Free is a reasonable place for a small heating and cooling business to start, and it is worth knowing in advance which wall you will hit, because the wall decides how much work the eventual move costs. In this trade the walls arrive in a particular order, and the first one usually arrives in the first genuinely hot week.
The second user, which arrives with the second van
Most free tiers are built for one person. The moment a dispatcher and a technician need the same picture, either you pay or somebody sends screenshots, and screenshots are how two versions of the day appear. In heating and cooling that moment tends to arrive under pressure rather than calmly.
Reminders, which are what the no shows cost
On the worked example this site publishes, the 6% of 655 calls a month that never happen at all is 39.3 jobs and $11,200 of invoicing. If the free tier cannot confirm an appointment, that is what free is costing, and it is more than any paid tier in this market. Automated messages are regulated, so consent belongs in the setup.
History, which you want in the following season
The value of a job record grows with age: what was done at this address last winter is the question that makes a return visit efficient. A thirty day history is generous in April and useless in November, and by then moving the record is no longer an option.
What the paid difference actually buys
A shared board, confirmations, and a record that survives a season. Whether that is worth a monthly fee is arithmetic rather than opinion: compare it to the $11,200 figure above using your own no show rate, and the answer is usually obvious in one direction.
Questions people ask about free hvac scheduling software
Is free enough for one technician?
Often, yes, and we will say so. The limits bite at the second person and at the first time you want last season back.
Can we move the data later?
Ask before you commit anything real. If the export answer is vague, treat that as the answer.
What does Dispatchzo cost?
Three free worksheets forever, and Pro at $69 a month for the whole team with export included rather than gated.