Ownwell vs DIY vs AppealMyTax: True Cost of Texas Property Tax Appeals in 2026
Published May 14, 2026 · AppealMyTax
The contingency-fee trap
Most property tax appeal services in Texas charge a percentage of your first-year savings:
- Ownwell: 25% in Texas (35% in CA, NY, FL)
- Texas Protax: 40% plus $2.50 per $1,000 of market value reduction
- O'Connor & Associates: 40-50% depending on case
On the average Texas reduction (Ownwell reports $774/year average), here's the 5-year math:
| Service | First-year fee | 5-year cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Ownwell (25%) | $194 | $968 (refiles annually) |
| Texas Protax (40%) | $310 | $1,548 |
| AppealMyTax $49 protest kit | $49 | $49 (one-time, you keep 100%) |
| DIY | $0 | $0 (your time) |
These services refile every year they work for you, which means fees compound. The fee renews on the saved value, regardless of whether they moved the value further down.
The DIY option
You can file yourself, for free, in 60-90 minutes. Texas Tax Code §41.41 gives every property owner the right to protest. HCAD's iFile is free. Your evidence is in HCAD's public database.
The work:
- 20-30 minutes pulling 5-10 comparable properties
- 15-20 minutes writing the protest argument
- 5-10 minutes uploading via iFile
About 60% of DIY filers get an informal settlement offer within 2-6 weeks. Roughly 50-60% of total DIY protests result in a value reduction.
The AppealMyTax $49 path
We built the calculator and the $49 protest kit for homeowners who want the DIY outcome without the 60-90 minutes of comp-pulling and protest-letter drafting. See your exact overpayment free first, no signup, then you keep 100% of your savings.
What's in the $49 protest kit:
- Pre-filled protest letter referencing TX Tax Code §41.43(b)(3) with your address and HCAD account
- Evidence sheet formatted for HCAD iFile (5-10 strongest comps from our 1.2M-record HCAD dataset)
- Step-by-step iFile filing instructions
- ARB hearing prep checklist
- 30-day refund
The math: $49 buys you the 30-60 minutes of comp pulling and protest letter drafting, one time, and you keep 100% of whatever you save. If you value your time at $30/hour, it pays for itself the first time.
Filing it yourself takes about 5 minutes online once the kit is in hand. The $49 protest kit pulls your comps, pre-fills the protest letter with your HCAD account number, and formats the evidence sheet for iFile, so the slow part is done and all that is left is to sign and submit.
When each option makes sense
- Ownwell: You don't want to think about property tax ever again. Comfortable with 25% of savings going to fees forever.
- Texas Protax / O'Connor: High-value commercial or luxury property, want experienced human representation at ARB.
- DIY: You have 60-90 minutes and are comfortable with iFile.
- AppealMyTax $49: You want the DIY outcome without the time investment.
- AppealMyTax $199 DFY: You don't want to deal with iFile at all.
For the typical Houston homeowner with $500-3,000 in annual savings at stake, DIY or the $49 protest kit keeps far more money in your pocket over 5 years.
Check Your Houston Address
Free calculator pulls HCAD comps in 30 seconds, no signup. Optional $49 protest kit pre-fills your iFile protest, so you just sign and submit, and you keep 100% of your savings.
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