Artificial vs Real Grass: Cost and Practical Differences

Artificial grass costs more upfront — typically £40-£90 per square metre installed versus roughly £15-£35 per square metre for real turf laid professionally — but needs far less ongoing maintenance and no watering, mowing or feeding. Which is genuinely "better" depends on how the lawn will actually be used, how much time you want to spend maintaining it, and how strongly you feel about a natural lawn versus a low-maintenance one, since both are entirely reasonable choices for different households.

Upfront cost breakdown

Real turf is cheaper to lay initially: the turf itself, ground preparation (levelling, adding topsoil if needed) and labour typically come to £15-£35 per square metre depending on ground condition and turf quality. Artificial grass costs more because proper installation involves excavating the existing lawn, laying a compacted sub-base (usually MOT type 1 plus a levelling layer of sharp sand or granite dust), a weed-suppressant membrane, then the artificial turf itself, jointed and secured at the edges — this groundwork is what most of the £40-£90 per square metre goes on, not the turf material itself.

Ongoing costs and maintenance

• Real grass: regular mowing (weekly in growing season), feeding, weed treatment, occasional reseeding of worn patches, and higher water use in dry spells if you want to keep it green. Over several years this ongoing cost and time commitment adds up, even though the upfront cost was lower.
• Artificial grass: occasional brushing to keep the fibres upright, periodic rinsing, and infill sand top-ups every few years — genuinely low maintenance, though it does need some care (it isn't entirely "no maintenance" as sometimes marketed).

Practical trade-offs

Artificial grass performs consistently regardless of weather or heavy use — it doesn't turn to mud in a wet winter or bald patches under a trampoline or football goal, which makes it popular for family gardens with heavy footfall. It can get noticeably warm in direct summer sun, doesn't support the same wildlife and biodiversity as a real lawn, and — while modern products have improved a great deal — still doesn't feel or smell exactly like real grass to everyone. Real grass supports insects, birds and general garden biodiversity, feels different underfoot, and can be reseeded or repaired relatively cheaply if damaged, but needs consistent care to stay looking good and struggles in permanently shaded or heavily used areas.

Which suits which situation?

Artificial grass tends to suit small gardens where a lawnmower is impractical, heavily shaded areas where real grass struggles to establish, households with young children or dogs causing heavy wear, and anyone who wants a consistently tidy lawn without the weekly time commitment. Real grass tends to suit larger gardens, households who value biodiversity and a more natural look, and anyone put off by the upfront cost of a full artificial lawn installation.

Common mistakes

• Skimping on sub-base preparation for artificial grass. Poor groundwork is the most common cause of artificial lawns looking uneven, draining poorly, or developing dips within a year or two.
• Choosing a very cheap, low-density artificial turf. It looks and performs noticeably worse than mid-range products and tends to flatten under regular foot traffic much faster.
• Underestimating how much real grass needs consistent care — a lawn left unmown and unfed for a season doesn't recover to a good state quickly.

If you've decided artificial grass is right for your garden, see our guide to what artificial grass installation actually involves for the full process and realistic timeline.

Environmental considerations

Artificial grass is a plastic product with a finite lifespan, and disposal at end of life is a genuine environmental consideration — some manufacturers now offer recycling schemes, but not all products are recyclable, so it's worth asking before buying. It also doesn't absorb rainwater the way soil and real grass do, which can affect local drainage if a large area is covered, and some UK local authorities have begun factoring artificial grass coverage into planning considerations for sustainable drainage. Real grass, by contrast, supports soil health, absorbs rainwater, and can be maintained using peat-free, low-impact methods if that matters to you, though intensive lawn care (regular chemical feed and weed treatments) has its own environmental footprint to weigh up.

Allergies and pets

Artificial grass can be a genuine benefit for hay fever sufferers, since it doesn't produce grass pollen the way a real lawn does. For households with dogs, artificial grass is easy to hose down and doesn't turn to mud, though it can hold onto odours from pet urine more than real soil does unless regularly rinsed — some artificial turf products are specifically designed with better drainage and antimicrobial backing for this reason, worth asking about if pets are a major consideration.

It's also worth viewing a real installed sample of any artificial grass product you're considering, ideally outdoors in natural light, rather than judging purely from photographs — colour, pile density and how "natural" it looks vary considerably between products at different price points.