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Autopilot vs FieldEdge
FieldEdge is legacy software for established HVAC, plumbing, and electrical shops that live inside QuickBooks, sold by quote with guided onboarding and no trial. Autopilot plans start at $49 a month, and the $149 Full Throttle plan includes the full phone system, AI receptionist, QuickBooks, GPS, and marketing tools.
The FieldEdge alternative built for small service crews
The numbers that decide it, side by side.
| Comparison point |  |  FieldEdge |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $49/mo flat | Quote-based, not published |
| Team members included | 1, 5, or 10 by plan | Priced by team size (per tech/office user) |
| Free trial | 2 weeks, no card required | None, demo only |
| Onboarding fee | $0 | Guided onboarding, quoted |
| Contract | Month to month, cancel anytime | Not published |
| AI receptionist | Full Throttle, $149/mo | Not offered |
| Full business phone system | Full Throttle, $149/mo | Not built in |
| Support | Human support chat, no ticket queue | Included with plans |
Last updated July 2026. FieldEdge details are based on publicly available information; verify with FieldEdge.
Who is FieldEdge?
FieldEdge, formerly dESCO's ESC, is one of the longest-running names in HVAC, plumbing, and electrical service software, now owned by Xplor Technologies, a private-equity-backed conglomerate. Its enduring strength is accounting: a deep, real-time QuickBooks sync (Online and Desktop) that established shops with office bookkeepers genuinely rely on, plus dispatching, service agreements, and the bundled Coolfront flat-rate pricebook.
Pricing is not published. There are three tiers, Select, Premier, and Elite, quoted per team size, and FieldEdge offers no free trial at all, saying new members do best when its team walks them through onboarding. Two-way texting arrives on the Elite tier, marketing comes through a MarketingEdge module, and there is no public API, no built-in phone system, and no AI receptionist.
For a 10-tech shop with an office manager, service agreements, and QuickBooks Desktop at the center of the business, FieldEdge remains a rational choice. For a small crew that wants modern communication tools without a sales cycle, it is a hard sell.
Who is Autopilot?
Autopilot is an all-in-one CRM built for home service businesses: junk removal, cleaning, landscaping, moving, and the rest of the trades that keep neighborhoods running. Plans start at $49 a month for scheduling, estimates, invoicing, payments, and online booking. Crew at $99 adds two-way texting and limited calling. Full Throttle at $149 adds the full phone system, AI receptionist, QuickBooks, GPS, and marketing tools. Plans include 1, 5, or 10 team members respectively.
It was built by a founder who ran his own junk removal company and got tired of paying for three tools that didn't talk to each other. Over 400 businesses run on it today, and it holds a 4.8 rating on the App Store and 4.9 on Google Play.
Autopilot plans start at $49 a month, and the $149 Full Throttle plan includes the full phone system, AI receptionist, QuickBooks, GPS, and marketing tools.
Feature by feature
Not just checkmarks. Where a feature costs extra or sits on a higher plan, the table says so.
Phone & AI
| Comparison point | | FieldEdge |
|---|---|---|
| AI receptionist that answers and books calls | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Not advertised |
| Built-in business phone (VoIP) | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Not built in |
| Call recording & transcripts | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Not advertised |
| AI call summaries | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Not advertised |
| Two-way business texting | Crew and Full Throttle | Elite tier |
Scheduling & Jobs
| Comparison point | | FieldEdge |
|---|---|---|
| Drag-and-drop scheduling & dispatch | ||
| Online booking | ||
| Estimates & quotes | ||
| Client & lead management | ||
| iOS & Android crew app | 4.8 App Store / 4.9 Google Play |
Payments & Money
| Comparison point | | FieldEdge |
|---|---|---|
| Invoicing & payments | ||
| Tap to Pay on iPhone | Not advertised | |
| QuickBooks sync | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Yes, deep sync (Online & Desktop) |
| Price book | Yes, Coolfront flat-rate pricebook | |
| Customer tipping | Not advertised |
Marketing & Growth
| Comparison point | | FieldEdge |
|---|---|---|
| Review funnel | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Via MarketingEdge |
| SMS blast campaigns | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Not advertised |
| Email blast campaigns | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Via MarketingEdge |
| Automated marketing sequences | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Via MarketingEdge |
| Google Ads tracking | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Not advertised |
Where FieldEdge goes deeper
| Comparison point | | FieldEdge |
|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Desktop real-time sync | ||
| Service agreements & memberships | ||
| Coolfront flat-rate pricebook | Custom price book |
An honest comparison cuts both ways. If these are must-haves for your business today, FieldEdge earns the look.
What you actually pay
Autopilot
- Starter$49/mo
- Crew$99/mo
- Full Throttle$149/mo
Clear plans for 1, 5, or 10 team members. No onboarding fee or annual contract. Free 2-week trial.
FieldEdge
- SelectQuote-based
Entry tier
- PremierQuote-based
Most popular tier
- EliteQuote-based
Adds two-way texting and more
FieldEdge does not publish pricing; quotes vary by how many technicians and office staff you have. There is no free trial, and onboarding is a guided, quoted process.
Last updated July 2026. FieldEdge details are based on publicly available information; verify with FieldEdge.
The bottom line
Two different tools for two different businesses. Here is the honest split.
Choose FieldEdge if…
- Your books live in QuickBooks Desktop and you need a deep real-time sync
- You run service agreements and maintenance memberships at the core of your business
- You want the Coolfront flat-rate pricebook bundled with your FSM
- You are an established HVAC, plumbing, or electrical shop with office staff for onboarding
Choose Autopilot if…
- You want to try the software free today instead of scheduling a demo and waiting on a quote
- You want a built-in phone with recording, transcripts, and an AI receptionist, which FieldEdge does not offer
- You want texting from day one, not gated to the top tier
- You want a flat $49 to $149 price you can see on a pricing page
Switching from FieldEdge takes an afternoon
Four steps, and our team does the heavy one for you.
- 1
Export your customers
Pull your client list out of FieldEdge as a CSV. Every FSM platform supports this, and it takes about five minutes.
- 2
We import everything for you
Send us the file and our team loads your customers, jobs, and price book into Autopilot as part of free onboarding. No spreadsheet wrestling on your end.
- 3
Point your phone number at Autopilot
On Full Throttle, keep your existing business number. We port it or forward it, so calls start landing in Autopilot with recording, transcripts, and the AI receptionist behind them.
- 4
Run both for a week, then cut over
Your FieldEdge account keeps working during your free trial. Most crews book their first Autopilot job on day one and cancel the old subscription within the month.
- 400+
- businesses run on Autopilot
- 4.9
- Google Play rating
- 4.8
- App Store rating
- $49
- per month starting price
Autopilot vs FieldEdge: your questions
The things owners actually ask before they switch.
Try the FieldEdge alternative built for your crew
Start a free 2-week trial and book your first job today. No credit card, no onboarding fee, no contract.
More comparisons
FieldEdge is a trademark of FieldEdge. Autopilot is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by FieldEdge. Competitor pricing and feature information is based on publicly available sources as of July 2026 and may have changed; features missing from a plan may be available on higher plans or for an additional fee. Confirm details with the vendor before buying.