MowNext vs Yardbook
Yardbook is free. The upgrade path is now $34.99 or $49.99.
Yardbook still has one of the strongest free starting points in the category, and its paid plans are cheaper than a lot of competitors. The current trade-offs are the 1% non-premium processing fee, the ad-supported Starter plan, and an iOS app Yardbook still documents as beta.
The short version
MowNext vs Yardbook, in a paragraph.
- Stripe direct — 2.9% + $0.30, no Yardbook 1% non-premium surcharge stacked on top.
- Mobile PWA built mobile-first. Yardbook still documents its iOS app as beta.
- Crew includes reminders and two-way SMS without Twilio setup.
- No ads in the product.
- A modern UI with one-thumb design.
- Genuinely free Starter plan.
- Lot measurement ships on the free plan.
- Business adds GPS tracking, automatic backups, invoice reminders, and multi-step chemical programs.
- Enterprise adds QuickBooks sync, no ads, and a branded company portal.
Side by side
MowNext vs Yardbook — feature by feature.
No cherry-picking. Where Yardbook wins, we say so.
| MowNext | Yardbook | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Free tier Yardbook describes the free plan as ad-supported. | 20 customers, no ads | Starter, free |
| First paid tier | $19/mo Solo | $34.99/mo Business |
| Top published tier | $49/mo Crew | $49.99/mo Enterprise |
| Annual discount Yardbook bills monthly. | 17% off | |
| Business model & processing | ||
| Ads in the product | Starter yes, Enterprise no | |
| Online payment surcharge Yardbook support docs say the 1% fee is waived on premium plans. | None | +1% on non-premium processing |
| Card rate before vendor markup | 2.9% + $0.30 (Stripe) | 2.9% + $0.30 (Stripe) |
| Payout speed Both run through Stripe. | 2 business days | 2 business days |
| Mobile app | ||
| iOS app Yardbook support docs still label the iOS app as beta. | PWA — installs to home screen | Beta |
| Android app | PWA | Included on all plans |
| GPS tracking | Both platforms | Business / Enterprise |
| App store install required | ||
| Operations & communication | ||
| Recurring jobs | ||
| Lot measurement Honest: Yardbook ships this; we don't. | ||
| Automatic invoice reminders | Crew | Business |
| Bulk text messaging | Crew | Business (Twilio integration) |
| Dedicated branded company portal | No-login link | Enterprise |
| QuickBooks sync | CSV + Zapier | Enterprise |
| Multi-step chemical programs | Business / Enterprise | |
"Free" isn't free
Yardbook's Starter plan is genuinely free in the sense that you do not get a software bill. The official pricing and support docs still attach a few trade-offs to that plan:
- 1% Yardbook processing fee on non-premium online payments. That's $10 on every $1,000 you collect, on top of Stripe's 2.9% + $0.30. Yardbook support docs say the fee is waived on premium plans.
- Ads in the product. Yardbook describes the free plan as ad-supported, and the pricing page only removes ads on Enterprise.
- Premium features start at $34.99/mo. Business adds GPS tracking, automatic backups, bulk text messaging, automatic invoice reminders, and multi-step chemical programs. Enterprise is $49.99/mo and adds QuickBooks sync plus a branded company portal.
If you collect $5,000/month online, the non-premium processing fee alone is $50/month — more than MowNext Solo costs.
The iOS situation
As of May 8, 2026, Yardbook support docs still label the iOS app as a beta. The pricing page includes Android mobile app access on every plan, while GPS tracking sits on Business and Enterprise.
MowNext is a Progressive Web App. You save it to your home screen and it looks and behaves like a native app. Same experience on iOS and Android. We tested in dead zones in West Virginia and rural Kansas. It just works.
Where Yardbook genuinely wins
The free plan is still a real free plan. The lot measurement feature is genuinely useful — we do not ship one. Business and Enterprise are also inexpensive compared to most field service software, and Yardbook's premium plans do include solid desktop-friendly features like invoice reminders, chemical programs, QuickBooks sync, and a branded portal.
If those features matter more to you than mobile UX, built-in SMS, and 2-day payouts without a 1% surcharge, stay on Yardbook. We'll point you there honestly.
Where we win for operators ready to switch
No 1% surcharge
MowNext connects to your Stripe account directly. The rate you pay is Stripe's published rate (2.9% + $0.30 cards, ACH at 0.8% capped). No middleman. No surcharge. The customer's money goes from their card to your bank in 2 business days.
Texting is already inside the plan
Yardbook Business includes bulk text messaging through Twilio integration, and Yardbook support docs say premium users can buy dedicated numbers. On MowNext Crew, two-way SMS and customer reminders are already in the plan — no Twilio configuration or extra phone-number setup.
A cleaner iPhone experience
We ship one mobile experience across iPhone and Android, and it is not labeled beta. The PWA loads fast, works offline, and does not need App Store review cycles to get updates to your crew.
No ads, even when you are small
MowNext Free is capped at 20 customers, but it does not rely on the ad-supported model. That matters if you want the software you are using in front of customers to feel like your brand from day one.
Migrating from Yardbook
Send us a Yardbook export (Customers, Properties, Invoices). We import it into MowNext and walk you through the Stripe connection. Free for any operator with 100+ customers; under that, the CSV self-import takes 10 minutes. Average time from "I want to switch" to "first MowNext invoice sent" is 24–48 hours.
Your Yardbook account stays open until you're sure — we run in parallel for as long as you want.
From the field
What operators say.
Real comments from operators who used Yardbook. We linked the source.
"The Ui is kinda old…interface is a bit out dated."
— Capterra — Yardbook reviewer"The app for iPhone isn't great…clocking in and out of the jobs on it is difficult."
— Capterra — Yardbook reviewer
Honest fit
Who should pick which.
We mean it. If you fit the Yardbook list, stay where you are. We'd rather you find the right tool than churn in 90 days.
Pick MowNext if you…
- Run an iPhone and do not want to rely on a beta app.
- Process enough payments for Yardbook's 1% non-premium fee to matter.
- Want reminders and two-way SMS already inside the plan instead of Twilio setup.
- Want a modern UI that does not look like a legacy web form.
- Do not want ads in the software.
Stay with Yardbook if you…
- Need a genuinely free starter option.
- Use the lot measurement feature heavily and would miss it.
- Want Business at $34.99/mo or Enterprise at $49.99/mo.
- Mostly operate from desktop or Android.
- Need Enterprise QuickBooks sync and branded portal features.
Try it before you switch.
Start free. No credit card. We'll move your Yardbook data when you're ready.