Updated October 2026 · 6 minute read
Pricing a big lawn by the acre is fast, but only if the number matches how quickly your mower actually covers ground. This guide puts the 2026 market rates per acre next to real mowing speeds by deck size, so you can set a per-acre price that pays.
- Typical price: about $50–$200 per acre per mow.1
- Around 1 acre: $150–$200 is common for yards near or above an acre.2
- Large properties cost less per acre: about $75–$200 on 1–5 acres, $50–$150 on 5–15 acres, $35–$100 on 15+ acres.3
- Mowing speed on open turf: roughly 11 to 39 minutes per acre, depending on deck width.3
Price by lot size
Two national price guides, both updated in 2026, show what customers pay per mow:
| Lot size | Angi (per visit)1 | LawnStarter (per mow)4 | Time to cut (Angi) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¼ acre | $15–$50 | $41–$61 (up to ¼) | 15–30 min |
| ½ acre | $25–$100 | $49–$69 (¼ to ½) | 30–45 min |
| ¾ acre | $40–$150 | $59–$114 (½ to 1) | 45 min–1 hr |
| 1 acre | $50–$200 | $59–$114 (½ to 1) | 1–2 hr |
| 2 acres | $100–$400 | $99–$264 (1 to 2) | 2–4 hr |
| Over 2 acres | up to $750–$3,000 for 15 acres | $278–$449 |
Sources: Angi, updated March 2026; LawnStarter, updated October 2026. LawnStarter groups lots in ranges, shown in brackets.
For small lots, most guides also quote $0.01–$0.06 per square foot and $25–$68 per hour.14
Price per acre on large properties
Once a property passes an acre, the price per acre usually drops, because you can run a wide mower for long stretches. FieldCamp’s 2026 commercial benchmarks:
| Property size | Price per acre, per visit |
|---|---|
| 1–5 acres | $75–$200 |
| 5–15 acres | $50–$150 |
| 15+ acres | $35–$100 |
Source: FieldCamp, How to Price Commercial Lawn Care Jobs (last updated October 2026).3 FieldCamp adds that weekly contracts are typically 10–15% below per-visit pricing, and slopes, obstacles or overgrown grass add 20–30%.
How long it takes to mow an acre
Your price per acre should come from your mowing speed, and that depends mostly on deck width. These are FieldCamp’s realistic rates for open turf, after allowing for overlap and turns:
| Deck width | Ground speed | Acres per hour | Minutes per acre |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48 in | 4 mph | 1.55 | about 39 |
| 60 in | 5 mph | 2.42 | about 25 |
| 72 in | 6 mph | 3.49 | about 17 |
| 96 in | 7 mph | 5.43 | about 11 |
Acres per hour from FieldCamp, calculated from deck width × speed × 0.8 rather than surveyed;3 minutes per acre = 60 ÷ acres per hour.
That is mowing time only. Trimming, edging, blowing, gates and travel come on top, which is why Angi’s 1 to 2 hours per acre is much slower than these figures.
Set your own price per acre
Work from the rate you need per hour, not from a competitor’s flyer:
Mowing hours = acres ÷ your acres per hour. Your hourly rate has to cover labor, fuel, equipment, insurance, overhead and profit.
Worked example, using example assumptions (replace them with your own):
| Item | Example |
|---|---|
| Property | 3 open acres, weekly |
| Mower | 60-inch deck, 2.42 acres per hour |
| Mowing time: 3 ÷ 2.42 | 1.24 hours |
| Trimming and blowing | 0.50 hours |
| Travel and setup | 0.25 hours |
| Total time | 1.99 hours |
| Your rate per hour | $75 |
| Price per visit: 1.99 × $75 | about $149, or $50 per acre |
Two things to notice. First, the same 3 acres with a 48-inch mower takes about 0.7 hours longer, adding roughly $50 to the price at the same rate; quote from the mower you will actually use. Second, mowing is only part of the time on a smaller property, so per-acre pricing alone undercharges lawns with lots of trimming. Set a minimum charge per visit as well.
What raises the price
- Slopes, obstacles and overgrowth: FieldCamp adds 20–30%.3
- Fences and gates: hourly billing is common for properties with fences, trees or play equipment.2
- Bagging clippings: weekly mowing of a lawn under an acre with clippings removed runs around $130 a visit, per Fixr.2
- One-time or overgrown cuts: priced above a regular route stop; a one-time mow can start at $45.2
- Weekly contracts go the other way: typically 10–15% below per-visit pricing in exchange for steady work.3
Quote, schedule and track every lawn
The Lawn Care Business Manager has a mowing quote calculator, client list, route schedule, job log and profit report, so you can see which properties pay and which don’t. Excel and Google Sheets.
Questions
How much should I charge to mow an acre?
Angi puts most companies at $50 to $200 per acre in 2026, and Fixr says $150 to $200 per acre is typical for yards close to or larger than an acre. Where you land depends on your mower, how much trimming the property needs and your local market; a wide-deck rider mows an open acre in well under half an hour.
How long does it take to mow an acre?
FieldCamp’s production figures for open turf are about 39 minutes per acre with a 48-inch mower, 25 minutes with a 60-inch, 17 minutes with a 72-inch and 11 minutes with a 96-inch deck. Angi gives 1 to 2 hours per acre, which covers smaller mowers, trimming and obstacles.
Why is the price per acre lower on big properties?
Bigger, open areas let you run a wider mower for longer without stopping, so each acre takes less time. FieldCamp’s 2026 benchmarks drop from $75 to $200 per acre on 1 to 5 acres to $35 to $100 per acre on 15 acres and up.
Should I charge per acre or per hour?
Per acre works for open ground where your mowing speed is predictable. Hourly or a per-visit price is safer for lawns with fences, trees, beds and slopes. A practical mix is to price the open area per acre, then add trimming time and a minimum charge.
What is a fair price to mow 2 acres?
Angi lists $100 to $400 for 2 acres and LawnStarter’s 1 to 2 acre range is $99 to $264 per mow. Price the open area by your own acres-per-hour, then add time for trimming, blowing and travel.
Related guides
Sources
- Angi: How Much Does Lawn Mowing Cost?, updated March 2026
- Fixr: Lawn Maintenance Cost, accessed October 2026
- FieldCamp: How to Price Commercial Lawn Care Jobs, updated October 2026
- LawnStarter: Lawn Mowing Prices, updated October 2026
Tahir Abbas
Founder of Softotech Solutions. Tahir builds Excel and Google Sheets tools for small service businesses, including the free calculators on this site. Figures in this guide come from the sources listed above; the worked example uses labelled example assumptions.