Compare Cremation Providers: Neptune, Tulip, Smart and Trident
To compare cremation providers fairly, start with what each one publishes. Tulip posts a price for each location on its own website, and Smart Cremation posts its California price list. Neptune Society and Trident Society publish no prices, so their figures only exist as individual written quotes.
Families compare cremation providers because the best known names rarely advertise a price, and the gap between providers can run to thousands of dollars for the same direct cremation. This page sets the four most searched national providers side by side using only what each company publishes on its own site, checked on 22 October 2026. Where a provider publishes no price, this page says so plainly rather than repeating figures from other websites.
The four providers at a glance
| Provider | Published direct cremation price | How it sells | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neptune Society | Not published; quote required | Prepaid plans and at need, through local offices | Many states, not all |
| Trident Society | Not published; quote required | Prepaid plans and at need, through local offices | California and selected markets |
| Smart Cremation | California price list posted on its site: $1,600 to $1,800 | Prepaid plans and at need | Western states, plus Texas and Florida |
| Tulip Cremation | Published per location on its site: $1,290 in San Francisco | Online or by phone, at need and plan ahead | Many states |
Two of the four are brands of the same parent. Service Corporation International’s own terms of service list both Neptune Society and Trident Society among the brands its companies operate. Smart Cremation is operated by NorthStar Memorial Group, and Tulip Cremation is part of Foundation Partners Group. The benchmark for every figure below is our researched national average for direct cremation, $2,195 across the 50 states in October 2026. Researched direct cremation prices by state give the local version of that benchmark.
Neptune Society
The Neptune Society is one of the largest direct cremation providers in the United States, founded in 1973 and part of Service Corporation International. It sells prepaid cremation plans and at need direct cremation through local offices in many states, though not all of them. Its model is direct cremation only, so a family gathering is arranged separately.
On price, there is nothing published to compare. The company does not post its prices online, and prices vary by location and plan, so the only real figure is a written quote from the local office. Our dedicated guide to Neptune Society cremation cost explains how its plans work and the questions to ask before signing one.
Trident Society
Trident Society offers essentially the same prepaid and at need cremation products as Neptune Society, under the same parent company. It operates mainly in markets where the Neptune name is not used, and its own site lists a strong run of California locations, including Sacramento, San Jose, Santa Cruz, and Walnut Creek.
Its site also publishes no prices. Location pages invite you to call or send a form for a cremation price quote, and describe prepaid plans as the way to receive its best price. Treat any Trident figure you see on a third party website with caution, because the company itself has not published it. Price not published; quote required is the accurate entry, and a written quote is the only safe basis for comparison.
Smart Cremation
Smart Cremation sells prepaid plans and at need cremation across western states, with service areas that include Arizona, California, Oregon, Washington, and Texas. Its model mirrors the society brands: plan ahead sales, local offices, and direct cremation without a funeral home ceremony.
Smart goes one step further on transparency. It does not print plan prices on its website pages, but its California General Price List is posted on its own site. That list, effective July 10, 2024, shows direct cremation at $1,600 with a container provided by the purchaser, or $1,800 with the company’s alternative container. Its bundled Simple Cremation Service Package is listed at $2,151, and a separate Transportation Service Package at $599. Itemized lines include a $399 crematory fee. Prices for other states are not posted, so outside California you still need a quote.
Tulip Cremation
Tulip Cremation is the online first entry of the four. Arrangements are made on its website or by phone, with no visit to a funeral home, and it serves families in many states. It offers at need arrangements and plan ahead purchases on the same simple model.
Tulip is also the most open about price. It publishes a price for each location on its own website. Its San Francisco page listed cremation at $1,290 when checked on 22 October 2026, and its Colorado location pages show prices starting at $1,295. Prices differ slightly by location, so check the page for the area where the death will occur rather than assuming one national figure.
Smart Cremation vs Neptune Society
This pairing is searched often because the two offers look so alike. Both sell prepaid cremation plans and at need direct cremation. Both work through local offices. Neither builds its offer around a funeral home ceremony.
The practical differences are transparency and reach. Smart Cremation posts its California General Price List on its own website, so a California family can see $1,600 to $1,800 for direct cremation before speaking to anyone. Neptune Society posts no prices in any state, so every figure starts with a sales conversation. Neptune, in turn, covers more states than Smart, whose footprint is the West plus Texas and Florida. If both serve your area, get both quotes in writing and compare them line by line, as our guide to direct cremation packages explains.
How to compare cremation providers and their quotes
Under the FTC Funeral Rule, every provider must give you its itemized General Price List when you ask, in person or by phone, without asking for a commitment. Collect that list from each provider on your shortlist, including any local independent firms, because local providers are sometimes cheaper than every national brand.
Compare the same four items on each list: basic services, transport, the crematory fee, and the container. Then write down what each total leaves out. Certified death certificates usually cost $10 to $25 each, transport beyond a set radius adds a per mile charge, and an upgraded urn can add hundreds. The quote that looks cheapest often just excludes the most.
Finally, weigh the contract, not only the number. For prepaid plans, transferability, cancellation refunds, and which prices are guaranteed decide whether the plan protects your family or ties up their money. Our cremation pricing transparency guide sets out those rights in full.
Sources, checked 22 October 2026: Tulip Cremation location pages, tulipcremation.com (San Francisco price $1,290; Colorado pages from $1,295). Smart Cremation California General Price List, smartcremation.com (effective July 10, 2024). Trident Society location pages, tridentsociety.com (no prices published; quotes by phone or form). Neptune Society, neptunesociety.com (no prices published). Service Corporation International terms of service, sci-corp.com (Neptune Society and Trident Society listed as SCI brands).
Frequently asked questions
Which cremation provider is the cheapest?
Of the four providers compared here, Tulip publishes the lowest starting figure, listing cremation at $1,290 on its San Francisco page when checked in October 2026. Smart Cremation's posted California price list shows direct cremation at $1,600 to $1,800. Neptune Society and Trident Society publish no prices, so neither can be called cheapest without a written quote for your location.
What is the difference between Trident Society and Neptune Society?
Very little in the offer itself. Both are brands of Service Corporation International, a fact SCI's own terms of service confirm by listing both names, and both sell prepaid cremation plans plus at need arrangements. Trident Society operates mainly in markets where the Neptune name is not used, with a strong California presence.
Does Smart Cremation publish its prices?
Smart Cremation does not put plan prices on its website pages, but its California General Price List is posted on its own site. That list, effective July 10, 2024, shows direct cremation at $1,600 with your own container or $1,800 with its alternative container, and a Simple Cremation Service Package at $2,151. Prices in other states need a quote.
How do I compare two cremation quotes fairly?
Ask each provider for its itemized General Price List, which the FTC Funeral Rule requires it to share, and compare the same items: basic services, transport, the crematory fee, and the container. Then add what each quote leaves out, such as death certificates and an urn. Our researched national average for direct cremation, $2,195 in October 2026, is the benchmark to judge both against.
Are prepaid cremation plans a good deal?
A prepaid plan can fix some prices and spare your family decisions, but the value sits in the contract terms. Check whether the plan transfers if you move, what refund applies if you cancel, which items are fully guaranteed, and which third party costs sit outside the plan. Those terms matter more than the brand name on the plan.