Section 1
TL;DR
| Feature | Pooly | Housecall Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Pool service only | Any home service trade |
| Pool chemistry tooling | Native LSI auto calc, AI recommendations | Generic service notes |
| Body of water tracking | Built in | Not built in |
| Quote builder | Good / Better / Best tiers | Single tier |
| Embedded payments | Native, owned stack | Routed through Stripe |
| Consumer financing | Native, in the quote, single flow | Wisetack partner (3.9% per transaction, separate flow) |
| Routing and tech dispatch | Pool route patterns | Generic field service routes |
| Marketing automation | Basic | Mature (Housecall strength) |
| Mobile app | Web at beta, native coming soon | iOS + Android (mature) |
| Customer support | Direct, founder led | Tiered support |
Section 2
At a glance
Pooly
Software first, payments native, finance enabled, built only for pool service companies running 1 to 50 routes. Pool service has specific economics (weekly recurring routes, chemistry as daily workflow, equipment upgrade quoting, body of water tracking) that horizontal tools handle generically. We do not.
Housecall Pro
Strongest horizontal field service brand. Marketing automation, online booking, customer review tools. Mature mobile apps. Big customer base. Multi trade support across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, pool service, and more.
Section 3
Feature by feature
Pool chemistry and water science
Native LSI auto calc and AI chemical recommendations from reading inputs and pool size vs generic service notes.
Body of water tracking
Pooly tracks each pool as a body of water. HCP tracks each property as a job site. Different mental model.
Routing
Pooly built for pool service patterns. HCP built for any home service trade.
Quote builder
Good / Better / Best native vs single tier default.
Embedded payments
HCP routes through Stripe under the hood. Pooly owns the rails directly.
Consumer financing
HCP uses Wisetack (Affirm secondary). Wisetack: 3.9% per transaction, up to 9.9% for extended 0% APR, no monthly fee. Application opens in separate Wisetack environment. Pooly financing is native, in the quote and portal, single flow.
Marketing automation
HCP wins here. Online booking, postcards, reviews more mature than Pooly at beta.
Mobile app
HCP mature iOS/Android. Pooly web at beta, native coming.
Office and back office
HCP QuickBooks more polished. Pooly building toward parity.
Section 4
Embedded payments: native vs partner routed
HCP payment product is built on top of Stripe. Stripe takes a cut. HCP takes a cut. Operator pays both. Pooly owns the payment rails directly. No Stripe middleman.
If you process $500K+ per year in card volume, run the math against your current HCP statement.
Architecture comparison
Pooly: native rails
- One platform, one relationship
- Operator owns the rate
- Auto pay + financing in one flow
Housecall Pro: routed through Stripe
- Two layers of margin
- Funding timeline set by third party
- Separate processor portal handoffs
Section 5
Consumer financing
HCP financing runs through Wisetack (Affirm secondary). Wisetack pricing: 3.9% per financed transaction, up to 9.9% for extended 0% APR. No monthly fee, no subscription.
The friction is not price. It is flow. The Wisetack application opens in a separate environment outside the HCP quote. Customer applies in Wisetack, comes back to HCP to finalize. Two systems, one job.
Pooly financing is native. Inside the quote and customer portal in one experience. The customer never leaves Pooly.
If you sell heaters, equipment, or full renovations regularly, the integration depth matters at the close.
Section 6
Pricing and economics
Pricing is being finalized. Reach out for current pricing and a TCO walk through that includes payment processing economics.
Section 7
Who picks which
Pick Pooly if
pool service exclusively; chemistry and body of water tracking matter; you sell upgrade jobs and want financing in the quote in a single integrated flow, not a separate Wisetack environment; card volume is material; fast iterating beta is a feature; web on mobile works for now.
Stay on Housecall Pro if
multi trade; need native mobile day one; marketing automation and lead gen are core; mature platform with deep integrations matters more than pool native.
Where Housecall Pro wins
- Marketing automation. Online booking, postcards, review automation. HCP strongest area.
- Mobile app. Mature iOS and Android. Pooly web only at beta.
- Maturity. Years of iteration ahead of Pooly.
- Multi trade flexibility. If you run pool AND HVAC etc., HCP handles all of it.
- User base and brand. Large customer community, deep G2/Capterra reviews.
Section 8
Migrating from Housecall Pro to Pooly
We do not make migration hard. Pooly comes with a 30 day free trial. During the trial, we import your customer records, route assignments, service history, and chemical readings. Run both systems through the trial if you want.
At the end of 30 days, you decide. If Pooly works for your business, cancel Housecall Pro and you are fully running on Pooly. Setup is done. No cutover weekend. No double billing period. If it does not work, walk away. No charge.
Most operators are fully set up on Pooly within the first week of the trial and use the rest of the time to stress test it against their current workflow before committing.
Talk to the founders directly
Real reply, no auto responder. Same people who build the product.
Section 9
FAQ
Is Pooly cheaper than Housecall Pro?
Pricing is in finalization. TCO includes software subscription plus payment processing economics. For HCP operators using Wisetack financing, factor in 3.9% per transaction (or higher for extended 0% APR).
Can Pooly import my Housecall Pro data?
Yes. Records, routes, service history, and chemical readings are imported during the 30 day free trial. Run both systems through the trial.
Why pick a pool specific tool over HCP?
Pool service has specific workflows (chemistry, LSI, body of water tracking, weekly recurring routes, equipment upgrade quoting) that horizontal tools handle generically.
Does HCP offer consumer financing?
Yes, through Wisetack (Affirm secondary). Wisetack charges 3.9% per financed transaction (up to 9.9% for extended 0% APR). No monthly fee. Application opens in separate Wisetack flow. Pooly financing is native and in the quote/portal.
How does Pooly payments compare to HCP?
HCP routes through Stripe under the hood. Stripe takes a cut, HCP takes a cut. Pooly owns the payment rails directly. Better economics on every transaction.
Mobile app?
Not yet. Pooly is web at beta. Native iOS/Android is coming. HCP apps are mature.
Marketing automation?
HCP is stronger today. Online booking, postcards, review automation more developed than Pooly at beta.
How long does it take to switch from HCP to Pooly?
Pooly comes with a 30 day free trial. During the trial we import your customer, route, and service data. Most operators are fully set up within the first week. At the end of 30 days, if Pooly works for your business, cancel HCP and you are done. No cutover weekend. No double billing.
I run pool AND another trade. Is Pooly right for me?
Probably not. Pooly only handles pool service. HCP is the better choice for multi trade.
Beta safety?
Iterating, not unstable. Direct founder access. Migration designed to reduce risk.
Want the short version?
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