Housecall Pro vs Pay The Pool Man 2026: Which Is Better for Pool Service?
Choosing between Housecall Pro and Pay The Pool Man for your pool service business? Both platforms serve field service professionals, but they take different approaches to scheduling, invoicing, and mobile tools.
This comparison breaks down everything pool service professionals need to know: pricing, features, mobile apps, and which platform is better suited for your specific needs.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Housecall Pro | Pay The Pool Man |
|---|---|---|
| Capterra Rating | 3.0/5 | 3.7/5 |
| Best For | Field service with marketing focus | Pool service billing platform |
| Mobile App | iOS & Android | iOS & Android |
| Route Planning | Available | Available |
| Invoicing | Built-in | Built-in |
What Sets Housecall Pro Apart
Housecall Pro has built its reputation on specific strengths that matter to field service businesses. Here's what users consistently highlight:
Housecall Pro Strengths
- Strong marketing automation
- Large user community (45,000+)
- Easy to learn interface
- Postcard marketing built-in
- Google Local Services Ads integration
- iOS app works well
- No long-term contracts
What Sets Pay The Pool Man Apart
Pay The Pool Man differentiates itself with features that appeal to businesses looking for specific capabilities:
Pay The Pool Man Strengths
- Excellent customer service and responsiveness
- Comprehensive billing and invoicing features
- Good value for solo operators and small teams
- LaMotte SpinTouch and Orenda integration
- Saves significant time on billing tasks
- ACH and credit card payment processing
- Payroll tracking included
- Customer portal for clients
Housecall Pro Limitations
No software is perfect. Based on user reviews and our analysis, here's where Housecall Pro falls short:
Areas for Improvement
- No pool-specific features at all
- Android app is poor (3.3/5)
- Basic plan is essentially useless
- Low value for money (3.8/5)
- GPS tracking unreliable
- Support declining (AI-only on lower tiers)
- Doesn't scale for complex accounts
Pay The Pool Man Limitations
Similarly, Pay The Pool Man has some weaknesses to consider:
Areas for Improvement
- Clunky, outdated user interface
- Mobile app frequently crashes and freezes
- Route optimization produces inefficient routes
- Limited customization for invoices
- Emails often go to customer spam folders
- App has bugs and sync issues
- Can't process payments without cell signal
- Learning curve can be steep
Mobile App Experience
For pool service professionals, the mobile app is critical—you're in the field all day. Here's how both platforms stack up:
- Strong marketing automation
- Large user community (45,000+)
- Easy to learn interface
- Excellent customer service and responsiveness
- Comprehensive billing and invoicing features
- Good value for solo operators and small teams
Looking for Pool-Specific Software?
PoolDial is built specifically for pool service professionals with chemical tracking, water testing integration, and a 24/7 AI receptionist included at no extra cost. Simple $2/pool pricing with no contracts.
See How PoolDial ComparesWho Should Choose Housecall Pro?
Housecall Pro is likely the better choice if you:
- Strong marketing automation — Strong marketing automation
- Large user community — Large user community (45,000+)
- Easy to learn — Easy to learn interface
- Postcard marketing built-in — Postcard marketing built-in
Who Should Choose Pay The Pool Man?
Pay The Pool Man might be better if you:
- Excellent customer service — Excellent customer service and responsiveness
- Comprehensive billing and — Comprehensive billing and invoicing features
- Good value for — Good value for solo operators and small teams
- LaMotte SpinTouch and — LaMotte SpinTouch and Orenda integration
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for pool service, Housecall Pro or Pay The Pool Man?
It depends on your priorities. Housecall Pro excels at strong marketing automation, while Pay The Pool Man is stronger for excellent customer service and responsiveness. For pool-specific features like chemical tracking and water testing, consider dedicated pool software like Skimmer or PoolDial.
Can I switch from Housecall Pro to Pay The Pool Man (or vice versa)?
Yes. Both platforms allow data export. Customer records, service history, and basic job data can typically be migrated. The complexity depends on how much historical data you need to transfer.
Do either have pool-specific features like chemical tracking?
Most general field service software doesn't include pool-specific features like chemical tracking, LSI calculations, or water testing integration. If these features are important to your business, look at pool-specific platforms like Skimmer or PoolDial.
Which has better customer support?
Both platforms generally receive positive feedback about their support teams. Check recent reviews for the most up-to-date information about response times and helpfulness.
Our Verdict
Choose Housecall Pro if: You prioritize strong marketing automation.
Choose Pay The Pool Man if: You prioritize excellent customer service and responsiveness.
For pool service specifically: Consider pool-specific software like Skimmer or PoolDial that includes chemical tracking, water testing integration, and pool industry features that general FSM software lacks.
For deeper reviews, read our complete Housecall Pro review or Pay The Pool Man review. Or explore our Best Pool Service Software guide for a broader comparison.