13 tree services ranked by CR ScoreUpdated 0 paid placements in this rankingHow we rank →
Best overall in Sterling: Meister Tree Care Service, Logging & Land Management, LLC., CR Score 94/100; 5.0★ from 159 Google reviews; open 24/7.
Best for emergencies (open 24/7): Brandon’s Tree Service, posts 24/7 hours; ranked #2 of 13.
Most-reviewed: Brandon’s Tree Service, 59 Google reviews at 4.9★, the most of 13 ranked after Meister Tree Care Service, Logging & Land Management, LLC.; ranked #2.
Rankings can't be bought. Contractors can't pay to change their rank or score. How we rank
13 Sterling tree services are ranked here by CR Score, from 8 published factors. 6 are open 24/7, 10 open Saturdays and 8 open Sundays, based on posted hours. The median Google rating is 4.9★ across 13 rated businesses.
| Rank | Business | CR Score | Google rating | Based in | Hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meister Tree Care Service, Logging & Land Management, LLC. | 94 | 5.0★ (159) | Dixon, 10 mi away | 24/7 | Overall |
| 2 | Brandon’s Tree Service | 91 | 4.9★ (59) | Dixon, 8 mi away | 24/7 | Emergencies, Most reviews |
| 3 | Stewart's Tree And Stump Removal | 89 | 4.4★ (59) | Danville, 6 mi away | 24/7 | — |
| 4 | Perfect Tree Service & Stump Grinding LLC | 89 | 5.0★ (31) | Sterling | Sat · Sun · Evenings | — |
| 5 | Cut Rite Tree Service | 84 | 4.6★ (33) | Clinton, 24 mi away | 24/7 | — |
| 6 | Bass tree service | 83 | 2.3★ (3) | Rock Falls, 1 mi away | 24/7 | — |
| 7 | Hey Tree Service | 82 | 4.7★ (51) | Dixon, 11 mi away | Sat · Evenings | — |
| 8 | S&R Lawn & Tree Service | 81 | 5.0★ (5) | Rock Falls, 2 mi away | 24/7 | — |
| 9 | T&S Tree Service | 81 | 5.0★ (36) | Clinton, 3 mi away | — | — |
| 10 | McCormick's Nursery & Garden Center | 79 | 4.4★ (29) | Sterling | — | — |
Ordered by CR Score, a 0–100 score from 8 published factors. Paid placement never changes the order.
Ranked #1 in Sterling
Based in Dixon, 10 mi away
Ranked #1 because of its Google rating and review volume: 5.0★ from 159 Google reviews, the most Google reviews on this list (159).
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Dixon, 8 mi away
Ranked #2 because of its Google rating and availability: 4.9★ from 59 Google reviews, open 24/7.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Danville, 6 mi away
Ranked #3 because of its Google rating and availability: 4.4★ from 59 Google reviews, open 24/7.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Sterling
Ranked #4 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 31 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Tree service”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Clinton, 24 mi away
Ranked #5 because of its Google rating and availability: 4.6★ from 33 Google reviews, open 24/7.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Rock Falls, 1 mi away
Ranked #6 because of its Google rating and availability: 2.3★ from 3 Google reviews, open 24/7.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Dixon, 11 mi away
Ranked #7 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.7★ from 51 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Tree service”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Rock Falls, 2 mi away
Ranked #8 because of its Google rating and availability: 5.0★ from 5 Google reviews, open 24/7.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Clinton, 3 mi away
Ranked #9 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 36 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Tree service”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Sterling
Ranked #10 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.4★ from 29 Google reviews, 29 Google reviews.
Based on 5 of 8 factors; credentials, recency and availability not yet collected.
Based in Dixon, 14 mi away
Ranked #11 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.8★ from 22 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Tree service”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Dixon, 25 mi away
Ranked #12 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 12 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Tree service”.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Columbus, 15 mi away
Ranked #13 because of its Google rating and availability: 5.0★ from 3 Google reviews, open 7 days a week.
Based on 6 of 8 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
6 more tree services within 25 mi that we can't rank yet: too few reviews, or a trade we couldn't confirm. Listed A to Z.
| Business | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Aarons Greenscape Lawn Care Treatment Service | 2 mi | |
| Drenner Tree Service | 3.0★ (2) | 23 mi |
| Hartman's Lumberjack Woodworks | 19 mi | |
| Pacer's Tree Service | 5.0★ (1) | 19 mi |
| S&J Gutter Protection & Services | 5.0★ (1) | 9 mi |
| Wes's Tree Service | 5.0★ (1) | 18 mi |
National price ranges in USD, not adjusted for Sterling. Each row names its basis and the month we checked it.
| Job | Low | Typical | High | Basis | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tree removal | $200 | $750 | $2,000 | Per tree: typical range of customer-reported removals. US national range | October 2026 |
Late fall through winter, when most trees are dormant, is the usual time for planned pruning and removals. In Illinois, ice and snow storms bring a rush of emergency removals.
We scored 13 Sterling tree services on 8 factors, weighted as shown. A business is ranked when its trade is confirmed and it has 3 or more Google reviews or a claimed profile. Unknown factors are left out of the score, not counted as zero. Scores last refreshed October 22, 2026.
Paid placement never changes a rank or score. Featured businesses are paid, labelled, limited to 3 and shown above the ranking, outside it.
| Factor | Weight | Computed from | In Sterling data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reputation | 35% | Bayesian-adjusted Google star rating | Measured |
| Credentials | 15% | Active state license 0.6, bond 0.2, workers’ comp 0.2 | Not yet collected |
| Review volume | 10% | log10(reviews + 1) against the list maximum | Measured |
| Recency | 10% | Share of reviews from the last 12 months | Not yet collected |
| Availability | 10% | Weekly open hours, Saturday, Sunday, 24/7 or same-day | Measured |
| Trade focus | 10% | Google main category 1.0, business name 0.7, additional category 0.5 | Measured |
| Proximity | 5% | 1.0 when based in the city, falling to 0 at the trade’s radius | Measured |
| Completeness | 5% | Website, photos, description, hours, claimed profile (0.2 each) | Measured |