Provider scorecard: score any provider yourself

No. Our methodology uses five weighted dimensions. This is a simpler tool for personal use.

Search your state's funeral board or licensing site, and ask the provider for its license number.

Choose the one you trust and feel comfortable with. The score is a guide, not a rule.

The best way to compare funeral home prices is to request each provider's General Price List and compare the same items side by side. Call two or three providers, ask the same questions, and note the basic services fee, transport, the charge for the type of service you want, and any added fees. Providers must give price information over the phone. Look at the total, not only the headline price. What to ask: ask for the total in writing for the exact arrangements you want, and ask what could raise the final bill, such as extra mileage or holding time.

According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the median cost of a funeral with viewing and burial was about 8,300 dollars in 2023, and a funeral with cremation and a service was about 6,280 dollars. Those figures usually do not include cemetery plot, headstone, flowers, or some third-party charges, so the total can be higher. Prices vary a great deal by region and by provider. What to ask: request the provider's General Price List, compare at least two or three options, and ask for a written itemized statement of goods and services before you agree to anything.

Cremation costs depend mostly on what comes with it, and a basic cremation is generally the least expensive option. The NFDA reported a median of about $6,280 for a funeral with cremation and a service in its 2024 General Price List study, while a simple cremation with no ceremony costs far less. Charges include the provider's services, the cremation itself, a container, permits, and an urn if you choose one. Cemetery or memorial costs are separate. What to ask: ask whether the quote is for direct cremation or cremation with a service, and which fees such as the crematory fee, permits, and certificates are included.

Direct cremation commonly costs about 1,000 to 3,500 dollars, depending on the state and the provider. It is the simplest option, with no viewing or ceremony attended by the family beforehand. Prices tend to be lower in some states and higher in large cities, and some providers quote a package price while others itemize each charge. Death certificate copies, an urn, and any later memorial are usually extra. What to ask: ask for the total price including transport, refrigeration, permits, crematory fee, and the return of ashes, and confirm whether any charges apply for hospitals, medical examiner cases, or weight.

A direct cremation typically includes transport of your loved one from the place of death, the funeral provider's basic services, necessary permits and paperwork, care of the person before cremation, the cremation itself, and return of the ashes in a simple container. A basic alternative container, often cardboard, is used rather than a casket. Death certificates, an urn, a ceremony, and cemetery or scattering fees are generally extra. Some providers include more than others. What to ask: ask for the itemized list, and confirm what the quoted price covers, what is optional, and when and how the ashes will be returned to you.

The General Price List, often called the GPL, is an itemized list of goods and services a funeral home offers, and you have the right to receive it. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, a funeral home must give you the list to keep when you begin discussing arrangements in person. They must also give accurate price information over the phone if you ask. The list shows the basic services fee, transport, embalming, viewing, ceremonies, and caskets. What to ask: ask for the GPL at the start, compare it with at least one other provider, and select only the items you want from it.