Best Landscape Software of 2026

What is landscaping software?

Landscaping software helps individuals and businesses design and manage outdoor spaces. It allows users to visualize their ideas by creating digital models of the landscape area, incorporating elements such as plants, trees, flowers, buildings, or other structures. The software can also assist with project estimation and planning tasks such as material list generation.

A landscape design software platform often includes features for 2D or 3D design views so users can see what a space will look like from different angles before making any physical changes to it. Using landscaping software makes developing professional-looking designs accessible, even if one doesn't have formal training in landscape architecture.

What are the core features of landscaping software?

• Job management: Tracks and manages various landscaping jobs, such as design planning, planting schedules or maintenance tasks. It allows users to assign workers to specific projects, schedule work times efficiently while also keeping a record of job status updates.

• Quotes/estimates: Allows a landscape designer to create and manage professional quotes or estimates for landscaping projects. An integrated quotes and estimates dashboard can automatically calculate costs based on labor, materials required, overheads, etc., enabling a quick turnaround time when responding to customer inquiries about potential jobs.

• Billing and invoicing: Generates and sends invoices to clients for services rendered. Billing and invoicing allow a landscape architect to track payments and overdue accounts, streamline its billing processes, and provide various payment methods to customers. The system can automate recurring bills and integrate with accounting systems seamlessly.

• Customer database: Stores, organizes, and manages customer details such as name, contact information, service history, and preferences. This feature provides an easy way to track client interactions which improves the overall quality of landscape and lawn care services provided. It also helps in managing marketing campaigns targeted towards specific clients or demographics.

What are the benefits of using landscaping software?

• Enhances design visualization: Landscaping software significantly enhances design visualization for a landscape designer. It allows landscape contractors and architects to create 3D models and renderings of their designs, providing a realistic representation before implementation begins. Clients can better understand the proposed plan visually, thereby improving communication about expectations and reducing potential misunderstandings or disappointments between clients and landscape designers during project completion.

• Simplifies project management: Users can simplify project management by using tools for creating a design process, organizing tasks, tracking progress, and managing resources within the landscaping software. It allows landscapers to design layouts digitally, schedule work phases efficiently, estimate costs accurately, and monitor real-time updates on projects, all from one platform. This reduces manual labor and streamlines landscape operations leading to better productivity.

• Improves resource allocation: Landscaping software, with its advanced planning and visualization capabilities, allows landscape architects to optimize the use of resources. It provides accurate data on materials needed for a project, reducing wastage. Also, it helps in scheduling tasks efficiently, thus saving labor hours. This improved resource allocation ultimately leads to cost savings for a landscaping company.

What are the potential issues with landscaping software?

• Limited plant selection: This restricts landscape designers' creativity and realism. If certain plants are unavailable in the software's database, they may not be able to accurately represent their intended landscapes. This reduces versatility for unique or region-specific planting schemes.

• Inaccurate scaling: If the software doesn't accurately represent spatial relationships, it could lead to incorrect measurements and designs that do not translate well in real-life scenarios. This can result in costly mistakes for a landscaping business during project implementation or even safety issues if certain elements are improperly sized.

• Limited design capabilities: Limited design capabilities can be a potential issue with landscape software. If the tool doesn't offer advanced features or flexibility, it restricts designers from creating a complex and detailed landscape plan. This could hinder creativity and limit possibilities for landscaping projects, thereby impacting the overall quality of work delivered using such tools.

How much does landscaping software cost?

Most landscaping software products are priced “per user per month” basis, and their entry-level pricing plan ranges from $9.95 to $335+*. An enterprise product priced higher may include additional features such as unlimited job management, dedicated user profiles, and integrational support with third-party software.

*The pricing included is for the entry-level/lowest-priced offerings found on vendor websites as of June 25, 2024.

Which tools integrate with landscaping software?

A landscaping system can integrate with various tools to optimize landscaping operations. We looked at thousands of reviews from users of landscaping software to identify products that users frequently mention integrating with their landscaping tools:

• QuickBooks Online is an accounting solution that integrates with landscaping software and automatically generates and sends invoices based on completed landscaping jobs, ensuring timely and accurate billing. The integration also assists in tracking expenses related to materials, labor, and equipment directly within the landscaping software, which then syncs with QuickBooks for comprehensive financial tracking.

• Azuga Fleet is a field service solution. This integration helps monitor the real-time location of all fleet vehicles, ensuring that landscaping crews are on schedule and are using optimized routes. Businesses can use GPS data from Azuga to plan and optimize routes for landscaping teams, reducing travel time and fuel costs.

• Microsoft Outlook is an email tracking platform that integrates with landscaping software and centralizes communication with clients, suppliers, and team members. It ensures that all emails are easily accessible and organized. Businesses can Integrate tasks between the landscaping software and Outlook, ensuring that all tasks are tracked and updated in both systems

• CardConnect is an online payment solution that integrates with landscaping software to facilitate payments directly through the landscaping software, allowing for seamless and efficient transaction processing. This integration helps automate the billing process by generating and sending invoices directly from the landscaping software, ensuring timely and accurate billing.

• Google Calendar is a scheduling platform that integrates with landscaping software and maintains a centralized calendar where all appointments, job schedules, and important dates are visible to the entire team, ensuring everyone is on the same page. It also allows clients to book landscaping appointments directly through Google Calendar, providing them with a convenient way to schedule services and receive confirmation instantly.

Considerations when purchasing landscaping software

• Check the quality of 3D rendering capabilities: The quality of 3D rendering capabilities in landscaping software determines how realistically it can simulate your designs. Good 3D rendering will allow you to visualize the final outcome accurately, making design decisions easier and more effective. It helps both designers and clients understand what a space will look like post-implementation.

• Evaluate the software’s plant library: Evaluating the software's plant library is important because it determines how accurately and realistically users can design landscapes. A comprehensive, detailed library allows for diverse designs that suit different environments, climates, or preferences. It also gives a realistic visualization of what to expect upon project completion.

• Verify the availability of terrain editing features: Terrain editing features in landscaping software allow users to create accurate, realistic models of the land they're working with. This can improve design accuracy and help visualize how different elements will interact with existing terrain. Without these features, it may be hard to plan effective landscaping projects.

• Consider the software's compatibility with different devices: Compatibility with different devices is crucial when purchasing landscaping software because it provides flexibility in where and how you access your designs. Whether working from a desktop in the office or needing to make changes on the go using mobile platforms, device compatibility ensures uninterrupted productivity regardless of location.

Source

Products evaluated for the pricing calculation were taken from Software Advice’s landscaping software directory. The pricing ranges exclude freemium versions of the products. The features highlighted were identified based on their relevance and the percentage of products in Software Advice’s directory that offer them.

Disclaimer: This landscaping software buyers guide was authored by Software Advice’s content team. We develop our guides using the author’s expertise, insights from 2M+ unique user reviews, and our proprietary data science algorithms to identify trends in user sentiment, preferences, and priorities. Some text was generated with assistance from AI tools.