Pay the Pool Man vs Pool Brain

A detailed feature comparison of pool company software platforms (Pool Brain and Pay the Pool Man)

Pool companies with 1 to 2 technicians want and need very different things than a company managing their field techs from a central location. Pool Brain was designed to meet the needs of these larger pool companies and smaller companies who want to grow fast. Pool Brain's founder owned a pool company in Phoenix, AZ with 35+ trucks and experienced the major pain points that ALL pool companies face (green pools, techs not doing work properly, high turnover, difficult scheduling/billing, extensive training times, chemical waste, list goes on). Pool Brain was designed from the ground up with the specific mission of solving these industry pain points with unique and powerful features. 6 years later, the largest pool companies in the nation all use Pool Brain for that reason and others.

THE BOTTOM LINE:
Pool Brain was built by pool industry experts to solve the needs of pool companies at scale from day one. Pool Brain has the advanced all in one features you need to grow your business or run a medium to large pool company efficiently. Take a look at the feature comparison below and you'll see why leading pool companies choose Pool Brain.

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Chart last updated on 11/3/24 based on publicly available info - we do our best to monitor new releases and update the chart based on publicly available information. However, it's possible that something has been updated since this date, overlooked or not available publicly that isn't reflected here which should always be taken into consideration when reviewing this chart. It's also important to understand how we have credited the competitor for having a feature or not. If there is a green check mark or green text, the competitor is credited as having the feature. If there is a red minus icon or red text, the competitor is not credited as having the feature. If there is a pink question mark icon, we couldn't find publicly available info on whether the competitor has the feature. If text exists instead of an icon, it's purpose is to either state why credit was not given or that credit was given even though a part of the description may not match identically. To receive credit, competitor's feature must have the same feature within the CATEGORY, TITLE and DESCRIPTION. All 3 items need to be taken into account when reviewing the chart. If there are any questions or concerns, please contact us and we will address them promptly.

Scheduling
Optimize Routes Auto-optimize driving order on web and mobile app with one tap		web only
Real Time Progress Indicators Statuses on map and route card update in real-time as techs complete route stops & jobs		manual refresh required
One-time & Permanent Moves Easily cover the unexpected with drag & drop or a couple clicks
Drag & Drop Map Markers Drag/drop map markers directly from map to any route to change schedule
Show Nearest Routed Properties Displays the nearest ( X ) routed properties to any other property (know where to schedule a newly activated property in seconds)
Routes Keep Their Saved Order Properties stay put on routes when techs are terminated or reassigned so you don't have to rebuild them. Remove or assign a tech on any route with a couple clicks.
Filter Clean Auto-Scheduling Filter clean jobs are auto-created based on any schedule and template you choose. Last cleaned date is auto-updated when job is completed.	jobs are auto-created
Salt Cell Clean Auto-Scheduling Salt Cell clean jobs are auto-created based on any schedule and template you choose. Last cleaned date is auto-updated when job is completed.
Multiple Visits Per Week Ability to schedule a customer for multiple days per week with one-click
Every ( X ) Weeks Set any custom route schedule frequency for any number of weeks
Multi-Day Scheduling View 1 day, 2 day or 5 day (week) view
Advanced View Filtering Filter routes/jobs shown by any combination of technician, job type (route stop, one time job, filter clean, salt cell clean) and job status (not started, in progress, no access, completed, closed)

Quotes (estimates)
Send Quotes To Customers Via Web Create & send quotes via web dashboard
Send Quotes To Customers Via Mobile App Create & send quotes via mobile app
Add Pictures To Quotes One click or tap to add pictures to any quote line item
Add Custom Labels To Quotes Add labels to any line item with a click (recommended, optional, required, important, etc)
Customer Can Approve Quote Directly Customers can approve or deny quotes with a click directly on the quote that was sent
Quotes Become Jobs Automatically Once a quote is approved, a job will be created automatically to perform the work
Notification Controls Auto-send details to any email address(es) when customer approves or denies a quote
Know When Customer Views Quote Indicator shows when customer has viewed a quote with date/time info

Jobs (work orders)
Job Templates Save specific job settings to templates so you can create common job types easily
Jobs & Route Stops Categorized Separately One time Jobs & Route Stops (maintenance work) are clearly marked and categorized throughout web and app
Time Windows Customizable time windows can be selected on jobs so technician knows when to arrive
Duration Is Automatically Updated Based on services added to the job. If the duration for service A is 1 hr and service B is 2.5 hr, then the job duration auto updates to 3.5 hr.
Jobs Become Invoices Automatically Invoice is automatically created when job is closed if any products/services exist on the job
Guided Workflows
Log Chemical Reading & Dosing Info Chemical reading and dosing data can be recorded on both one time jobs and route stops (maintenance work)
Automatic Chemical Dosing If technician enters readings, dosing amounts are auto-calculated and filled in (can be changed if desired)

Billing
Built In Billing Quickbooks Online / 3rd party program not required to perform any billing actions
Create Invoices Invoices can be automatically or manually created inside the program		manual
Create Payments Payments can be automatically or manually created inside the program (check, cash, credit card, ACH)		manual
Process Refunds
Set Prices By Service Level / Type With two clicks (service level & type), workflow and pricing is automatically setup for any customer based on your settings but can be changed for any custom situation
Flat Rate Billing (in advance or arrears) Charge a single flat rate each month for maintenance services
Per Visit Billing (in advance or arrears) Charge an amount each month based on the number of route stops actually performed (arrears) or number of route stops scheduled (in advance)
Charge Extra For Chemicals Option to automatically include additional charges for chemicals used
"Pay Now" Option On Invoices Customers can pay any invoice you send with a click & enter credit card or ACH details
Auto-Create Monthly Invoices Automatically create all your monthly invoices for route stops with no manual work required
Auto-Charge Credit Card / ACH Automatically charge the payment method on file and if payment is successful, a paid invoice receipt will be sent. Automatic retries if card is declined.		for credit & debit cards only
Retry Auto-Charge after Decline Automatically attempt to charge the same payment method for a set number of days if auto-payment is declined
Auto-Email Invoices / Invoice Receipts Customers receive monthly invoices automatically after they are auto-created and auto-paid. If auto-pay is not active or declines, customers will receive an invoice instead.
Know When Customer Views Invoice Indicator shows when customer has viewed an invoice with date/time info
Recurring Discounts Create start up specials, customer referral credits, easy pro-rating or any other discount to be automatically added to monthly invoices for a preset number of months
Auto-Apply Payments / Acct Credits to Next Invoice Option to auto-apply any existing payment or credit balance to the next created invoice(s) for a customer
Control Tax Rates Create tax names/rates and set default for company and customer property level
Set Billing Terms Per Customer Different terms (time until invoice is past due) can be changed for each customer
QuickBooks Online Invoice Syncing Invoices are synced between the two programs	auto-sync (2 way)	manual
Quickbooks Online Payments/Refunds Syncing Payments and refunds are synced between the two programs	auto-sync (2 way)	manual

Products & Services
Products Create and manage products to be added to quotes, jobs and invoices
Services Create and manage services to be added to quotes, jobs and invoices
Bundles Create bundles to group multiple products and services together with 1 click (option to hide individual prices and only display a flat rate for the bundle)
Categories Create categories to organize products, services & bundles however you like
Sub-Categories Create subcategories to organize products, services & bundles within multiple tiers
Quickbooks Online Import for Products/Services Existing products and services in QBO can be imported into the program		manual
Quickbooks Online Syncing for Products/Services When products and services are created or edited in the program, they sync to QBO and vice versa	auto-sync (2 way)	manual
Quickbooks Online Import for Categories Existing categories and subcategories in QBO can be imported into the program		manual
Quickbooks Online Syncing for Categories When categories and subcategories are created or edited in the program, they sync to QBO and vice versa	auto-sync (2 way)	manual

Customers
Import Customers via Quickbooks Online
Customer Details Notes, contacts, gate code, access info and dog info can be stored and managed
Multiple Addresses Create multiple property addresses belonging to the same customer
Proof of Service Emails Customizable emails are automatically sent when a route stop is completed (if enabled)
Configure Proof of Service Emails Per Customer Proof of service emails can be turned off or have the recipient changed for single customers or different properties belonging to the same customer
Send Emails From Your Own Domain Send emails from your own email address / website domain with DKIM setup instead of from a generic email like notify@poolbrain.com
Automatic Swim Wait Message System auto-includes a custom "wait to swim" message in proof of service email if any chemicals you specify are used on a route stop
Customer Feedback Customers can leave 1 tap feedback in proof of service emails or customer portal
Customer Portal Customers can login to view their past job and route stop details on demand		requires customer to use an app
Customer Statuses View customers by status category (active-routed, active-no route, inactive, and leads) Status is automatically assigned and tracked
Quickbooks Online Syncing Sync changes made to customer info (after initial import)	auto-sync (2 way)	manual sync (2 way)

Multiple Bodies of Water
Custom Names Choose a custom name for each body of water
Custom Colors Choose a custom color for each body of water for easy reference
Track Gallons Save gallons/volume for specific bodies of water
Categorize by Type Choose a body of water type such as "pool, spa, fountain, etc"
Manage Equipment Track and manage equipment settings by body of water
Manage Workflows Create separate workflows per body of water for technician to complete in mobile app
Individual Pricing Option to set price charged to customer by body of water (separate line items on invoice)
Track Chemical Usage Chemical usage can be viewed on graphs and reports based on specific body of water
Track Chemical Cost Chemicals usage and cost can be tracked by individual body of water
Track Technician Pay Auto-calculate and track technician pay amounts by body of water
Labels on Web Bodies of water are clearly labeled and color coded throughout the web dashboard for alerts, reports, jobs/route stop lists and more
Labels in Mobile App Properties with multiple bodies are marked on main jobs list in app so techs know at a glance
Tabbed Interface Bodies of water are displayed and accessed via 1 click tab interface for easy management

Equipment Tracking
Equipment Tracking Save equipment details for any body of water using app or web
Equipment Notes Save equipment notes using app or web
Equipment Pictures Save equipment photos using app or web
Equipment Types Select & track equipment "Types" such as cartridge, DE, Sand, Variable Speed, Single Speed, etc
Equipment Icons Bar At a glance icons display the specific equipment for any body of water/property
Auto-Update Workflows Job/Route Stop workflows change automatically based on the equipment selected for a body of water

Alerts & Issue Reporting
Alerts Dashboard When alerts and issue reports are generated, they appear in an organized to do list based on priority level and date/time so your team always knows what to work on next. Office staff can review and dismiss the alerts solo or as a team.
Customizable Alerts System triggers alerts automatically based on your settings. Customize which alerts you want to see and when. Use the default alerts or create your own. You can trigger them based on service level or equipment type and choose individual priority levels.
Categorized Issue Reports Technicians can report issues to the office from the field using preset categories (water level low, algae, system down, no power, no access, weather, repair needed, etc). Choose if notes are required, photos are required or both.
Chemical Alerts Get alerted if any chemical is out of range (too high or low) by any amount you set
Flow / PSI Alerts PSI at zero (pump down), PSI too high (clogging filter, deadhead, etc), PSI trending down (clogging impeller or other issue)
Time Alerts Not enough time on site, too much time on site & late start
Cost and Leak Alerts Chem cost too high on single visit, salt trending down / CYA trending down (leaking confirmation as they do not break down or evaporate)
Context At A Glance Alerts have unique icons and color codes so you know the story at a glance. They also have numbers above them to show how many visits in a row the alert has triggered.
Alert / Issue Report Emails Alerts can be emailed to one or more team members (optional) based on your settings for that alert

Service Levels ("Serviceables")
Service Levels Create default settings based on tiers of service (e.g. Full Service, Chems Only, Hot Tub Service, VIP, etc). Select a service level for any body of water to update workflow items, required chem readings, billing price & tech pay settings with a single click. Greatly reduces office staff training, errors and time spent.
Billing Price Automatically turn on/off the "charge for chems" toggle based on service level and type selected. Automatically set what the monthly or per visit price should be
Technician Pay Automatically set technician pay based on service level and type selected (system also checks the role assigned to technician so you can pay techs different rates if you wish)
Guided Workflows Automatically set which items/actions are required by default on any body of water. What happens, when it happens, how often it happens, whether a photo is required, if/when it should be stopped, you name it.
Before & After Picture Requirements Automatically set whether before and after pics are required/not required based on service level selected. (before pics are required at beginning of job so before pics are REALLY before pics)
Custom Chem Reading Requirements & Frequency Automatically set which chemical readings are required to be entered in the app and how often (For example.... you could require chlorine, ph alkalinity every visit but CYA every 6 visit and Phosphates ever 12 visits)
Backwashing Requirements Automatically set how often sand/DE filters should be backwashed based on service level (always customizable for each body of water)
Filter Clean Requirements Automatically set how often cartridge/DE filters should be cleaned by tech on a route stop based on service level (if you charge extra or have different techs do this, you can have additional jobs created automatically instead with pre-filled settings)
Salt Cell Clean Requirements Automatically set how often salt cells should be cleaned by tech on a route stop based on service level (if you charge extra or have different techs do this, you can have additional jobs created automatically instead with pre-filled settings)
Pump Priming Requirements (PSI logging) Automatically set whether tech is required to prime pump & record PSI as one of the last things they do before they leave the property based on service level. This gives consistent PSI readings and automatic office alerts if a pump is down, priming poorly or has an impeller that is clogging.
Alerts Set alerts to only trigger when actions are taken on specific service levels. For example, a "Not Enough Time On Site" alert that triggers if tech spent less than 15 minutes for a "Complete Care" service level and one that triggers if the tech spent less than 5 minutes on a "Chems Only" service level.

Technicians
Effortless Setup Enter tech's name / phone number and you're done. Tech is created and automatically texted a link to download app. They connect it just by entering their phone number.
Issue Reports When a technician needs to report something to the office, it can be done directly from the app with notes and photos
Guided Workflows Tasks can't be skipped, forgotten or cheated and training is drastically reduced. Correct actions are performed at the correct times no matter which technician services a property.
Technician Pay Auto-calculate "per pool" technician payroll. Set different pay levels for different techs, properties, bodies of water, service levels and types.
Technician Commissions Automatically track job commission pay and sales commission pay from quote to job to invoice.
Technician Scorecards Customer feedback, stats, chem use/costs, pay and trends are tracked & displayed for each tech
Technician Photos Add a picture of the tech to display in job lists, route map/route cards, proof of service email and more
Hide Customer Phone Numbers Choose which technicians can see customer phone numbers in app

Mobile App
Native App For iOS (iPhone) & Android
App Works With No Cell Signal App designed so techs can complete work under any signal conditions
No User Names Or Passwords App is linked to the tech after entering their phone number once. Prevents login credentials from being compromised, setup is fast & app works without signal even in all cases
Unlimited Photos Take unlimited photos on any job/route stop		5 photo limit
Create & Send Quotes Create and send quotes directly from the app. Include title, line items, labels, photos and more
Issue Reports When a technician needs to report something to the office, it can be done directly from the app with notes and photos
View All Jobs & Route Stops On Map
Optimize Driving Order 1 tap auto-optimization to rearrange order of stops for the day		web only
Prevent Technician From Changing Order If desired, 1 click will lockout a technician from being able to change the route order in app
Save Chemical Readings
Save Chemical Dosings
Chemical Reading / Dosing History Graph View chem reading & dosing history on a graph for each body of water for any date range you want
Chemical Auto-Dosing After readings are entered, chemical dosing amounts are auto-filled into the proper fields
Dosing Entries Can't Be Forgotten or Skipped Technician can see at a glance if they have or haven't confirmed dosing amounts yet. App won't let them complete the job without either recording which chems were used or confirming no chems were used that visit (1 tap).
Guided Workflows Correct actions are always performed at the correct times no matter which technician services the property. Training time/cost, customer complaints, canceled accounts and bad reviews are drastically reduced.
Checklist Items Can't Be Skipped, Forgotten or Cheated If tech skips/forgets a required item, app forces them to complete the item or send a message to the office on why they can't complete it. Option to require tech to take a new photo proving item was completed.
Technician Must Start Job To Complete Work When tech arrives at a property, they must start the job/route stop before they are able to complete any work. This ensures start and finish times are always accurate. (If tech can't access property, they can mark it as "no access" in one tap)
Gallonage Calculator Built in calculator guides tech on which measurements to enter and then auto-calculates and saves gallonage to the account

Reports
Company Activity Dashboard Overview of jobs, quotes, invoices, payments, chemical costs/use, active customers, properties serviced, technician pay and route profit breakdown stats with drill down to manageable lists and Excel reports
Customer Report
Jobs Report
Quotes Report
Invoice Report
Payment Report
Technician Pay - Per Route Stop Report
Technician Pay - Commission Report (Jobs & Sales)
Technician Time Report
Chemical Usage & Costs Report
Chemical Pricing Report
Route Profit Breakdown See properties that are profitable, low profit and losing money. Average profit per property, profit $, profit %, invoiced amount, chem spend, and technician pay associated with each property.
Interactive Graphs & Charts Enables your team to identify cause and effect at a glance and navigate easily
Job Activity Logs Shows timestamped activity for all actions taken in mobile app by technician for all jobs & route stops with supporting pics and notes
User Activity Logs See timestamped activity for actions taken by users in web dashboard

Getting Started, Support & Experience
Free Onboarding & Customer Support
Startup Trial Or Special	30 day free trial	30 day free trial
Price Comparison Based on 3 technicians servicing 80 pools a month each use pricing calculator	$175 / mo (active tech pricing)	$80 / mo (feature-tier pricing)
Combined Pool Company Management Experience (number of years) Based on full time employees that have owned or managed a pool company	55+ years	13 years

Pay the Pool Man vs Pool Brain

A detailed feature comparison of pool company software platforms (Pool Brain and Pay the Pool Man)

If you've outgrown Pay the Pool Man, it's time to switch to Pool Brain