Do You Need Lawn Care Software to Run Your Business?

When most people start mowing lawns, they normally just make a list of their customers as they come on board and go from there. Client names, addresses, what you did last visit—maybe even a note about the dog that always barks or the gate that won’t shut properly. It works. For a while until you start to wonder do you need lawn care software.

But here’s the thing: it doesn’t scale. its hard to search it. You can’t set reminders. And when you’re trying to remember who paid, who didn’t, or when you last did that back section… now you’re jumping everywhere, looking for the right information. And if you’re anything like I was, you end up finding yourself, trying to find some half-scribbled note from three weeks ago.

It’s a great way to lose time. And in this game, time’s money.

My Early Attempts at Organisation

Before smartphones, I tried just about everything to stay organised. One of my best—and worst—ideas was using magnets.

I made this big metal board and divided it into days and weeks. Each lawn I mowed got its own magnet. When I finished a job, I’d slide that magnet forward a couple of weeks. It was actually working pretty well. Simple, visual, and low-tech. Until one afternoon I came home from work to find the entire board wiped out.

My little boy then discovered the magnets. And like any curious kid, he pulled them all off and made a game out of them. They were scattered across the kitchen and I stood there, looking at a blank board and a happy toddler,. I just thought, “Well, that didn’t work.”

Back to the drawing board.

Casio Databases and Rubbish Compactors Don’t Mix

When portable databases came out, I thought I’d hit the jackpot. I bought this little Casio organiser, and it was brilliant. I could input all my jobs, search by customer name, update when I’d mowed and everything else. It fit in my top pocket, and I used it daily.

But the thing with pocket-sized electronics is… they fall out.

One day, I was unloading a trailer full of clippings into the skip and leaned over a bit too far. The Casio slid out of my pocket and straight into the compactor. I heard the crunch before I even realised what it was.

And just like that, months of work were gone. I didn’t have a backup. I didn’t even have most of the phone numbers written down anywhere else. I reckon I was able to rebuild about 75% of my client list, but it was a long, painful week making calls and knocking on doors trying to piece things back together.

Lesson learned: no matter how clever your system is. You need a backup.

Palm Pilots Were Pretty Cool, Actually

Then came Palm Pilots. And for a while there, I felt like I was in the future. You used a little stylus to write on the screen, and it’d convert your handwriting into text. That felt like magic back then. You could keep notes, schedule jobs. Which, after the Casio disaster, was a big selling point.

I used the Palm Pilot for quite a while, and honestly, it did a good job. It made me realise how much smoother things run when you’ve got your system in your pocket. The only downside? It still wasn’t quite built for the lawn care world. It was designed for suits in offices, not sweaty blokes in steel-caps.

But it was a step in the right direction.

Then Came Excel – My Digital Lawn Book

When Excel came along, I felt like I’d struck gold. It was the first time I could really build out a system that worked the way I thought—not how someone else reckoned I should run my business.

I made my own worksheets with client names, addresses, visit dates, mowing patterns, pricing, you name it. I even tracked average cut times, arrival and departure times, and printed out daily run sheets with rough ETAs. I knew if I was ahead or behind schedule just by glancing at my printout. For a solo operator, that kind of system gave me structure and control.

And here’s the crazy part: I still use a version of that original Excel file today. But over time, it got bloated. Full of formulas, custom layouts, multiple tabs, hidden columns—all the bells and whistles.

The problem? I was the only one who knew how it worked. If I gave it to anyone else to use, they’d break it in under a week. Then I’d spend hours fixing formulas, re-linking sheets, and patching up the mess. So it ended up being great for me… but not scalable or shareable.

Testing Lawn Mowing Software (And Why I Didn’t Endorse It)

About halfway through last year, a software company reached out and offered me a trial of their lawn care system. Looked good on paper. They even offered to pay me a decent chunk to promote it to my community.

But I couldn’t do it.

Not because it was terrible—just because I didn’t believe in it enough to put my name to it. If I’m going to recommend something it has to work, and it has to make your life easier. At that point, the software wasn’t quite there.

I told them I’d keep testing, and I will. But I won’t rush to push something just for the commission. If I ever do recommend something like that, it’ll be because I’ve used it, broken it, fixed it, and still think it’s worth your time.

Google Calendar + Google Sheets = Free and Powerful

Here’s what I am using now—and what I actually recommend for most people just starting out.

Google Calendar. Dead simple. Totally free. And surprisingly powerful.

I now run about half my business using Google Calendar. I schedule jobs, add notes, shift bookings with a drag-and-drop. I can access it from the computer at home or pull it up on my phone out on the job. It’s synced, it’s fast, and it just works.

If you combine that with Google Sheets (also free), you’ve got a solid little system. You can track who’s paid, who owes what, and even keep a running total of monthly income if you want to get fancy.

Want invoicing on top of that? I’ve been using Invoiless. It’s got a solid lifetime plan that’s more than enough for most solo operators. You can invoice from your phone, email receipts, and track overdue payments without chasing people with Post-it notes.

What I Recommend if You’re Just Starting

If you’re new to this game, don’t overthink it. You don’t need a fancy system with bells, whistles, and a monthly subscription.

Start with Google Calendar. Get your jobs in there, set reminders, make notes. Use Google Sheets to track your income and debts. If you need invoicing, grab Invoiless.

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking software will solve everything. It won’t. But the right simple tools can stop you from drowning in admin and losing jobs because you forgot who’s due when.

Final Thoughts

I’m still testing software. I’ll keep testing software. But right now, this is what I use—and what I’d recommend if you’re starting from scratch and want to stay organised without blowing the budget doesn’t have to be fancy. This might help “what to look for in lawn care software“

Get out there, mow some lawns, and keep it simple.

I have some free training on the setup I use here