ArboStar

Overview

ArboStar is business software built around the estimating, dispatch, and administrative needs of tree-care companies. It is best suited to teams that want office and field work managed in one system, though its entry plan still requires a meaningful monthly commitment and has a small license allowance.

Its broad workflow is a stronger fit for operating crews than for a solo user seeking a low-cost, lightly featured tool.

For a broader category view, see our Tree Service Software list.

Key features

Estimating through invoicing

The estimate calculator factors in preset prices, required tasks, job size, equipment, and a man-hour rate. That gives tree-care businesses a way to build estimates around job inputs rather than a single flat price. Starter includes e-sign estimates, invoicing, payments, and QuickBooks sync, extending the workflow beyond quoting.

Scheduling, location, and equipment

Office and crew scheduling sit alongside employee location tracking and work-hour visibility, with payroll calculations to support labor administration. A map view brings leads, ongoing jobs, and crew, equipment, and vehicle locations together; route optimization is also included. Equipment condition and maintenance tracking gives teams another operational view, although smaller operators may not need this breadth.

Field work and integrations

iOS and Android apps support field work offline, a practical advantage when crews are away from reliable connectivity. Integrations include QuickBooks, Xero, Sage, Fortnox, major calendar services, Google Maps, payment providers, VoIP, and payroll services including Gusto and Inova Payroll. That range can help connect existing business tools, though the right fit depends on which services a company already uses.

ArboStar advertises 24/7 dedicated customer care, free training, setup and implementation help, and a no-commitment demo. Its privacy policy says personal data is deleted or anonymized within 30 days after account deletion, subject to legal, regulatory, or security exceptions; it also says personal information is protected with generally accepted measures, including encryption where appropriate.

Pricing

ArboStar is paid software with no free plan. Prices below apply to new subscriptions; existing clients renew under their current agreements. Annual billing is described as saving 25%.

• Starter: $149 a month (billed US$149/mo; page also shows US$199 USD/mo). It includes 1 full office license and 1 crew login, plus CRM, e-sign estimates, scheduling, the offline crew app, tree inventory, invoicing, payments, and QuickBooks sync. ArboStar positions it for one-truck operations; the single office license and crew login make it a focused entry point, not a generous seat allowance.
• Growing: $249 a month (billed US$249 USD/mo; page also shows US$332 USD/mo). It includes 2 full licenses and 3 crew logins, everything in Starter, and a marketing and lead-generation audit. It is aimed at standard tree companies, but additional licenses cost separately, so growing teams should account for those charges.
• Enterprise: custom pricing. It offers a custom license count, volume discounts by team size, dedicated onboarding and customer success managers, and quarterly business reviews for multi-crew and multi-branch operations. This is the relevant tier when fixed license counts are too restrictive.

Platforms

ArboStar is available on web, iOS, and Android. The mobile app’s offline field support is useful for crews working beyond dependable connectivity.

Who it's for

ArboStar makes most sense for tree-care companies that want estimates, scheduling, crew visibility, equipment oversight, and invoicing connected in a single operating workflow. Starter fits a one-truck business; Growing better suits a standard company needing more office and crew access; Enterprise targets multi-crew or multi-branch organizations. A small operation that only needs basic scheduling and invoicing may find the entry price and broader system more than it needs.

Pros and cons

• Pro: The workflow spans estimating, scheduling, field work, invoicing, and payments, reducing the need to assemble separate tools for those tasks.
• Pro: Offline mobile support and crew, vehicle, and equipment mapping address practical field coordination needs.
• Pro: Starter includes QuickBooks sync and a broad set of core operations features.
• Con: There is no free plan, and even Starter has limited included access: 1 full office license and 1 crew login.
• Con: Growing charges separately for additional licenses, making its stated price an incomplete guide for teams needing more seats.

Alternatives

• Fieldified is worth considering when a free starting tier matters: its Free plan includes scheduling, invoicing, CRM, and reporting, subject to usage limits.
• Arborgold is another paid tree-care option, with a Starter plan at $129 a month and an annual contract required.
• ArborSmart offers a Solo / 1 crew plan from $60/mo, with unlimited customers, jobs, and users; it may suit a single-crew business prioritizing a lower stated starting price.
• Autopilot has a Run plan at $49/ month with 1 user included and supports a wider range of platforms, including desktop operating systems.
• ArborNote offers ArborNote Works at $75 a month for 1 crew leader.
• Arb Pro is an alternative with paid additional desktop and mobile user options.
• ArbM8 offers a set-up-only option priced at £720, paid once; its listed setup includes account creation, staff and teams, and quote and invoice templates.
• TreeOS is web-only and offers a TreeOS Unlimited plan at $99 a month with unlimited customers, jobs, estimates, invoices, staff, and crew.

Verdict

Choose ArboStar if your tree-care business needs a connected office-to-field system, particularly for estimating, crew coordination, offline work, and equipment visibility. Its strongest case is the breadth of the workflow; its clearest drawback is the cost and restricted included license counts at the lower tiers. A smaller team with simpler needs or a tighter budget should compare leaner-priced alternatives before committing.