The Bottom Line
Better Value
YardPal: $497/year
unlimited users
Photoshop: $239.88/year
per user
Plus Photoshop needs expensive Creative Cloud
10x Faster
YardPal: 5 minutes
Photoshop: 30-60 minutes
Create mockups while on-site with homeowners
Zero Learning Curve
YardPal: 5 minutes
Photoshop: Weeks/months
Start creating mockups today, no training needed
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature |  | Photoshop |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Cost | $497/year unlimited users | $239.88/year per user |
| Time to Create Mockup | 5 minutes | 30-60 minutes |
| Learning Curve | 5 min to master | Weeks/months |
| Built for Contractors | ||
| Landscape Asset Library | 1,000+ assets | Build your own |
| Before/After View | Manual only | |
| Works on iPad/Tablet | Separate app | |
| Create Mockups On-Site | Too slow | |
| Technical Skills Required | None | Advanced |
| Client Presentations | Built-in | Export only |
When to Use Each Tool
Choose YardPal If You:
- Are a landscaping contractor selling jobs
- Need to create mockups quickly on-site
- Want to close more deals with visual proposals
- Don't have design experience or training
- Need to create 5-10+ mockups per week
- Want to impress homeowners immediately
- Need realistic landscape-specific assets
- Want to show before/after comparisons
Choose Photoshop If You:
- Are a professional graphic designer
- Need advanced photo manipulation tools
- Have weeks/months to learn the software
- Already own Adobe Creative Cloud
- Need pixel-perfect custom design work
- Are creating marketing materials, not proposals
- Have time to manually create all assets
- Don't need to work on-site with clients
The Reality for Landscaping Contractors
Scenario: You're at a homeowner's house for a consultation. They're interested in a backyard renovation-new patio, plants, maybe a pergola. They ask: "What would it look like?"
With Photoshop:
"I'll take some photos and send you a mockup in a few days." You go home, spend an hour+ fumbling with layers, masking, and finding the right images online. By the time you send it, they've already called another contractor.
With YardPal:
"Let me show you right now." You pull out your tablet, upload the photo, drag in a patio, add some plants, and show them the before/after in 5 minutes. They're blown away and ready to sign.
That's the difference between closing the job and losing it.