Methodology & Listing Standards
Every number on this site traces to a named source, and every listing says exactly what was checked and what was not. This page is the whole story in two halves: how the data is built, and how companies get listed and ordered.
How the Data Is Built
Three layers, and each page tells you which one it is using.
Tracked Companies · Layer 1
Sourced from public Google Business listings across 198 U.S. metros. We record each company’s public rating, review count, operational status, and service area. Ratings are attributed to Google: we read them, we never collect, solicit, or host reviews of our own. Presence is coverage, not endorsement, and periodic refresh pulls keep the dataset moving with the market.
Covered Metros · Layer 2
City price tables cite published local cost reports, and each row carries its source name. When a city has no citable local report, the page says so plainly rather than borrowing a number from an unrelated metro.
Measured Price Rows · Layer 3
Our national bands compute medians and percentiles per job type from measured rows only, the current bands being exactly what the cost calculators run on. Modeled rows are excluded from band math and labeled wherever they appear, so an estimate and its evidence can never quietly diverge.
What Each Signal Means
| Signal | Where it comes from | What it does NOT mean |
|---|---|---|
| Google rating & review count | Google Business, shown exactly as published, always attributed | Not our endorsement, and never edited or collected by us |
| Directory position | Demonstrated customer volume: Google review count, most reviews first | Not a quality guarantee |
| Services & 24/7 availability | Each company’s own published information, captured in enrichment passes | Not independently inspected; owner corrections replace public data on claim |
| Licensing | Real state registers only, like New Jersey’s Board of Tree Experts | Never implied where a state has no trade license; insurance carries the weight instead |
How Crews Get Listed and Ordered
Every directory promises “trusted pros.” Here is exactly what our listings assert, in the order the data is checked. Tracked companies are vetted against these published listing standards.
1. Tracked, with Attributed Data
The baseline: a public Google Business record in our dataset, numbers shown exactly as Google publishes them. Being tracked is coverage, not endorsement.
2. Ranked by Demonstrated Customer Volume
Order follows Google review count, most reviews first: transparent and checkable. Position reflects public review volume, not a quality guarantee.
3. Licensing, Only Where the State Has One
Licensed language appears only against a real register, New Jersey’s Board of Tree Experts being the clearest example. In the majority of states with no trade license, the state guide says so plainly and insurance carries the weight instead.
4. Service Data from the Companies Themselves
Published service lists, 24/7 availability, and websites, captured during our enrichment passes. When a company claims its profile, corrections from the owner replace older public data.
What This Data Is — and Isn’t
Our listings are built from publicly available data and our own analysis of it. Every signal is shown with its source named, and where we have nothing, the listing says nothing. What we do not offer is a guarantee: we make no claims about the quality, reliability, or workmanship of any listed company. Tree work varies job by job and crew by crew, so treat every listing as a starting point for your own diligence, not a substitute for it.
Do your own diligence before hiring: verify current insurance certificates directly with the company, ask for the license number where your state issues one, and get the scope in writing.
Questions about a specific number? Every cost guide and city page footnotes its sources, visit Compare Tree Services to learn more.
Put the Data to Work
The methodology only matters in use: pick a service, pick a market, and the ranked lists are one click away.