Pay the Pool Man offers payroll processing as a paid add-on; RouteSplash calculates pay and exports it but does not process paychecks. RouteSplash includes per-login pricing ($30 each) for a flat rate, which Pay the Pool Man does not. Pick the one whose gaps do not matter to you.
Same company, same fleet, two different models. Pay the Pool Man's base fee holds steady while the per-tech line grows.
| Team size | RouteSplash | Pay the Pool Man | Annual difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 technician | $49/mo (Starter) | ~$65/mo | $192/yr |
| 3 technicians | $119/mo (Lean) | ~$95/mo | +$288/yr |
| 5 technicians | $179/mo (Lean) | ~$125/mo | +$648/yr |
| 10 technicians | $329/mo (Lean) | ~$200/mo | +$1,548/yr |
RouteSplash shown at the $49 (Starter) tier (up to 50 pools). Pay the Pool Man shown at its $50 base plus $15 per technician. Competitor pricing checked October 30, 2026, from publicly posted rates.
| What you get | RouteSplash | Pay the Pool Man |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | $49 flat (Starter) to 50 pools, then $59 + $30/login + $0.25/pool, then $0.75/pool (past 150) | $50 base + $15 per technician |
| Cost of hiring technician #5 | +$30/mo | +$15/mo |
| Cost of hiring technician #10 | +$30/mo | +$15/mo |
| Payroll | Hours, overtime and per-stop pay calculated, CSV export (no paycheck processing) | Payroll processing, paid add-on ($12/employee/mo) |
| Water chemistry + LSI dosing | Built in, every plan | Check current feature list |
| Route optimization + GPS | Every plan | Built in |
| Compliance-grade chemical records | Built in, inspection-ready export | Check current feature list |
| Built by a working pool operator | Yes — Project 36 Services | Yes |
This is not a one-sided comparison. Here is where they win outright.
Pay the Pool Man offers payroll processing as an add-on — $12 per employee per month plus a one-time sign-up fee. RouteSplash calculates pay and exports it, but does not process paychecks. If consolidating payroll into your pool software is valuable, that is worth more than the subscription difference.
With two or three technicians on a big route, the per-tech model stays modest while RouteSplash's per-pool rate climbs above 50 pools. Run your own numbers — the crossover is real.
Two systems means two integrations and two reconciliation points. If simplicity of vendor count matters, Pay the Pool Man covers more of the back office.
At $15 per technician, going from 3 to 10 techs adds $105/month — $1,260 a year — before you have earned a dollar from the new crew. RouteSplash adds $30 per login plus $0.25 per pool.
Every chemical entry is immutable, LSI is calculated automatically, and dosing is suggested. The history is exportable in an inspection-ready format rather than living in notes.
Dead zones do not stop a route. The Android app queues entries locally and syncs when signal returns, including photos of equipment and chemistry readings.
One price tier under 50 pools gets route optimization, dosing, compliance export, the customer portal, and $30 per login plus $0.25 per pool. There is no feature ladder to climb.
See which pools and routes actually make money — revenue from invoices, chemicals at supplier cost, tech time, drive time and mileage. Pay the Pool Man does not list a per-pool profit report as its headline.
Per-truck logs with fuel and mileage, gear check-in/out with lost/broken flags, and multi-person job teams for pool builds and repairs. RouteSplash models the whole operation.
All included, with a $30 per-login fee plus $0.25 per pool as you grow.
Details on the feature guide. Try the route profit calculator on your own numbers.
You keep your customer list. Here is the sequence.
Get your customer list out of Pay the Pool Man as a spreadsheet (CSV or Excel) before your paid period ends. Most pool software can export customers; if you can't find it, ask Pay the Pool Man's support for an export.
The importer recognizes common column names, lets you match the rest, and previews every row before anything saves.
Put customers on routes and days, assign techs, and set monthly prices. Connect your Stripe or Square account for online payments and AutoPay.
Keep Pay the Pool Man for one billing cycle while your crew runs RouteSplash. The 30-day trial is free, so the overlap costs nothing. More on switching.
About $125/month — $50 base plus $15 per technician. RouteSplash is $49 flat (Starter) for up to 50 pools, then $59 base + $30/login + $0.25/pool, roughly $86/month less at that headcount.
Yes, as a paid add-on: $12 per employee per month plus a one-time sign-up fee, on top of the subscription. RouteSplash calculates payroll (hours, overtime and per-stop pay, with a CSV export for your payroll provider) but does not run paychecks or tax filings. If payroll inside your pool software matters, that is a capability gap you should weigh honestly.
At one technician RouteSplash is $49/mo (Starter) versus about $65/mo, saving roughly $16/month. As you hire, RouteSplash adds $30 per login, so the gap narrows at higher headcount.
Yes. Export customers as CSV and use RouteSplash's importer, which auto-maps headers and previews before saving. Routes are rebuilt rather than imported. See the switching guide.
30 days free, full product, no credit card. Every active login is $30/month plus $0.25 per pool.
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