For solo scoopers
The Best Software for a Solo Pooper Scooper
Last updated November 5, 2026.
If you're scooping yards yourself, have fewer than 50 customers and want to keep costs near zero, you don't need payroll, franchise tools or per-employee pricing. You need four things to work, and you shouldn't pay much for them.
The four things a solo scooper needs
- Customer records: name, address, number of dogs, gate code, "dog inside on Tuesdays" notes.
- Recurring schedules: weekly and bi-weekly yards that show up automatically, with pauses and skips.
- A route for the day: stops on a map in a sensible order, with directions.
- Getting paid: invoices that follow the visits and a way for customers to pay by card.
Everything else (payroll, commission reports, franchise territories) is for a company you might become later. You can switch software then. You shouldn't pay for it now.
Free and low-cost options compared
| Pooper Scoop HQ Free | Pooper Scoop HQ Growth | Scoopilot (1 user) | Sweep & Go (1 staff) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $0 | $9.99 | $10 starter; $29 tier for recurring scheduling + automation | $15–$99 depending on plan |
| Cost for year one | $0 | $119.88 | $120–$348 | $180+ |
| Built for pet waste | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Customer limit | Unlimited jobs | Unlimited jobs | Unlimited customers | 15 jobs/day on entry plan |
| Recurring scheduling | ✓ | ✓ | Paid tier | ✓ |
| Client portal | ✓ | ✓ | Check plan | ✓ |
| Route optimization | – | ✓ | Paid tier | ✓ |
| Online card payments | – | ✓ Stripe / Square | Paid tier | ✓ Stripe |
| Credit card to start | No | No (15 days free) | Check plan | No (15-day trial) |
Competitor details are from their public websites as of November 2026 and may change.
Run your business on Pooper Scoop HQ. The Free plan is $0, no credit card.
Create a free accountWhy not just use Google Calendar, a spreadsheet and Venmo?
You can, for about the first ten yards. After that, three things break:
- Recurring visits drift. A customer pauses for vacation, another moves to bi-weekly, and your calendar no longer matches reality.
- The route is in your head. That works until you're sick and someone covers for you, or until you add a second neighborhood.
- Payments become detective work. Matching Venmo notes to yards on a Friday night isn't a business system.
A free plan fixes the first two at no cost, so there isn't much reason to wait.
When to start paying
Upgrade to Pooper Scoop HQ Growth ($9.99/month) when either of these is true:
- Your route takes noticeably longer than it should. Route optimization usually saves more than $10 a month in gas and time once you're past 15–20 stops a day.
- You're chasing payments. Card payments through Stripe or Square mean customers pay the invoice from a link instead of you sending reminders.
Because the price is flat, it stays $9.99 when you hire your first and second technician.
What to enter when you sign up
- Customer name, phone and email
- Service address (check that it lands on the map)
- Number of dogs
- Weekly or bi-weekly frequency and preferred service day
- Gate codes and access notes
- Price per visit (see how to price pooper scooper services)
Starting from zero? Read how to start a pooper scooper business, then compare every option in best pooper scooper software in 2026.
FAQ
What software should I use for a one-person pooper scooper business?
Pooper Scoop HQ is the best fit for a solo scooper. Its Free plan ($0, no credit card) includes unlimited jobs, recurring scheduling, a technician app and a client portal. The $9.99/month Growth plan adds route optimization and online card payments when you need them.
Is there free software for a pooper scooper business?
Yes. Pooper Scoop HQ's Free plan is $0 per month with unlimited jobs, recurring weekly and bi-weekly scheduling, a dispatch board, a technician app and a client portal. It is a permanent plan, not a trial.
How much should a small pooper scooper business spend on software?
With fewer than 50 customers, aim for $0–$10 a month. If a weekly yard earns $15–$25 a visit, a $100/month tool costs four to seven visits of revenue every month. Pooper Scoop HQ is $0 on Free and $9.99/month on Growth.
Should a new pooper scooper use Sweep & Go?
Most new solo scoopers do not need it yet. Sweep & Go is strong for large and franchise operations, but it charges $15–$99 per active staff member per month and its entry plan limits each tech to 15 jobs per day. A free or $9.99/month plan from Pooper Scoop HQ covers what a solo operator needs.
Create a free accountSee pricing