Guides
The honest guide to tree service companies in 2027
The practical question behind 'best tree service companies 2027' is how the decision will work during an ordinary operating day. Strong plans make assumptions.
What to take away
- Twenty-five tree service companies are named below, each with a base, a business model and one reason to watch it in 2027.
- Utility line-clearance contractors, scientific tree care firms, franchise networks and regional independents sell to different buyers, so compare inside one group.
- Selection weighed published credentials, safety practice, footprint and influence on how the trade works.
- A place on the list is not an endorsement. Check licensing, insurance and certification yourself before you sign.
Names first: Asplundh, Davey and Bartlett anchor the utility, full-service and scientific categories. Monster Tree Service and SavATree show how residential work is sold. Active Tree Services, Treescape, Glendale and Gristwood and Toms run the same trade in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
How this list was built
Nothing here is paid placement. No company bought a spot and none was approached. Four tests decided inclusion: the range of work a firm sells, whether it publishes training and safety practice, how far its crews travel, and whether it shifts how other firms operate.
Pruning standards separate serious firms from the rest. ANSI A300 is the reference most residential and commercial companies cite when they describe how cuts are made and recorded.
Trimming near live conductors runs on a different rulebook, with training and minimum approach distance duties. OSHA's tree care pages summarise what an employer owes its crews.
Every firm packages the same job differently. tree service packages sets out the four details buyers usually miss.
The 25 companies worth watching in 2027
Read down a column rather than across the whole list. A utility contractor and a residential franchise rarely bid for the same contract.
Tree service company types
Company
- Davey Tree Expert
- Employee-owned
- Bartlett Tree Experts
- Scientific care
- SavATree
- Multi-market
- Asplundh Tree Expert
- Utility vegetation
- Wright Tree Service
- Employee-owned
- Monster Tree Service
- Franchise network
Type
- Davey Tree Expert
- Residential, commercial, utility
- Bartlett Tree Experts
- International residential, commercial
- SavATree
- Tree, shrub, lawn, plant health
- Asplundh Tree Expert
- Large infrastructure territories
- Wright Tree Service
- Utility vegetation management
- Monster Tree Service
- Local operators, national brand
Scope
- Davey Tree Expert
- Bartlett Tree Experts
- SavATree
- Asplundh Tree Expert
- Wright Tree Service
- Monster Tree Service
25 companies worth watching
| Company | Base | Model | Why watch in 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asplundh Tree Expert | Pennsylvania, US | Utility vegetation management | National line-clearance scale |
| Davey Tree Expert Company | Ohio, US | Employee-owned, full service | Ownership and training model |
| Bartlett Tree Experts | Connecticut, US | Scientific tree care | Research feeding field practice |
| SavATree | New York, US | Residential and commercial | Regional roll-up |
| Wright Tree Service | Iowa, US | Utility line clearance | Bundled consulting arms |
| Lewis Tree Service | New York, US | Utility vegetation management | Storm response coverage |
| Nelson Tree Service | Iowa, US | Utility line clearance | Sister firm to Wright |
| Trees, Inc. | United States | Utility and infrastructure | Grid spending drives the work |
| ACRT | Ohio, US | Utility vegetation consulting | Utility arborist training |
| ArborMetrics Solutions | United States | Vegetation analytics | Data-led inspection scoping |
| CN Utility Consulting | United States | Utility vegetation consulting | Program audits |
| Integrity Tree Services | United States | Utility and land clearing | Right-of-way equipment |
| Lucas Tree Experts | Maine, US | Utility, residential, commercial | Regional utility depth |
| Gunnison Company | Southeast US | Multi-brand tree care platform | Roll-up growth route |
| Monster Tree Service | Pennsylvania, US | Franchise network | Standard franchise pricing |
| Almstead Tree, Shrub & Lawn Care | New York and Connecticut | Arboriculture and plant health | Bundled plant health care |
| Rainbow Treecare | Minnesota, US | Tree care and plant health | In-house research arm |
| Wachtel Tree Science | Wisconsin, US | Arboricultural consulting | Consulting-led service |
| Arborwell | California, US | Commercial tree management | Multi-site contracts |
| Active Tree Services | Australia | Utility and government | Work outside North America |
| Treescape | New Zealand and Australia | Arboriculture and environmental services | Vegetation and environment contracts |
| Glendale | United Kingdom | Grounds and arboriculture | Public sector contracts |
| Gristwood and Toms | United Kingdom | Utility, rail and public | Rail corridor arboriculture |
| City Suburban Tree Surgeons | London, United Kingdom | Residential and public | Dense urban streets |
| ArborCare | New Zealand | Tree care and vegetation | Utility ties, small market |
Example: shortlisting three firms for one city
- Name the jobresidential pruning, commercial grounds or utility right of way.
- Pull two firms that match that category from the table.
- Check for ISA Certified Arborist staff and Tree Care Industry Association accreditation.
- Ask for a written scope naming the pruning standard, cleanup and stump handling.
- Request a certificate of insurance showing general liability and workers compensation.
- Compare the two quotes line by line, not by the total.
Two firms can price the same oak very differently once crew time and disposal are counted. tree service pricing and profit shows where that gap comes from.
What to check before signing
- Licence or registration required in your state or province.
- General liability and workers compensation cover, with certificates.
- ISA certification numbers you can look up, not just a logo.
- A written scope naming the pruning standard and disposal.
Insurance is the step homeowners skip. Insurance for a tree service business covers the exclusions that matter when a limb lands on a roof.
The SBA business guide is a practical way to confirm a contractor is a registered business rather than a directory entry.
Verify before acting
- Check SBA business guide for planning, launch, management, growth
- Review BLS tree trimmer wage and industry estimates
- Search TCIA member directory for listed companies
- Filter TCIA directory for accredited companies
- Filter TCIA directory for utility contractors
