How much to charge to mow a lawn
Price the mow from the time it really takes. Enter the lawn, your mower and your hourly rate: the time comes from planning real mowing routes, trimming included.
The grass you cut, not the lot. Not sure? Measure it free.
Starting numbers. Use your own: the hourly rate is where the drive between yards, fuel and the mower get paid for.
Price per mow at $75 an hour
Scroll sideways for the bigger mowers.
| Lawn | 21" push | 36" walk-behind | 48" zero-turn | 60" zero-turn | 72" zero-turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,500 sq ft | $35 | $35 | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| 5,000 sq ft | $35 | $35 | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| 7,500 sq ft | $50 | $35 | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| 10,000 sq ft (0.23 acres) | $65 | $35 | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| 15,000 sq ft (0.34 acres) | $95 | $35 | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| 20,000 sq ft (0.46 acres) | $120 | $40 | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| 30,000 sq ft (0.69 acres) | $180 | $60 | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| 43,560 sq ft (1 acre) | $255 | $85 | $50 | $40 | $35 |
| 65,340 sq ft (1.5 acres) | $375 | $125 | $70 | $50 | $45 |
| 87,120 sq ft (2 acres) | $500 | $155 | $85 | $65 | $55 |
| Lawn | 21" push | 36" walk-behind | 48" zero-turn | 60" zero-turn | 72" zero-turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,500 sq ft | $35 | $35 | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| 5,000 sq ft | $40 | $35 | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| 7,500 sq ft | $55 | $35 | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| 10,000 sq ft (0.23 acres) | $75 | $35 | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| 15,000 sq ft (0.34 acres) | $100 | $40 | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| 20,000 sq ft (0.46 acres) | $130 | $50 | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| 30,000 sq ft (0.69 acres) | $185 | $65 | $45 | $35 | $35 |
| 43,560 sq ft (1 acre) | $265 | $90 | $55 | $45 | $40 |
| 65,340 sq ft (1.5 acres) | $385 | $130 | $75 | $60 | $50 |
| 87,120 sq ft (2 acres) | $510 | $165 | $95 | $75 | $60 |
| Lawn | 21" push | 36" walk-behind | 48" zero-turn | 60" zero-turn | 72" zero-turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,500 sq ft | $35 | $35 | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| 5,000 sq ft | $45 | $35 | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| 7,500 sq ft | $60 | $35 | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| 10,000 sq ft (0.23 acres) | $75 | $35 | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| 15,000 sq ft (0.34 acres) | $110 | $50 | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| 20,000 sq ft (0.46 acres) | $135 | $60 | $35 | $35 | $35 |
| 30,000 sq ft (0.69 acres) | $195 | $75 | $45 | $40 | $35 |
| 43,560 sq ft (1 acre) | $270 | $95 | $65 | $50 | $45 |
| 65,340 sq ft (1.5 acres) | $390 | $135 | $85 | $65 | $55 |
| 87,120 sq ft (2 acres) | $515 | $170 | $100 | $80 | $65 |
Three ways to price a mow
By the time on site. Your hourly rate times how long the yard takes, with a minimum. It follows the work: beds, trees and trimming all add minutes, and the price goes up with them.
By the square foot. A rate per 1,000 square feet, with a minimum. Quick to quote from a measurement, but an open lawn and a busy one of the same size come out the same.
A flat price by yard size. Small, medium and large, quoted on sight. Simple for the customer, and the yards in the wrong bracket are the ones you lose money on.
What moves the price
The times here are for flat yards, one person, mowing then trimming. Charge more for slopes, gates a mower barely fits through, overgrown first cuts, and bagging. A yard next door to one you already mow can take a little off: the drive there is already paid for.
Not sure of the size? Measure the lawn on the satellite map first, then bring the number back here.
Questions
Anything else, see support or email support@mowmapper.com.
How much should I charge to mow a lawn?
Work out how long you will be on site and charge your hourly rate for it, with a minimum per visit. At $75 an hour, a typical quarter-acre yard takes about 17 min with a 48-inch zero-turn, which comes to $35 a mow with a $35 minimum.
How much should I charge to mow an acre?
At $75 an hour, a typical acre takes about 42 min with a 48-inch zero-turn, about $55 a mow. With a 36-inch walk-behind it takes about 1 hr 11 min, so the same acre is worth about $90 to you.
Should I charge by the hour or by the square foot?
A rate per 1,000 square feet is quick to quote, but it treats an open lawn and one full of beds as the same job. Pricing the time on site follows the work: the trees, the beds and the trimming all show up in the minutes. This calculator shows what your price works out to per 1,000 square feet, so you can compare the two.
What should my minimum charge be?
Enough to cover the stop itself: driving there, unloading, and loading back up. However small the yard, that part of the visit does not get any shorter.
Does the hourly rate need to cover my drive time?
Yes. The times here are on site only, so the hourly rate is where the drive between yards, fuel, wear on the mower and insurance get paid for. Pick a rate that covers them across a full day, not just the minutes in the yard.
Quote the actual yard.
Mow Mapper measures the yard, plans the route around every bed and tree, and turns the time into a price at your rate. $9.99 a month after a 7-day free trial.