After vs Cremation Club: Which Cremation Planning Service Is Right for Your Family?

Two Services, Two Very Different Approaches to Cremation Planning.

Cremation now accounts for more than 60 percent of all final arrangements in the United States. That shift has created a wave of services promising affordable, transparent alternatives to traditional funeral homes. Under the FTC Funeral Rule, consumers have the legal right to receive itemized pricing and select only the services they want, which has made transparent, direct cremation providers like Cremation Club and After.com increasingly visible to families who know what to ask for.

2026 Two names come up frequently in that search: Cremation Club, a nationwide pre-planning membership that locks in a $99 cremation benefit, and After.com, a direct cremation provider operating across select areas of nine states. They are often compared as though they compete for the same customer. In most cases, they do not.

This review breaks down exactly what each service offers, where each one wins, and which families should choose which. The goal is an honest picture, not a promotional one.

Quick Comparison: Cremation Club vs. After.com

Note: Cremation Club excludes Alaska, Hawaii, and Texas from coverage. After.com serves select cities and counties within Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin. Coverage availability should be confirmed directly with each provider for your specific location.

Cremation Club: Built for Families Planning Ahead

What It Is

Cremation Club was created by the team behind Funeralocity, the nation’s largest funeral home comparison platform. It launched as a direct response to a straightforward problem: most families cannot afford traditional funeral or cremation costs at the moment of loss, yet most pre-need contracts require large lump-sum commitments.

The model is a monthly membership. Members pay $13.99 per month, or $119.99 per year, and after 12 continuous months of active membership, they become eligible for a $99 guaranteed cremation benefit through Cremation Club’s nationwide network of partner funeral homes and crematories. The price paid to the funeral provider at time of need is $99. Nothing more.

The rate members sign up at is locked in permanently. Cremation Club does not raise prices on existing members, even after age 75, even as the cremation industry’s average costs continue to climb.

What Membership Includes

Cremation Club membership includes more than the cremation benefit. Active members receive:

• A complimentary attorney-approved will through Cremation Club’s estate planning tool
• Two care advocate sessions for end-of-life planning support
• A free lifetime obituary through the Cremation Club platform
• Member discounts on urns, cremation jewelry, and memorial products including Parting Stone solidified remains
• Out-of-state protection that guarantees the $99 cremation rate anywhere in the continental U.S. where they operate, not just your home state
• The option to add a second family member at $9.99/month or $109.99/year
• A referral program that can waive monthly dues

The will benefit deserves clarification. Cremation Club members receive access to a complimentary online estate planning tool to create a will. This is a membership perk, not a legal services offering. It does not include attorney consultations, trust creation, or estate administration.

Coverage and Availability

Cremation Club covers the entire continental United States with the exception of Alaska, Hawaii, and Texas. That reach is one of its clearest competitive advantages, particularly for retirees who travel, snowbirds who split time between states, or families spread across multiple regions.

What the $99 Benefit Covers

The $99 benefit covers direct cremation services through Cremation Club’s partner network. This includes transportation of the deceased to the cremation facility, the cremation itself, and return of the cremated remains. Families receive the ashes at their door at no additional cost.

At the time of need, families make a single phone call and the Cremation Club team coordinates everything with a local licensed provider. The family does not need to research providers, make multiple calls, or manage logistics during one of the most difficult moments of their lives.

For context: the national average for direct cremation in 2026 ranges from $1,000 to $3,600, depending on location and provider. In high-cost states like Connecticut, averages approach $3,150. Members who lock in and use the $99 benefit are saving thousands of dollars relative to going-rate pricing at the time of need.

What to Know Before Joining

There are two things worth knowing before signing up:

1. The 12-month waiting period. The $99 cremation benefit only activates after 12 consecutive months of membership. If a member passes away before completing 12 months, the family still has access to Cremation Club’s partner network, but at standard discounted member rates rather than the $99 guaranteed rate. This makes Cremation Club a pre-planning tool, not an emergency service.
2. Texas is excluded. Coverage does not extend to Texas at this time. Texas residents should confirm current availability directly with Cremation Club before joining.

Trust signals: Cremation Club holds an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, a designation it received in August 2024. The BBB accreditation recognizes ethical business practices, responsiveness to customer concerns, and transparency in operations.

After.com: Direct Cremation for Immediate Need and Select Regions

What It Is

After.com was founded in 2020 by Wesley Eames, Bryce Bunker, and Jackson Buntrock to offer a modern, digital-first alternative to traditional funeral homes. The service specializes exclusively in direct cremation, offered online without in-person visits, pressure, or upselling.

After.com is not a membership service. Families pay a one-time upfront cost, either for immediate need arrangements when a loved one has already passed or for pre-need arrangements to lock in today’s pricing for a future need. Packages start at approximately $995 and increase based on selected services.

The model works well for families who need fast, affordable cremation arranged online. After’s care team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and customer reviews on Trustpilot reflect generally positive experiences with responsiveness and compassion.

Coverage Limitation: The Most Important Factor for Most Families

After.com currently operates in select cities and counties within nine states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin. Coverage is not statewide within those nine states. A family in Phoenix may have access while a family in a smaller Arizona city does not.

For families outside those nine states, or in areas within those states that After.com does not serve, After is simply not an option. This geographic constraint is the single most significant limitation in the comparison. The majority of the U.S. population lives in states or locations not currently served by After.com.

What After.com Does Well

Where After.com operates and serves your location, it offers real strengths:

• No waiting period. Families can arrange immediate cremation the same day.
• Transparent pricing. After publishes its prices and makes them available online without requiring a phone call.
• Death certificate error protection for 12 months at no additional cost.
• LilyPay payment plans (3, 6, 9, or 12 months) for families who need to spread the cost.
• Same licensed credentials as traditional funeral homes, delivered at a fraction of the overhead cost.
• Strong Trustpilot review volume with verified feedback from real families.

Honest Limitations

• Limited geographic coverage. Not available to the majority of U.S. families at this time.
• No membership perks. After does not include a free will, care advocate sessions, obituary service, or memorial discounts.
• Higher cost at time of need. At $995 and up compared to Cremation Club’s $99 for eligible members, After’s upfront cost is significantly higher for families who planned ahead.
• A smaller company. Founded in 2020, After is newer than Cremation Club and has a shorter operating track record.

Head-to-Head: Where Each Service Wins

Geographic Coverage: Cremation Club Wins Decisively

For most American families, this is the only comparison that matters. Cremation Club covers the entire continental U.S. except three states. After.com covers portions of nine states. If a family lives in Florida, Ohio, Georgia, Pennsylvania, New York, or dozens of other states, After.com is not an option. Cremation Club is.

Cost at Time of Need: Cremation Club Wins for Pre-Planners

An eligible Cremation Club member pays $99 to the funeral provider when the time comes. An After.com customer pays $995 and up. Over any reasonable planning horizon, the membership model produces a substantially lower total cost when the benefit is ultimately used.

The math: a member who joins Cremation Club at 65 and uses the benefit at 80 will have paid approximately $2,519 in dues over 15 years, plus $99 at need, for a total of roughly $2,618. The same family going through After.com at time of need in 2026 pays $995 to start, plus additional fees depending on the plan selected, with no price lock on future costs. Direct cremation costs have risen steadily and currently average $2,199 nationally. At current trends, a family using After.com in 15 years could easily face pricing well above today’s rates.

For immediate need families who have no time to pre-plan, After.com’s $995 starting price is competitive. That is the one context where After’s cost model makes sense compared to Cremation Club.

Value and Perks: Cremation Club Wins

Cremation Club membership includes a free attorney-approved will, two care advocate sessions, a free lifetime obituary, and discounts on memorial products. After.com is a direct cremation service. It does not offer these benefits. For a family building out their end-of-life planning, Cremation Club is a more complete starting point.

Trust and Credentials: Cremation Club Wins

Cremation Club holds a BBB A+ accreditation and was founded by the team behind Funeralocity, the largest funeral home comparison platform in the country. That institutional background matters when families are making pre-planning decisions. After.com has strong Trustpilot reviews and licensed funeral directors, but is a newer company without the same established track record.

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Immediate Need Flexibility: After.com Has the Edge

For a family who has lost someone today and needs cremation arranged immediately, After.com does not require any waiting period. Cremation Club’s $99 benefit is not available to new members. If After.com serves your location, it is one of the better options available for immediate-need direct cremation in covered areas.

However, this advantage is narrow. Immediate need families can also work with Cremation Club’s partner network, and Cremation Club will still connect families with trusted providers even without the $99 guarantee. The difference is cost, not access.

Who Should Choose Cremation Club

Cremation Club is the right choice for:

• Adults 50 and older who want to lock in affordable cremation coverage (aff) and remove the financial burden from their families
• Anyone who wants a nationwide plan that works regardless of where they live, travel, or eventually pass away
• Couples who want to cover both partners at a reduced rate ($9.99/month for the second member)
• Retirees who travel frequently or split time between states and need coverage wherever they are
• Families who want the added benefits of a free will, obituary service, and memorial discounts as part of a single monthly membership
• Anyone who wants to lock in today’s pricing against rising cremation costs over the next decade

Cremation Club may not be the right fit if: You live in Texas, Alaska, or Hawaii. If you may need services within the next 12 months and the waiting period creates concern, speak with Cremation Club directly to understand your options.

Who Should Consider After.com Instead

After.com may be worth considering if:

• You are in an immediate-need situation right now and need cremation arranged quickly
• You are located in a covered area of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, or Wisconsin
• You prefer a one-time payment over an ongoing monthly membership
• You want the flexibility of a payment plan (3 to 12 months through LilyPay)

For all other families, particularly those outside After.com’s service areas or those planning more than 12 months ahead, Cremation Club is the more practical and comprehensive solution.

Our Recommendation: Cremation Club

For the vast majority of families reading this comparison, Cremation Club is the stronger choice. The coverage reaches nearly every corner of the continental United States. The $99 at-need cost for eligible members is the most affordable guaranteed cremation pricing available at national scale. The membership perks, including a free will and care advocate sessions, add genuine value that After.com simply does not offer.

The 12-month waiting period is real, and it matters. Families who need immediate arrangements do not benefit from Cremation Club’s guaranteed rate. But for anyone planning ahead, joining today and maintaining membership means that whenever the time comes, their family pays $99 and makes a single phone call. That is the goal of pre-planning done right.

After.com is a solid service where it operates. The reviews reflect a genuinely compassionate team doing good work within its coverage footprint. But for families who want nationwide protection, long-term price security, and a membership that includes more than just cremation, Cremation Club earns the recommendation.

After the Cremation: Choosing a Meaningful Memorial for the Remains

Once the cremation is complete, families receive the ashes and face a quieter but equally personal decision: what to do next. There is no single right answer. Some families want a beautiful urn to display at home. Others want to hold something of their loved one in a new form. Others want a permanent memorial at the gravesite that connects future generations. The options available today go well beyond what most families realize, and each one serves a genuinely different emotional need.

Here are four options worth knowing about, each with a full review available to help you decide what fits your family.

Pulvis Art Urns

Handcrafted in small batches by European artisans, Pulvis urns are made for families who want something beautiful enough to display, not tuck away. Available in biodegradable and traditional materials, with options for adults, children, and pets. Memorial Merits readers save 6% with code MemorialMerits – Read Our Pulvis Review

Urns for Angels

A wide collection of distinctive cremation urns spanning classic, artistic, and nature-inspired styles for both adults and pets. Urns for Angels is a strong starting point for families who want variety, honest pricing, and a purchase that feels personal rather than generic.- See Our Urns for Angels Review

Parting Stone

Rather than loose ashes, Parting Stone transforms cremated remains into a set of 40 to 80 smooth, holdable stones that families can share, display, or carry. For families who want to give everyone something tangible rather than dividing an urn, Parting Stone offers something genuinely different. Cremation Club members receive member discounts on Parting Stone products. – Read Our Parting Stone Review

Turning Hearts

A QR-enabled medallion that adheres to a headstone and links to a living digital memorial profile where the family can upload unlimited photos, videos, stories, and tributes over time. For families who want a permanent physical marker with an ever-growing digital legacy attached, Turning Hearts bridges both worlds in one elegant solution. – Read Our Turning Hearts Review

These are not mutually exclusive. Many families choose a Pulvis or Urns for Angels urn for display at home, a set of Parting Stones to share among siblings, and a Turning Hearts medallion at the gravesite. The decision depends entirely on what feels right, and taking time with it is always appropriate.

About This Review

Memorial Merits is an independent end-of-life planning resource. This review was written to give families accurate, honest information for comparing these two services. Memorial Merits maintains an affiliate relationship with Cremation Club, which means Memorial Merits earns a commission when readers join Cremation Club through links on this site. This relationship does not influence the comparison above. After.com is included and evaluated honestly as an alternative for families it serves well.

All pricing information was verified against each company’s published website as of February 2026. Pricing and coverage areas are subject to change. Readers should confirm current details directly with each provider before making decisions.

FAQ: After vs Cremation Club

Is Cremation Club a legitimate service?

Yes. Cremation Club is accredited by the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating, a designation received in August 2024. It was founded by the team behind Funeralocity, the nation’s largest funeral home comparison platform, and has served thousands of families across the continental United States.

What exactly does the $99 pay for?

The $99 paid to the funeral provider at time of need covers direct cremation services through Cremation Club’s partner network. This includes transportation of the deceased, the cremation itself, and return of the cremated remains to the family. There are no additional fees charged by Cremation Club for these services.

Who actually performs the cremation? Can I choose the provider?

Cremation Club works exclusively with licensed local funeral homes and crematories in their partner network. When the time comes, Cremation Club selects a reputable, vetted provider in the area of passing and handles all coordination on behalf of the family. Members do not choose a specific provider in advance, and that is by design. Cremation Club cannot predict which individual providers will still be active when the time comes, so the network model ensures a qualified provider is always available regardless of when or where a member needs services.

What happens if I pass away before completing 12 months of membership?

The $99 guaranteed rate only activates after 12 consecutive months of active membership. If a member passes away before reaching that threshold, their family can still contact Cremation Club, who will connect them with partner providers. The family would pay standard discounted member rates rather than the $99 guaranteed rate.

Does Cremation Club offer estate planning services?

Cremation Club is a cremation pre-planning membership, not an estate planning provider. As a membership perk, members receive access to a complimentary online tool to create an attorney-approved will. This is a benefit included with membership, not a standalone estate planning service. Members who need full estate planning, including trusts, probate assistance, or attorney consultations, should work with a qualified estate planning attorney or a service like Trust and Will.

What happens if I move to another state?

Membership follows the member. If you join Cremation Club in one state and later move to another, your coverage moves with you. The $99 cremation benefit remains intact in your new location as long as you are in a covered area of the continental United States. Alaska, Hawaii, and Texas are the only excluded states. Members who relocate to those states should contact Cremation Club directly to discuss their options.

Is After.com available in my state?

After.com currently operates in select cities and counties within Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin. Coverage is not statewide even within those nine states. Families should confirm availability for their specific location at after.com before relying on After.com for arrangements.

Can I use the MEMORIAL10 code with Cremation Club?

Yes. Using code MEMORIAL10 when joining Cremation Club through Memorial Merits provides 10% off your membership at signup. The code can be entered at checkout online or mentioned when joining by phone.

What does the Cremation Club free will actually include?

Members receive access to a complimentary online estate planning tool to create a basic attorney-approved will. It is a digital tool, not a consultation with an attorney. It does not include trust creation or probate administration. For complex estates, members should supplement this benefit with professional legal guidance.

Is direct cremation a dignified option?

Direct cremation is the same cremation process carried out by licensed professionals using the same facilities and credentials as traditional funeral services. The difference is the absence of a viewing, embalming, or formal ceremony before cremation. Many families choose to hold a memorial service separately, after the cremation, at a time and place that feels right to them. Both Cremation Club and After.com treat this process with professionalism and care.

What is the total cost of Cremation Club over time?

A member who joins at $13.99/month and maintains membership for 10 years pays approximately $1,679 in dues, plus $99 at time of need, for a total of roughly $1,778. At 15 years the total is approximately $2,618. At 20 years, approximately $3,457. Compare these figures to the national average for direct cremation in 2026, which ranges from $1,000 to $3,600, and to projected costs in 10 to 20 years as industry prices continue to rise.

Can I cancel Cremation Club membership?

Yes. Members can cancel at any time before their next billing cycle with no cancellation fees. Canceling ends membership eligibility for the $99 cremation benefit. The membership rate is only locked for active members.

Memorial Merits | Sanctuary, not sales floor. | memorialmerits.com

Other End-of-Life Planning Articles You May Find Interesting:

• Top 10 Myths About Cremation Debunked
• Understanding Grief: Navigating the Complex Journey of Loss
• Memorial Merits
• Affordable Memorial Services: How to Honor Your Loved One on a Budget
• Why Every Family Needs a Legacy Journal Before It’s Too Late

Author: Gabriel Killian

Founder, Memorial Merits U.S. Navy Service Member Gabriel created Memorial Merits after experiencing funeral industry complexities & exploitation firsthand when his father passed away unexpectedly in 2019. His mission: protect families from predatory practices and provide clear guidance during impossible times. [Read Full Story →] EXPERTISE: • Personal experience with loss • Funeral planning (multiple times) • AI grief support development • Published author (legacy planning)