Even the most ambitious DIY-er needs a little help from time to time. If an appliance breaks or wears out, you can check out the latest home improvement videos to learn how to fix it. But your lawn is a living thing, and it often requires more than some elbow grease to restore to full health. You might only need a little fertilizer, sure, but do you know whether that stubborn brown patch is the result of an overzealous dog or a developing anthracnose infection?

Whether your lawn needs a complete overhaul or just some freshening up, hiring a professional lawn care service can save you time and effort while also giving you the peace of mind that experts are on the job. 

Of course, there are many lawn maintenance services. Choosing the right one for your lawn can feel like a daunting task. Lawn Doctor is a viable option, a trusted lawn care provider with 50 years in the business. In this Lawn Doctor review, the reviews team has researched the services the company offers, its nationwide availability and customer reviews to see how well it stacks up against the competition.

4.1

Our Rating

Based on our 23-point rating system.
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Year Founded:
1970
BBB Rating:
A
Avg. Monthly Cost:
$21-$100
State Availability:
37 states

Our Preferred Lawn Care Companies

Today’s Homeowner recommends several lawn care companies to our readers. Below you’ll see our latest suggestions and their unique superlatives. You can also explore our review of the best lawn care services to find your ideal option.

Top Pick

4.9

VISIT SITE
Limited Time:
50% Off Your First Application
Best DIY Lawn Service
Sunday Lawn Care Logo

4.1

VISIT SITE
Limited Time:
$20 Off Smart Lawn Plan (SUNDAY20TOH)
Best Organic Treatments

3.5

VISIT SITE
Limited Time:
No current offers available.
Best for Landscaping

3.2

VISIT SITE
Limited Time:
$15 When You Refer a Friend
Highlights
  • Lawn Doctor offers a variety of lawn services including fertilization, seeding, aeration, soil enrichment, weed control and more.
  • Lawn Doctor offers a Natural Lawn Care Program that doesn’t use any synthetic chemicals.
  • Because all lawns have different sizes, compositions and geographical locations, there is no standardized cost for lawn maintenance.

Lawn Doctor Pros & Cons

The tabs below summarize Lawn Doctor’s high-level benefits and drawbacks. Keep these points in mind as you decide whether the company is right for you.  

Individual and packaged services
Highly customizable plans
Many locations are BBB-accredited and maintain good ratings
Organic products available
Good industry reputation
Unclear yearly package structure
Unavailable in 10 states
Some locations have netted bad reviews

Lawn Doctor’s Offerings

Lawn Doctor offers both yearly maintenance plans and a la carte services. 

Individual Services

If your lawn is lacking in only a few key areas, you can hire the professionals at Lawn Doctor to spruce it up without paying for anything you don’t need. Here are the services that Lawn Doctor offers, all of which come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Lawn Fertilization

As you probably already know, fertilization refers to supplying additional nutrients to the soil where your grass grows. The type and amount of fertilizer that’s best for your yard depends on a number of factors, including the grass species, the composition of the soil and local environmental conditions. Lawn Doctor specializes in creating customized fertilization plans to keep your lawn looking its best.

Lawn Doctor uses a slow-release fertilizer formula that promises to show its benefits over several weeks of new grass growth. Spreading fertilizer by hand can lead to uneven distribution that burns patches of grass that receive too much, so Lawn Doctor uses its own line of Turf Tamer lawn care equipment to ensure that everything spreads evenly.

Seeding and Aeration

If your lawn needs additional seeding atop existing grass, there’s no better equipment than a power seeder. Seeds merely sprinkled on turf stand about a 10% chance of making their way down to the soil to take root and grow, even on spots that look bare. With a power seed sower, their chance of germination jumps to 90%. If you’re like most people, you’d love to see those numbers without having to buy and store a power seeder all year round.

Lawn Doctor’s Turf Tamer equipment includes a power seeder, so the company’s technicians can quickly and efficiently apply grass seeds to ailing lawns. Lawn Doctor also offers an aeration service, employing a machine that digs up small plugs of dirt in order to give the soil a better structure. Seeding and aeration often go hand-in-hand to get the best results.

Soil Enrichment and pH Balancing

The soil in your yard needs more than just aeration to stay healthy — it also requires the right species of bacteria and fungi to break down organic matter into nutrients. Lawn Doctor’s soil enrichment services work alongside fertilizer to improve the quality of the soil. Technicians will apply a fertilizer catalyst and loosen the soil to improve its structure and ability to retain water and nutrients.

The best soil for growing grass and other plants is very slightly acidic, as measured on the pH scale. Lawn Doctor’s experts can measure the pH of your soil to determine if it is too acidic or too alkaline and then treat the problem accordingly.

Weed Control

Dandelions, clover and crabgrass are some of the most common weeds that keep lawns from looking their best. Lawn Doctor specializes in eradicating these weeds as well as preventing them from returning. A full year of weed control comprises about six to eight individual treatments, and technicians will help customize a schedule for those visits based on the needs of your yard.

Tree and Shrub Care

Lawn Doctor will tend to more than just grass. Your yard’s trees and shrubs need love, too, and Lawn Doctor’s experts can check that they’re properly fertilized and free of disease and insect infestation. They will evaluate more than just the foliage to determine the health of the plant. However, Lawn Doctor will only provide services for trees less than 20 feet tall.

Mosquito, Fire Ant and Tick Control

While mosquitoes, fire ants and ticks won’t directly damage your yard’s plant life, they will prevent you and your family from fully enjoying your home’s outdoor space. Lawn Doctor’s pest control service is called Yard Armour. It promises to both reduce ongoing insect problems and prevent future problems by identifying and treating potential breeding grounds.

Mosquito control is available as both regularly scheduled treatments or one-time treatments for outdoor special events. It should be noted that Lawn Doctor claims to offer “natural mosquito spray,” although it isn’t clear what such a spray contains, or if customers have to specifically request it in lieu of a chemical spray.

White Grub and Mole Control

White grubs are among the most damaging pests to a lawn. These grubs are actually beetle larvae, and they tend to hatch in the spring and tunnel through the roots of grass and other plants, causing randomly shaped bare patches. Worse, white grubs are a favorite snack of moles, which can dig a number of large holes throughout a lawn in search of food. Lawn Doctor can treat these infestations by eliminating the grubs and removing the moles’ food source. 

Annual Plans

If your lawn needs more comprehensive care — or if you’re not entirely sure what it is your lawn needs and want to consult an expert — Lawn Doctor also offers its services bundled into a yearly maintenance plan. Unfortunately, the company’s website is a little unclear when it comes to the differences between the following packages.

Lawn Maintainer Program

Lawn Doctor’s Lawn Maintainer Program is the company’s most comprehensive maintenance package and it includes the following services:

  • Customized fertilization program
  • Pre-emergent and standard weed control
  • Integrated pest management
  • Fertilization
  • Aeration
  • Seeding

Lawn Maintainer Care Program

If you don’t need Lawn Doctor to provide pest control, the company also offers the Lawn Maintainer Care Program, which only includes the following services for plants and soil:

  • Customized treatment schedule
  • Lawn fertilization
  • Aeration
  • Weed control 

Natural Lawn Care Program 

If you prefer green lawn care and it’s important to you that all materials used on your yard come from natural plant and animal sources, Lawn Doctor offers a Natural Lawn Care Program that doesn’t use any synthetic chemicals. The services include: 

  • Customized treatment schedule 
  • Organic lawn fertilizer
  • Lawn seeding
  • Core aeration
  • Integrated pest management
  • Soil enrichment and pH balancing
  • Weed control 

Lawn Maintainer ProgramLawn Maintainer Care ProgramNatural Lawn Care Program
Customized treatment schedule
Fertilization✔ (organic)
Aeration
Seeding
Weed control
Pest control
✔ (organic)
Top Pick

4.9

VISIT SITE
Limited Time:
50% Off Your First Application
Best DIY Lawn Service
Sunday Lawn Care Logo

4.1

VISIT SITE
Limited Time:
$20 Off Smart Lawn Plan (SUNDAY20TOH)
Best Organic Treatments

3.5

VISIT SITE
Limited Time:
No current offers available.
Best for Landscaping

3.2

VISIT SITE
Limited Time:
$15 When You Refer a Friend

Lawn Doctor Locations

Although Lawn Doctor bills itself as a nationwide company, it is not available in the following 10 states:

  • Alaska
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Maine
  • Nevada
  • North Dakota
  • Oregon
  • South Dakota
  • Vermont
  • Wyoming

The Cost of Lawn Doctor 

Determining the cost of lawn services in general isn’t easy. Because all lawns have different sizes, compositions and geographical locations, there is no standardized cost for lawn maintenance. Additionally, Lawn Doctor is big on customization, making it even harder to get an estimate of what its services will cost you. However, if you enter your information on the website, a representative will contact you with a free estimate.

Gardener looking at a tablet in front of shrubs and trees
Photo Credit: Adobe Stock, © Tomasz Zajda

Why Lawn Doctor? 

Looking at Lawn Doctor reviews from consumers is a little tricky because it’s a nationwide company with local franchises. Any ratings apply only to the franchise where the business is located. For example, Lawn Doctor’s Boston office received top marks: an A+ Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating and solid accreditation. The company’s New Jersey office, on the other hand, is not accredited and received an F. All ratings are as of March 2020. 

“Awesome company, they really turned my lawn around! My lawn is so beautiful.”

Megan N., 5 stars, BBB, 3/18/2019

“This company is a scam. Their products do not kill weeds. The representative is disrespectful and always puts blame on the clients. I paid good money and got no results. My neighbors asked about their service and categorically replied to never use them.”

Ira R., 1 star, BBB, 9/27/2019

The Results 

Based on the reviews team’s rating system, which takes into account available services, customer service, industry standing and other characteristics of a solid business, the reviews team ranks Lawn Doctor a 4.1 out of 5. It is a good choice for a lawn care company, with customizable services and a good reputation. However, the reviews team would not give it the top recommendation. That goes to another nationwide service, TruGreen.


Preferred Provider: TruGreen

Ultimately, the reviews team’s preferred lawn care service provider is TruGreen, ranking 4.9 out of 5 stars. Lawn Doctor is a solid choice, but the overall recommendation goes to TruGreen due to its greater availability and number of package options.

TruGreen is available in every state except Alaska and Hawaii and with more than 10 times as many employees as Lawn Doctor, TruGreen’s technicians can work around your schedule. The company’s various services and annual packages are laid out clearly on its website.

Check out our exhaustive appraisal of TruGreen lawn maintenance services.


Lawn DoctorTruGreen
Available in 40 states48 states
Packages available35
Organic products available
Mobile appX
Satisfaction guarantee
50% off first treatmentX
Top Pick

4.9

VISIT SITE
Limited Time:
50% Off Your First Application
Best DIY Lawn Service
Sunday Lawn Care Logo

4.1

VISIT SITE
Limited Time:
$20 Off Smart Lawn Plan (SUNDAY20TOH)
Best Organic Treatments

3.5

VISIT SITE
Limited Time:
No current offers available.
Best for Landscaping

3.2

VISIT SITE
Limited Time:
$15 When You Refer a Friend

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lawn Doctor a good lawn service?

Between the positive reviews and the lawn services it offers, Lawn Doctor is a solid choice. However, TruGreen scores better on several metrics, including availability and number of package options. Your choice will depend on your preference and what your lawn needs, but TruGreen is the reviews team’s overall recommendation.


How much does Lawn Doctor actually cost?

Lawn Doctor will have to answer this question for you, since, like most lawn care companies, it bases prices on the size and condition of your lawn. However, you can get a free quote by entering your information on their website.


How much does lawn care cost per month?

Lawn care costs will depend on the size of the lawn, the geographical location, the condition of the plants and grass and the types of flora present. Where the cost of living is higher and certain species of grass are more difficult to grow, a lawn will cost more to maintain. A larger lawn will cost more than a smaller lawn.

If you want to save money, companies such as TruGreen and Lawn Doctor offer packages that combine a number of services and lower the cost per service. However, you will need to check with the individual companies to see what those bundles will cost for your specific yard.



Methodology: How We Rank Lawn Care Companies

At Today’s Homeowner, we strive to bring you the most accurate information for your home improvement projects. Our lawn company ratings emphasize what matters most to you — a wide range of useful products with reliable service and impressive results.

Our ratings are based on publicly available information about each company, secret shopping via phone and internet, customer-review analysis, and discussions with lawn and landscaping specialists.

Each company can earn up to 100 points divided across five categories. We assess those point scores, then convert them to a five-star scale to determine rankings. We researched popular lawn care companies across the country to develop the following category breakdown:

  • Plan Options (36 points): Lawn care companies earn the most points in this category if they offer a wide range of plans to fit various homeowner needs. Companies providing services like fertilization, aeration, seeding, and tree/shrub care will earn more points than providers with base-level plans.
  • Additional Offerings (11 points): We score this category by evaluating additional offerings that enhance a company’s overall service selection. Companies that provide pest control services, organic lawn care products, and a la carte options score the highest in this category.
  • Customer Service (25 points): We considered how far each company goes to ensure customers have convenient, intuitive access to products and services with contact forms, online chat features, and additional learning resources.
  • State Availability (8 points): We factored each company’s state availability into its overall score. Companies with more locations and wider service areas score higher than those with limited availability.
  • Trustworthiness (20 points): We score each company’s trustworthiness based on its Better Business Bureau accreditation and score, number of years in business, and Google Star ratings.

We monitor company data on an ongoing basis to keep rankings and information up to date.

Editorial Contributors
avatar for Coty Perry

Coty Perry

Expert Writer & Reviewer

Coty Perry is a lawn and garden writer for Today’s Homeowner. He focuses on providing homeowners with actionable tips that relate to the “Average Joe” who is looking to achieve a healthier and greener lawn. When he isn’t writing he can almost always be found coaching youth football or on some trail in Pennsylvania in search of the next greatest fishing hole.

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photo of Lora Novak

Lora Novak

Senior Editor

Lora Novak meticulously proofreads and edits all commercial content for Today’s Homeowner to guarantee that it contains the most up-to-date information. Lora brings over 12 years of writing, editing, and digital marketing expertise. She’s worked on thousands of articles related to heating, air conditioning, ventilation, roofing, plumbing, lawn/garden, pest control, insurance, and other general homeownership topics.

Learn More

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