For landscape installation crews, shortlist software by the job it needs to do: LMN or SynkedUP for budget-based estimating and cost tracking, ArcSite for drawings and quantities, Jobber for service scheduling, and Dave for project estimates through invoicing. Your patio crew and a weekly mowing route may need different systems.
This comparison covers patios, planting, sod, and other quoted installation work. It's written by the Dave team from vendor documentation checked November 1, 2026, not a hands-on speed or accuracy test. Our recommendations are about fit; the worked example is original and hypothetical.
Landscape estimating software at a glance
| Tool | Consider it when… | Check before choosing |
|---|---|---|
| LMN | You want company budgeting and overhead recovery to inform estimates | Which plan includes the actual-cost reporting your crew needs |
| SynkedUP | You want production assumptions connected to timesheets and job costing | Plan inclusions, staff setup, and how consistently crews will record actuals |
| ArcSite | Site drawings and drawing-driven material quantities take too long | Your landscape assemblies and the tier needed for customer proposals |
| Jobber | Your installation work sits alongside recurring service visits | Scheduling fit and the plan needed for costing, options, and accounting sync |
| Dave | A small project crew wants measured scope, prices, approvals, and invoices together | Whether you need a separate drawing or specialist costing tool |
What does each option cost?
Compare the plan that does your work, not the smallest number on the pricing page. Prices below reflect the checked pages; taxes, transaction fees, extra seats, and optional services can add cost. Confirm currency and the final subscription at checkout.
| Tool | Published pricing reference | Cost detail to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| LMN | Starter from US$297/month, billed monthly | Includes one office/crew-lead license and five crew-member licenses; check onboarding and upgrades |
| SynkedUP | Check its current plan quote | Standard lists two included users and additional users at $20/month; confirm billing terms |
| ArcSite | Takeoff $119.99/month; Estimates $159.99/month on monthly billing | Annual-billing rates differ; proposals are in Estimates, not the basic drawing tier |
| Jobber | Configure team size, features, and commitment on its pricing page | Monthly billing can still carry a one-year commitment; compare like-for-like terms |
| Dave | $99/month or $948/year, with two seats | Additional seats and payment processing; confirm billing currency |
For a SynkedUP quote, specify your user count and whether you need budgeting, timesheets, and job costing. Confirm those features and the total subscription in the same offer.
Choose around the work that slows you down
Budgeting and learning from completed jobs
LMN is worth a demo when you want estimating tied to a company budget and overhead recovery. SynkedUP is also worth comparing when recording crew time and material use against estimates is central to how you improve bids. Their published plans describe these workflows, but they still depend on your inputs and crew records. LMN plans · SynkedUP plans
Bring your annual overhead, labor costs, equipment costs, and a completed job to the demo. Ask the vendor to show how each changes the price. Don't add an extra overhead percentage without understanding what the software's rate already includes.
Measuring and explaining the layout
ArcSite is a candidate when drawings need to produce material quantities. Test a curved bed, patio border, and gate opening with your own assemblies. A correct area measurement still doesn't decide excavation depth, soil conditions, drainage, or access labor. ArcSite plans
Keep measurement and pricing review separate. If you already have reliable measured plans, buying another drawing workflow may solve less than organizing your cost library.
Scheduling repeated visits
Jobber documents recurring jobs and service scheduling. That makes it worth comparing when ongoing visits are a large part of the business. A project-focused estimator alone may not solve a busy maintenance calendar. Jobber scheduling
Dave fits quoted projects that move from an estimate to client approval, scheduled work, and invoices. It supports saved Pricebook items, options, project notes, and AI estimate drafts. It isn't positioned as a high-volume mowing-route system or an automated site-measurement tool.
A 400-square-foot patio to test in every demo
Use a completed job if you have one. Otherwise, this fictional 20 × 20-foot patio gives you a consistent exercise. All costs are illustrative USD inputs, not local market rates or an installation specification.
| Estimate input | Calculation | Direct cost |
|---|---|---|
| Pavers, including assumed 10% cutting allowance | 440 sq ft × $5 | $2,200 |
| Excavation, disposal, and base work | Installed allowance, including preparation labor | $1,800 |
| Bedding, edging, and joint materials | Allowance | $500 |
| Surface installation labor | 40 person-hours × $55 | $2,200 |
| Equipment | Separate allowance | $300 |
| Defined drainage work | Installed allowance | $400 |
| Total direct cost | Sum | $7,400 |
| Selling price with 30% markup | $7,400 × 1.30 | $9,620 |
The labor line covers surface installation only. Preparation and drainage labor are already in their allowances. Taxes, permit/design fees, steps, walls, demolition, and unsuitable-soil work are excluded. Specify them separately when needed.
Ask each tool to complete four tasks:
- Build the estimate. Keep finished area at 400 square feet and purchased pavers at 440. Those are different quantities.
- Revise access labor. Add eight installation person-hours. At $55/hour and the same markup, the price should rise by $572 to $10,192.
- Offer a separate upgrade. Add a border or lighting option without putting unaccepted work in the base total.
- Follow the job after approval. Show the accepted scope, invoice, and actual labor record, wherever the product supports them. Note any step that requires another system.
A 30% markup is about 23.1% gross margin on the listed costs. See markup vs margin. If the owner wants replacement pavers, add attic stock separately from cutting waste.
Check three job types before moving your business
| Trial job | What a useful estimate must keep visible |
|---|---|
| Patio | Area, pattern, cuts, preparation, edging, drainage, access, and labor |
| Sod installation | Measured area, ordered quantity, removal, grading, soil preparation, delivery, and care scope |
| Retaining wall | Dimensions and chosen system, excavation, base, drainage, caps, access, and any required design |
The point isn't to make every tool design a wall. It is to check whether you can record the approved design and price its scope without hiding important work inside a generic square-foot rate. Our patio quote playbook and sod vs seed guide help define those inputs.
Count setup and correction time during the trial. Confirm that you can export useful customer, estimate, and job records before committing. The software with the longest feature list may still be the wrong fit if your crew won't maintain its required records.
Common questions
Can AI measure a landscape job from photos?
Don't treat a general photo-based draft as a verified takeoff. Use site measurements or a suitable measurement tool, check the scale and boundaries, and confirm what imagery cannot show. Dave can organize supplied scope and prices; the contractor supplies and checks the quantities.
Is estimating software worth it for a two-person crew?
It can be if it removes repeated entry, keeps options clear, or makes cost review easier. A reliable spreadsheet may still be enough for a low volume of simple jobs. Test the same job and compare total effort through invoicing, not just time to the first draft.
Should I use the same tool for mowing and hardscaping?
Only if it handles both workflows well. Recurring visits and a multi-day installation have different scheduling and pricing needs. Demo both before choosing, especially if one side of the business is growing.