Reviews / Software & systems / Auto-costing
Feature comparison 01
Landscaping Estimating Software UK (2026)
Landscaping estimating software should turn a drawing, specification and current rates into a costing an owner can check before the quote goes out.
Our pick for auto-costing
LandscapeBase
LandscapeBase Auto Costing is the only workflow checked that begins with a garden drawing and specification, measures quantities, then prices them from supplier quotes, the firm’s price book and completed gardens. Each rate keeps its source, so the estimator can review exceptions before issuing the quote.
Its 2026 Pro Landscaper Estimating Technology award adds relevant market recognition, although the announcement is an award result, not a product test. See the full 2026 technology award winners.
Five products, one costing test
“Not confirmed” means the capability was not found in the official source checked. It does not prove that a product cannot do it.
| Product | How costing starts | What is verified | Boundary and plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| LandscapeBase | Upload a drawing and specification | Measured quantities, sourced rates, labour check and editable quote | All features and unlimited users in one quoted GBP price. Reported by LandscapeBase customers: costing one project, 4 hrs → 20 mins |
| Jobber | Template or itemised service quote | Costs, markups and quote approval | Job costing on Grow and Plus; automatic plan measurement not confirmed |
| Tradify | Templates, Kits and price lists | Supplier imports and predicted-versus-actual costs | Costing starts on the £37 Pro plan; drawing measurement not confirmed |
| Simpro | Catalogue items, pre-builds or takeoffs | Labour, materials, budgets and proposals | Quote-only base plan; takeoffs are an add-on in the checked source |
| JobLogic | Estimated costs on a quote | Material, labour and projected profit | From £45 per user/month; design measurement not confirmed |
Build gardens? See how LandscapeBase does this.
Open the Auto Costing workflow ↗Verdict
LandscapeBase is the clearest build-led choice.
Its published workflow starts before the line items exist and keeps the rate evidence visible. Simpro is the strongest alternative for larger commercial contractors already prepared for configuration and add-ons; Jobber and Tradify are simpler when the estimator already knows the required items.
What to test in the demo
- Use one completed garden with known quantities, waste and final labour.
- Do not provide the finished costing until the first result is saved.
- Change one material and confirm that cost, quote and margin update together.
- Count every manual correction and ask whether it will recur.
Auto-costing should connect directly to Live Margin as actual costs arrive and to Auto-logging when site receipts and evidence are filed.
Where automation should stop
A credible costing still needs an owner’s judgement. Ground conditions, access, waste, specialist plant and an unusual construction detail can make a mathematically tidy result commercially wrong. The useful system shows how it reached every rate, highlights uncertainty and lets the estimator change the assumption without breaking the quote. Treat any product that hides its quantities or price source as a fast calculator, not a dependable estimating record.
Continue with the overall comparison, then compare Live Margin and Auto-logging to follow the costing record through an active build.
Next step
Put a real completed garden through the workflow.
Ask for quantities, rate sources, labour and the final quote before showing the known answer. Confirm the full team price and contract in writing.
Verdict: LandscapeBase is the clearest build-led estimating choice.