Summary: Summary: Stump grinding costs $150 to $500 for most residential stumps in 2026 (roughly $2 to $5 per inch of diameter); full stump and root removal costs $300 to $800 or more. Grinding is cheaper, faster, and right for most yards: it grinds 6 to 12 inches below grade and leaves roots to decay. Choose full removal only when you are replanting a tree or building in the exact spot. Always call 811 before grinding.
A stump grinder is a machine with a spinning toothed wheel that chews the stump into wood chips, typically 6 to 12 inches below grade, plus surface roots. The operator works outward until the visible stump is gone, rakes the chips level, and you are left with a mound of mulch where the stump was. The deeper roots stay underground and decay naturally over several years.
Most residential stump jobs take 30 minutes to 2 hours and finish in a single visit. You can replant grass over the spot the same weekend: mix the chips with soil, top with sod or seed, and water. The chips are excellent mulch for beds elsewhere in the yard. Grinding is the right answer for roughly 90 percent of homeowner stump situations.
Pros price grinding by diameter inch ($2 to $5 per inch), by size category, or by the hour ($200 to $400 with a 1 to 2 hour minimum). By category: under 12 inches runs $75 to $150, 12 to 24 inches runs $100 to $300, 24 to 36 inches runs $300 to $500, and over 36 inches runs $500 to $1,000 or more. Minimum service charges mean tiny stumps still cost $75 to $150 for the trip.
Multiple stumps get cheaper per stump: $40 to $150 each after the first, since mobilization is the expensive part. Hardwoods (oak, maple) cost more than softwoods (pine) because they grind slower. Rocky soil, surface roots, and tight access each add time and money. Get the depth in writing: 6 to 8 inches below grade is the standard that lets you replant grass.
Full removal excavates the stump and the root ball, 2 to 4 feet deep, with an excavator or by hand for small stumps. It costs $300 to $800 or more, leaves a large hole to backfill, and tears up the surrounding yard. Choose it when you are planting a new tree in the exact spot (old roots and fungal issues can harm the replacement), pouring a foundation or patio over the location, or dealing with aggressive root systems like willow that will keep sending up suckers.
For everything else, grinding wins: half to a third of the cost, minimal yard damage, same-day completion. Chemical rotting ($60 to $200 in materials) is the slow budget option: drill holes, apply potassium nitrate, wait months. Burning is cheap where legal but banned in many municipalities: check local burn rules before considering it.
Grinder rental runs $100 to $300 per day, which beats hiring out only if you have several stumps or a very large one. The machine is heavy, loud, and genuinely dangerous: the cutting wheel does not distinguish stump from boot. If you DIY, wear eye and ear protection, clear the area of people and pets, and call 811 first: grinders and buried utilities are a bad combination.
For most homeowners with one or two stumps, hiring out at $150 to $300 total is cheaper than the rental once you count pickup, return, fuel, and your Saturday. Pros also handle the 811 call, carry insurance for the inevitable sprinkler head casualty, and leave the site graded. DIY makes sense at three-plus stumps or when you already have equipment experience.
The ground will settle as chips decompose: expect the spot to sink several inches over the first year. Top it up with soil in spring and fall until it holds grade. Do not plant a new tree in the exact spot for at least a year or two: the old roots compete for water and nutrients, and some species' residue inhibits new growth. Offset new plantings by a few feet.
Watch for suckers: some species (crabapple, willow, poplar) send up shoots from remaining roots for a season or two. Mow them or cut and paint with herbicide per the label. They exhaust themselves within a couple of years as the root system starves without leaves.
Data current as of October 2026. Sources: Angi and national arborist pricing data. Estimates only, not a quote. Always get multiple written quotes from insured local tree companies.