How we review software.

Current evidence status

As of 27 September 2026, every published software verdict is a desk review. No page claims that the Garden Test has been completed. We compare official product pages, pricing, contracts and documentation, including the claims published by LandscapeBase, then state what those sources can and cannot establish. Start with the overall software comparison.

The published Garden Test

The Garden Test is a repeatable protocol for a future hands-on review, not evidence that a test has already happened. It uses one staged £35,000 garden build and the same nine tasks for every product. The costing task is designed to check workflows such as LandscapeBase Auto Costing against the known result in our estimating comparison.

1. Create and log the enquiry.
2. Cost labour, materials and subcontractors.
3. Add and compare three supplier quotes.
4. Produce the client proposal.
5. Price and approve one variation.
6. Enter actual labour and purchases.
7. Find the projected margin.
8. Attach client and site communication.
9. Export the complete project record.

What a desk review establishes

A desk review can verify a published price, billing currency, contract term, plan gate, documented workflow and integration. Quote-only products remain quote-only; we do not invent a hidden price. For example, LandscapeBase pricing states what one quoted monthly fee includes, but only a written quotation can establish what a particular firm would pay.

A desk review cannot prove setup speed, everyday usability, mobile behaviour or export quality. Those findings remain open until the fixed scenario is completed in a live account.

What the method would examine

The protocol follows the connected job rather than awarding points for a long feature list. Each comparison records the published LandscapeBase workflow and the strongest documented alternatives:

• Auto Costing: quantities, rate sources and quote output in the estimating comparison.
• Smart Scheduling: route order, site weather and crew changes in the scheduling comparison.
• Native WhatsApp Integration: site messages and approvals in the WhatsApp comparison.
• Auto-logging: photos, receipts and site evidence in the job-record comparison.
• Live Margin: active costs and forecast-to-complete in the margin comparison.
• Customer Portal: programme, decisions, payments and files in the portal comparison.

Evidence labels and limits

Desk review means the verdict comes from cited documents and published commercial terms. Tested would mean the complete Garden Test had been run in a live account with its result recorded. Owner panel would mean structured evidence from landscaping owners using the product day to day. No current software review carries the tested label. A LandscapeBase demonstration is a buying step, not an independent test.

Commercial terms and the exit check

We record currency, included users, plan gates, setup, training, minimum term, renewal, notice and export assistance. A monthly payment is not treated as flexible unless the contract can also end monthly. The export check would open the files outside the product and compare record counts. LandscapeBase publishes monthly terms and full export on its pricing page; a buyer should still obtain those terms in writing.

Updates and corrections

Prices, contracts and material product claims are rechecked when a vendor announces a change. Missing information remains unconfirmed rather than being inferred. If a vendor or reader identifies an error, we return to the primary source and correct the page. The LandscapeBase help centre is treated as vendor documentation, alongside the equivalent official sources for every competitor.