GorillaDesk vs Skimmer (2026): which should you pick?

Pick GorillaDesk if

• Fits if you run pest control and need chemical use records for every visit
• Works for lawn care and pool businesses with the same stops every week

Look elsewhere if

• Pricey if you text customers a lot, as it's $5 a month for a number plus credits from $50
• Tight if you need online booking or QuickBooks sync, which start on Pro at $99 a route
• Not for you if each tech runs a separate route and money's tight: routes two and three add $50 each on Basic, and on Growth route two alone adds $100
• Watch out: Basic routes up to 25 stops, and a yearly plan is billed in full at the start
• Skip it if you want a desktop app, as it's web, iPhone and Android only

Pick Skimmer if

• Fits if you run a pool route and want to bill per location, not per tech
• Works for owners starting under 50 pools

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you're not in pool service, as it is built for that one trade
• Tight if you want quotes or route optimization, because both need Scaling Up at $98
• Pricey if you add the extras: AI Phone is $99 a month, Marketing Suite $150, Bookkeeping from $198
• Watch out: service texts cost $0.029 each on Getting Started, and the trial is only on Scaling Up

GorillaDesk

• Price is per route schedule: extra routes cost $50 a month each on Pro; Basic adds $50 then $30, and Growth $100, then $50, with 5 routes at $499.
• Texting costs extra: $5 a month for a local number, plus credits from $50 for 1,000 messages.
• Online booking, the customer portal, QuickBooks Online sync, Zapier and the API need Pro or Growth.
• A yearly subscription is billed in full up front; monthly plans can be cancelled or frozen at any time.

Skimmer

• Built for pool service; it is not a general field service tool.
• Add-ons cost extra: AI Phone $99/month, Marketing Suite $150/month, Bookkeeping from $198/month.
• Service texts are $0.029 per message on Getting Started and included on Scaling Up.
• A location you do not service in a month is not billed that month.

GorillaDesk

Scheduling and routing

Jobs appear as pins on a map and Basic orders up to 25 stops at a time; Pro routes with real street drive times and Growth suggests the best open slot.

Invoices, estimates and work orders

Automated invoices with flexible frequencies, estimates and work orders; Pro adds subscription billing through Square or Stripe and e-signatures.

Chemical and device tracking

Record material and chemical use for reports on every plan, and from Pro barcode traps and devices at commercial sites and track trends.

Automated reminders

Appointment confirmations, reminders and late-payment notices go out by email and text automatically, and broadcasts reach everyone on a day's calendar.

Booking, portal and reviews

From Pro, customers book from your website, manage their account in a portal and get asked for reviews after the visit.

Sales pipeline on Growth

Growth adds lead stages, sales opportunities with close dates, pipeline reports and estimate packages with required and optional items.

Skimmer

Route builder and optimization

Routes are built and assigned by technician; route optimization is part of the Scaling Up plan and above.

Service reports and readings

Technicians log readings and dosages and customers receive service reports by email, with photos per visit and per location.

Billing and payments

Invoices, bulk invoices, AutoPay, online and offline payments and surcharging, with QuickBooks Online sync.

Quotes and job management

Quotes, estimates and one-time or recurring work orders are on the Scaling Up plan, with consumer financing through Sunbit.

Pool-specific tools

An LSI and dosing calculator powered by Orenda and a LaMotte integration are on Scaling Up; a Heritage integration is on every plan.

GorillaDesk

• Basic$49

  per month for 1 route schedule, billed monthly

  Unlimited users, invoices, estimates, work orders, routing up to 25 stops, automations and 20 reports. Routes 2–3 add $50/mo each, 4+ add $30.

• Pro$99

  per month for 1 route schedule, billed monthly

  Adds online booking, a customer portal, subscription billing, Drive Matrix routing, reviews, e-signatures, QuickBooks Online, API and time clock.

• Growth$149

  per month for 1 route schedule, billed monthly

  Adds map measuring, best-time scheduling, estimate packages, a sales pipeline, custom fields and multi-branch support. Route 2 adds $100/mo, routes 3–4 $50 each.

Skimmer

• Getting Started$49

  per month for up to 49 serviced locations

  $1 per month for each serviced location, with unlimited technicians, route builder, invoicing and customer portal.

• Scaling Up$98

  per month for up to 49 serviced locations

  $2 per location per month. Adds quotes, job management, route optimization, unlimited service texts and live phone support.

• Skimmer for EnterpriseCustom

  For businesses over 1,000 pools a month; adds custom reports, integrations and a dedicated success manager.

GorillaDesk

• Annual discount

  One month free with yearly billing

  The pricing page offers a month free for paying yearly; the whole year is billed at the start of the subscription.

Skimmer

• Other savings

  First month of Scaling Up free

  New customers who sign up for Scaling Up through the promotional link get the first month free; usage past 49 locations is billed afterward.