Best pool service software for small routes
✔ Last verified 2026-10-21✔ Prices linked to vendor sources✔ Our methodologyAffiliate disclosure
Pool service is a route business: weekly recurring stops, chemical readings, and billing that depends on how many pools you service. The pricing models differ a lot, so the cheapest tool depends on your pool count and team size.
| Skimmer | GorillaDesk | Jobber | Housecall Pro | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Getting Started: $1/serviced location/mo, starts at $49/mo / unknown Scaling Up: $2/serviced location/mo, starts at $98/mo / unknown | Basic: $49/mo (1 route) / unknown Pro: $99/mo (1 route) / unknown | Core: $49/mo / $29/mo billed annually (promo $21/mo for 12 months, ends Oct 30, 2026) Connect: $139/mo / $99/mo billed annually | Basic: unknown / $59/mo billed annually Essentials: unknown / unknown (not shown on public page) |
| Users / billing unit | Users unlimited; billed per serviced location (unserviced months not billed) | Users free; extra routes: Basic +$50 (routes 2-3), +$30 (4+); Pro +$50; Growth +$100 (route 2), +$50 (3+) | $29/mo each | $35/mo per additional user (MAX) |
| Free trial | First month free on Scaling Up (promo); 30-day refund guarantee | Trial offered (length not stated on pricing page) | 14 days on Grow plan, no credit card | 14 days on MAX plan, no credit card |
| Contract | Cancel anytime during trial | Month-to-month, no contracts, no setup fees; free data migration | Monthly no-commitment, 1-year monthly, or annual prepaid options | No long-term contract required |
| Routing | Route Builder (all); Route Optimization (Scaling Up) | Basic routing up to 25 stops; Drive Matrix routing on Pro | Routing listed in features (plan availability: see vendor table) | Routes on Essentials; route optimization on MAX |
| Chemical/material tracking | LSI & dosing calculator (Orenda), LaMotte integration on Scaling Up | Yes - material tracking & reporting (Basic) | unknown | unknown |
| QuickBooks | unknown | QuickBooks Online sync (Pro and up) | QuickBooks Online and Xero sync (Connect and up) | QuickBooks Online sync (Essentials and up) |
| Payment fees | unknown | Via Stripe/Square (their rates) | 2.9% + 30¢ online; 2.7% + 30¢ Tap to Pay; ACH 1% | From 2.59%; bank payments 1% |
| Rating | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown |
| Source | vendor page | vendor page | vendor page | vendor page |
Swipe sideways to see every tool →
Prices as published (monthly no-commitment / annual where shown). "unknown" = not published. Checked 2026-10-21.
1. Skimmer: built for pool routes
Skimmer charges per serviced location: $1/location/mo on Getting Started (starts at $49/mo, built for 0-49 pools) and $2/location/mo on Scaling Up (starts at $98/mo). Locations you don't service in a month aren't billed. Every plan includes unlimited technicians. Scaling Up adds route optimization, an LSI and dosing calculator powered by Orenda, and LaMotte integration. Right now Skimmer offers the first month of Scaling Up free, plus a 30-day refund guarantee. See Skimmer pricing
2. GorillaDesk: per-route pricing, unlimited users
GorillaDesk charges per route (technician schedule), not per user or per pool: Basic $49/mo, Pro $99/mo, Growth $149/mo for one route, month-to-month. Basic includes material tracking and reporting, plus routing capped at 25 stops. Pro adds Drive Matrix routing, a customer portal and QuickBooks Online sync. For a solo tech with a large route, that cap matters. See GorillaDesk pricing
3. Jobber: general-purpose, strongest for mixed work
Jobber isn't pool-specific (we found no chemical tracking on its pricing page; marked unknown). It can still fit pool businesses that also do repairs and one-off jobs. Core starts at $29/mo billed annually for 1 user. See Jobber pricing
4. Housecall Pro: general-purpose, users included
Basic is $59/mo billed annually. Essentials adds routes and includes 5 users; MAX adds route optimization and recurring service plans. Pool-specific chemistry features: unknown. See Housecall Pro pricing
Quick cost example (published list prices only)
- Solo tech, 40 pools: Skimmer Getting Started is $49/mo (40 locations at $1, with a $49 minimum). GorillaDesk Basic is $49/mo for 1 route, but routing caps at 25 stops.
- Solo tech, 80 pools on Scaling Up: the plan starts at $98/mo including 49 locations, plus $2 for each additional location (vendor terms). That's about $160/mo. Check the vendor's calculator before you commit.
See also: Jobber vs Housecall Pro · all pool service tools
FAQ
How much does pool service software cost?
Published entry prices we checked range from $29/mo (Jobber Core, billed annually) to $49/mo (Skimmer Getting Started, GorillaDesk Basic) and $59/mo (Housecall Pro Basic, billed annually). Checked 2026-10-21.
Which pool software charges per pool?
Skimmer bills per serviced location: $1 or $2 per location per month depending on plan.