MaidCentral vs ZenMaid (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, ZenMaid grades higher than MaidCentral: 2.6 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
MaidCentral grades higher on features. ZenMaid grades higher on value for money, the free plan and platforms. 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.
MaidCentral
Scheduling and operations software for residential cleaning companies
ZenMaid
Scheduling and booking software for maid and cleaning services
Which one is for you
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
Pick ZenMaid if
- Fits if you run a small cleaning business with fewer than 40 jobs a month
- Works for owners who want booking, scheduling and cleaner reminders in one place
Look elsewhere if
- Too light for a growing cleaning firm: Starter stops at 40 appointments a month
- Tight if you want payroll or GPS tracking, as both need Pro at $39
- Pricey if you text customers a lot, because SMS charges are on top of every plan
- Watch out: QuickBooks is marked coming soon on Pro, and Mailchimp and Zapier are Pro Max only
How we grade them
| 1.6GPAMaidCentralWeak | 2.6GPAZenMaidGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | A$19 a month is under 60% of the category's $35 cheaper-quarter figure, but Starter caps you at 40 appointments and unlimited ones need the $39 Pro plan. |
| Free plan and trial | FThe vendor says there's no free trial, only a live demo. | C14 days free, and the page doesn't say that no card is needed. No free plan after it. |
| Features | 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. | CScheduling, booking and cleaner tools are covered, but payroll, reports and GPS tracking need Pro, and QuickBooks is marked coming soon. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. Routes, pricing and payroll rules have to be set up, and onboarding is a paid step. | CNo store rating on record, and clients and cleaners to load before it helps. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWeb only, with no integrations listed, and the pages don't say which phone systems technician access runs on. | BWeb plus iPhone and Android apps, with 4 integrations, but Mailchimp and Zapier are only on Pro Max and there is no desktop app. |
| Best for | larger cleaning companies | maid and cleaning companies with a small route |
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: MaidCentral and ZenMaid. How we grade
Price against what you get
MaidCentral starts at $450 a month and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. ZenMaid starts at $19 a month and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and ZenMaid starts $431 a month lower. Of the other field service apps on the chart, 16 score higher than MaidCentral for less, and 1 scores higher than ZenMaid 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
- MaidCentral also covers payroll and dashboards.
- ZenMaid also covers time tracking.
At a glance
| MaidCentral | ZenMaid | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Free trial |
| Starts at | $450 per month for 1 location, rising with completed jobs | $19 per month |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 14 days free; the vendor says no hidden fees and cancellation anytime from account settings. |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | MaidCentral, Inc. | ZenMaid, Inc. |
| Price read from | maidcentral.com | get.zenmaid.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
ZenMaid
- Starter stops at 40 appointments per month. Unlimited appointments need Pro at $39.
- SMS charges are not included in any plan's monthly price.
- Payroll, reports and cleaner GPS tracking need Pro. Mailchimp and Zapier integrations are limited to Pro Max.
- The QuickBooks integration is marked as coming soon on the Pro plan.
Key features
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.
ZenMaid
- Scheduling and dispatch
- Calendar, dispatch and map views for jobs, with recurring appointments and a Spotfinder tool for fitting new recurring customers into the schedule.
- Customer and cleaner messages
- Automated SMS and email templates go to cleaners and customers. Starter has a limited set, Pro more, and Pro Max all of them.
- Booking forms
- Booking forms for the business website. Pro forms carry ZenMaid branding, and Pro Max forms use your own branding.
- Payments and payroll
- Online payments through Stripe and Square with invoicing on every plan. Payroll and reports start on the Pro plan.
- Mobile app for cleaners
- A mobile app with an SOS alert for cleaners. GPS tracking of cleaners is included from the Pro plan up.
Plans
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.
ZenMaid
Starter$19
per month, SMS charges not included
Up to 40 appointments per month, calendar, dispatch and map views, limited message templates, mobile app without GPS tracking, Stripe and Square payments.
Pro$39
per month, SMS charges not included
Unlimited appointments, digital checklists, mobile app with cleaner GPS tracking, booking forms with ZenMaid branding, reports, payroll and Spotfinder.
Pro Max$49
per month, SMS charges not included
Adds availability and PTO tracking, service ratings, all message templates, data export, Mailchimp and Zapier, own-brand booking forms and priority support.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, MaidCentral or ZenMaid?
As of Nov 12, 2026, ZenMaid is cheaper to start with: $19 a month, against $450 a month for MaidCentral. MaidCentral starts at $450 per month for 1 location, rising with completed jobs, and ZenMaid starts at $19 per month.
Which has a free plan, MaidCentral or ZenMaid?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither MaidCentral nor ZenMaid has a free plan. ZenMaid has a free trial.
Which platforms do MaidCentral and ZenMaid run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only ZenMaid 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.