Joist vs Markate
Head-to-head comparison of pricing, features, integrations, and use-case fit.
Joist
Estimating and invoicing app for solo contractors
- Starting price
- From $8.34/mo
- Best team size
- 1-3
- Free trial
- 14 days
Markate
Affordable field service software for small service businesses
- Starting price
- From $45.95/mo
- Best team size
- 1-5
- Free trial
- 14 days
What actually separates them
Only the points where our data on Joist and Markate differs. A feature or integration missing from one tool's list means our entry does not record it, not that the tool lacks it. Everything they share is further down.
- → Entry price: Joist starts at $8.34 a month for the company; Markate starts at $45.95 a month base, more as users are added.
- → Trades served: Joist serves Roofing; Markate serves Cleaning Services, Appliance Repair, Pressure Washing & Window Cleaning. The other tool's entry does not list them.
- → Integrations listed for one tool only: Markate: quickbooks payroll, square, paypal, wisetack.
- → Fit for shared trades: Markate scores higher for HVAC (5/10 vs 4/10), Plumbing (5/10 vs 4/10), Electrical (7/10 vs 4/10).
- → Features listed for one tool only: Joist: estimates, credit card payments, client signatures; Markate: scheduling, quotes, dispatching.
Quick verdict
Joist: Solo contractors and small 1-2 person operations needing only estimates and invoicing.
Markate: Solo contractors and small teams wanting affordable FSM with scheduling, dispatch and invoicing.
Vertical fit favors Markate in 4 of 7 shared trades.
Joist has the lower starting price (From $8.34/mo).
Markate lists more integrations in our data (11 vs 1).
Decision matrix: which one is right for you?
Pick Joist if…
- → Your situation matches Joist's target profile: Solo contractors and small 1-2 person operations needing only estimates and invoicing
- → Entry price matters most: Joist starts at $8.34 a month for the company; Markate starts at $45.95 a month base, more as users are added
Pick Markate if…
- → Your situation matches Markate's target profile: Solo contractors and small teams wanting affordable FSM with scheduling, dispatch and invoicing
- → You work in HVAC, Plumbing or Electrical: Markate has the higher vertical-fit score there (HVAC: 5/10 vs 4/10)
- → You serve several trades: Markate serves 10 trades in our data, against 8 for Joist
- → Integrations matter: Markate lists 11 integrations in our data, against 1 for Joist
Pricing side-by-side
| Tier | Joist | Markate |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Basics: $8.34/mo | Owner Operator: $45.95/mo |
| Tier 2 | Pro: $14.17/mo | Team (base plus $5 per employee): $45.95/mo |
| Tier 3 | Elite: $26.67/mo | - |
| Tier 4 | Run: $58.33/mo | - |
Joist starts at $8.34 a month for the company on Basics; its top published tier, Run, is $58.33 a month. Markate starts on Owner Operator, at $45.95 a month base, more as users are added. Joist's entry price is $37.61 a month lower.
Pros & cons
Joist
- + Lower entry price: From $8.34/mo
- + 14-day free trial
- + QuickBooks integration listed (QuickBooks Online)
- + Serves 8 trades in our data
- + Founded in 2011
- − Scheduling and jobs only on the new Run plan ($100/mo list, offered at an introductory $58.33/mo billed annually or $70/mo billed monthly)
- − Below that it is quote-and-invoice only with no dispatching
- − Outgrown quickly past 3 techs
Markate
- + 14-day free trial
- + Higher vertical-fit score for HVAC, Plumbing or Electrical
- + QuickBooks integration listed (QuickBooks Online, quickbooks payroll)
- + Serves 10 trades in our data
- + Founded in 2015
- − Small company
- − Several features (such as online booking) are paid add-ons
- − Per-employee fee on top of the plan
- − Built for very small teams
Feature comparison
Features as listed in our entries. The lists use different words for similar features, so check a feature you need on both vendors' sites.
Listed for Joist only
- + estimates
- + credit card payments
- + client signatures
- + photo attachments
Listed for both
- ✓ invoicing
Listed for Markate only
- + scheduling
- + quotes
- + dispatching
- + client portal
- + online booking
- + automated reminders
- + mobile app
Integrations
Listed for Joist only
None
Listed for both
- ✓ quickbooks online
Listed for Markate only
- + quickbooks payroll
- + square
- + paypal
- + wisetack
- + google calendar
- + companycam
- + nicejob
- + responsibid
- + zapier
- + twilio
Which fits better in each trade
| Trade | Joist fit | Markate fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC | 4 / 10 | 5 / 10 | Markate |
| Plumbing | 4 / 10 | 5 / 10 | Markate |
| Electrical | 4 / 10 | 7 / 10 | Markate |
| General Contractors | 6 / 10 | 7 / 10 | Markate |
| Landscaping & Lawn Care | 7 / 10 | 7 / 10 | Tie |
| Handyman Services | 8 / 10 | 8 / 10 | Tie |
| Painting | 7 / 10 | 7 / 10 | Tie |
Vertical-fit scores (1-10) rate how well each tool is built for the trade, checked against the trades the vendor's own pages say it serves. See methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Joist or Markate?
It depends on your trade, team size and budget. Joist is best for solo contractors and small 1-2 person operations needing only estimates and invoicing. Markate is best for solo contractors and small teams wanting affordable FSM with scheduling, dispatch and invoicing. See the decision matrix above, and the trade-by-trade fit table if you work in one trade.
Is Joist cheaper than Markate?
Joist has the lower entry price: $8.34 a month for the company, against $45.95 a month base, more as users are added for Markate. Total cost depends on your team size, the plan you need and any add-ons; see the pricing table above.
Can Joist and Markate integrate with QuickBooks?
Joist lists QuickBooks Online. Markate lists QuickBooks Online and quickbooks payroll. Check which way each sync runs, and on which plans, in each tool's full review before you buy.
Do Joist or Markate offer a free trial?
Joist: a 14-day free trial. Markate: a 14-day free trial.
Can I move from Joist to Markate (or the other way)?
Our data does not record migration support for either tool. Ask both vendors which records they import and export (customers, jobs, invoices, recurring agreements, price books), in which file format, and whether they help with the import.
Joist vs Markate: which has better customer support?
Our data does not record support channels or response times for either tool. Ask each vendor which support comes with the plan you would buy. Each full review links to G2 and Capterra, where you can read current user reviews.
Which suits a solo contractor, and which a growing team?
Our data puts Joist's best team size at 1-3 and Markate's at 1-5. Joist's entry price is $8.34 a month for the company; Markate's is $45.95 a month base, more as users are added. Price both at the team size you expect to have, not only today's.
Need a deeper look?
See our full reviews with each tool's pricing tiers, integrations and weaknesses.
Should your product be in this comparison?
We check Joist and Markate against their own websites and list the cons next to the pros. If you build a competing product that is not listed here, you can submit it for editorial review. An evaluation can end with or without a listing.
Listings are free. We do not accept payment for inclusion, for placement, for a score, or to remove a documented con. Read this page first and decide whether you want that.