Buff vs CleanerPlanner
CleanerPlanner is superb, established software for window-cleaning rounds. Buff is built for the other end of the cleaning trade — vehicle detailing and valeting. Here's how they compare if you're a detailer weighing it up.
14 days free. No charge until day 15.
Rounds for windows, or vehicles for detailers
Built for vehicle detailing and valeting — one-off online bookings, vehicle records, quotes, jobs, payments and repeat-work plans.
- Vehicle records & AI identification
- Online one-off bookings & deposits
- Customer portal & maintenance plans
- Quotes, invoices & flexible payments
- Flat monthly plans, priced in GBP
Specialist rounds software for window cleaning (plus bin cleaning and lawn care) — routes, regular visits and direct debit.
- Purpose-built for cleaning rounds
- Direct Debit payment collection
- Mature mobile job sheets
- 30-day free trial, 24/7 support
- Not built for vehicles or detailing
The short version: CleanerPlanner is brilliant at what it's built for — repeating window-cleaning rounds with direct debit. Detailing work is different: one-off jobs, booked online, priced per vehicle, with deposit and repeat-work. That's exactly what Buff is built around.
What a detailing business actually needs
| Capability | Bufffrom £12.50/mo | CleanerPlannerWindow-cleaning |
|---|---|---|
| Built for vehicle detailing & valeting | ✓ | — |
| Built for window-cleaning rounds | — | ✓ |
| Vehicle records, reg lookup & AI identification | ✓ | — |
| Online one-off booking page for customers | ✓ | — |
| Customer portal — rebook, view jobs and pay | ✓ | — |
| Quotes that become jobs | ✓ | Limited |
| Recurring / repeat work | ✓ | ✓ |
| Deposits or flexible online payment | ✓ | Direct Debit |
| Recurring direct-debit collection | — | ✓ |
| Mobile job sheets (iOS & Android) | Soon | ✓ |
| Per-vehicle maintenance plans | ✓ | — |
| SMS + email reminders & follow-ups | ✓ | Limited |
| Team scheduling, availability & roles | ✓ | ✓ |
| Accounting / VAT export | ✓ | ✓ |
| Clear GBP pricing | ✓ | ✓ |
✓ = included · Limited = partial or limited offering · – = not offered as a headline feature. CleanerPlanner details reflect its public website as of September 2026 and may change. Both tools handle repeat work, but in very different models (rounds vs vehicle-based plans).
Built for the vehicle, not the round
CleanerPlanner organises a route of houses on a cycle. A detailing business organises vehicles, one-off bookings and the follow-up work that grows the customer.
Vehicles at the centre
Reg lookup, vehicle type and size class, plate history and a full record per vehicle — CleanerPlanner tracks properties and round stops, not cars.
One-off online bookings
Customers book a valet or detail online by service and vehicle, with slots, service-area control and deposits — not a fixed weekly round.
AI that identifies any vehicle
Type a reg or describe it, and Buff classifies the vehicle and prices the job — from a Fiesta to a horsebox.
A portal your customers use
Customers rebook, track progress, view invoices and pay — the detailer's repeat-customer loop, which a rounds diary doesn't offer.
Repeat work, done your way
Per-vehicle maintenance plans and recurring bookings chase renewals — ideal for "come back in three months" detailer relationships.
Flexible payment, not just DD
Deposits and full payment by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Klarna and Clearpay — no need for customers to sign a direct debit.
Quotes and a job pipeline
Turn an enquiry into a quote and a quote into a job, with invoices and FreeAgent sync behind it.
Comms that look like you
Branded emails and SMS from your business, with the option to send from your own mailbox on Pro and Max.
Where CleanerPlanner deserves a fair look
It's the right tool for its trade. For window cleaning, CleanerPlanner is mature, specialised and well-supported, with a 30-day free trial. If that's your business (or part of it), it's a strong choice.
Direct Debit is powerful. CleanerPlanner collects repeat payments by Direct Debit automatically. Buff collects per job and per deposit — great for flexible work, but not the same as a standing DD.
Mature mobile apps. CleanerPlanner's iOS and Android job sheets are proven in the field. Buff's native apps are coming soon — today you work from the browser and mobile web.
Not built for vehicles. There's no vehicle record, no online one-off booking page and no per-vehicle history — buying it for detailing means adapting a rounds tool to work it doesn't naturally fit.
What it actually costs
Lite from £12.50 · Pro from £25 · Max from £50. No setup fee and no long-term contract; annual plans save up to 34%. Card payments run through your own Stripe account — standard card fees plus a small Buff processing fee apply. 14-day free trial.
CleanerPlanner offers tiered monthly plans with a 30-day free trial and 24/7 support. As of September 2026 — check cleanerplanner.com for current plans.
Honest guidance
Choose CleanerPlanner if…
Window cleaning (or another rounds-based service) is your business, you want direct-debit collection, and you're not running a vehicle detailing operation.
Choose Buff if…
Vehicle detailing and valeting is your business — you want vehicle-first records, online one-off bookings with deposits, quotes, a customer portal and repeat-work plans in one UK-priced platform.
Common questions
Is CleanerPlanner for detailers?
No. CleanerPlanner is rounds-based software built for window cleaning (and related round services like bin cleaning and lawn care). It has no vehicle records, online one-off booking or per-vehicle history for detailing work.
Does CleanerPlanner handle one-off online bookings?
It's built around scheduled rounds and direct debit rather than one-off customers booking a job online. Buff's core flow is exactly that — customers book a valet or detail online, choose a slot and pay a deposit.
Does Buff do direct debit like CleanerPlanner?
No. Buff collects card payments, deposits and full amounts online (and through your customer portal) rather than recurring direct debit. For vehicle care, most detailers prefer per-job deposits and flexible payment.
Can I move my jobs and customers to Buff?
Yes. Buff is live, and it imports a spreadsheet of your customers and their vehicles — including the fields most systems do not have, like whether there is water or power at the property. You can export your data again at any time, and onboarding help with the move is available.
CleanerPlanner is a trademark of its owner. Buff is an independent product and is not affiliated with, endorsed or sponsored by CleanerPlanner. Feature and pricing details for CleanerPlanner are based on its public website and were correct as of September 2026; they may change, so please verify current details before making a decision.
Buff against the other tools
Same format, same willingness to say where the other one wins.
Compare it against your own week
Set up your services and import your customers, and put the booking page live. Buff is live today — 14 days free, nothing charged until day 15.
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