Cremation Society of Indiana is a cremation provider on the south side of Indianapolis. If you are weighing it against the other options in the metro, the useful question is not whether it is a good company in the abstract — it is what it charges relative to everyone else within driving distance, and how you find that out.
This guide covers what our directory records about them, the wider Indianapolis price picture, and the one piece of confusion worth clearing up before you start calling around.
First, a Name That Causes Real Confusion
"Cremation Society of ___" is not a franchise or a national brand. It is a naming convention used independently by unaffiliated businesses in different states, and that trips up a lot of people comparing quotes.
Two things follow from that:
Cremation Society of Indiana is not the same business as similarly named societies elsewhere. Cremation Society of Virginia and Cremation Society of Pennsylvania are listed as brands of Service Corporation International (SCI) in SCI's own terms of service. Cremation Society of Indiana does not appear in SCI's FY2025 Form 10-K brand list, which names Dignity Memorial, Dignity Planning, National Cremation Society, Advantage Funeral and Cremation Services, Funeraria del Angel, Making Everlasting Memories, Neptune Society and Trident Society. Reviews, prices and policies from a "cremation society" in another state tell you nothing about this one.
"Society" does not mean non-profit. The word appears in the names of both independent local businesses and subsidiaries of publicly traded corporations. It carries no pricing or membership guarantee on its own. If that distinction matters to you, ask directly who owns the business and get the answer in writing.
What Our Directory Records
| Detail | What we have on file |
|---|---|
| Address | 4115 Shelby St, Indianapolis, IN 46227 |
| Phone | (317) 783-3357 |
| Google rating | 4.2 out of 5 |
| Review count | 49 |
| Direct cremation price | Not listed in our directory |
That last row is the one to act on. We do not have a published direct-cremation price for this provider, which means we cannot tell you where they sit against the local market — and neither can any other directory that does not have it either.
That is not an accusation. Plenty of good providers quote by phone rather than publishing a number. But it does mean the comparison work falls to you, and there is a specific document that does it: the General Price List.
Indianapolis Cremation Prices: The Market You Are Comparing Against
Here is the context that makes any single quote meaningful. Our directory tracks 19 active providers in Indianapolis, 14 of which publish a direct-cremation price:
| Direct cremation | Provider | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| $695 | Fountain Square Cremation & Funeral Services | 4.3 (54) |
| $995 | Stevens Mortuary | 4.7 (62) |
| $1,095 | Crossroads Cremation Care | — |
| $1,195 | Circle City Cremation Services | — |
| $1,200 | Bell Mortuary & Crematory | 4.7 (37) |
| $1,235 | Legacy Cremation & Funeral Services – Lawrence | 4.7 (37) |
| $1,295 | Hoosier Memorial Cremation | — |
| $1,390 | Indiana Funeral Care | 4.8 (564) |
| $1,395 | Legacy Cremation & Funeral Services – Indianapolis | 4.6 (38) |
| $1,395 | O'Riley–Branson Funeral Service & Crematory | 5.0 (185) |
| $1,495 | Newcomer Cremations, Funerals & Receptions | 4.8 (45) |
| $1,680 | Albertson's Mortuary | 4.9 (62) |
| $2,017 | Neptune Society | 4.8 (211) |
| $3,055 | Flanner Buchanan – Geist | 5.0 (2) |
Lowest: $695. Median: $1,343. Highest: $3,055.
Two observations worth carrying into your calls.
The spread is 4.4x from cheapest to most expensive for what is fundamentally the same service — transport, paperwork, the cremation itself, and the return of ashes. Nowhere else in this transaction does shopping around move the number that much.
And price does not track rating. Indiana Funeral Care holds a 4.8 across 564 reviews at $1,390 — below the metro median — while the most expensive listing in the table has two reviews. Paying more does not reliably buy a better-reviewed provider here.
How to Get a Real Number in Ten Minutes
Under the FTC Funeral Rule, any funeral provider must give you a General Price List when you ask in person, and must quote prices over the phone if you ask. You do not have to explain why you want it, and you do not have to visit in person to get phone pricing.
Ask for these four things specifically:
- The all-in direct cremation price, with every mandatory fee included
- What the basic services fee covers — this one is non-declinable, so it belongs in any comparison
- Whether transport, the county permit, the death certificate copies and the temporary container are inside or outside that number
- Whether the cremation happens at their own facility or is contracted to a third-party crematory
That last question matters more than most people realize. A provider without its own retort is coordinating with someone else's, which affects timelines and sometimes cost. It is a fair question and a straightforward one to answer.
Pros of an Independent Local Provider
- Reviews reflect one location. With a single-site business, a 4.2 across 49 reviews describes the actual staff you will deal with — not a national average across hundreds of branches.
- Decisions are usually local. Pricing and scheduling are not set by a corporate parent in another state.
- South-side convenience. The Shelby Street location is practical if you are in Beech Grove, Greenwood, or south Indianapolis.
Cons and Open Questions
- No published price we can verify. You cannot compare them against the table above without calling. Providers that publish make themselves easy to check.
- A modest review base. 49 reviews is real but thin next to Indiana Funeral Care's 564 — less signal about consistency over time.
- A 4.2 rating deserves a read, not just a glance. It is a solid score, but read the one- and two-star reviews specifically and look at how the business responded.
Who It Is Best For
Cremation Society of Indiana is likely a good fit if you live on the south side of Indianapolis, prefer dealing with a local independent over a national brand, and are comfortable calling for a quote rather than comparing published prices online.
Look harder at the alternatives if you are optimizing purely on cost — the metro's lowest published direct cremation is $695, roughly half the median — or if you want to compare several written quotes before speaking to anyone.
Local Alternatives Worth Comparing
Get at least two other quotes before deciding. Our city pages list every provider we track with published prices sorted low to high:
- Cremation providers in Indianapolis, IN — all 19, with prices
- Cheapest cremation in Indianapolis
- Cremation providers in Greenwood, IN — just south, often overlapping service areas
- Cremation providers in Carmel, IN
- Cremation providers in Fishers, IN
- Cremation providers in Bloomington, IN
Related Reading
- How much does cremation cost in 2026? — the national picture
- Cost of cremation in Indiana — statewide breakdown
- Affordable cremation: what it actually costs
- Your rights under the FTC Funeral Rule
- National Cremation Society vs Neptune: same owner? — how the SCI brands relate
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cremation Society of Indiana part of a national chain?
It does not appear in Service Corporation International's FY2025 Form 10-K brand list, which is where SCI names its brands including Neptune Society, Trident Society and National Cremation Society. Company ownership can change, so if this matters to your decision, ask the provider directly and get the answer in writing.
Is it the same company as Cremation Society of Virginia or Pennsylvania?
No. Those two are listed as SCI brands in SCI's terms of service. "Cremation Society of ___" is a naming convention used independently in different states, not a shared brand.
How much does Cremation Society of Indiana charge?
We do not have a published direct-cremation price for them in our directory. Ask for their General Price List — the FTC Funeral Rule entitles you to it, and they must also quote prices over the phone. For context, direct cremation in Indianapolis ranges from $695 to $3,055 with a median around $1,343.
Does "society" mean it is a non-profit?
Not necessarily. The word appears in the names of both independent local businesses and subsidiaries of publicly traded companies, and carries no pricing or membership guarantee on its own.
What is a good rating for a cremation provider?
Ratings in this industry cluster high, so the count and the content matter more than the number. 4.2 across 49 reviews is solid; read the critical reviews and the business's replies before deciding.
Is the cheapest option in Indianapolis good enough?
Often, yes — direct cremation is a fairly standardized service. The variables worth checking are whether the provider owns its crematory, how long the ashes take to come back, and exactly which fees the headline price includes.
Prices and details above come from our own directory and were last verified on August 15, 2026. Provider pricing changes without notice — always request a current General Price List before committing. Under the FTC Funeral Rule you are entitled to itemized prices in writing, and you may decline any item you do not want.