Are you paying too much for cable? Are you drowning in medical debt? If so, you can try calling your provider to negotiate a lower bill, or you can hire a company that offers bill negotiation services.
The average cable package bill is $217.42/month[1]. If a successful cable bill negotiation landed you 20% in savings, that would equal $521.80 in savings in a single year!
Haggling over bills isn’t fun, and many people don’t want to do it. Many don’t even know it’s possible. Their own bills, so there are now companies with bill negotiation experts who can help you out for a small fee.
So let’s take a look at some of the best bill negotiation services, what kind of bills they can help you with and how much they charge.
What Are Bill Negotiation Services and How Do They Work?
Companies that offer bill negotiation services will speak with your providers on your behalf to negotiate lower prices. For instance, they can reduce your cable bill for 1 year by negotiating a promotional price with your cable company.
They will take a percentage of your savings as their fee when they are successful. They take zero fees when they are unsuccessful.
Some companies can negotiate various bills, while others specialize in specific industries (i.e., medical bills).
You can negotiate your bills yourself for free, but many people don’t have the time or the negotiating skills. Hiring a bill negotiation company can be a worthwhile option.
Best Bill Negotiation Services
In this article, we’ll look at 11 different bill negotiation services. Each offers bill negotiation services to individuals, and a few even offer services to businesses and non-profits.
- Truebill – Cable, cell phone, home security
- Billshark – Internet, phone, TV, cell phone, home security
- Trim – Phone, internet, cable, credit card APR, medical bills
- BillCutterz – Cell phone, TV, internet, phone, home security, satellite radio, electricity (TX only)
- BillTrim – Cable, internet, home security, electricity, insurance
- BillFixers – Cell phone, internet, phone, TV, radio, home security, subscriptions
- Bill Advisor – Cell phone, internet, TV, phone, insurance, utilities (limited), home security, subscriptions
- Bill Saver – Cell phone, internet, radio, TV
- Mint – Internet, phone, tv, mobile, home security
- CoPatient – Medical bills
- Resolve Medical Bills – Medical bills
We’ll evaluate the pros and cons of the above companies and summarize their services and fees.
1. Truebill
From the RocketMortgage brand comes Truebill, an app that offers a variety of tools and resources for helping customers manage their finances.
Truebill can negotiate and lower your cell phone, cable, and security bills. And you can request cancellation on various recurring subscriptions. They claim to have saved their customers more than $100 million so far.
Pro & Cons
Pros
- Set your own price
- Access to free credit scores
- Subscription cancellation service
Cons
- No payment plans
Features & Pricing
The Truebill app (available for Apple and Android devices) is free to use and comes with various services, including
- Subscription management
- Credit score tracking
- Budget analysis
- Savings tools
Truebill does charge for their bill negotiation services, but they allow you to set your own price. When requesting a bill negotiation, you can set a rate between 30% and 60% of your first year’s savings. If the bill negotiation is unsuccessful, you won’t owe anything.
So, if they save you $20/month on your phone bill and you set a 40% rate, you’ll owe them $96, due immediately as they don’t offer payment plans.
2. Billshark
Billshark offers dedicated bill negotiation and subscription cancellation services to individuals and small businesses.
They advertise a 90% success rate on their bill negotiation services for internet, phone, tv, mobile, home security services, and more.
The subscription cancellation service provided by Billshark helps you cancel various unwanted monthly subscriptions and memberships like Hulu, Netflix, etc.
Pro & Cons
Pros
- Installment plans
- Services offered to individuals and businesses
- Available in app & desktop format
Cons
- Fee for using an installment plan
Features & Pricing
Billshark’s negotiation services are charged at 40% of your bill savings for up to two years. So, if they save you $20/month on your cable bill, they’ll invoice you for $192. You can pay the full total or set up an installment plan for a $9 fee.
Billshark will automatically reevaluate your bill again when your promotion is set to expire and start negotiations again.
You’ll be charged a flat $9 fee for each subscription you request to be canceled.
3. Trim
Trim is a service that allows you to manage your expenses and debt by helping to negotiate lower bills (i.e., phone and internet), cancel unused subscriptions, negotiate lower APRs (on credit cards), grow your savings, and negotiate medical bills.
Trim claims that its service is used by 2 million customers and that it saves them an average of $620 a year, for over $70 million in total savings.
Pro & Cons
Pros
- Low bill negotiation fees
- Negotiate credit card APRs
- Free savings account
Cons
- Not all services are available to everyone
Features & Pricing
Many of Trim’s core services are free. Their savings account, cancel subscriptions feature, medical bill negotiations, and more are all free.
Trim can currently negotiate bills for phone, internet, cable, and wireless services. If they successfully lower your bill, they will charge you 15% of your 1st-year savings. So if they save you $20/month on your internet bill, you will owe them $36.
Unfortunately, Trim’s medical bill and bank APR negotiation services are unavailable in the following states: AK, AR, CT, DC, MA, RI & VT
Trim used to charge for services on a subscription model but has since transitioned to a per bill model.
4. BillCutterz
BillCutterz is a service that can help negotiate lower prices on various monthly bills, including utilities. They offer their services to individuals, businesses, and non-profits.
Their services have been featured on ABC World News.
Pro & Cons
Pros
- Negotiation utilities
- Services offered to businesses
- Pay monthly
Cons
- 50% savings fee
- No additional services/resources
Features & Pricing
BillCutterz offers bill negotiation services on a variety of bills, including
- Cell Phone
- Cable & Satellite TV
- Internet
- Landline Telephone
- Bundles (Cable / Phone / Internet)
- Alarm & Security
- Satellite Radio
- Electricity (TX only)
For their negotiation service, they will invoice you 50 % of the total savings. So, if they save you $20/month on your electricity bill for 12 months, you owe them $120. You can choose to pay this monthly ($10/month) or upfront for a 10% discount ($108 instead of $120).
BillCutterz also offers resources for shopping around your auto loan and insurance.
5. BillTrim
BillTrim is a well-reviewed company that offers bill negotiation services for some of the most common household bills.
This company claims to have a 93% success rate with lowering bills, and they have excellent reviews from the Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot.
Pro & Cons
Pros
- Quick turnaround time
- Low fees
Cons
- No additional services
- No installment plans
Features & Pricing
BillTrim offers bill negotiation services on cable, internet, home security, electricity, and insurance bill.
They promise a 24hr turnaround time and only charge you 25% of your total savings as their fee. So, if they managed to save you $20/month on your insurance bill for 1 year, they would invoice you $60.
6. BillFixers
The services that BillFixers offers are designed to help you find the bills you are overpaying on and negotiate lower rates.
They offer these services to individuals, small businesses, and non-profits.
Pro & Cons
Pros
- Monthly billing option
- Discount for non-profits
- Fee capped at one year
Cons
- High savings percentage charge
Features & Pricing
BillFixers works to negotiate some of the most common recurring bills, including cable, phone, and internet services.
When they are successful, they will charge you 50% of the savings total for your first year. So, if they save you $20/month on your internet bill, they will invoice you for $120. You have the option of paying upfront or monthly.
If you are a business and use their services, you will be charged for the full length of your savings. So if you save $20/month for 2 years, then you’ll owe them $240.
The same applies to a non-profit, but you receive a 20% discount.
7. Bill Advisor
BillAdvisor is a service that can negotiate a lower rate on a wide variety of recurring bills and subscriptions.
They report that they have saved their average customer $800+ a year.
Pro & Cons
Pros
- Wide variety of bills
- Flexible pricing
Cons
- Difficult cancellation policy
Features & Pricing
Bill Advisor can negotiate lower prices on a variety of bills, including
- Cell phone
- Internet
- TV (satellite & cable)
- Home phone
- Insurance (life, auto, etc.)
- Utilities (limited)
- Home security
- Subscription services (i.e., gym memberships, magazines, etc.)
BillAdvisor has two methods for charging their services; per negotiation or subscription-based.
If you opt to go with the per negotiation model, you’ll be charged 50% of your total savings. So, if they save you $20/month on your gym membership, you’ll owe them $120.
The subscription model costs $12.99/month regardless of savings. You’ll never need to pay them more than $12.99/month.
8. Bill Saver
Bill negotiation services offered by Bill Saver are provided to individuals and businesses. They also offer limited cancellation services.
They also offer a blog to help customers better understand financial topics.
Pro & Cons
Pros
- Low pricing
- Support for businesses
Cons
- No payment plans
Features & Pricing
Bill Saver offers negotiation services for some of the most common monthly bills, including wireless, internet, radio, and television.
For their services, they will charge 35% of your total savings. So, if they save you $20/month on your satellite bill, you will owe them $84. This total is due in full; they do not offer payment plans.
For their cancellation services, they charge a flat $50 fee. If you want them to try and get your provider’s cancellation fees waived or lowered, they will charge 35% on any cancellation fee savings.
9. Mint
Mint is a budgeting app operated by Intuit, the company that owns TurboTax and Credit Karma.
They offer various services for managing your finances, monitoring your credit, and saving money. As part of their money-saving services, they offer subscription cancellations and bill negotiation through Billshark.
Pro & Cons
Pros
- Lots of additional services
- Installment plans available
Cons
- You are working with Billshark, not Mint
Features & Pricing
Many of Mint’s services are free, including their budgeting tools and credit monitoring.
Mint’s bill negotiation services are provided through Billshark, so you’ll need to pay Billshark’s fees. This includes 40% on up to 2 years worth of savings plus a $9 fee if you want to pay in installments.
If you want to use their subscription cancellation feature, you’ll need to pay $4.99/month for Mint Premium. This package also gets you access to advanced budgeting tools.
10. CoPatient
CoPatient offers a service dedicated to helping people lower the price of their medical bills. They primarily partner with employers to allow them to offer these medical bill negotiation services to their employees.
According to their website, the average savings a customer sees is roughly 20%.
Pro & Cons
Pros
- Free services through an employer
- Medical bill tracker in development
- Free review of medical bills
Cons
- Lack of transparent pricing
Features & Pricing
Many customers receive services from CoPatient through their employer, often for free.
But you can independently contact them to review your medical bills.
Their standard fee is 35%, but they may choose to set a different fee for cases with significant savings. Unfortunately, you won’t know exactly how much it will cost until you upload your bills and request their services.
This company’s shocking lack of transparency on pricing and nearly complete lack of credible reviews may make it one worth skipping unless your employer provides the service.
11. Resolve Medical Bills
Resolve is a company specializing in negotiating lower rates on medical bills.
They offer upfront pricing plans than vary depending on the total value of your medical debt. They also have partnerships with nonprofits to offer alternative debt payment options.
Resolve’s success rate is pretty high as they quote their customers save on average 60%.
Pro & Cons
Pros
- Transparent pricing
- Free consultation
Cons
- Pay fees upfront
Features & Pricing
How much resolve will charge you depends on the dollar total of your medical bill and the total amount they can save you. Generally, you will owe an upfront fee plus a portion of your savings.
Price by Amount of Bill
| $5k – $15k | $15k – $200k | $200k+ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront fee | $99 | $499 | Custom pricing |
| Percentage of savings | 25% | 10% | N/A |
| Minimum charge | $1000 | $2500 | Custom pricing |
| Savings threshold | $2000 | $3000 | N/A |
If your savings fall anywhere between $0 and the threshold amount, the minimum fee will be waived, and you will be charged 50% of the value of your savings instead.
What to Look for in a Bill Negotiation Service
When shopping around for bill negotiation services, there are a few questions you need to ask.
- What kind of bills do they negotiate?
- How much do they charge?
- Do they offer payment plans?
- Are their services available to you?
To help you sort through the list of best bill negotiation services we’ve presented, we’ve answered the above questions for you.
Comparison of Bill Negotiation Services
| Company | Types of Bills Negotiated | Fees | Fee & Savings Example* | Offers Payment Plans | Additional Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truebill | Cable, cell phone, home security | 30% – 60% of 1 year | Fee: $72 – $144 Savings: $576 – $648 |
No (unless you have a high total) | Subscription management, credit score tracking, budget tools |
| Billshark | Internet, phone, tv, mobile, home security | 40% for 2 years | Fee: $192 Savings: $528 |
Yes ($9) | Subscription cancellation ($9) |
| Trim | Phone, internet, cable, and wireless, credit card APR, medical | 15% of 1 year | Fee: $36 Savings: $684 |
No | Medical bill and APR negotation not available in AK, AR, CT, DC, MA, RI & VT |
| BillCutterz | Cell phone, TV, internet, phone, home security, satellite radio, electricity (TX only) | 50% | Fee: $360($324 if you pay upfront) Savings: $360 (or $396) |
Yes | Shopping insurance rates |
| BillTrim | Cable, internet, home security, electricity, insurance | 25% | Fee: $180 Savings: $540 |
No | 24hr turnaround time |
| BillFixers | Cell phone, internet, phone, TV, radio, home security, subscriptions | 50% of 1 year | Fee: $120 Savings: $600 |
Yes | Separate business services |
| Bill Advisor | Cell phone, internet, TV, phone, insurance, utilities (limited), home security, subscriptions | 50% or $12.99/month | Fee: $360 or $155.88/year membership Savings: $360 |
No | Subscription model offers unlimited bill negotiations |
| Bill Saver | Cell phone, internet, radio, TV | 35% | Fee: $252 Savings: $468 |
No | Cancel services (tv, internet, etc.) for $50 each |
| Mint | Internet, phone, tv, mobile, home security | 40% for 2 years | Fee: $192 Savings: $528 |
Yes ($9) | Credit monitoring, budget tools, fee credit scores |
| CoPatient | Medical bills | 35% or custom | **Fee: $1400 Savings: $2600 |
Undisclosed | Parnters with employers |
| Resolve Medical Bills | Medical bills | $99 + 25%, $499 + 10%, or custom charge | **Fee: $1099 Savings: $2901 |
Undisclosed | Partnership with non-profits |
*Example calculated as a savings of $20/month for 3 years ($720).
**Example calculated on $10,000 worth of medical debt with $4000 saved.
How To Negotiate Bills Yourself
You can negotiate recurring monthly bills yourself; it just takes time. You’ll need to do your research first to see what promotions the company might be offering and what other customers are paying.
When you contact your provider, you’ll need to be firm, and you might need to avoid “upgrade” options that promise extra services but don’t actually lower your bills. You’ll likely need to make several calls and/or speak to multiple individuals before getting results.
You can also go the route of threatening to cancel your services, but be careful. While many companies employ a customer retention department that can extend you special offers, there are no guarantees that they will work with you. So you’ll need to be prepared to follow up on your cancelation threat.
Are Bill Negotiation Services Worth It?
You can negotiate your bills yourself, but the process can be difficult, and you might not be able to get the best result.
Companies that offer bill negotiation services can help lower your bills quicker and with more savings, but they charge a fee. Some companies charge as much as 50% for multiple years worth of savings. And not all companies offer payment plans.
So, if they save you thousands, you find yourself stuck with a hefty bill even though you won’t see those savings for several months, if not years.
Considering this, it would be wise to try to negotiate yourself first, especially if you have just one or two bills you think are negotiable.
If you have a stubborn company that refuses to negotiate with you, then hiring a bill negotiation company will be worthwhile; just make sure you take the time to choose the best bill negotiation service for your bill(s).
How We Reviewed the Best Bill Negotiation Services
Many companies are out there offering bill negotiation services, and we have rounded up some of the best. But not all of these services are precisely the same.
To help compare these different services, we selected criteria that best highlight each company’s advantages as well as their downsides.
Types of Bills Negotiated
Not all companies negotiate all types of bills. It’s important to ensure the company can negotiate the bill or bills that you want them to negotiate.
Fees
Knowing what the fees are and how many years’ worth of savings they are applied to is key in determining your actual savings.
Fee & Savings Example
To illustrate exactly how much of your savings will go to fees, we created an example.
For regular bills, the bill negotiator saves you $20/month for a 3-year contract with your provider. This results in $720 in savings minus the bill negotiator’s fee.
For medical bills, the example presents a $10,000 medical bill which the negotiator can lower to $6000 for a total of $4000 saved minus fees.
Offers Payment Plans
Another critical factor with fees is payment terms. The savings are always calculated on a yearly basis.
Some services will charge their entire savings-based fee immediately, even though you won’t see your total savings for a year or more. That means you save money, but you need to pay out a lump sum of cash upfront.
Other services allow you to implement an installment plan, so you can pay the fee over the duration of your savings period.
Additional Features
When looking at the full value of a service, it’s important to consider all of its features. What is most important to you? Do you need a quick turnaround time? Do you have subscriptions you want to cancel?
Or are you looking for an app that can do everything from monitor your credit to negotiate your bills?
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