Software buying checklist for field service businesses

✔ Last verified 2026-10-22✔ Prices linked to vendor sources✔ Our methodologyAffiliate disclosure

A practical checklist for cleaning, lawn, pool, pest, window and pressure washing businesses choosing scheduling, quoting and invoicing software. Tick items as you go, or print it and take it to demos.

Print or save as PDF

1. Must-have features

• Quotes or estimates customers can approve online
• Scheduling and dispatch with a drag-and-drop calendar
• Recurring jobs and routes (weekly pool, monthly pest, lawn cycles)
• Route optimization if you drive more than a few stops a day
• Invoicing with card and ACH payments, plus automatic reminders
• Field mobile app that works with poor signal, with photos, checklists and notes
• Job costing: track labor and materials against the quote
• Integration with your accounting software (QuickBooks or Xero)
• Trade-specific records if needed: chemical logs (pool and pest) or before/after photos

2. Real cost

• Write down your number of users or technicians today and in 12 months; many tools charge per user
• Get the published monthly price at both counts, in writing if it's quoted
• Ask for the card processing rate and per-transaction fee, and whether you can use your own processor
• Ask whether there's a platform fee or revenue percentage on top of processing
• List the add-ons you'd need (branded app, website, texting, extra locations or users) and their monthly prices
• Confirm contract length, auto-renewal, cancellation notice and any setup or exit fee
• Ask whether annual billing is discounted and whether the discount is refundable if you leave

3. Your data

• Confirm you can export customers, payment history and notes yourself, in CSV, at any time
• Ask who moves your data in, what it costs, and how long it takes
• Ask how stored cards or recurring billing move over without customers re-entering cards
• Check what happens to your data after you cancel and for how long you can download it

4. Trial and decision

• Start a trial and run one real week through it, not just the demo
• Test the mobile app as a staff member and as a customer
• Time how long the most common task takes (booking, check-in, quoting)
• Contact support once during the trial and note how fast and useful the answer is
• Ask two current users in your niche (forums, local groups) what they'd change

Compare published prices: Jobber vs Housecall Pro · pool service software · pest control software · job quote estimator

FAQ

What's the most overlooked cost in field service software?

Per-user pricing and payment processing. Price it at the team size you'll have in a year, and ask for the card rate in writing.

Can I get the checklist as a PDF?

Yes. Use the Print button and choose 'Save as PDF'.

Do I need route optimization?

It's most useful when you run many recurring stops a day (pool, pest, lawn). For a few jobs a day, a good calendar may be enough.