Tree service / arborist software, built around FMCSA, DOT and on-site estimate with tree map / photo markup

Arkathos gives a tree service a workspace tailored to how the work actually runs — This workspace is built around winning on-site tree estimates, then putting the right crew, climbers, and equipment on each job and invoicing it. Arkathos tailors a tree service workspace around 4 agents: Sentinel, Quartermaster, Treasury, Herald.

Compliance a tree service can't afford to miss

Watchtower tracks every license, bond, insurance policy, and continuing-education requirement for a tree service, with renewal cadences and staged reminders so nothing lapses.

• A tree service must maintain a ISA Certified Arborist, through the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), which renews every 3 years.
• The ISA Certified Arborist carries a continuing-education requirement of 30 hours every 36 months (30h Arboriculture (any of the 10 tested CEU domains; no Ethics/Safety sub-minimum)).
• A tree service must maintain a ISA Board Certified Master Arborist (BCMA), through the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), which renews every 3 years.
• The ISA Board Certified Master Arborist (BCMA) carries a continuing-education requirement of 60 hours every 36 months (10h Science (minimum 10 of the 60), 10h Practice (minimum 10 of the 60), 10h Management (minimum 10 of the 60), 30h Any of the 19 tested domains (remaining flexible CEUs to reach 60)).
• A tree service must maintain a ISA Certified Tree Worker - Climber Specialist, through the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), which renews every 3 years.
• The ISA Certified Tree Worker - Climber Specialist carries a continuing-education requirement of 15 hours every 36 months (15h Tree care (8 tested domains); PLUS mandatory current CPR, First Aid & physical (practice) aerial-rescue proof - pass/fail, not CE hours).
• A tree service must maintain a State Arborist / Tree Expert License (e.g., NJ Licensed Tree Expert), through the State tree-expert/licensing board (e.g., NJ Board of Tree Experts), which renews every two years.
• The State Arborist / Tree Expert License (e.g., NJ Licensed Tree Expert) carries a continuing-education requirement of 32 hours every two years (32h Arboriculture / urban forestry (approved providers; no stated Ethics/Safety sub-minimum)).
• A tree service must maintain a Tree Service Contractor License (CA C-49 Tree & Palm / state specialty contractor license), through the State contractors licensing board (e.g., California CSLB), which renews every two years.
• A tree service must maintain a Commercial Pesticide Applicator License (required if applying pesticides/herbicides), through the State Dept. of Agriculture / Environmental Protection (pesticide control program), which renews every year.
• A tree service must maintain a USDOT Number / Motor Carrier Registration (chipper trucks & CMVs >=10,001 lbs), through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), U.S. DOT, which renews every two years.
• A tree service must maintain a General Liability Insurance, through the Commercial insurance carrier, which renews every year.
• A tree service must maintain a Workers' Compensation Insurance, through the State-regulated workers' compensation carrier / state fund, which renews every year.
• A tree service must maintain a Commercial Auto Insurance (fleet / chipper & bucket trucks), through the Commercial insurance carrier, which renews every year.
• A tree service must maintain a Professional Liability / Errors & Omissions (E&O) Insurance, through the Commercial insurance carrier, which renews every year.
• A tree service must maintain a Cyber Liability Insurance, through the Commercial insurance carrier, which renews every year.

Everything Arkathos runs for a tree service

These are the agents set up first for a tree service — and because it's one platform, every plan includes all 16 Arkathos agents. Also included whenever you need them: Guardhouse, Scribe, Courier, War Room, Armory, Marshall, Mint Warden, Vault Keeper, Watchtower, Bulletin Board, Client Portal.

• Sentinel — Contact & lead management, Deal / estimate pipeline, Task & follow-up tracking, SMS & email outreach, Pipeline reporting.
• Quartermaster — Online booking & appointments, Calendar & availability, Events & waitlists, Automated reminders, Job dispatch & scheduling.
• Treasury — Invoicing & payment collection, Expense tracking, Accounting & bookkeeping, Business tax prep & filing, Recurring billing & subscriptions, Financial dashboards & reports.
• Herald — SEO & get-found content, Social media scheduling, Email & newsletter campaigns, Brand voice & content studio, Review & reputation growth, AI-overview & directory visibility.

Your tailored tree service workspace

These are net-new, tree service-specific capabilities — not a generic CRM bolted onto your industry.

• On-site estimate with tree map / photo markup (Sentinel): Build the bid on the property: photo each tree, mark removal vs trim vs stump grind, add hazard notes, and set per-tree pricing that totals into a Draft estimate the customer can approve on the spot.
• Equipment & crew scheduling (bucket truck / chipper) (Quartermaster): Schedule scarce equipment (bucket truck, crane, chipper, stump grinder) and qualified climbers as bookable resources so a job isn't sold for a day the only crane is already committed elsewhere.
• Job-cost + debris disposal logging (Treasury): Log dump/green-waste fees, equipment hours, and crew labor per job for true margin; tree work carries high equipment cost per ticket.
• Utility line-clearance & permit flag (Dispatch): Flag jobs near utility conductors (qualified line-clearance arborist required) and protected/heritage/street-tree permits before the crew rolls.
• Storm-surge emergency intake (Sentinel): A rapid storm-damage intake mode capturing address, hazard urgency (limb on house/road), and photos to triage emergency vs scheduled work during peak demand.

The agents and tabs you get

Sentinel for a tree service surfaces Overview, Contacts, Tasks, Chat. Quartermaster for a tree service surfaces Dispatch, Calendar, Bookings, Availability, Chat. Treasury for a tree service surfaces Draft estimate, Invoices, Pipeline, Sales tax, Chat. Herald for a tree service surfaces Get found, Directories, Compose, ✦Studio, Schedule, Chat, Brand voice.

Frequently asked questions

what software do tree service companies use to run their business

Most use field-service platforms like Jobber, ArboStar, Arborgold, SingleOps or QuoteIQ for scheduling, estimating, invoicing and CRM. Arkathos bundles those plus payroll, compliance and marketing across 16 AI agents at flat pricing.

how much does tree service software cost per month

Roughly $30-$700/month. General tools like Jobber run $39-$329 with per-user surcharges; tree-specific tools like ArboStar, Arborgold and SingleOps run $200-$500. Arkathos charges one flat rate with no per-seat fees.

best tree service software for small business

Common small-shop picks include Jobber, GorillaDesk, QuoteIQ and Treezi for scheduling, quotes and invoicing. Arkathos is an all-in-one alternative adding payroll, bookkeeping, compliance and lead follow-up without per-user pricing.

can tree service software price jobs per tree by species and dbh

Some tree-specific platforms support per-tree line items priced by species, height and DBH (diameter at breast height). Arkathos builds estimates and converts them to invoices in one click.

how to price a tree removal job

Assess height, diameter, species, access and hazards; total labor hours plus disposal, add overhead and a 20%+ margin. A rough benchmark is $10-$14 per foot of height. Arkathos can draft priced estimates.

how do tree service companies get more emergency storm damage calls

Speed wins storm work: instant call answering, SMS auto-replies, priority dispatch and fast quoting. Arkathos captures and follows up leads automatically and can reprioritize crew schedules for emergency jobs.

do i need a license and insurance to run a tree service

It varies by state. Many require general liability and workers' comp, clients often demand a Certificate of Insurance, and some states (e.g., California's C-49) require a license. Arkathos tracks compliance deadlines and documents.

is there free software for tree service companies

A few offer limited free tiers or trials (Fieldified's free plan, Jobber and LMN trials), but most tree-specific platforms are paid, and free tools usually cap users, jobs or features.

how to get more tree service leads

Optimize your Google Business Profile, run Local Service Ads, gather reviews, and follow up fast by SMS and email. Arkathos captures leads and automates multi-touch follow-up, which raises booking rates.

What licenses and insurance does a tree service need?

Arkathos tracks 12 items for a tree service, including ISA Certified Arborist, ISA Board Certified Master Arborist (BCMA), ISA Certified Tree Worker - Climber Specialist, State Arborist / Tree Expert License (e.g., NJ Licensed Tree Expert). Each renewal and expiration is monitored in Watchtower with staged reminders.

What continuing education is required for a tree service?

The ISA Certified Arborist carries a continuing-education requirement of 30 hours every 36 months (30h Arboriculture (any of the 10 tested CEU domains; no Ethics/Safety sub-minimum)). The ISA Board Certified Master Arborist (BCMA) carries a continuing-education requirement of 60 hours every 36 months (10h Science (minimum 10 of the 60), 10h Practice (minimum 10 of the 60), 10h Management (minimum 10 of the 60), 30h Any of the 19 tested domains (remaining flexible CEUs to reach 60)). The ISA Certified Tree Worker - Climber Specialist carries a continuing-education requirement of 15 hours every 36 months (15h Tree care (8 tested domains); PLUS mandatory current CPR, First Aid & physical (practice) aerial-rescue proof - pass/fail, not CE hours). The State Arborist / Tree Expert License (e.g., NJ Licensed Tree Expert) carries a continuing-education requirement of 32 hours every two years (32h Arboriculture / urban forestry (approved providers; no stated Ethics/Safety sub-minimum)). Watchtower logs hours by category and flags shortfalls before the deadline.

Which Arkathos agents does a tree service get?

Arkathos tailors a tree service workspace around 4 agents: Sentinel, Quartermaster, Treasury, Herald.

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