8 Essential Arborist Apps to Run Your Business

How we chose the best arborist apps

We understand that a tree business involves a variety of services, which affects what you may need from an app. So, we made sure to include a range of apps with unique features for arborists.

For example, if your business relies on providing customers with estimates, you’ll want tree service software that offers an estimate app. If your business requires climbing trees, an arborist knots app may be more suitable.

We started our research by combing through online reviews from sites such as GetApp and online industry forums. We then tried out some of the apps ourselves to come up with this comprehensive list and ensure that you find the right app for your business.

Our findings resulted in the best arborist business apps for:

• Identifying plants
• Tracking fleets
• Communicating with your team
• And much more!

This way, you can start with what interests you the most or which area of your tree care business needs the most help and go from there.

To kick off our list of the best arborist apps, we have Jobber.

Jobber is the best tree service estimate app to track job details, manage crews, and get paid quickly.

Customize your estimates by adding optional line items for detailed quotes. Once you send a quote, your customer can approve it easily in the client hub so you can get to work sooner. If you really want to impress your customers, you can add images of your work to your estimates. 

Plus, you can use the mobile app to log, update, and organize information on tree species and health—as well as your chemical usage in the field—to deliver consistent service and stay compliant with regional regulations.

Jobber tree care software also helps you:

• Create job checklists to keep crews on track and consistent
• Schedule work in seconds with a drag-and-drop calendar
• Automatically optimize your daily routes to fit more visits into the day
• Get quotes approved faster through an online portal for your customers
• Collect payment on the spot with an easy credit card reader
• Send automated appointment reminders and follow-ups to improve your customer communication
• Automatically collect customer reviews after every job 
• Manage day-to-day work in the field in English or Spanish with the Jobber app
• Advertise your tree services with professional, branded email campaigns
• Get AI-powered business insights and coaching

Unlike other tree care apps, Jobber comes with free, award-winning training and support included with all plans—making it a small business-friendly option.

Knots 3D is the best arborist knots app for tree climbers or businesses that transport trees and other large plants.

The app includes instructions on how to tie over 190 knots, with 3D animations that let you see the knot from every angle and follow along at your own pace. 

The app features common knots used by arborists, including:

• Blake’s hitch
• Distel hitch
• Poacher’s knot
• Water knot

Even if you already know how to tie these knots, it’s always good to have a refresher on hand to practice, refine your skills, or even train a new hire.

If you offer tree healthcare services, the last thing you want to do is prescribe the wrong treatment because you incorrectly identified a tree.

Enter Leafsnap: One of the best arborist apps for identifying trees. 

Leafsnap currently identifies plants found across Canada and the United States, and the team behind the app are working to grow its capabilities.

Having the Leafsnap app is like having a field guide in the palm of your hand. Simply take a photo of the leaves of a plant, and Leafsnap will identify the species for you. 

Leafsnap is also a great tool to use alongside a tree service estimate app, as it ensures that you can properly identify the tree that you are working with, increasing your estimate accuracy.

Accounting is often the last thing on your to-do list, but it’s crucial to running any successful business–tree services businesses being no exception. 

By staying on top of your finances, you always know how your business is performing and are prepared for tax season.

That’s why we consider QuickBooks Online an essential arborist app for running your business successfully.

Use QuickBooks to manage your invoices, expenses, income, reports, and payroll information from a desktop, phone, or tablet. 

Better yet, integrate QuickBooks with other tree service estimate apps, so you spend less time flipping between apps.

Next on our list of essential arborist apps is Google Workspace. 

For arborist businesses just starting out, leveraging Google Workspace is a great place to start.

Google offers a variety of free apps to create and store documents in the cloud. You can also easily share documents with your team to collaborate from anywhere and on any device.

Key Google apps for your arborist business include:

• Gmail
• Google Calendar
• Google Docs
• Google Meet

Pro-tip: For an extra $6/mo, you also get your very own business email instead of the generic “@gmail.com” one, more cloud storage, 24/7 live support—and more.

When you have a team that spends a large chunk of time on the road and out in the field doing tree work, communication can get complicated. Slack is a great tree service estimate app to bridge the communication gap.

With Slack, you can keep your entire team in the loop no matter where they’re working. Slack lets you:

• Share important files and images with with your team
• Chat via text or video
• Communicate one-on-one or via specific channels

You can create different channels so that people post information that’s relevant to that channel. For example, you could create a “Tree ID” channel devoted to identifying individual trees. When someone on the job is struggling to identify a particular plant, they can take a photo and share it with the channel.

As more and more service businesses struggle with inefficient vehicle routes and high fuel costs, they’re turning to fleet management apps such as FleetSharp.

Fleetsharp is one of the best arborist business apps for GPS tracking. With Fleetsharp, you can track:

• Your crew’s vehicle activity during the day
• Vehicle location at any specific time
• Driver behavior, e.g., excessive idling
• Mileage and fuel levels
• Vehicle maintenance alerts

Use the app to reduce fuel costs by carving out more efficient routes and improve your customer service by responding to urgent client requests faster, such as the removal of a fallen tree. Simply dispatch the nearest vehicle and track its location on the app.

Last on our list of essential arborist apps is RealGreen by WorkWave.

RealGreen allows you to quote, route, schedule, and invoice jobs. However, this app’s best feature is its AI capabilities.

RealGreen’s ServiceBot asks qualifying questions to steer prospects toward the most suitable services and programs.

From there, the app uses bot technology to allow customers to measure their own property and receive instant estimates. This cuts down on phone calls and increases your field team’s productivity.

Unfortunately, RealGreen requires users to integrate with another system for two-way messaging with customers, meaning you’ll have one extra platform to monitor and troubleshoot if things go wrong. 

Jobber, on the other hand, sends customers automated emails and text messages for a hands-off yet efficient process. Managing communication in one platform ensures a seamless experience for your customers, helping you provide first-rate service.

Start using the right arborist apps today

Business apps help you speed up processes, get more organized, and make your tree care company easier to work with. 

From tree service estimate apps to arborist knots apps, there’s no shortage of software solutions to optimize your tree care business.

Start by choosing the apps that address the biggest gaps in your business and slowly add more to your digital toolbox over time.

If you have any arborist apps to add to this list, let us know on Facebook or Instagram.

Originally published in March 2020. Last updated on September 25, 2024.