Jobber vs Joist
Head-to-head comparison of pricing, features, integrations, and use-case fit.
Jobber
Field service management for growing service businesses
- Starting price
- From $29/mo
- Aggregate rating
- 4.5 / 5
- Best team size
- 1-30
- Free trial
- 14 days
Joist
Estimating and invoicing app for solo contractors
- Starting price
- From $10/mo
- Aggregate rating
- 4.5 / 5
- Best team size
- 1-3
- Free trial
- 30 days
Quick verdict
Jobber: Small-to-mid trades businesses (1-30 employees) wanting modern UX with strong CRM.
Joist: Solo contractors and small 1-2 person operations needing only estimates and invoicing.
Joist has a lower starting price (From $10/mo).
Decision matrix — which one is right for you?
Pick Jobber if…
- → Your situation matches Jobber's target profile: Small-to-mid trades businesses (1-30 employees) wanting modern UX with strong CRM
- → You serve multiple trades — Jobber covers 8 verticals vs Joist's 6
- → You want broader feature coverage — Jobber ships 8 core features vs Joist's 5
- → Integration ecosystem matters — Jobber has 6 native integrations vs Joist's 2
- → Google Local Services Ads drive your inbound calls — Jobber has native GLS integration; Joist doesn't
Pick Joist if…
- → Your situation matches Joist's target profile: Solo contractors and small 1-2 person operations needing only estimates and invoicing
- → Budget is the constraint — Joist starts at $10/mo vs $29/mo for Jobber
Pricing side-by-side
| Tier | Jobber | Joist |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Core — $39/mo | Free — Free |
| Tier 2 | Connect — $119/mo | Pro — $13/mo |
| Tier 3 | Grow — $199/mo | Pro+ — $26/mo |
| Tier 4 | Plus — $399/mo | — |
Jobber starts at $29/mo on Core and scales to $399/mo on Plus. Joist starts at $10/mo on Free and scales to $26/mo on Pro+. Joist is $19/mo cheaper at the entry tier. At scale (5+ users), both platforms typically converge in price as you climb the tier ladder.
Pros & cons
Jobber
- + 14-day free trial, no credit card required
- + Native QuickBooks integration (bidirectional sync)
- + Built-in Stripe payment processing
- + Native Google Local Services Ads integration
- + Covers 8 trade verticals — strong multi-vertical fit
- − Limited for enterprise
- − No inventory management at lower tiers
- − No built-in phone system
Joist
- + Lower entry price — From $10/mo
- + 30-day free trial, no credit card required
- + Native QuickBooks integration (bidirectional sync)
- + Covers 6 trade verticals — strong multi-vertical fit
- + 15 years of product maturity (founded 2011)
- − No scheduling, no dispatching, no team management — quote-and-invoice only
- − Outgrown quickly past 3 techs
Implementation timeline comparison
Jobber
1-3 weeks self-service onboarding
Joist
1-3 weeks self-service onboarding
Enterprise-tier platforms ($250+/user/mo) typically require 3-6 months with dedicated admin time, custom pricebook setup, and phased rollout to field techs. Mid-tier platforms reach operational status in 4-8 weeks with optional paid onboarding. Entry-tier platforms are designed for self-service onboarding in 1-3 weeks. Always plan for 2-4 weeks of parallel operation with your existing system before cutting over.
Feature comparison
Only in Jobber
- + scheduling
- + client portal
- + quotes
- + team management
- + online booking
- + automated followup
- + two way texting
Both have
- ✓ invoicing
Only in Joist
- + estimates
- + credit card payments
- + client signatures
- + photo attachments
Integrations
Only in Jobber
- + quickbooks
- + stripe
- + zapier
- + google calendar
- + mailchimp
- + google local services
Both integrate with
— No common integrations —
Only in Joist
- + quickbooks online
- + intuit payments
Which fits better in each trade
| Trade | Jobber fit | Joist fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC | 9 / 10 | 4 / 10 | Jobber |
| Plumbing | 9 / 10 | 4 / 10 | Jobber |
| Electrical | 9 / 10 | 4 / 10 | Jobber |
| Handyman Services | 9 / 10 | 8 / 10 | Jobber |
Vertical-fit scores combine feature coverage, customer base concentration, and the tool's own positioning for the trade. See methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Jobber or Joist?
Neither is universally better — they target different buyers. Jobber is best for Small-to-mid trades businesses (1-30 employees) wanting modern UX with strong CRM. Joist is best for Solo contractors and small 1-2 person operations needing only estimates and invoicing. See the decision matrix above for situation-specific guidance, or jump to the per-vertical winner table if you're in a specific trade.
Is Jobber cheaper than Joist?
Joist has a lower starting price (From $10/mo vs From $29/mo). However, total cost depends on team size, features needed, and tier — see the full pricing breakdown above.
Can Jobber and Joist integrate with QuickBooks?
Jobber integrates with QuickBooks natively. Joist integrates with QuickBooks natively. Both work with QuickBooks Online; confirm QuickBooks Desktop support before signing if your accountant uses Desktop.
Do Jobber or Joist offer a free trial?
Jobber: 14-day free trial, no credit card required. Joist: 30-day free trial, no credit card required.
How long does Jobber vs Joist take to implement?
Jobber: 1-3 weeks self-service onboarding. Joist: 1-3 weeks self-service onboarding. Implementation length scales with pricing tier — enterprise platforms ($250+/user/mo) require 3-6 months with dedicated admin time; mid-tier platforms typically reach operational status in 4-8 weeks with optional paid onboarding.
Can I migrate from Jobber to Joist (or vice versa)?
Yes, but expect data normalization work. Customer records and active jobs typically import cleanly via CSV. Historical job data, recurring service agreements, and custom pricebooks rarely transfer perfectly — most shops leave historical data in the source system as archival reference rather than migrating it. Budget 2-4 weeks of parallel operation between the two systems during the cutover.
Jobber vs Joist: which has better customer support?
Both Jobber and Joist offer email support across all tiers, with phone and live chat typically reserved for higher tiers. Response time SLAs vary by tier — entry-tier customers usually get 24-48 hour email response; enterprise customers get dedicated account managers with same-day response. Read recent G2 reviews specifically for support-quality signals before committing.
Which is better for solo contractors vs growing teams?
For solo contractors and 2-3 person teams, the lower-priced option (Joist) typically wins on cost without sacrificing core features. For growing teams (5-15 employees), evaluate based on which platform's upper tiers include the features you'll need at your 12-18 month projected scale rather than buying for today's team size. For established 15+ employee operations, the depth of enterprise features (reporting, multi-location, marketing attribution) matters more than entry-tier price.
Need a deeper look?
See our full reviews with detailed pricing tiers, integration depth, and weaknesses.