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Autopilot vs GorillaDesk
GorillaDesk is honest, affordable software for solo and small pest, lawn, and pool operators, and its per-route pricing is fair at one truck. Autopilot matches the simplicity but keeps the price flat as you add techs, and includes the phone system and AI receptionist GorillaDesk sells as extras or not at all.
The GorillaDesk alternative built for crews that are growing
The numbers that decide it, side by side.
| Comparison point |  |  GorillaDesk |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $49/mo flat | $49/mo per route |
| Team members included | 1, 5, or 10 by plan | Per route (tech schedule); office staff free |
| Free trial | 2 weeks, no card required | 14 days |
| Onboarding fee | $0 | None advertised |
| Contract | Month to month, cancel anytime | Month to month; annual discount |
| AI receptionist | Full Throttle, $149/mo | Not offered |
| Full business phone system | Full Throttle, $149/mo | Phone & texting add-on |
| Support | Human support chat, no ticket queue | Chat and email support |
Last updated July 2026. GorillaDesk details are based on publicly available information; verify with GorillaDesk.
Who is GorillaDesk?
GorillaDesk is a bootstrapped field service app founded in 2012, built first for pest control and now also serving lawn and pool businesses. Over 3,000 businesses run on it. It is genuinely simple to learn and covers scheduling, invoicing, estimates, a solid mobile app, and, on higher plans, online booking, a customer portal, QuickBooks Online sync, and its Review Engine.
Pricing is per route, meaning per technician schedule: Basic at $49, Pro at $99, and Growth at $149 per route per month, with a 14-day free trial and unlimited free office users. One truck, one route, fair deal. But a three-tech crew on Pro is $297 a month, and texting runs on paid SMS credits through its phone and texting add-on.
For a solo operator who wants cheap, proven, and simple, GorillaDesk earns its reputation. The math changes as the crew grows, and there is no AI answering the phone when you are under a house or behind a mower.
Who is Autopilot?
Autopilot is an all-in-one CRM built for home service businesses: junk removal, cleaning, landscaping, moving, and the rest of the trades that keep neighborhoods running. Plans start at $49 a month for scheduling, estimates, invoicing, payments, and online booking. Crew at $99 adds two-way texting and limited calling. Full Throttle at $149 adds the full phone system, AI receptionist, QuickBooks, GPS, and marketing tools. Plans include 1, 5, or 10 team members respectively.
It was built by a founder who ran his own junk removal company and got tired of paying for three tools that didn't talk to each other. Over 400 businesses run on it today, and it holds a 4.8 rating on the App Store and 4.9 on Google Play.
Against GorillaDesk, the pitch is the same starting price without the per-route multiplication, plus a real phone system and an AI receptionist included instead of add-ons.
Feature by feature
Not just checkmarks. Where a feature costs extra or sits on a higher plan, the table says so.
Phone & AI
| Comparison point | | GorillaDesk |
|---|---|---|
| AI receptionist that answers and books calls | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | |
| Built-in business phone (VoIP) | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Add-on |
| Call recording & transcripts | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Not advertised |
| AI call summaries | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | |
| Two-way business texting | Crew and Full Throttle | Yes, with paid SMS credits |
Scheduling & Jobs
| Comparison point | | GorillaDesk |
|---|---|---|
| Drag-and-drop scheduling & dispatch | ||
| Online booking | Pro plan and up | |
| Estimates & quotes | ||
| Client & lead management | ||
| iOS & Android crew app | 4.8 App Store / 4.9 Google Play | iOS & Android apps |
Payments & Money
| Comparison point | | GorillaDesk |
|---|---|---|
| Invoicing & payments | ||
| Tap to Pay on iPhone | Not advertised | |
| QuickBooks sync | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Pro plan and up |
| Price book | Not advertised | |
| Customer tipping | Not advertised |
Marketing & Growth
| Comparison point | | GorillaDesk |
|---|---|---|
| Review funnel | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Review Engine, Pro plan and up |
| SMS blast campaigns | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Not advertised |
| Email blast campaigns | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Not advertised |
| Automated marketing sequences | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Not advertised |
| Google Ads tracking | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Not advertised |
Where GorillaDesk goes deeper
| Comparison point | | GorillaDesk |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited free office users | 1, 5, or 10 team members by plan | |
| Pest-specific material tracking |
An honest comparison cuts both ways. If these are must-haves for your business today, GorillaDesk earns the look.
What you actually pay
Autopilot
- Starter$49/mo
- Crew$99/mo
- Full Throttle$149/mo
Clear plans for 1, 5, or 10 team members. No onboarding fee or annual contract. Free 2-week trial.
GorillaDesk
- Basic$49/mo per route
Core scheduling, invoicing, estimates
- Pro$99/mo per route
Online booking, QuickBooks, Review Engine, GPS
- Growth$149/mo per route
Sales pipeline, custom fields, multi-branch
A route is one technician's schedule, so the price multiplies with every tech you add. Office users are free and unlimited. Annual billing saves 10 to 20%. Texting uses paid SMS credits.
Last updated July 2026. GorillaDesk details are based on publicly available information; verify with GorillaDesk.
The bottom line
Two different tools for two different businesses. Here is the honest split.
Choose GorillaDesk if…
- You are a solo pest, lawn, or pool operator and one route at $49 covers you
- You want a large office staff on the account for free
- You want pest-specific touches like material tracking from a vertical vendor
- You value a long track record with 3,000+ small operators
Choose Autopilot if…
- You are adding techs and do not want the bill multiplying per route
- You want the phone system and texting included instead of add-ons and credits
- You want an AI receptionist booking the calls you miss in the field
- You want SMS blasts, email campaigns, and marketing sequences built in
Switching from GorillaDesk takes an afternoon
Four steps, and our team does the heavy one for you.
- 1
Export your customers
Pull your client list out of GorillaDesk as a CSV. Every FSM platform supports this, and it takes about five minutes.
- 2
We import everything for you
Send us the file and our team loads your customers, jobs, and price book into Autopilot as part of free onboarding. No spreadsheet wrestling on your end.
- 3
Point your phone number at Autopilot
On Full Throttle, keep your existing business number. We port it or forward it, so calls start landing in Autopilot with recording, transcripts, and the AI receptionist behind them.
- 4
Run both for a week, then cut over
Your GorillaDesk account keeps working during your free trial. Most crews book their first Autopilot job on day one and cancel the old subscription within the month.
GorillaDesk exports your customer list as a CSV from its dashboard, and our team imports it for free.
- 400+
- businesses run on Autopilot
- 4.9
- Google Play rating
- 4.8
- App Store rating
- $49
- per month starting price
Autopilot vs GorillaDesk: your questions
The things owners actually ask before they switch.
Try the GorillaDesk alternative built for your crew
Start a free 2-week trial and book your first job today. No credit card, no onboarding fee, no contract.
More comparisons
GorillaDesk is a trademark of GorillaDesk. Autopilot is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by GorillaDesk. Competitor pricing and feature information is based on publicly available sources as of July 2026 and may have changed; features missing from a plan may be available on higher plans or for an additional fee. Confirm details with the vendor before buying.