Small trees – 15 – 20 ft. tall
Removing 10 – 20% of the branches/foliage of a tree this size would cost you between $240 and $525. Small tree trimming costs a little more if it is a building or a power line clearance.
Tree trimming costs vary depending on different tree sizes, obstacles around the tree such as fences and power lines as well as the number and size of the tree limb being removed.
The average cost for tree trimming is $512. The price ranges between $240 and $1,890, depending on your job. These are based on national averages in 2023.
Asking how much tree trimming costs is like asking how long a piece of string is. Many factors affect the price.
Tree trimming prices vary between $240 and $1,890. There are a lot of other factors to consider when estimating the price of tree trimming by tree companies which we cover below.
| Tree height | Cost Range |
|---|---|
| 15 - 20 ft. | $250 - $525 |
| 20 - 30 ft. | $390 - $720 |
| 30 - 50 ft. | $500 - $1,200 |
| 50 - 100 ft. | $740 - $2,000 |
Medium trees – 20 – 30 feet tall
Assuming again you are removing 10 – 20% foliage you could expect to pay between $390 and $720. When you think about it, depending on the tree being trimmed, this could be between 1 and 10 branches that need removing, so again it all depends.
Large trees – 30 – 50 ft. tall
Depending on the type of prune, larger trees in height typically cost more like fig trees that will cost you between $500 and $1,200 to trim. If you were to get a building clearance, you would only remove a branch or two, but if it’s a total tree reduction there is more work involved and increased costs.
X Large tree – 50 – 100 feet tall
Tall trees do come with a bigger price tag for maintenance. $740 would be the baseline and anything up to $1,890 for the trimming of a large tree. Getting Crown thinning done will cost a lot more than a canopy lift for example.
Cost to top a tree
The cost to cut the top out of a tree varies based on tree size, species, complexity, access, and obstacles.
The average cost to top a tree is $1,050, but the range of prices starts at $250 for small trees and goes up to $2,400 for very large trees.
Finding a Cheap tree trimmer near you
Finding a cheap and professional tree-trimming service near you can be tough. Below are a few tips for doing just that.
Avoid marketers – Professional tree trimming services that spend big on marketing, like ads at the top of Google, Yelp, Yellow Pages, and signs around town, will usually be more expensive. This is because they need to cover the higher costs of acquiring a customer. That’s you.
Get 3 quotes min. – I always suggest a minimum of 3, but 4 will be better. You don’t want to go with the first quote that “sounds reasonable” as you don’t know the market, and a better price is likely just around the corner.
Ask for options – When a professional tree trimming company is looking at your tree job, be sure to ask them for two different prices including:
One price for trimming and taking everything away.
Another price to cut and leave on site. (You can dispose of yourself later).
Grant good access – Trimming a tree in your backyard will cost extra because it’s more effort to drag the branches to the front of your property. If you have several trees, it will cost more again. If you can remove a panel of fencing for the tree trimmers, they will take less time to do the job and charge less.
Free tree trimming – Just like there are programs for free tree removal, there are also programs for free tree trimming in the form of government grants and financial assistance. Go here to see more details.
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Tree trimming cost examples
Oak trees
Estimated height: 45ft. tall
Botanical name: Quercus
Trim Type: Canopy reduction
Trimmed trees are healthy trees. Removing a tree limb or two from a large Oak tree will cost you, though. The cost of tree trimming for this tree would be between $690 and $1,150, depending on the city you live in and the tree trimmers you employ.
American Holly
Estimated height: 24ft. tall
Botanical name: Ilex opaca
Trim type: Deadwood removal
Deadwood can be detrimental to the health of the tree. Removing deadwood will increase the curb appeal of your home and also give the health of your trees a good boost. Many landscape companies offer this service, but I recommend a certified arborist.
The cost estimate of deadwood removal in the below example would be $250 to $410. This is a fairly small tree, and the deadwood seems confined to a fairly small space in the lower center of the tree.
American Beech tree
Estimated height: 36ft. tall
Botanical name: Fagus Grandifolia
Trim type: Canopy lift
It’s easy to see the amazing transformation a tree trim can have on the whole aesthetic appeal of this home. The below canopy lift trim would cost you $410 – $590 depending on your city and the time of year you get the job done.
Ash tree
Estimated height: 21ft. tall
Botanical name: Fraxinus
Trim Type: Canopy thinning
The below Ash tree was a mess with crossing branches and deadwood. The cost of tree thinning the below Ash tree would be between $410 and $670 depending on the city you live in. It’s a time-consuming tree-trimming job.
The access to the tree is good it’s a fairly small tree.
Palm tree
Estimated height: 15ft. tall
Botanical name: Syagrus romanzoffiana
Trim Type: Canopy lift/ remove dead fronds
Palm tree trimming cost varies by palm tree size and the number of fronds that need removing. You only need basic tree-trimming services for this job. There are no real special skills required, but I would still make sure they are qualified and insured. This tree trimming job is fairly quick and should cost $50 – $75 per tree. Larger trees might cost $100 – $125 to trim.
Alder tree trimming
Estimated height: 55ft. tall
Botanical name: Alnus
Trim Type: Canopy lift
It’s amazing the transformation that can take place by pruning just a few lower limbs. The view of the lake has increased 3 fold. Although these are larger trees, we are only removing a few small branches from the lower part. There is good access and no obstacles.
To perform a canopy lift trim on the below 2 x trees would cost you $520 – $790.
For a single tree, you would be looking at $390 – $480 to trim the lower branches.
Tree trimming prices for similar trims will vary depending on access to the tree and obstacles around it like a house roof or power line. If the company can get access with a bucket truck it will help reduce the speed of trimming and costs.
Cost per hour to have trees trimmed
Tree pruning services do not actually charge by the hour to trim trees. They might work out their prices that way, but they will give you a price based on a visual assessment of your tree job.
Pricing by the hour to trim trees in this game is tricky. One company might charge 3x more per hour than another company but do the job 3x faster because they have a 6-man crew instead of a 2-man crew.
To get an accurate estimate on the cost of a tree trimmer, you really do need to ask local tree services for a price on your specific tree job.
Note: Many landscaping companies cost more money than certified arborists because their flat rates for extra labor used to work on trees will always cost more than using the right heavy-duty equipment. Get a pricing guide from them before they start comparing prices with tree trimmers.
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What factors add to tree trimming cost?
There are many cost factors that add to the cost of tree trimming. How many trees, tree location, tree type, whether it’s a healthy tree, more branches, etc. A simple way to look at it is, the longer it takes to trim or remove branches and have the debris hauled, the more it will cost you. Extra-large trees will cost more than medium-sized trees.
Access to the tree
The location of the tree on your property is important.
To trim a tree in the front yard of your house is going to cost you less than the same tree at the rear of your property. If the workers need to drag all waste from the back of your house to the front, it will add to the overall job time so you will pay more.
Do what you can to give the best access possible to the tree