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Lawn care pricing calculator: what to charge per cut

The short answer

Time what you can mow, trim and blow in an hour, and divide the lawn’s size by that. Add drive time, fuel, overhead and profit. Thumbtack lists mowing at around $76 for lawns under 1,000 square feet up to $114 for 10,000 to 15,000 square feet, on figures that don’t state a unit. Local prices can differ a lot.

A price per cut has to cover your drive and your slow yards too. Enter your own numbers to see what each lawn needs to bring in.

What to charge

$42.42

$0.01 per square foot. About 0.8 hours on site.

Labor, with drive time: $19.33
Fuel and blades for the job: $4.00
Overhead: $10.61
Profit: $8.48
Brought in per hour the crew is tied up: $43.89

How it works

Price = (labor + supplies) ÷ (1 − overhead share − profit share). Dividing, rather than adding a percent, makes sure overhead and profit are the shares of the price you wanted.

Worked example: an 8,000 square foot lawn, one person, using made-up numbers
Line	Amount
Labor, with drive time (1 at $20 an hour)	$19.33
Fuel and blades for the job	$4.00
Overhead (25% of the price)	$10.61
Profit (20% of the price)	$8.48
Price	$42.42

What customers see

Thumbtack’s figures by lawn size, updated April 13, 2026
Lawn size	Listed price
Under 1,000 sq ft	$76
1,000 to 5,000 sq ft	$80
5,000 to 10,000 sq ft	$90
10,000 to 15,000 sq ft	$114

Source: Thumbtack’s lawn service prices (opens in a new tab). The page doesn’t state a unit for these, and the companies it quotes range from $22 to $100 depending on the lot, so treat them as a rough check.

What really moves your profit

Route density. Ten minutes less driving between yards can matter more than a price increase.
Minimum charge. Small yards still cost a stop, so set a minimum.
First cuts. An overgrown yard takes far longer, so quote it separately.
Recurring work. A lawn care contract lets you plan the season.

Common questions

How much should I charge to mow a lawn?

Enough to cover your time, drive, fuel, overhead and profit. Run a real yard through the calculator. Thumbtack’s figures start around $76 for small lawns, though it also shows companies charging less, so check local prices.

How much should I charge per acre?

An acre is 43,560 square feet. Time how long one takes with your equipment and enter that as your speed, since larger mowers change the math more than anything else.

Should I charge per cut or per month?

Per cut is simple and matches the work. A flat monthly price makes income steadier, but you’ll need to average out the slower months. Either works if the year adds up.

How do I price a first cut on an overgrown lawn?

Quote it as its own job at a slower speed. Thumbtack’s page notes that first-time mows cost more.

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