ProTax Consultants vs Texas Tax Protest: Which One Is Better?

The four criteria that actually separate Texas protest firms

• Fee basis. A contingency fee charged on tax savings and one charged on assessed value reduction are not the same number. Texas contingency fees commonly run in the range of roughly 25–50% of first-year tax savings, but the base, the term, and whether the fee recurs in later years vary by contract. Get the formula in writing with a worked example.
• Districts covered. A firm that is strong in Travis or Harris may subcontract or decline work in Collin, Denton or a rural CAD. Ask which office appears at your district and whether the hearing is in person, by phone, or by affidavit under Tax Code §41.45(b).
• Escalation past the ARB. The ARB order under §41.47 is not the end of the road. Ask in advance whether the firm files §41A binding arbitration or a §42.01 appeal, who advances the arbitration deposit, and whether escalation costs extra.
• Who builds the evidence. Every protest is won or lost on comparable sales and an unequal-appraisal analysis under §41.43(b)(3) and §42.26. Ask whether you receive a copy of the packet presented on your behalf.

Side-by-side: verifiable attributes only

Every cell below is something you can confirm yourself in minutes. We do not publish comparative savings rates or win rates for any firm, including ourselves, because no two firms compute them the same way — see our methodology.

Provider	Engagement model	Who assembles evidence	Verify terms here
Texas ProTax	Contingency agent; signs Form 50-162 as your agent	Firm	texasprotax.com + TDLR lookup
Texas Tax Protest	Contingency agent	Firm	texastaxprotest.com + TDLR lookup
Republic Property Tax	Contingency agent	Firm	republicpropertytax.com + TDLR lookup
Ownwell	Contingency agent (software-assisted intake)	Firm	ownwell.com + TDLR lookup
Five Stone Tax Advisers	Contingency agent; also offers broader tax services	Firm	fivestonetax.com + TDLR lookup
Gill, Denson & Company	Contingency agent	Firm	gilldenson.com + TDLR lookup
Self-filing (DIY)	No fee; you file Form 50-132 and appear yourself	You, using the district's own records	comptroller.texas.gov
TaxStand	Software: $199 flat per property per tax year, no contingency	You present a packet we build; no agent appointment	taxstand.us/methodology

How to verify a consultant is actually registered

Texas regulates property tax consultants through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. A person who represents another owner before an ARB for compensation generally must hold a Property Tax Consultant or Senior Property Tax Consultant registration (attorneys, CPAs and certain employees of the owner are handled differently). Search the firm name and the individual's name in the TDLR Property Tax Consultant program, and confirm the registration is active and unencumbered.

Why it matters: the appraisal district will accept an agent appointment, but you are the one bound by the result. If the person arguing your case is not properly registered, you have a problem that surfaces after the ARB order, not before.

What signing the agent appointment actually transfers

Most firms onboard you by having you sign Form 50-162, Appointment of Agent for Property Tax Matters, authorized by Tax Code §1.111 (Title 1, Tax Code). Four things homeowners routinely miss:

• It can redirect your mail. The form lets the agent receive communications from the appraisal district, including the §25.19 notice of appraised value and hearing notices. If you stop receiving CAD mail after hiring a firm, this is why.
• It persists. The appointment stays in effect until the date you write on the form or until it is revoked in writing filed with the district. If you leave the expiration blank, it does not quietly expire at the end of the season.
• Revocation is a separate step from cancelling the contract. Emailing the firm is not enough — file a written revocation (the Comptroller's Form 50-183) with the appraisal district, and file the new agent's 50-162 before the deadline.
• Two agents, one district. Districts generally honor the most recent valid appointment; overlapping appointments are a common cause of missed hearings when owners switch firms mid-season.

Hiring a firm vs. self-filing in Collin County

Collin CAD runs a standard three-step path, and nothing about it requires an agent. File by May 15 or 30 days after your notice of appraised value is delivered, whichever is later (§41.44); for the 2027 season that is May 15, 2027 for most homeowners. Protest online through collincad.org or file Form 50-132.

1. File. Check both "value is over market value" and "value is unequal compared with other properties" so you preserve §41.43(b)(3) and §42.26 arguments.
2. Request the district's evidence. Under §41.461 you are entitled to the information the district intends to introduce at least 14 days before the hearing. Request it in writing. This is the single highest-value step a DIY filer takes.
3. Informal, then ARB. Collin CAD offers an informal review with an appraiser before the formal ARB hearing; many protests settle there. If it does not settle, the ARB hears it and the burden of establishing value sits with the district under §41.43.

If your argument is "my house is over-assessed relative to similar homes on my street," that is an arithmetic case you can make yourself. If the property is complex, you own several, or you simply will not attend a hearing, a contingency firm is a rational purchase. We walk through both paths in DIY vs. hiring a firm and county-by-county in the Texas county protest directory.

Six questions to ask before you sign any contingency agreement

1. Is the fee calculated on tax savings or on assessed value reduction? Show me the math on a $600,000 home reduced to $560,000.
2. Does the agreement auto-renew for next year, and what is the cancellation window?
3. If the case goes to §41A binding arbitration, who advances the deposit and who keeps it if we win?
4. Does someone appear in person at my appraisal district, or is this an affidavit or phone hearing?
5. Will I receive a copy of the evidence packet presented on my behalf, and the ARB order?
6. What happens if the ARB raises the value or leaves it unchanged — is anything owed?

Any firm worth hiring answers all six in writing. The Comptroller's Property Taxpayer Remedies booklet explains the remedies those answers relate to.

Disclosure

TaxStand (taxstand.us, operated by Outlaw Holdings LLC) maintains this page and is not a neutral third party. We are a DIY evidence-packet product, not a protest firm: we are not licensed agents, we do not represent owners before an ARB, and we give no legal advice. Checking whether you have a case is free; a hearing-ready packet with comparable sales, unequal-appraisal analysis, county filing instructions and a pre-filled Form 50-132 is $199 flat per property per tax year, with no percentage of savings. The firms named above are legitimate competitors and the better choice for owners who want someone else to show up. See also our comparison of Texas protest services and TaxStand vs. O'Connor.

Frequently asked

ProTax Consultants vs Republic Property Tax Texas

Both are contingency agents using Form 50-162. Compare the fee base, the counties each actually staffs, whether they escalate past the ARB, and whether the agreement auto-renews. Confirm the individual consultant's TDLR registration for whichever you pick.

Texas ProTax vs DIY protest Collin County

Collin CAD accepts online protests and offers an informal appraiser review, so a straightforward over-assessment case is winnable without an agent. Hire a firm if you will not attend the hearing or the property is unusual.

Ownwell vs Five Stone Tax Advisers Texas property tax

Ownwell is software-forward with a national footprint; Five Stone is a Texas advisory practice offering services beyond protests. Decide on fee base, district coverage and escalation policy rather than brand.

Gill Denson and Company vs self filing property tax protest Texas

Gill, Denson & Company handles the filing, evidence and hearing for a contingency fee; self-filing costs nothing but your time and keeps 100% of the reduction. Request the district's §41.461 evidence either way.

Frequently asked questions

Is ProTax Consultants or Texas Tax Protest better for a Texas homeowner?

Neither is better across the board. Compare the fee base (tax savings vs. value reduction), the districts each firm staffs, whether they escalate past the ARB, and whether you get a copy of the evidence — then verify TDLR registration for the actual consultant assigned to you.

How much do Texas property tax protest firms charge?

Most charge a contingency fee, commonly in the range of about 25% to 50% of first-year tax savings, though some compute it on the value reduction instead. Always get the formula and a worked example in writing before signing.

How do I cancel a property tax agent I already hired?

Cancelling the contract with the firm is not the same as ending the agent appointment. File a written revocation of the Form 50-162 appointment with your appraisal district, then file the new agent's appointment before the protest deadline.

Can I protest my Collin County property taxes myself?

Yes. Collin CAD accepts online protests and offers an informal review with an appraiser before the ARB hearing, and the appraisal district carries the burden of establishing value at the hearing.

What is the 2027 Texas property tax protest deadline?

May 15, 2027, or 30 days after your notice of appraised value is delivered, whichever is later, under Tax Code §41.44. Notices generally arrive in April and May.

Does TaxStand protest on my behalf?

No. TaxStand is self-serve software that builds a hearing-ready evidence packet for $199 flat per property per tax year; you file the protest, appear at the hearing, and keep 100% of any reduction.