It used to be the universal arborist joke: “How long until I get the quote?” “I’ll have it to you tonight… probably.” (Translation: you’ll get a blurry PDF at 11:42 p.m. that looks like every other PDF, and the low-ball guy who quotes off the hood of his truck will already have the signed work order.)

That joke died in 2023.

ArboStar’s tree service estimate app has completely weaponized the moment of truth: the 20 minutes you’re standing in the client’s yard. Over 3,000 companies now close the majority of their work before they even start the truck. By the end of 2025, the platform processes more signed contracts on iPads in real driveways than the entire industry did with fax machines in 2010.

This is not another “fill-in-the-blank” template. It is the first (and still only) tree service estimate app that knows your actual costs better than most owners do:

• It pulls your real crew rates, fuel surcharges, disposal fees, and equipment per-hour costs (updated weekly)
• It knows your local landfill went up $12/ton last month and automatically adjusts every removal
• It remembers that Crew 2’s crane is 87 ft, not 75 ft, and recalculates rigging time accordingly
• It blocks submission if the job falls below your company-wide 48 % minimum margin (yes, it will literally stop you from losing money)
• It attaches LiDAR-measured tree photos, auto-tagged species, and satellite overlays so the client sees exactly what you see

The close happens in four taps:

1. Walk → photograph → auto-measure trees (or manual slider if you’re old-school)
2. Tap services → full scope builds itself with line-item photos and descriptions
3. Slide the “Confidence Bar” → watch profit turn green when you hit your target margin
4. Flip the iPad → client signs with their finger and pays deposit via Apple Pay, card, or ACH while you’re still holding their dog’s leash

Average time from “hello” to “we’ll see you Tuesday”: 8 minutes, 12 seconds (2025 actual platform average).

The scoreboard after three full years:

• Same-day close rate: 74 % (industry average outside ArboStar: 8 %)
• Average proposal creation time: 7.3 minutes vs. 3.8 hours
• Average ticket increase: +20.6 % (because nothing gets accidentally left off)
• Estimator daily site visits: from 4–6 to 11–16
• Profit leakage from underbidding: effectively zero

The app also ended the most expensive phrase in the industry: “Let me get back to you.” Every unsold estimate triggers an automated, branded nurture sequence (text + email at +48 h, +5 days, +12 days) with one-tap booking links. Close rate on “dead” leads went from 3 % to 29 % practically overnight.

Storm season became theater. After Hurricane Helene, one North Carolina company wrote and closed $1.87 million in signed contracts in the first five days — entirely from iPads in flooded yards while competitors were still looking for legal pads.

You can watch the exact tree service estimate app close real jobs in real time (live on-site videos, margin guardrails, instant signatures, and actual client reactions) at arbostar. No forms, no salesperson, just proof.

In 2025, the best tree service companies no longer sell tree work. They sell certainty, speed, and undeniable professionalism — and they do it with ArboStar before the competition even gets out of the truck.