In this paper we quantitatively compare various electrostatic models, which describe the interaction of a polarized atomic force microscopy tip with a molecularly smooth and grounded substrate, with a large experimental data set collected at many different tip potentials. The model by Hudlet et al. [Eur. Phys. J. B 2, 5 (1998)] provides an excellent description of the experimental data for tip parameters (height H, cone half-angle θ 0 , and tip radius R 0 ) close to their typical values, provided contributions from the cantilever body are included.