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How Much Does Lawn Care Cost? (2024)

Read our guide about the average lawn care cost to determine if the services are worth the price for your lawn.

Author Icon By Brenda Woods Updated 03/26/2024

We understand that you want a breathtaking lawn, but you also probably do not have the time and energy to put in the work to have your lawn make your neighbors jealous. You might also lack expertise and products, but a professional lawn care service tackles all these issues for you. However, can you afford the routine maintenance, products, and services required to make your lawn shine?

The This Old House Reviews Team has analyzed and reviewed the best lawn care services in the United States. This process included observing the pricing of each provider. Read this guide on the average lawn care cost so you know what to expect when the time comes to get a quote.

Average Lawn Care Cost

Lawn care pricing depends on the services and treatments you need. Full-service lawn care typically costs more than DIY options, and additional services, such as aeration, will demand a higher budget. We requested quotes for 20 annual lawn care plans from four top companies—Weed Man, TruGreen, Sunday, and Lawnbright—and found the average lawn care cost to be $395. The average cost for a one-time aeration service was $175.


Factors That Influence the Cost of a Lawn Care Service

Your final price of lawn maintenance services relies on several factors. A customer service representative should cover these factors during the quote process to provide you with an accurate estimate. We have listed some of the most crucial factors for you below.

  • Lawn size: One of the most significant factors is your lawn’s size. The larger the lawn, the higher the price.
  • Obstacles: Features like trees, fences, rocks, planters, and other obstacles that workers will have to work around will add to your cost.
  • Steep hills: If your lawn is hilly or features some steep hills, you should expect some extra cost added to your monthly price due to the challenges they present.
  • Labor: Depending on the number of services you require or the size of your lawn, a lawn care company may have to add multiple technicians to your job. The number of workers and hours worked will influence your cost.
  • Travel time: In a similar vein to the labor required for the job, if your home is further out for the lawn care service than other homes, then additional charges may be added to your monthly fee.

How To Choose the Best Lawn Care Service

Choosing a lawn care provider might seem overwhelming, but it’ll be much easier if you consider these factors.

  • Types of treatments: Think about what kind of treatments you want and need. Do you need extensive lawn care, covering fertilization, weed control, aeration, and overseeding? Or do you have fewer needs and want a streamlined plan?
  • Aeration: Lawn aeration allows you to breathe new life into parts of your lawn that might otherwise be dead. If you notice that your soil is compact or you have many dead spots, consider a provider that offers this service.
  • Overseeding: This treatment has a lawn care pro add new seedlings onto existing turf. This promotes overall turf health and development, and it can assist in replacing worn-out grass.
  • Fertilization: This popular treatment has a technician place granular fertilizer across your lawn to promote its health.
  • Weed control: Another popular lawn care service, weed control varies from company to company. Each company will most likely use a custom product and approach to treat the weeds in your yard.
  • Soil pH control: This process measures your soil’s pH and restores a balance to it through the addition of lime.
  • A la carte options: One-stop shopping is always convenient. You save time and money if you opt for a lawn care company that also provides some pest control.
  • Types of products: Many lawn care companies offer the option for customers to pick between organic and chemical products. Organic products tend to be safer for children and pets, but they also take longer to yield results.
  • Scheduling: Different lawn care companies have unique schedules for when they visit your home. Be sure to find a lawn care company that offers visits that sync up to your schedule.
  • Cost: We recommend getting several quotes before making your ultimate decision. It’s also a good idea to inquire about how billing is done if you are concerned about auto-renewal.
  • Specialist training: Some lawn care companies, like TruGreen, advertise their specialists’ training process to highlight how intensive their program is. You’re better off with more experienced specialists rather than newcomers, so this is something to consider.
  • Reputation: We suggest you examine the company’s history and expert reviews to get a sense of its reliability, professionalism, and competence. This provides a window into a company’s customer service experience.
  • Guarantee: You don’t want to pay for professional lawn care only to have the end result look like you hired the neighborhood kid to do it. You should make sure the lawn care company you choose offers a guarantee to return as needed to re-treat at no extra cost.

If you are interested in receiving professional lawn care maintenance, we suggest you look into the lawn care services below.

  • TruGreen: TruGreen services every state, except for Alaska and Hawaii. TruGreen offers five annual plans in addition to la carte services, such as pest control. This allows you to customize your lawn care with everything from fertilization to overseeding and more.TruGreen’s plans range from $558–$890 per year.
  • Sunday: Sunday is a great option for DIYers who want personalized lawn products delivered throughout the year. We like Sunday’s focus on natural lawn care and its custom plans that incorporate details about your region’s soil type. Expect Sunday’s most popular annual lawn care plans to cost around $200–$250, depending on your location.
  • Lawnbright: Lawnbright is a DIY subscription service that focuses on natural lawn care products free of harsh chemicals and toxins. It creates a custom plan for your lawn based on a soil test and then sends along easy-to-use products that attach directly to your hose. Lawnbright’s custom plans cost around $200 a year.

FAQ About Average Lawn Care Cost

Are DIY lawn care services worth it?

DIY lawn care services are worth it if you are comfortable treating your own lawn without direct professional assistance. Many of these companies provide fertilizer and weed control solutions that hook to your garden hose for convenience and ease of use. 

What do you need to maintain a healthy lawn?

To maintain a healthy lawn, you need to periodically control weeds, add grass seed, and apply fertilizers. Acidic soils also benefit from pelletized lime treatment. 

What additional expenses should I expect when purchasing a lawn care plan?

Many full-service lawn care providers will charge extra for aeration, tree care, shrub care, and overseeding.


Our Rating Methodology

The This Old House Reviews Team backs up our lawn recommendations with a detailed rating methodology that we use to objectively score each provider. We review lawn care plans and packages, navigate the provider website and speak with customer service representatives, request quotes, and analyze customer reviews for each provider. We then score the provider against our review standards for plan options, additional benefits and customizability, availability, trustworthiness, and customer service to arrive at a final score out of 100.

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.