All garden design software has a learning curve, and different programs differ widely in terms of how user-friendly they are. By user-friendly I mean how easy are they to understand, how easy is it to do things and how easy is it to find answers.
At the one extreme you have things that have big friendly buttons and a certain 'Noddy goes to town' look and feel - they might be simple, but you can't do much with them.
Then again, a simple interface may be all that is needed for some programs - why make clutter if you do not need it?
Complete Gardens Plant Finder has a relatively simple interface, but it's an extremely effective program because it knows what it wants to achieve and concentrates on that.
Of course, at the other end of the scale, there are garden software programs that seem to require a brain implant just to get started, and have help systems that appear to have been written by aliens who own shares in training companies and book publishers.
As well as tutorials and learning aids, find out about product support - is email support available? If it is offered, find out about response times - it is no good if you need an answer urgently but have to wait two weeks for someone to get around to replying to your email.
Do you have to pay extra for a support package? Support packages vary from 'non-existent' to 'very expensive'.
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Experienced graphics users may find they quickly hit the buffers with what they want to achieve with cheaper garden design packages; on the other hand, the more sophisticated CAD packages can take some getting used to if you are not familiar with graphics and CAD programs.
If you are purchasing for business, then ultimately, a more sophisticated garden design package could be worth the investment, even though you have to allow time and possibly extra expense for training to get a quick start.
For professional users, you might consider multiple tools in the form of one program for design and another for record keeping
If you are looking long-term, then the superior results you will get from a professional business product will more than pay back on the investment once you are up to speed and have become familiar with how things work.
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For example, if you decide to go for a cheap garden design software package, you might soon run up to the limit of what you can achieve, then need to start again with a new product.
If cost is a real problem, then you may have no choice; but if you are investing for the future, then consider biting the bullet and going for the best garden software you can afford. Just remember to balance this against:
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what results you want
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how technical do you want to get
If cheaper and simpler software does what you need, there is no value in paying a lot to buy and then learn how to use a more sophisticated CAD program.
Check out learning options - this is especially important for some of the more expensive garden design software tools - most of them seem to be written for people who already know a thing or two about CAD design and graphics. In saying this - if classroom training is available, don't forget to budget for travel, accommodation and time away from your business - this can be quite an issue for small business owners.
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You might expect expensive software to come with good resources - we have found that this is not necessarily the case - some entry level software comes with lots of tutorials and other software can have very little user support.
Before committing to a more expensive garden design software purchase, make sure you know what you want out of it and be sure that you have allowed for training expenses and time to learn how to use the software. Spending £2000 on something you only play with for a couple of weeks is an expensive approach.
How do you compare landscape software?