Cinch Home Services Home Warranty Review 2025: Prices and Plans
A $10,000 aggregate coverage cap and 180-day repair guarantee make Cinch Home Services worth considering.
Homeowners looking to cover expensive systems with a longer repair guarantee will want to consider Cinch Home Services’ home warranty plans.
Cinch Home Services offers three plans for appliance, system or comprehensive coverage, each with $10,000 coverage caps. Customers can choose from different service fees to better fit their budgets, and the company’s 180-day guarantee means any failed repairs that fall in that time frame will be fixed for free. Cinch Home Services’ plans start at $30.99 per month, and the company has decent customer satisfaction ratings on consumer review websites.
Cinch Home Services guarantees their technicians' repairs for 180 days, which is much longer than their competitors' standard 30-day and 60-day guarantees.
Overall | 4.5 NerdWallet rating |
Pricing | 5.0 NerdWallet rating |
Service fees | 5.0 NerdWallet rating |
Coverage limits | 5.0 NerdWallet rating |
Workmanship guarantee | 4.5 NerdWallet rating |
Customer satisfaction | 3.0 NerdWallet rating |
This is a snapshot of some of the information we consider when rating home warranty companies and not a representation of our full evaluation criteria. | |
How does Cinch Home Services work?
A Cinch Home Services home warranty covers repairs and replacements of certain appliances and systems when they malfunction due to everyday wear and tear.
Exclusions
Like most of its competitors, the company doesn’t pay to repair items that:
Malfunctioned because of physical damage.
Are under manufacturer or extended warranty.
Have been recalled by the manufacturer or the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Break because of natural disasters or weather-related events, such as floods.
Malfunction due to situations that are covered by homeowners insurance, such as a fire.
Unlike most of its competitors, Cinch Home Services will cover some preexisting conditions if the company believes you couldn’t identify the issue before you purchased the home warranty.
Cinch Home Services Plans
Cinch Home Services has three plans:
Appliances covers major kitchen appliances, including refrigerators, dishwashers, cooktops, ranges and range exhaust hoods, built-in ovens, built-in microwaves, trash compactors, freestanding ice makers and built-in food centers. It also covers clothes washers and dryers.
Built-In Systems covers most home systems, including HVAC and ductwork, electrical systems, plumbing systems including toilets, water heaters, sump pumps, attic and ceiling fans, garbage disposals, garage door openers, central vacuums, instant water dispensers, doorbells, smoke detectors and built-in whirlpool/jetted tubs.
Complete Home combines the Appliances and Built-in Systems plans.
The company has optional coverage available outside of its plans. Add-ons are available for:
Other systems and appliances, including swimming pools (including salt water pools), spas, free-standing freezers, septic systems, well pumps and water softeners.
Utility lines outside the main residence, including gas lines, sewer lines and water lines.
Coverage up to $1,000 of noncovered charges for approved repairs or replacements, such as disposing of old appliances.
» MORE: What does a home warranty cover?
Good coverage with affordable premiums
Making a claim
Cinch Home Services’ coverage cap is $10,000 for all claims combined. This means that no matter which appliances or systems the company pays to repair or replace, once you hit the $10,000 limit, it won’t pay any other claims. Most of the company’s competitors have limits on specific items, such as $2,000 on each appliance, instead of an aggregate coverage cap.
Customers can file a claim online or by phone 24 hours a day. The company will try to contact a technician within two hours of a customer filing a claim — and within 24 hours for customers who submit claims outside of business hours.
All customers pay a service fee when a technician is assigned to their claims. Once an appointment is scheduled, a technician visits your house and diagnoses the problem.
If the company approves the claim, it pays the technician to repair the item; however, if it denies the claim, it won’t pay for the repair, and you still have to pay the service fee.
» MORE: How to budget realistically for home repairs
How much does a Cinch Home Services home warranty cost?
Cinch Home Services’ home warranty plans start at $30.99 per month.
We gathered quotes from Cinch Home Services to compare pricing across its three plans. We requested quotes for each plan in three cities that represent different costs of living.
City | Appliances monthly premium | Built-in Systems monthly premium | Complete Home monthly premium |
|---|---|---|---|
Anaheim, California | $30.99. | $35.99. | $44.99. |
Boise, Idaho | $32.99. | $39.99. | $49.99. |
Tulsa, Oklahoma | $38.99. | $43.99. | $54.99. |
Average price | $34.32. | $39.99. | $49.99. |
Monthly premiums shown in this table are with a $150 service fee. Choosing a lower service fee will increase the monthly premium. | |||
Like its competitors, Cinch Home Services charges a service fee every time a technician visits your home to respond to a claim. You’ll pay this fee even if the company ends up denying your claim because of the technician’s report. The company has three service fee options: $100, $125 and $150.
Customers pick their preferred service fee amount when they purchase a plan. Paying a higher service fee reduces your monthly premium, regardless of the plan you choose.
» MORE: How much does a home warranty cost?
A feature that makes Cinch Home Services stand out compared to other home warranty companies is its repair guarantee. Most competitors guarantee their repair work for 30 or 60 days, depending on the company, but Cinch Home Services has a 180-day guarantee. If an approved technician repairs a covered item and has to return to fix it again, you won’t have to pay a service fee within the first 180 days after the initial repair.
Themes from customer reviews
NerdWallet considered customer reviews from three review websites to get a wider perspective of customer experiences. We’ve highlighted the types of experiences that we’ve found to be most common, keeping in mind that online reviews tend to lean toward negative experiences.
Trustpilot: 3.9 out of 5. ConsumerAffairs: 4.0 out of 5. Better Business Bureau: 1.13 out of 5.
Negative reviews of Cinch Home Services mention long wait times for repairs and poor customer service experiences. Customers with positive reviews say technicians are professional and efficient.
» MORE: Are home warranties worth it?
Where is Cinch Home Services available?
Customers can purchase Cinch Home Services home warranty plans in 48 states, excluding Alaska and Hawaii, and Washington, D.C.
Pros of Cinch Home Services
Benefits to Cinch Home Services’ plans include:
High coverage limits. The company covers up to $10,000 for all claims.
180-day repair guarantee. If an approved repair fails within the first 180 days, Cinch Home Services will send out another technician without charging another service fee. That’s a big guarantee compared to competitors’ guarantees.
Access repair coverage. If a technician has to cut into walls, floors or ceilings to access covered systems, Cinch Home Services will pay up to $1,000 to repair the surface to a rough finish.
Decent customer satisfaction ratings. Customer reviews show decent satisfaction with repairs and service.
Coverage in 48 states. The company has coverage in Washington, D.C., and every state except Alaska and Hawaii.
Cons of Cinch Home Services
Downsides to the company’s plans include:
Coverage limits are aggregated. Instead of capping individual coverage types, such as $2,000 for HVAC systems, Cinch Home Services limits all coverage at $10,000. So you can quickly max out on your coverage if you have one expensive repair, in which case the company would deny any remaining claims.
Can’t choose your own technician in most cases. The company requires customers to use its technicians. If it can’t find a technician in your area, it will let you choose one, but you’ll have to have the technician’s company approved in advance.
» MORE: Home warranty vs. home insurance: Which is better?
What to know before buying a home warranty
Reading the coverage and exclusions information in your contract is one of the most impactful things you can do to avoid costly misunderstandings in the future. You have a right to read your contract before purchasing a plan, and it’s important to understand that home warranties:
Always have exclusions to coverage, no matter what their sales pitches say. Read your contract carefully before purchasing a plan — especially anything listed as an exclusion or limit of liability. For example, a company might cover air conditioning systems but exclude certain parts or components, such as coils. Other companies cover plumbing repairs but won’t pay to clear all plumbing stoppages or repair certain types of leaks.
Are not a type of insurance. Even though some companies call their service fees deductibles, home warranties do not work the same way as insurance policies. They differ in what they cover and how they pay for repairs or replacements. A home warranty is not a supplement for homeowners insurance.
Limit how much they pay. If the cost of a repair or replacement goes beyond a limit stated in your contract, you’ll have to pay the difference. For example, if the bill for a repair is $2,000 and the limit is $1,500, you’re required to cover $500. This is in addition to your monthly premium and service fee.
Can deny your claim for several reasons. Examples include if you had work performed on a covered item without approval or you modified the system or appliance.
May not pay enough to cover the full cost of replacing a covered item. Home warranties often depreciate the value of items as they age, so you’ll likely have to pay at least some money to replace an item, even if it’s covered by the contract.
Alternatives to Cinch Home Services
Liberty Home Guard
Compared to competitors, Liberty earns more positive customer reviews. On the Better Business Bureau, consumer ratings average about 4.5 stars out of 5, much higher than other top home warranty companies.
» MORE: NerdWallet's review of Liberty Home Guard
Old Republic Home Protection
Old Republic Home Protection's coverage limits are on the high end compared with competitors, especially for HVAC and appliances.
» MORE: NerdWallet's review of Old Republic Home Protection
American Home Shield
Unlike most plans, the ShieldPlatinum plan includes roof leak coverage. Usually, this coverage is only available as an add-on.
» MORE: NerdWallet's review of American Home Shield
Choice Home Warranty
Choice Home Warranty's coverage limits for electrical, plumbing and appliances are on the high end compared to competitors.
» MORE: NerdWallet's review of Choice Home Warranty
Methodology
NerdWallet's Home Services team evaluated home warranties across several factors, including cost, covered items, coverage limits, customer ratings, ability to choose your own technician and warranty on work completed. Because costs can vary by location, it's best to get quotes from multiple companies before making a decision. Read more about how NerdWallet rates home warranties.