CleanGuru vs MaidCentral (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, CleanGuru grades higher than MaidCentral: 2.2 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
CleanGuru grades higher on value for money, the free plan and platforms. MaidCentral grades higher on features. They get the same grade on ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
CleanGuru
Bidding, scheduling and inspection software for commercial cleaners
MaidCentral
Scheduling and operations software for residential cleaning companies
Which one is for you
Pick CleanGuru if
- Fits if you clean offices and other commercial buildings and price contracts by cleaning time
- Works for crews of 5 to 15 users who want bids and schedules in one tool
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want more than one bid template, as Starter includes a single one
- Pricey if you add people: extra cleaners are $5 a month each and admins beyond 2 are $15 each
- Watch out: the $59, $89 and $119 prices last two months, then the standard rates apply
- Tight if you need mobile checklists or QuickBooks, which start on Guru at $129 a month
- Not for you if you want inspections, since the QC inspection app is Guru Plus only
Pick MaidCentral if
- Fits if you run a cleaning company with several crews and thousands of jobs
- Works for owners who want payroll and quality numbers next to the schedule
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you are small, since the floor is $450 a month for one location
- Not for you if you want to try it first, as there is no trial, only a demo
- Watch out: billing follows completed jobs, and a job counts once it has a time sheet in the payroll cycle
- Watch out: the calculator on the pricing page is an estimate, and final pricing is confirmed at sign-up
How we grade them
| 2.2GPACleanGuruFair | 1.6GPAMaidCentralWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CStarter is $79 a month at the standard rate ($59 for the first two months), against a category middle of $49 and a dearer quarter from $99. Guru is $129 and Guru Plus $159, so the plans most firms need sit in the dearer quarter. | D$450 a month for one location, plus $1.50 a job on the pricing page's calculator, is about nine times the category's middle price of $49. A one-time onboarding fee is on top. |
| Free plan and trial | CA 14-day free trial, cancel anytime, and the listing does not say it needs a card. No free plan, so you pay once the two weeks are up. | FThe vendor says there's no free trial, only a live demo. |
| Features | CTime-based bids, proposals, scheduling, timekeeping with geofence and invoicing. Gaps: Starter has one bid template of eight, mobile checklists and QuickBooks start on Guru, and the QC inspection app is Guru Plus only. | BScheduling and dispatching, online booking and a customer portal, invoicing and payroll reporting, KPIs and quality tracking, marketing and a CRM. The listing shows no gap in the cleaning job. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Bid templates and production rates have to be set up before the bids come out right. | CNo store rating on record. Routes, pricing and payroll rules have to be set up, and onboarding is a paid step. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with a QuickBooks integration on Guru and up. No desktop app and no other integrations on record. | CWeb only, with no integrations listed, and the pages don't say which phone systems technician access runs on. |
| Best for | bids and schedules for commercial cleaners | larger cleaning companies |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: CleanGuru and MaidCentral. How we grade
Price against what you get
CleanGuru starts at $79 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. MaidCentral starts at $450 a month and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and CleanGuru starts $371 a month lower. Of the other field service apps on the chart, 11 score higher than CleanGuru for less, and 16 score higher than MaidCentral for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- CleanGuru also covers time tracking and quotes and estimates.
- MaidCentral also covers reports, payroll, appointment booking and dashboards.
At a glance
| CleanGuru | MaidCentral | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Paid |
| Starts at | $79 per month at the standard rate, after a first two months at $59 | $450 per month for 1 location, rising with completed jobs |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial, cancel anytime | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | CleanGuru | MaidCentral, Inc. |
| Price read from | cleanguru.com | maidcentral.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
CleanGuru
- Starter includes only one bid template; all eight need Guru or higher.
- Mobile checklists and the QuickBooks integration are not on Starter, and the QC inspection app is Guru Plus only.
- Additional cleaners cost $5 per cleaner per month (no charge past 50 additional cleaners), and admin users beyond the 2 included cost $15 per user per month.
- The advertised first-two-months prices are $59, $89 and $119; the standard rates apply afterward.
MaidCentral
- Billing is by physical location and completed jobs per month. A job counts when it has a time sheet in the payroll cycle.
- The vendor says there is no free trial, only a live demo, and a one-time onboarding fee applies.
- The calculator on the pricing page gives an estimate; the vendor says final pricing is confirmed on sign-up.
- The pages read do not say which mobile operating systems the technician access runs on.
Key features
CleanGuru
- Time-based bidding
- Pricing is built from cleaning time calculated from building type, frequency and size, using preloaded layouts and production rates.
- Proposals and bid templates
- Proposals are generated from bid templates for janitorial, construction, maid, tile, move in/out, carpet, window cleaning and disinfecting work.
- Scheduling and timekeeping
- Drag-and-drop scheduling and mobile timekeeping with a geofence are on every plan.
- Checklists and inspections
- Mobile checklists start on Guru; the separate QC inspection app is part of Guru Plus.
- Invoicing
- Invoicing is on every plan, and the Guru and Guru Plus plans add a QuickBooks integration.
MaidCentral
- Scheduling and dispatching
- Master schedule, dispatching and field service access for technicians, with revenue production planning for the office.
- Online booking and customer portal
- Customers book cleanings online and manage their own accounts through a portal. An employee portal and texting are also listed.
- Invoicing and payroll reporting
- Batch billing and invoicing, card charging, employee tipping and payroll reporting based on completed jobs.
- KPIs and quality tracking
- KPI dashboards, scorecards, advanced reporting and quality measurement from customer feedback.
- Marketing and CRM
- A CRM with sales follow-up and marketing campaigns, aimed at residential cleaning companies.
Plans
CleanGuru
Starter$79
per month at the standard rate, after a first two months at $59
5 users included, one bid template of your choice, drag-and-drop scheduling, mobile timekeeping with geofence and invoicing. Advertised at $59 for the first two months.
Guru$129
per month at the standard rate, after a first two months at $89
10 users included and all eight bid templates, plus mobile checklists and a QuickBooks integration. Advertised at $89 for the first two months.
Guru Plus$159
per month at the standard rate, after a first two months at $119
15 users included, plus the QC inspection app, coaching videos and guided onboarding. Advertised at $119 for the first two months.
MaidCentral
Starter$450
per month for 1 location and up
Full platform for 1 location. Each added location and each tier of completed jobs raises the price. Unlimited users and customers; a one-time onboarding fee applies.
Ways to pay less
CleanGuru
- Other savings
First two months at a reduced rate
The pricing page lists $59 for Starter, $89 for Guru and $119 for Guru Plus for the first two months, then $79, $129 and $159 a month.
MaidCentral
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, CleanGuru or MaidCentral?
As of Nov 12, 2026, CleanGuru is cheaper to start with: $79 a month, against $450 a month for MaidCentral. CleanGuru starts at $79 per month at the standard rate, after a first two months at $59, and MaidCentral starts at $450 per month for 1 location, rising with completed jobs.
Which has a free plan, CleanGuru or MaidCentral?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither CleanGuru nor MaidCentral has a free plan. CleanGuru has a free trial.
Which platforms do CleanGuru and MaidCentral run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only CleanGuru lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.