Paying too much lawn care? We have done the research

Paying too much lawn care? We have done the research

What You Need to Know

• Pricing changes for real reasons: region, lawn size, lawn condition, and your existing landscaping all move the price.
• What most “standard lawn care” should include: mowing, edging/weed-eating, and blowing clippings off hard surfaces.
• Real market examples from GreenPal cities: the table shows typical visits around $32–$47 per cut (depending on city and yard size).
• Simple benchmark from GreenPal research: about $1 per minute is a common “sanity check” for mowing prices.
• Know how you’re being billed: flat fee, per-minute, hourly, minimum price, equipment + labor, structured payments, or per-acre pricing.
• Fast way to check your local price: compare a few bids so you can spot overpaying before you commit.

Quick checklist: what’s included • price per visit • billing method • compare a few quotes

Look, some people love doing their own lawn care. 

Having accomplished a chore that adds value to the home can give much satisfaction. 

However, many homeowners loathe having to step foot on the lawn to do physical labor.

And would rather let a professional handle any and all lawn care needs. 

If you fall among the latter group, how do you know you are getting a fair price and what is included in that price?

Pricing Varies for a Variety of Reasons

Pricing for lawn care can vary depending on a variety of factors: 

• Your region,

• the size of the lawn, 

• condition of the lawn, 

• and existing landscape on the property. 

And unless otherwise specified, you should expect the service to include: 

1. Mowing of the front and back yard, 

2. edging/weed eating, 

3. and blowing grass off the hard surfaces—for example; sidewalks and driveways. 

Get this, GreenPal pros have mowed 100,000’s lawns in all 50 states. 

And, we have crunched the numbers. 

Here are the average lawn prices of the markets in which we operate. 

Average Lawn Care Cost Per City

While recent research we have conducted shows the average charge for lawn care is about $1 a minute....

Each lawn care company is different and may assess fees differently based on their company's structure. 

Here are some of the pricing strategies lawn care pros use to charge for their services.

Strategy #1: Flat Fee Per Neighborhood

Nashville, Tennessee—David Hill-Jones with Thru the Green Lawncare in Nashville, Tennessee charges a flat fee per neighborhood. 

“We stay in specific neighborhoods and will charge the same in those neighborhoods to keep our pricing simple with our customers,” 

Hill-Jones explains. “This allows us to promote to the entire neighborhood easier too.”

Strategy #2: Charge By The Minute 

Tampa, Florida—James Dames with Oasis Landscaping in St. Petersburg, Florida charges $1 per minute. 

“As soon as I jump on the mower, that is when I start the time,” 

Dames says. “This pricing allows fairness to the smaller yards that don’t take as long.”

Strategy #3: Charge By the Hour

Atlanta, Georgia—Jeremy Stanley with Stanley Lawn Care in Jefferson, Georgia charges $40 per hour. 

“Having a flat hourly price works best for me and my customers,” 

Stanley explains. “I know my cost of doing business per hour and this rate allows me to make a little money.”

Strategy #4: Charge a Minimum Price

St. Louis, Missouri—Mike Cebulski with MJ Lawn in St. Louis, Missouri has a minimum $35 for mowing. 

“Before I even see the lawn, my starting price is $35,” 

Mike says. “I can adjust the price according to the size of the lawn, condition of it, and any additional needs the homeowners may want.”

Strategy #5: Charge for Equipment and Man Hours

Charlotte, North Carolina—Greg Lay with Curb Appeal Landscape in Charlotte, NC, separates his equipment and his labor. 

“I charge $20 per hour for my equipment and $25 per hour for my labor,” 

Lay says. “This makes it easier for me to keep track of my equipment and man hours separately.”

Strategy #6: Structured Payments

Orlando, Florida—Kristin Burnsed with K Company in Orlando, Florida, has a structure based minimum. 

“If it takes less than 30 minutes, my flat fee is $35,” 

Burnsed explains. “But anything over 30 minutes I charge an additional $1.50 per minute.”

Strategy #7: Charge By Acre

Houston, Texas—Francisco Gonzalez with Galicia Lawn Care in Houston, Texas charges a flat fee per lot size. 

“I make my pricing simple by charging $35 for 1/4 acre, $45 for ½ acre, and $60 for a full acre,” 

Gonzalez says. “This is pretty standard pricing in our neck of the woods.”

TL;DR: How Much Does Lawn Care Cost?

Tired of mowing? Hiring a pro can save time, but how much will it cost? Here's the scoop:

1. Prices vary: Size, region, condition of your lawn, and services needed all affect cost.
2. Average cost: $32-$47 per visit, depending on city and lawn size.
3. Common pricing strategies:

• Flat fee per neighborhood (good for bulk discounts)
• Per minute (fair for small lawns)
• Hourly rate (simple and predictable)
• Minimum price + adjustments (flexible for special needs)
• Equipment + labor hours (transparent breakdown)
• Structured payments (mix of flat fee and per minute)
• Per acre (easy for standard lots)

Still unsure? GreenPal offers free quotes to compare prices in your area and avoid getting overcharged.  GreenPal offers free quotes to compare prices in your area and avoid getting overcharged.

Don't get "mowed over" by lawn care costs - get GreenPal today!