Top 10 Online Payment & Billing Solutions for Landscaping & Gardening Businesses

As a landscaper, creating a beautiful, finished product is your job—wouldn't it be great if you could create beautiful invoices and get paid just as easily? Billing and payments are a struggle for several businesses, but in the world of outdoor services, many contractors find themselves without the right tools and unsure of where to turn. For all the zero-turn mowers and high-end weed machines available today, there are just as many high-tech, modernized solutions for billing, so don’t assume that you’re stuck with the same old options. 

Modern payment and billing solutions are anything but old, and definitely not going to give the same experience that most are used to. Today’s tools offer things like automated payment reminders, automatic payments and billing, and even the chance to customize invoices, create templates for easy billing, and more. 

Forget spending a small fortune to hire a bookkeeping service or even put someone on the payroll to handle your billing and payments—with the tools on the list below, anyone can handle the job even with limited training in finance. 

Of course, how are you to know which tools are right for the job? In the list below, we’ve compiled the top 10 billing and payment solutions for landscapers, gardeners, and other service contractors. In the list, you’ll find all kinds of affordable solutions that can be scaled to your needs from some of the leaders in accounting and billing products today. Then, you’ll have a much better idea of your options so you can choose what works best for you. 

Look for automated features, affordable pricing, and other things that matter to you in your software suite. Speaking of which, you’ll also want to make sure that your new payment and billing solution fits into your existing tech stack—fortunately, the platforms on this list offer an impressive list of integrations and many even have open APIs for totally customizable integrations across the board. 

Plus, you can add them to your repertoire without spending a small fortune and get your billing on track to a better, more automated future. You’ll get paid faster, have fewer outstanding bills, and give every client a more professional billing experience with these solutions on your side. (And if you want even more support on your side, consider the 24/7 live chat and Facebook message answering services from Smith.ai that can field billing questions, handle overflow calls while you’re in the field, and more.)

Our top 10 picks for landscapers & gardeners

1. Invoice2Go

Invoice2Go is a great tool for busy landscapers on the go. This platform features everything that you need for a small business payment and billing solution without the extras that you don’t-- no setup fees, no commitments, no hassles. You can create invoices on the go, accept payments, and even send bills with a handy “pay now” button for credit card and PayPal payments. 

There are Android and iOS apps for Invoice2Go, so you’re already holding the hardware that you need. You can also add it to your desktop computers, tablets, and anywhere else you want. Detailed reporting and a user-friendly dashboard make sure that you have everything in one convenient place, too. And when you pay for a year, you get the whole thing for just three bucks a month for the starting plan. 

• Free option? No
• Price: Starts at $3 per month
• Invoice templates
• Time tracking 
• Billable hours reporting
• Detailed reporting features
• Accept online payments
• Mobile-friendly 
  

2. OneUp

OneUp comes with a Business Assistant that will handle everything for you—okay, maybe not everything, but it will automate your invoicing, make billing and taxes easier, and even give you the tools to split payments, scan and pay bills, and more. The platform comes with an open API for easy integrations so that your other software fits in just fine, and the digital accounting makes keeping tabs on things a breeze. 

OneUp has apps for Android and iOS so that you can keep your billing moving even when you’re constantly on the go. There are other solutions available to assist with managing your landscaping operations, too. From cashflow management to workflow automation, invoicing and estimates, and everything in between, it’s never been easier to manage getting paid. 

• Free option? No
• Price: Starts at $9 per month
• Automated reminders
• Customizable platform and dashboard
• Customer 360 views
• Digitize documents for easy payment
• Email reminders
• Hundreds of integrations available
  

3. FreeAgent

FreeAgent has no contracts or setup fees, but tons of invoice templates and customizable features. There’s a user-friendly dashboard and payments and billing are easier than ever. It's best for small landscaping companies and gardeners who need a simple tool, but it’s anything but basic. You’ll also enjoy recurring invoicing and plenty of useful integrations. 

FreeAgent has apps for iOS and Android so that you can take your billing with you anywhere, and you can even deliver estimates and convert them to invoices. You’ll enjoy discounts for new members and dedicated user support, along with an impressive list of other features and tools. 

• Free option? No 
• Price: Starts at $12 a month
• Automated invoicing
• Recurring billing and payments
• No contracts or setup fees
• Mobile friendly
• Template database for easy invoicing
  

4. Invoicely

Invoicely is one of our favorite options for billing and payments because it’s free in most regards. You can even find custom invoice templates available by the dozens, and prepare them for free. There are paid plans available for premium features and additional invoicing capabilities, as well. The platform comes with dedicated iOS and Android apps and offers tools for automating workflows, tracking payroll, and more. 

Invoicely offers mobile invoicing and branding for all types of businesses, as well as easy reporting and custom label creation to make organization easy. A user-friendly dashboard allows you to access everything in seconds, and everything in your business will be easier with this tool on your side. 

• Free option? Yes
• Price: Starting at $10 per month
• Robust reporting tools
• Workflow automation
• Invoice customization
• Automated payments and reminders
• Dedicated iOS and Android apps
  

5. FreshBooks

FreshBooks is one of the easiest apps to use for billing and payments, which makes it popular among those in the contracting and service industries. After all, you have better things to do than worry about the books, so why not let them worry about themselves? With this platform, you’ll find plenty of reminder features, time tracking tools, estimate creators, and more. 

You can also create retainers and bill for them, convert your estimates to invoices at the touch of a button, and enjoy double-entry accounting to make sure that everything is accounted for. There are mobile apps for iOS and Android and you can even find a mileage tracking feature for the iOS app, making it a great choice for landscapers who need to track their movements. 

• Free option? No 
• Price: $15 per month to start
• Integrated mobile apps for iOS and Android
• Customer data collection
• Retainer option
• Estimate-to-invoice conversions
• Hundreds of integrations
• Fee-based payment gateway
  

6. Intuit QuickBooks

Intuit QuickBooks offers a variety of iterations for different business types and sizes, including simple platforms for landscapers and other contract service providers. The platform is scalable to handle all kinds of invoicing needs and has evolved to become one of the best tools available for those who want straightforward, robust invoicing and payment solutions.

Intuit has mobile tools and features, and the ability to handle taxes, payroll, and other accounting needs all in the same place. You can integrate it with your existing tech stack and will be able to customize invoices, create your own real-time dashboard, and access detailed reports to keep you on top of your payments and billing at all times. 

• Free option? No, but there is a trial
• Price: Starts at $15 per month
• Receipt capture
• Mobile ready
• Handle payroll and taxes
• Cloud-based and scalable
• Multiple formats available for various industries
  

7. Square

Square Invoicing is just one more offering from the Square family of products, which is focused on making payment processing and business operation easy for the small businesses of today. Whether you’re a sole landscaper or you’ve got a small company, Square offers all the payment and billing tools that you need. Mobile apps are available and you’ll even find payment processing hardware, such as mobile card readers if you need them. 

Square offers automated reminders, resources like industry insight reports, and even invoicing tools that allow customers to pay right from their email, and more. Square has project tracking features and makes it easy for you to create invoices on the go. If you don’t need a heavy program with a lot of features, this could be the solution for you. 

• Free option? No
• Price: $15 per month to start
• Pay-as-you-go payment gateway
• Automated features
• Project tracking
• Dedicated industry solutions
• Client and account management tools 
  

8. Xero

Xero Invoice software offers a simple platform that users love. The tools included make it easy to create custom invoices and you can even sync with your bank electronically for total accounting management. The cloud-based platform offers interactive quotes and streamlined billing so that you’re never having to ask to get paid again. 

You'll be able to integrate with your existing apps without so much as a second thought, as well as to track time, handle claiming expenses, and so much more. There are dedicated apps for iOS and Android so that you can even handle billing on the go, and user-friendly quotes make it easy for you to keep your customers informed about what they will owe. 

• Free option? No 
• Price: $11 per month to start
• Reconciliation tools
• Expense tracking
• Convenient mobile apps
• Interactive quotes
• Customizable and scalable
  

9. Zoho Invoice

Zoho Invoice is part of the Zoho suite of business automation and management tools and includes everything that you need for billing, payments, and accounting for your small landscaping or gardening business. The suite features automated payments, customization for branding, estimates that can be converted to invoices instantly, and more. 

You can use Zoho Invoice to track hours and billed expenses, as well as unbilled hours and expenses so that you can keep projects together and keep track of your time. You will find detailed reports to keep you alerted to any outstanding bills, and multiple currencies and languages to support international business. 

• Free option? Free for a single user
• Price: Starts at $9 per month
• Automated payments and reminders
• Hundreds of integrations
• Multiple currencies available
• Branded invoicing options
• Estimate-to-invoice conversions
  

10. Wave 

Wave Accounting is an all-inclusive platform that features several accounting tools and reporting features, as well as income and expense tracking. There are plenty of automation features and tools to help save time and effort in all of your billing and payment processing. The app also has pay-as-you-go pricing for several of the features to make it more affordable. 

There are also monthly plans for payroll management and free invoicing tools for those who need something basic to get the job done. You can upgrade or use paid features as you need, and enjoy an open API that will integrate with your existing tech stack. Access this platform from the cloud on any device, and enjoy scalability and customization, too. 

• Free option? Yes, some free features are available
• Price: Monthly plans start at $20 
• Automated payments 
• Recurring billing
• Payment reminders
• Free invoices
• Pay-per-use payment gateway
  

Set yourself up for success with Smith.ai 

Whether you’re a fan of the great outdoors or just not a fan of tedious paperwork, these automated billing and payment solutions can all upgrade your landscaping or gardening business. You’ll find a host of different features with each platform, and all of them worth a further look. While you’re cutting the grass, let these tools cut the fat and help you get paid faster and easier than ever before. 

You can take things one step further with automation and streamlined service for your clients when you add the dedicated solutions of the team at Smith.ai. Our virtual receptionists can handle all kinds of billing and payment needs, integrate with your existing software, and help you get paid and get your billing to a place where it basically handles itself. Schedule your Live Chat consultation today to find out more or drop us a line at hello@smith.ai or (650) 727-6484.