Texas, California, Washington, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, New York, Colorado and Pennsylvania. New Jersey and Maryland aren't included. TaxDrop One covers all 21 New Jersey counties and all 24 Maryland jurisdictions.

Is a flat fee cheaper than a contingency fee?

It depends on your savings. A $129 flat fee costs less than a 25% contingency once your annual tax savings go above $516, and less than a 35% contingency above about $369. For smaller wins, the percentage fee costs fewer dollars.

Do these companies charge if they don't win?

Ownwell, O'Connor, Five Stone and TaxDrop Pro all say they charge no fee without a reduction. TaxDrop One is refunded if there's no reduction. County filing fees, like Florida's $15 or New Jersey's $5–$150, are separate and paid to the county.

Can I switch from Ownwell in the middle of the year?

It's usually best to let an open case finish. Ownwell's own FAQ says it can't take a property that already has an appeal filed for the current tax year. Read your agreement, cancel in writing if you plan to switch, and set up your new provider before next year's notices arrive.

Can one company handle several rental properties?

Yes. Ownwell, O'Connor and TaxDrop all take more than one property. TaxDrop One is priced per property. See our guide to protesting multiple rentals.