How to find the best landscaping estimating app for your business

Your estimate can make or break the profit on a landscaping job. Accurate, data-backed job bidding plays a direct role in the success of your landscaping company.

Estimating software for landscapers provides easy-to-use tools to create consistent, accurate estimates at the right profit margin. Unlike single-solution estimating software, an all-in-one landscape business management platform connects estimate generation with all aspects of the job, from start to finish.

All-inclusive software gives landscapers the data they need to maintain profit margins–no matter what

With comprehensive landscaping software, landscaping contractors use data from created estimates to:

• Produce work tickets
• Track actual project costs
• Send invoices

Working from a single platform saves time and reduces errors by eliminating repetitive and manual data entry. It also provides critical data from across operations to maintain the accuracy of future estimates.

If you’re looking for estimating tools to help your landscaping and lawn care business increase profitability, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled a guide to help you find the right landscaping app for your business.

What is landscape estimating software?

Landscape estimating software is designed to help landscaping professionals quickly create accurate, consistent, and profitable estimates. Estimating software automates critical areas of the estimating process to simplify and standardize landscaping project bids.

How landscaping estimating software improves business operations

When it comes to landscaping estimates, accuracy and consistency are key. Landscaping estimating software helps landscapers achieve both by streamlining the estimation process.

Aspire’s landscape business software provides customizable bidding templates and kits, so estimators can combine commonly used services, pricing, and language to estimate a specific type of work. 

Using an estimating app for landscapers enables quick bidding of large and complex jobs, resulting in a professional proposal for the customer.

Types of landscaping estimating apps

To choose the right landscape and lawn care estimating app for your large or small business in the green industry, compare landscaping business software features and functionality. 

These are some of the top landscaping and lawn care software options:

Aspire

This cloud-based landscape business software is an all-in-one platform built to power growth at three times the industry average for commercial and residential landscape and lawn care businesses.

Aspire software streamlines and automates: 

• Scheduling
• Estimating
• Inventory and project management
• Job costing
• CRM
• Purchasing
• Accounting
• Timesheets and payroll
• Invoicing and billing
• Reporting

Users benefit from real-time data-capturing and customizable dashboards so every job code can see information relevant to their daily work.

LMN 

LMN offers web-based software for businesses in the landscaping industry. Features include scheduling, routing and crew tracking, estimating, job and payroll reporting, and sales and marketing reporting.

Jobber 

Jobber is web-based software for home service companies in several field service industries, including landscaping, lawn care, tree care, cleaning, pest control, mobile pet services, and general contracting trades. 

Its features include scheduling, dispatching, invoicing, payments, CRM, and reporting.

Boss LM

Boss LM markets itself to various businesses in the service industry, including lawn and landscape, hardscape contractors, supply chain management, and snow removal companies. 

Core features include CRM, invoicing, branch management, and business operations management.

Include/Asset

Include/Asset provides business management for landscaping companies, including CRM, scheduling, accounting, purchasing, estimating, work orders, inventory, and financial analysis.

Service Autopilot

Service Autopilot provides software for field service industries, including lawn care, cleaning, snow removal, pest control, and pool cleaning. 

Its startup plan helps companies with business functions such as scheduling, estimating, expenses and invoices, and credit card processing.

Real Green

Real Green offers software and marketing for lawn care and maintenance, landscaping, snow removal, arbor care, and pest control companies. 

It helps businesses with scheduling, estimating, routing, marketing, and payment processing.

What to look for in a landscaping and lawn care estimating app

You need the right management tools to run a successful landscaping business. The best landscaping estimating apps streamline business functions to improve efficiency and profit. 

Affordability 

Unlike many other landscape software options, Aspire’s corporate and enterprise plans include the same core functions and an unlimited number of users. Landscaping companies can confidently grow without increasing software costs because Aspire doesn’t add on any per-user charges or block features with a paywall.

Support 

Aspire’s dedicated team takes customer service to the next level, providing customers with unlimited support, assistance, and training, including:

• Dedicated implementation specialists empower new customers to make the most of the software and align their operations with industry best practices
• A robust resource center provides templates, guides, and ebooks to improve business processes
• Blog with walkthrough articles for every new product update, demonstrating new features and functionality
• AspireCare for prompt troubleshooting and one-on-one support

Aspire isn’t just a software company. It’s a partner in your success, from the initial estimate to the final invoice.

Usability 

An effective landscaping estimating app provides user-friendly features both in the office and on the job site. 

For team members in the office, Aspire’s customizable dashboards for every job role provide real-time data at a glance, so users can instantly see the KPIs that matter to them most. For example, a production manager can quickly understand how things are going in the field. 

For field crews, Aspire’s app and mobile platform access for laptops or iOS and Android tablets enable operational precision with the following:

• Clock-in and -out functionality to track labor hours to individual jobs
• Service checklists to ensure exceptional service at every property
• Material tracking capabilities to generate more accurate estimates in the future
• E-sign capabilities to capture customer signatures from a laptop or tablet

Because Aspire is comprehensive and cloud-based, management and back office staff can access real-time data no matter where they are. 

Features

While some landscaping estimating apps offer limited functionality, Aspire’s all-in-one software platform centralizes all your data and provides greater visibility into every aspect of your business.

Accuracy and consistency come from incorporating every aspect of your operations into job costing to gain insight into your profit margins. 

Reviews

Curious about what customers say about Aspire? Real Aspire customers share their experiences on review sites about how they can increase profitability, improve operations, and ignite new growth in their business.

→ Aspire is rated 4.5 on Software Advice, Capterra, and Get App

Read customer stories to hear more firsthand accounts of how landscapers improved the way they work with Aspire.

Integrations

Aspire’s software partners provide even more tools to enhance operations and customer service. These integrations ensure every aspect of your operation is working cohesively, including:

• SiteOne Landscape Supply pricing catalog for up-to-date supply prices 
• In-platform material ordering through LandscapeHub
• Credit card and ACH payment processing through Clover Connect

These seamless integrations streamline essential business functions, such as QuickBooks for accurate accounting and PropertyIntel to complete accurate takeoffs, enhancement designs, and estimates in less time.

How landscaping estimating app features save time, increase efficiency, and improve accuracy

Aspire’s estimating features eliminate redundancies and streamline operations, helping you estimate jobs accurately, consistently, and more efficiently. 

Virtual takeoff technology

PropertyIntel integration automatically syncs precise measurements and takeoffs to the estimate.

E-sign contracts and drag-and-drop scheduling

When customers approve estimates by e-signing through the customer portal, the services included on the bid automatically become work tickets in the scheduling module.

Material and supply ordering

To save time and money when ordering materials, you can generate purchase orders as soon as the estimate is won and bulk-order materials and supplies for upcoming jobs. 

Invoicing and online payment processing

You can also generate invoices based on the estimate for accurate billing. Clients can access their current and past invoices, contracts, and communications through the customer portal. With integrations, they can pay using saved credit cards or ACH payment processing. 

Job costing and reporting

After completing the job, you can compare actual and estimated costs to ensure future estimates remain profitable.

How to choose the right landscaping estimating app for your business

With the array of choices, knowing which landscaping estimating app is right for your business can be challenging. Choose a software that provides everything you need to scale your landscaping business. 

→ Aspire grows with your business, providing the same robust support as you add new branches and divisions—eliminating the need to ever implement another solution.

When you consolidate siloed software into a single platform like Aspire, you centralize your data for greater efficiency and visibility. Aspire simplifies your workflows, boosting productivity and profitability.

Not sure where to start? Use our product match form to discover which software will work for you.

Benefits of using landscaping estimating applications

Save time and money

Forget using old data or relying on guesswork. When landscapers streamline the bidding process with software built for the industry, they can create estimates faster, with greater consistency and accuracy. 

Simple data-entry errors that arise from manual processes can be a serious detriment to your profitability and future growth by:

• Damaging customer relationships
• Bidding jobs at inaccurate or nonexistent margins
• Missing opportunities due to a lack of follow-up

Automation empowers your team to deliver their best work, so you can drive daily profits and make growth-focused management decisions.

Win more bids and close more sales

With Aspire, all estimators in the company use the same, easy-to-find data for building bids to ensure consistency no matter who is generating the estimate, eliminating siloed job tasks. 

Pre-built templates and kits ensure your bids remain consistent and accurate and are easy to update with new pricing, so estimates are always up-to-date.

Submitting faster estimates with greater detail helps your team to close more sales in less time.

Maximize your landscaping business with the right estimating software

While landscaping estimating software helps you create accurate and more profitable estimates, it also improves organization and job management. 

Build a foundation for growth by improving workflows and increasing efficiency, so your staff can do more with their time.

→ When you streamline processes, you boost efficiency and performance so employees can do more.

Aspire users grow three times the industry average because they understand their operations and costs better than companies with antiquated and manual processes. 

Listening to your gut and doing things as they’ve always been done is standard in the green industry, but those methods don’t deliver reliable profitability and consistent cash flow. 

Stay organized and improve job management with estimating software

Aspire’s centralized system keeps everyone on the team organized and on the same page. Automated estimating for commercial landscaping companies drives the workflow for a job.

Eliminate guesswork

Estimating software puts hard numbers on your job costs, so users aren’t left in the dark about whether their work delivers profits at the required margins. 

Gain confidence in your prices and labor hours with every job on your schedule, and start going after larger jobs and more substantial contracts.

Improve customer relationships

When you deliver estimates with granular detail to your customers, you build trust and confidence in your brand. Show prospects your attention to detail and professionalism from the job bid onward. 

Aspire’s CRM functionality automatically stores estimates for every property or customer, even those placed on hold or closed. For open estimates, Aspire enables landscapers to automate follow-up reminders to close the sale. 

Customers can easily view and approve estimates with a digital signature through email or within a customized customer portal.

Create evergreen contracts and copy estimates between properties

Landscapers know the value of providing customers with what they want. Evergreen contracts never expire, so building a robust customer base is easy. 

Aspire users can duplicate an estimate across entities in their CRM to expand services to multiple properties.

Streamline operations with a landscape and lawn care estimate app

Cloud-based software securely stores your data in a central location so you can see real-time data anywhere you have internet access instead of needing to be in the office to adjust the schedule, issue estimates, or invoice customers. 

→ With all your data in one location and all your operations in a single platform, identifying and eliminating pain points in processes is easy. 

Working collaboratively is usually easier said than done. However, the Aspire platform brings together teams in every aspect of your organization, from takeoffs and site visits to landscaping crews, account managers, and operations. What could your company achieve with real-time visibility?

Manage resources and increase profitability with estimating software for lawn care and landscape businesses

Aspire’s end-to-end functionality allows landscapers to unlock profits by improving day-to-day operational efficiency and providing greater insight and control.

• Equipment management: Proactively manage vehicles and equipment by automating tracking and GPS alerts from the field.
• Scheduling with route optimization: Drag-and-drop scheduling helps you manage jobs effortlessly. Optimize routes on the schedule board, reordering jobs into the most efficient sequence.
• Job costing: Real-time ticket management tracks your actual labor and materials costs, providing at-a-glance visibility into job progress.
• Mobile time tracking: Aspire’s mobile app allows crews to easily check in and out of tickets, ensuring accurate labor reporting and payroll.
• QuickBooks integration: Unlike other software solutions using a two-way sync, which can cause errors and inconsistencies, Aspire uses a one-way data push to QuickBooks to streamline end-of-month closing.

The importance of choosing the right landscaping estimating app

A landscaping estimate app does much more than help you calculate an estimate—it improves the efficiency and profitability of your business. 

When you connect and streamline every aspect of your business, you can make better decisions and power your business forward.

Want to learn more? Read customer stories to see how Aspire customers achieved success.

FAQs

What is the best landscape estimating software?

The best landscaping software provides tools to easily create accurate, profitable estimates. Aspire’s all-in-one solution gives landscapers the ability to:

• Create templates and kits to estimate a specific type of work quickly
• Pre-approve profit margins, which automatically factor into estimates to maintain profitability
• Edit kits simultaneously to streamline workflow
• Combine kits with digital takeoffs through integrated property intelligence tools and integrations

If you’re researching software solutions to find the best landscape estimating software, check out our free buyer’s guide to landscape software to learn more.

How do you estimate landscaping costs?

With all the variables in landscape construction and maintenance, it’s no secret that estimating landscaping jobs is a challenge. To estimate landscaping costs, calculate the following:

• Direct costs, including labor and materials
• Indirect costs, such as a percentage of overhead costs and other markups
• A percentage for profit

Aspire streamlines the estimate-creation process, saving time and money. Use templates and kits to auto-populate key data, leaving no room for manual miscalculations. Landscapers can create custom margins and markups by branch, division, or service type, ensuring consistent and profitable estimates every time.

How do you calculate landscaping materials?

Landscapers must precisely calculate landscaping materials to create an accurate estimate. Whether the project involves pavers, mulch, or sod, it’s critical to calculate the right amount of material.

To determine how much estimated landscaping material you need for a project, measure the area you need to cover. A basic cubic yard formula is as follows:

• Length x width = area in square feet
• (Area x depth)/27 = cubic yards

Complexity varies depending on the layout of a space and the type of material you need.

PropertyIntel, Aspire’s integrated property measurement tool, allows estimators to use precision, point-and-click measuring tools, and high-resolution aerial imagery. Exact measurements translate into spot-on estimates in less time.

What should a landscape estimate include?

Professional landscaping estimates show your customers you know what it takes to provide quality work and service. A landscape estimate should include the following:

• A description of the landscaping project
• A breakdown of labor and materials costs
• Total cost to perform the work
• Sales tax and any discounts
• Optional add-on services or enhancement upgrades
• Estimate terms and conditions, such as deposit amount and payment terms

Aspire streamlines landscaping business workflow, starting with the estimate. From the estimate, you can automatically:

• Create a work ticket
• Schedule the job
• Purchase materials
• Track project details
• Streamline invoicing and customer payments

Aspire delivers automation that helps you increase efficiency in your existing operations and unlock growth at three times the industry rate to achieve limitless scaling for your business.