Tree work is dangerous. Anyone with a chainsaw and a pickup truck can hang a sign and call themselves a tree service. Every year, unlicensed operators cause serious injuries, kill trees that could have been saved, and disappear after the damage is done.
This list is built differently. Every company on it carries ISA Certified Arborists, holds proper liability and workers’ compensation insurance, and has a track record you can verify. Some are national brands with decades behind them. Most are regional operators who’ve earned their reputation one job at a time.
If you’re hiring someone to work near your home, your power lines, or your property line, start here.
What to Look for in a Tree Service Company
Before you call anyone, know what separates a legitimate tree service from a risk. The checklist is short, but every item matters.
ISA Certified Arborist on staff. The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certification requires at minimum three years of full-time experience in arboriculture plus a passing score on a certification exam. An ISA Certified Arborist knows how to prune without harming the tree, spot disease before it spreads, and assess structural risk. You can verify any arborist’s certification at trees.isa-arbor.com.
Proof of liability insurance and workers’ compensation. Ask for the certificate before work starts. Liability insurance covers damage to your property. Workers’ comp covers injuries on your property. Without both, you’re exposed.
TCIA membership or accreditation. The Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) sets standards for safety, training, and ethics. Accredited companies go through on-site inspections. Membership alone is a positive signal.
Written estimates before work begins. Verbal agreements lead to disputes. A professional company puts the scope of work, price, and cleanup expectations in writing.
Strong, recent Google reviews. Look at patterns, not averages. Consistent 4.7+ stars across 100 or more reviews is meaningful. A handful of five-star reviews with no detail is not.
The 20 Best Tree Service Companies in America
1. Davey Tree Expert Company (National)
Davey Tree Expert Company is one of the largest and most established tree care companies in North America. Founded in 1880 and employee-owned, Davey operates dozens of residential offices across the country, including locations in Chicago, Seattle, Atlanta, and beyond. Every local office is staffed with ISA Certified Arborists, and Davey’s residential division is accredited by the TCIA. The depth of their training program is hard to match: crews follow strict pruning standards and plant health care protocols developed over more than a century of work. For homeowners who want the confidence of a nationally accountable company without sacrificing local knowledge, Davey is a consistent choice.
2. Bartlett Tree Experts (National)
Bartlett Tree Experts has been operating since 1907, making it one of the oldest tree care companies in the country. The company employs more than 400 ISA Certified Arborists and operates over 125 locations across the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and Ireland. Bartlett also runs the Bartlett Research Laboratories in Charlotte, NC, which is the largest shade tree laboratory in the world, staffed by 15 PhDs. That research directly informs how their arborists diagnose disease, manage pests, and assess structural risk. For complex tree health issues or high-value properties where precision matters, Bartlett brings a level of scientific depth few competitors can offer.
3. SavATree (Multi-State)
SavATree was the first multi-state tree care company in the US to earn TCIA accreditation, a distinction that required meeting the association’s highest standards for safety practices, business ethics, and customer satisfaction. With nearly five decades in operation, SavATree has offices in major markets including Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, and Phoenix. Every location is staffed with ISA Certified Arborists who handle tree care, lawn care, and plant health programs. The company focuses heavily on environmentally responsible treatment methods, which makes them a strong fit for homeowners who want science-based care rather than a crew that shows up with a saw and a stump grinder.
4. GreenLeaf Tree Care (New York City, NY)
GreenLeaf Tree Care has over 40 years of experience doing tree work in one of the most difficult operating environments in the country. Their ISA Certified Arborists hold EHAP certification (Electrical Hazards Awareness Program) and ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ), credentials that matter when working around NYC’s dense canopy and overhead utility lines. The company operates across all five boroughs, handling everything from courtyard and rooftop tree removals to full-scale commercial projects. For New York City property owners dealing with the city’s permit requirements and urban tree challenges, GreenLeaf understands the logistics in a way that most operators do not.
5. Kramer Tree Specialists (Chicago, IL)
Kramer Tree Specialists has been serving the Chicago metro for over 50 years from their base in West Chicago. The company is TCIA Accredited and keeps more than 15 ISA Certified Arborists on staff, including one ISA Board Certified Master Arborist. They are also members of the Illinois Arborist Association and the International Society of Arboriculture. Kramer handles removals, pruning, cable bracing, disease treatment, and full plant health care programs. Customers consistently highlight their scheduling reliability, workmanship, and thorough post-job cleanup. For homeowners in DuPage, Kane, and Cook counties looking for a company with genuine institutional depth, Kramer is a standout.
6. Jones Road Tree Service (Houston, TX)
Jones Road Tree Service has been working in Houston and the surrounding area for more than 20 years. The company’s team carries ISA Certified Arborists, Certified Tree Care Safety Professionals, and Qualified Tree Crew Leaders through the Tree Care Industry Association, along with licensed Texas Department of Agriculture Pesticide Applicators. That combination of credentials matters in a city where soil conditions, heat stress, and post-storm hazard work require genuine expertise. The company’s founder, David Mauk, built Jones Road around a high-credential crew model that holds even under the heavy call volume Houston tree services see after major weather events. Long-term clients report consistent quality across years of repeat service.
7. Gabriel’s Tree Services (Los Angeles, CA)
Gabriel’s Tree Services has been operating in the Los Angeles area since 1990, building a reputation across a market where palm tree maintenance, drought-stressed oaks, and complex hillside removals require real skill. The company includes ISA Certified Arborists on their team and has accumulated more than 550 reviews across Google, Yelp, and third-party rating platforms, earning recognition as one of the top tree services in Los Angeles by multiple directories in 2025. Licensed and fully insured, Gabriel’s handles tree trimming, pruning, shaping, removals, and tree health advice for both residential and commercial clients across greater Los Angeles.
8. Branch Management Tree Service (Phoenix, AZ)
Branch Management Tree Service has been providing professional tree care in the Phoenix metro for over 40 years. They are members of both ISA and TCIA and hold Certified Tree Care Safety Professional credentials. Operating out of Scottsdale, their crews handle tree trimming, pruning, removal, stump grinding, deep root fertilization, and palm tree maintenance, which is a specialized category that many inland operators underinvest in. The desert Southwest has a distinct set of tree species and stress conditions that require arborists who know the regional environment. Branch Management’s tenure and credentialing make them one of the most reliable options in the Phoenix market.
9. Tree Shepherds (North Texas / Dallas area)
Tree Shepherds has been serving the North Texas area, including the Dallas-Denton corridor, since 2009. The company currently staffs nine ISA Certified Arborists, including ISA Board Certified Master Arborist Scott Geer, who holds a bachelor’s degree in forestry and a master’s in forest entomology from Stephen F. Austin State University. That level of academic background is rare in a regional tree service and shows in how Tree Shepherds approaches disease diagnosis and tree health programs. Services include pruning, removal, stump grinding, soil care, and oak wilt management, a critical specialty for Texas property owners dealing with one of the region’s most damaging tree diseases.
10. Native Tree Service (Miami, FL)
Native Tree Service has been operating in the Miami area since 1985, serving Miami-Dade, Broward, and Monroe Counties. The company is a member of both TCIA and ISA, and their crew includes Certified Arborists, Municipal Specialists, and Licensed Pesticide Technicians. South Florida’s tree environment is unique: tropical species, year-round growth cycles, hurricane preparation and recovery work, and a heavy regulatory layer around canopy management in many municipalities. Native Tree Service’s four decades of local experience and their specialized focus on South Florida arboriculture set them apart in a market where too many operators lack regional expertise.
11. Northside Tree Professionals (Atlanta, GA)
Northside Tree Professionals has been serving the Atlanta metro for over 55 years, building a track record strong enough to earn the Angie’s List Super Service Award for eight consecutive years. Their ISA Certified Arborists cover tree installation, crane removals, storm cleanup, crown reduction, and formal arborist evaluations across the North Atlanta suburbs. Customers single out the crew’s efficiency, their care around structures, and how thoroughly they clean up after a job. In a market where storm season generates heavy demand and separates organized operators from disorganized ones, Northside’s long operational history and credentialing make them a reliable call.
12. Arborguard Tree Specialists (Atlanta, GA)
Arborguard Tree Specialists has been supporting commercial, residential, and construction clients in the Atlanta area since 1981. The company was acquired by Davey Tree Expert Company in 2017 and now operates under the Davey umbrella while retaining the Arborguard name and local team. The company staffs ISA Certified Arborists and provides tree removal, planting, trimming, pruning, fertilization, and structural support through cabling and bracing. Arborguard has particular strength in commercial and construction-adjacent tree preservation, where the stakes are higher and the scope more complex than a standard residential removal. Operating from Avondale Estates and serving clients across the metro including Decatur, Roswell, Smyrna, and Alpharetta, Arborguard is one of the Southeast’s more credentialed tree care operators.
13. EastLake Tree and Lawn Services (Atlanta, GA)
EastLake Tree and Lawn Services is ISA and TCIA affiliated and focuses on certified arborist-led work for residential and commercial clients across Atlanta. The company provides pruning, removal, risk assessment, and emergency storm response. Their emphasis on formal risk assessment sets them apart from operators who show up and eyeball the job. A proper risk assessment follows ISA protocols, documents hazard conditions, and gives the property owner a documented record of the tree’s structural status. For clients dealing with large specimen trees or properties where liability exposure is real, EastLake’s assessment-first approach is worth the call.
14. Seattle Tree Care (Seattle, WA)
Seattle Tree Care is the first family-owned tree service company in the Seattle area to earn TCIA accreditation, a credential that required on-site inspection verifying their safety protocols, insurance, and standards compliance. Their team of 12 ISA Certified Arborists includes several who hold Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) credentials. The company earned third place in The Seattle Times’ 2025 Best in the PNW awards in the Tree Service category. Seattle Tree Care specializes in complex removals on waterfront and hillside properties, routine pruning, tree inspections, and insect and disease treatments across Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Mercer Island, and the broader Puget Sound area.
15. Tree133 Professional Arborists (Seattle, WA)
Tree133 Professional Arborists is a family-owned company led by ISA Board Certified Master Arborist Craig Bachmann. The company takes a science-based approach to tree care, which means pruning decisions are made against ISA pruning standards rather than customer preference alone. That matters when a property owner wants a tree “opened up” in a way that would actually damage it. Tree133’s crew handles a full range of residential and commercial tree care across the Seattle metro. Their combination of a master arborist at the helm and a clearly articulated science-based methodology makes them one of the more credible independent operators in the Pacific Northwest.
16. Blooma Tree Experts (Seattle, WA)
Blooma Tree Experts is a family-owned company operated by Martin and Josiah Macauley, with more than 20 years of service in the Seattle area. Their team includes four ISA Certified Arborists and two certified tree risk assessors. The combination of ISA certification and formal risk assessment qualifications on the same crew is notable; it means Blooma can both complete the work and formally document structural hazard conditions for insurance, permit, or liability purposes. For property owners dealing with large, aging trees or trees in proximity to structures, having a qualified risk assessor on the crew is a material advantage over a standard removal company.
17. Fielding Tree Care (Denver, CO)
Fielding Tree Care has been serving the south Denver area for 25 years and holds a 4.9-star average across more than 250 Google reviews. Their team carries multiple ISA Certified Arborists with substantial combined experience in Colorado’s specific tree environment, where altitude, soil conditions, and common urban tree species differ significantly from the rest of the country. Fielding handles seasonal pruning, storm-related emergency removal, and preventative trimming for residential and commercial clients across Littleton, Centennial, Highlands Ranch, Englewood, and the surrounding area. The company consistently ranks at the top of local tree care searches on Google, Nextdoor, and Yelp in south Denver.
18. Arbor Care Tree Solutions (Denver, CO)
Arbor Care Tree Solutions is an ISA-certified arborist company operating in the Denver metro. The company has accumulated more than 100 five-star Google reviews and builds its reputation on three basics: showing up on time, charging what was quoted, and leaving the property cleaner than they found it. Those three things sound simple. They are not universally delivered in the tree service industry. Arbor Care serves homeowners and commercial clients across Denver and the surrounding front range communities, handling tree trimming, removal, stump grinding, and general tree health work.
19. Richmond Tree Experts (Atlanta, GA)
Richmond Tree Experts has been rooted in Georgia since 1976 and has served the Atlanta metro area since 1985. The company’s team includes ISA Master Certified Arborists, the highest credential available through the International Society of Arboriculture. That designation requires holding ISA Certified Arborist status plus additional years of experience and a separate advanced exam. For property owners dealing with specimen trees, complex multi-tree projects, or situations where a formal written arborist report is needed for municipal review or insurance claims, having a Master Arborist lead the consultation is a meaningful difference from a standard tree crew.
20. Montero’s Tree Service (Miami, FL)
Montero’s Tree Service is owned and operated by Orlando Montero, an ISA Certified Arborist with deep expertise in South Florida’s tropical tree species. The company is fully licensed and carries both workers’ compensation and liability insurance. Montero’s covers Miami-Dade County with services including tree trimming, removal, stump grinding, and specialized care for the palms, ficus, mahogany, and other tropical species common in South Florida landscapes. Customers cite Montero’s detailed knowledge of local species and his ability to explain exactly what a tree needs before any work begins. For Miami homeowners who want a certified arborist who genuinely knows South Florida trees, Montero’s is a consistent recommendation.
What the Best Tree Service Companies Have in Common
You’ll notice a pattern across every company on this list. They share the same core commitments regardless of market size, geography, or whether they run three trucks or 300.
ISA Certified Arborists on every crew or leading every crew. Certification does not guarantee quality on its own, but it sets a baseline of knowledge that unlicensed operators simply do not have. An ISA Certified Arborist has been tested on biology, pruning standards, disease diagnosis, and risk assessment.
Full insurance and they will send you the certificate. The companies on this list do not hesitate when you ask for proof of coverage. They hand it over. Any company that deflects this request is a red flag.
Clean, professional equipment. Dull blades damage trees. Poorly maintained chippers and lifts create job site hazards. The best tree services invest in equipment because they understand that the quality of the tool affects the quality of the work.
Detailed written scope of work. What is being removed. What is being pruned. How the debris is being handled. What the final price is. All of it in writing before anything starts.
Thorough cleanup included. Professionals leave a property cleaner than they found it. Chip piles, branch debris, and sawdust tracked across a driveway are not acceptable finishes to a legitimate job.
Red Flags When Hiring a Tree Service
The same situations that drive demand for tree services also attract the operators you want to avoid. Know what to watch for.
Door-to-door soliciting after storms. Storm chasers drive through neighborhoods after severe weather and knock on doors. They may be legitimate. Many are not. Never hire someone on the spot without verifying their insurance and credentials.
Asking for full payment upfront. A deposit to hold a date is normal. Full payment before the crew starts is not. Legitimate companies bill on completion or after a formal draw schedule for larger projects.
No proof of insurance. If a worker falls from your tree and the company does not carry workers’ comp, the injury claim may land on your homeowner’s policy. This is a real liability. Verify coverage before anyone climbs.
Pressure to decide today. “I’m in your neighborhood and can do it right now for a discount” is a sales tactic, not a favor. Reputable companies schedule in advance because they are busy with legitimate work.
No local address or verifiable reviews. A phone number and a magnetic truck sign are not enough. Verify the company has a physical address, a real online presence, and reviews that go back more than a few months.
How Top Tree Services Win More Business Online
The companies on this list built their reputations through quality work. But quality work alone does not fill a schedule in 2026. The tree services getting consistent inbound calls are the ones who show up on Google when someone searches “tree removal near me” or “certified arborist [city].”
That means three things work together: a well-structured website, a fully optimized Google Business Profile with consistent recent reviews, and local SEO that ties both to the right search terms in the right service area.
Most tree services underinvest in all three. The result is that a company with real credentials and a decade of satisfied customers loses calls to a newer company that simply has a better online presence. That is a fixable problem. See our guide to tree service SEO for a breakdown of what moves the needle, and our full tree service marketing guide for the complete picture.
If you run a tree service and you want to understand what your website is doing for your lead volume right now, our services page covers what we do and who we work with.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest tree service company in the US? Davey Tree Expert Company is widely considered the largest residential tree care company in North America, with operations spanning dozens of markets across the US and Canada. Bartlett Tree Experts, founded in 1907, is another major national operator with more than 125 locations and one of the longest operating histories in the industry.
How much does tree removal cost on average? Tree removal costs vary significantly based on tree height, location, species, and job complexity. In most markets, residential tree removals run between $300 and $1,500 for a standard job, with large or difficult removals going higher. Stump grinding is typically priced separately. For a full breakdown of current pricing, see our guide on how much tree removal costs.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree? It depends on your municipality and the tree. Many cities and counties regulate the removal of trees above a certain diameter, trees on public easements, or trees designated as protected species. Your local city or county website will have the specific requirements, and a licensed arborist in your area can advise you during a consultation.
What is the difference between a tree trimmer and a certified arborist? A tree trimmer is not a credential. It describes someone who cuts trees. An ISA Certified Arborist has passed a standardized exam covering tree biology, pruning standards, disease and pest diagnosis, soil management, and risk assessment, with a minimum of three years of professional experience in the field. For work that affects your property value, tree health, or structural safety, hire a certified arborist.
How do I verify a company’s ISA certification? You can verify any ISA Certified Arborist using the search tool at trees.isa-arbor.com. Search by name or company. If the arborist the company claims to employ does not appear in the ISA directory, treat that as a serious red flag.
Run a Tree Service? Let’s Build You a Company That Makes This List.
The companies on this list earned their reputation one job at a time. The ones getting the most calls in 2026 also show up on Google when someone in their area needs a tree removed.
SteelToe Digital builds the SEO, websites, and digital marketing systems that drive consistent inbound leads for tree service companies. If you want to see where you stand right now, get a free strategy call.
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