One way to save money is to ask your service providers to trim your bill by reducing fees, lowering your subscription costs or removing unwanted membeships.
But not everyone has the time or inclination to do it, especially when there's no guarantee you'll be successful.
That's where bill negotiation services like BillCutterz, OneMain® MyMoney and Billshark come in: They negotiate on your behalf, typically for a flat fee or percentage of your total savings.
How do bill negotiation services work?
Customers typically link their credit or bank accounts or upload bills directly and let a trained bill negotiation agent scan for places where they can save you money, including situations where you were overcharged, billed by mistake or lost service.
While these services are not free, they only charge if they're able to save you money. Typically, you'll pay a percentage of the savings you receive in a year (anywhere from 30% to 60%), so double-check the fee structure before signing up.
Are bill negotiation services worth it?
Anybody can get on the phone and speak to a representative, but not everyone is a shrewd negotiator. If you're wondering whether a bill negotiating service is worthwhile, compare its fees to the savings you'll receive for getting them to lower existing bills, cancel old subscriptions and find areas where you're overpaying.
BillCutterz charges 50% of whatever savings it earns you, for example, with a 10% discount for paying in full upfront. So, if BillCutterz saves you $20 a month on your mobile phone bill in one year, you'd owe $120 (or $108 upfront), in exchange for $240 savings.
Remember that most bill negotiation services only charge you if they successfully get your balance lowered. So while you'd bank more doing it yourself, the service will never cost more than the money you'd save.
The best bill negotiation services
- Best for subscription services: Rocket Money
- Best for medical bills: OneMain® MyMoney
- Best for phone and internet: Billshark
- Best for versatility: BillCutterz
Best for subscription services: Rocket Money
Rocket Money
Cost
The basic plan is free. Rocket Money Premium is $7 to $14 a month with a 7-day free trial. Bill negotiation services cost 35% to 60% of the first-year savings, if the negotiation is successful.
Standout features
Easily cancel unwanted subscriptions, track your spending and credit score, automate savings and get help lowering bills. Rocket Money Premium includes additional services like net-worth tracking, credit reports and a subscription cancellation concierge service
Security
Rocket Money accesses transaction data via an encrypted token, uses Plaid API so user credentials are never stored, provides bank-level 256-bit encryption and hosts servers on Amazon Web Services
Availability
Offered online and on both the App Store (for iOS) and on Google Play (for Android)
Terms apply.
Pros
- Allows you to easily view and cancel unwanted subscriptions
- Offers a free version
- A+ from Better Business Bureau
Cons
- Nonrefundable bill negotiation fee can be up to 60% of savings
- Premium pricing varies
Who's this for? Rocket Money has made a name for itself with its popular subscription cancellation and bill negotiation services.
Standout features: The app also offers free budgeting tools to help you track spending and deposits, set spending goals and sort transactions into categories. With a paid membership, you can also track your net worth and get regular credit reports
Price: Premium membership with subscription cancellation services ranges from $7 to $14 a month after a seven-day free trial. Bill negotiation costs between 35% and 60% of your first year's savings.
Best for medical bills: OneMain® MyMoney
OneMain® MyMoney
Cost
Free. Bill negotiation service costs 33% of any savings you receive.
Standout features
OneMain® MyMoney finds and cancels subscriptions for free, suggests less expensive auto insurance and offers bill negotiation services for a fee.
Availability
OneMain® MyMoney is available to users via the OneMain Financial mobile app (available on Google Play) and through online account enrollment.
Pros
- Free service with a user-friendly interface
- Can identify and cancel streaming services, gym memberships and phone, internet and cable bills
- Uses 256-bit SSL encryption and two-factor authentication for added security.
Cons
- No mobile app
- Limited customer service options
Who's this for? If you sign up for OneMain® MyMoney's premium service, the company will negotiate medical bills on your behalf. While the company typically charges 33% of any savings you receive, premium members get bill negotiation for free.
Standout features: OneMain® MyMoney will cancel subscriptions for free.
Price: 33% of savings for bill negotiation
Best for phone and internet: Billshark
Billshark
Cost
40% of whatever savings you earn, $9 per canceled subscription
Standout features
"Sharks" negotiate with phone, internet, cable, security and other providers for lower rates. Subscription cancellation service, "No savings, no fee" policy
Categorizes your expenses
No
Links to accounts
Not required; you create an account and upload your bills (as opposed to linking bank accounts)
Availability
Available for iOS and Android
Security features
Encrypted with bank-level security (256-bit encryption), doesn't store credit card information or share data with third parties
Terms apply.
Pros
- Doesn't charge if agents aren't able to find savings
- Claims a 90% success rate
- Negotiates for service credits during outages
- Earn Reward Dollars to use on dining, shopping, and travel
Cons
- Won't negotiate credit cards, utilities or medical bills
- $9 fee per canceled subscription
- Mixed customer reviews
Who's this for? Negotiating phone, wireless, internet and other utilities, Billshark reports a 90% success rate and average annual savings of $300 per customer.
Standout features: Billshark will cancel subscription services on your behalf and may be able to get you a refund for a subscription you haven't used.
Price: 40% of savings for bill negotiation, $9 per subscription cancellation
Best for versatility: Billcutterz
Billcutterz
Cost
Charges 50% on whatever savings you earn (can pay monthly or receive 10% discount for paying in full for the annual amount)
Standout features
Also aggregates quotes for car loans, car insurance and renters/home insurance
Categorizes your expenses
No
Links to accounts
Not required; you create an account and send your bills to Billcutterz (as opposed to linking bank accounts)
Availability
Sign up online for free (no app required)
Security features
Encrypted website with bank-level security, the savings experts undergo background checks and are extensively trained to ensure customer security
See our methodology, terms apply.
Pros
- Types of bills negotiated: cell phone, cable and satellite TV, internet, landline phones, cable/phone/internet bundles, alarm and security systems, satellite radio and electricity (only in eligible states)
- Customers only get charged when they save (for example, if you save $60 a month on your cell phone plan, you'll pay BillCutterz $30 each month or save 10% by paying annually; but if BillCutterz doesn't find any savings you won't get charged at all)
- Average savings turnaround time is two days (48 hours)
- Has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (average 4.5 star BBB rating with 24 reviews)
- Available to small businesses, nonprofits and individuals
Cons
- Does not include medical bill negotiation
- Electric bill negotiation only works if you live in a deregulated market
Who's this for? BillCutterz is the most versatile of the services we reviewed, with options for negotiating cable, internet, mobile phone, landlines, gym memberships and electric bills.
Standout features: The savings calculator estimates how much you could save before you complete enrollment. BillCutterz also provides free home, renters, auto, life and business insurance quotes from national and regional carriers.
Price: 50% of savings for bill negotiation or 40% for a one-time payment.
How to negotiate bills on your own
Negotiating with service providers sounds intimidating, but it doesn't cost anything. These tips can help you get customer service representatives on your side.
1. Be succinct
Customer service representatives often have several open requests to handle in a timely fashion, so it's beneficial to communicate your needs politely and succinctly. You can simply say, "I'm reviewing my XYZ bill and looking for ways to lower my costs. I'd like to remain a loyal customer, but something has to give in my budget. What can we do?"
2. Be informed
Your rep might be prepared to offer you a new package or promo deal, but it's better for you to do your research ahead of time. That way, if they reply by saying "Sorry, there's nothing we can do," you're ready to say, "Well, I noticed you are running an XYZ promo that costs $15 per month less than my plan. Can I switch to that?"
For medical bills, have your explanation of benefits (EOB) out while you call and be ready to look up the exact amounts your insurance company paid for each medical treatment.
3. Be persistent
It may be uncomfortable at first, but gentle persistence will usually yield some results. There's no need to hassle the rep who answers (in fact, that will probably backfire). But you can ask for their partnership in helping you solve your problem. After all, their job is to retain customers, and there's very often a way to meet in the middle.
Bill negotiation FAQs
What bills can be negotiated?
Bill negotiation services typically work on utilities like mobile phone, cable, internet and even streaming services and medical bills. Some may also address insurance premiums, credit card interest, newspaper and magazine subscriptions, gym memberships and other regular charges.
Can I negotiate bills myself?
Anyone can reach out to a service to negotiate their bill or lower their rate, but it takes time and determination. One useful strategy is to research competitors' rates and let your provider know you are considering cancelling.
How much do bill negotiation services cost?
While some companies charge a flat fee for their services, most of the ones we reviewed take a percentage of the total annual savings they earn you in a year (anywhere from 30% to 60%).
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