GardenDraft vs SmartGardener
SmartGardener offers personalized planting plans and weekly task emails based on your location and the crops you choose. The biggest differences are how you start (SmartGardener is subscription-only at $39.99/year; GardenDraft starts with one free garden) and the planning experience (GardenDraft adds a visual, mobile-first bed designer and a 3D view).
| GardenDraft | SmartGardener | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 1 garden, 3 beds, no card | No standing free tier (subscription) |
| Price | $4.99/mo or $29.99/yr | $39.99/yr (or $19.99/quarter) |
| Visual bed designer | Drag-and-drop, snap-to-grid, 3D view | Plan/list-oriented, limited visual layout |
| Mobile-first editor | Built for touch | Web app, desktop-oriented |
| Frost-aware dates | NOAA normals by postal code, with override | Location-based planting plan + reminders |
| Weekly task guidance | Task list + daily/weekly email digest | Yes — weekly to-do emails (a strength) |
| 3D view | Yes | No 3D view |
Where GardenDraft is the stronger pick
- A free first garden — no subscription required to start.
- A visual, mobile-first bed designer with a 3D view.
- Frost-aware scheduling from NOAA data for your postal code.
- A lower price ($29.99/yr vs $39.99/yr) and a no-paywall data promise.
Where SmartGardener might suit you better
- Curated, personalized planting plans and clear weekly task emails.
- A long-established plant library with growing guidance built in.
- A straightforward, guided experience for hands-off planning.
The bottom line
If you want guided plans and weekly task emails and don't mind a subscription, SmartGardener does that well. If you want to design beds visually and try everything free first, GardenDraft is the stronger pick.
Free on one garden — no credit card. Comparison last reviewed 2026-06-21.
New to planning a garden?
Whichever planner you pick, these free GardenDraft resources help you get started: