Joist vs MarketSharp
Head-to-head comparison of pricing, features, integrations, and use-case fit.
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
MarketSharp
Lead management and CRM for home improvement contractors
- Starting price
- From $182/mo
- Aggregate rating
- 4.3 / 5
- Best team size
- 10+
- Free trial
- No
What actually separates them
Only the points where Joist and MarketSharp genuinely differ, from our verified data. Everything they share is further down.
- → Entry price: Joist starts at From $10/mo, MarketSharp at From $182/mo, so MarketSharp is 18x the entry cost.
- → Trades served: Joist covers Handyman Services. The other does not.
- → Free trial: Joist runs a 30-day trial. MarketSharp has none, so you evaluate it on a demo.
- → Integrations: only Joist connects to quickbooks online, intuit payments; only MarketSharp connects to quickbooks, zapier.
- → Features the other lacks: Joist has estimates, invoicing, credit_card_payments; MarketSharp has lead_management, crm, automated_marketing.
Quick verdict
Joist: Solo contractors and small 1-2 person operations needing only estimates and invoicing.
MarketSharp: Home improvement contractors (roofing, windows, siding, baths, remodeling) doing 100+ leads/mo wanting better lead management and marketing attribution.
User ratings favor Joist (4.5 vs 4.3).
Joist has a lower starting price (From $10/mo).
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
- → Budget is the constraint — Joist starts at $10/mo vs $182/mo for MarketSharp
- → You want to try before buying — Joist offers a 30-day free trial; MarketSharp requires a demo
Pick MarketSharp if…
- → Your situation matches MarketSharp's target profile: Home improvement contractors (roofing, windows, siding, baths, remodeling) doing 100+ leads/mo wanting better lead management and marketing attribution
- → You want a more mature, stable platform — MarketSharp was founded in 1989 (37 years) vs Joist's 2011
Pricing side-by-side
| Tier | Joist | MarketSharp |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Free — Free | Custom — Custom |
| Tier 2 | Pro — $13/mo | — |
| Tier 3 | Pro+ — $26/mo | — |
Joist starts at $10/mo on Free and scales to $26/mo on Pro+. MarketSharp starts at $182/mo on Custom. Joist is $172/mo cheaper at the entry tier. At scale (5+ users), both platforms typically converge in price as you climb the tier ladder.
Pros & cons
Joist
- + Lower entry price — From $10/mo
- + 30-day free trial, no credit card required
- + Higher aggregate user rating (4.5 / 5)
- + Native QuickBooks integration (bidirectional sync)
- + Covers 6 trade verticals — strong multi-vertical fit
- − No scheduling, no dispatching, no team management — quote-and-invoice only
- − Outgrown quickly past 3 techs
MarketSharp
- + Native QuickBooks integration (bidirectional sync)
- + Covers 5 trade verticals — strong multi-vertical fit
- + 37 years of product maturity (founded 1989)
- − Not a full FSM (no scheduling/dispatching)
- − Dated UI
- − Expensive for the limited feature set
- − Better used alongside FSM rather than as a replacement
- − No free trial (Joist offers 30 days)
Implementation timeline comparison
Joist
1-3 weeks self-service onboarding
MarketSharp
4-8 weeks self-service or with optional paid 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 Joist
- + estimates
- + invoicing
- + credit card payments
- + client signatures
- + photo attachments
Both have
Only in MarketSharp
- + lead management
- + crm
- + automated marketing
- + online lead intake
- + email marketing
- + call tracking
- + estimating integration
Integrations
Only in Joist
- + quickbooks online
- + intuit payments
Both integrate with
— No common integrations —
Only in MarketSharp
- + quickbooks
- + zapier
Which fits better in each trade
| Trade | Joist fit | MarketSharp fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC | 4 / 10 | 7 / 10 | MarketSharp |
| Plumbing | 4 / 10 | 7 / 10 | MarketSharp |
| Electrical | 4 / 10 | 7 / 10 | MarketSharp |
| Roofing | 6 / 10 | 8 / 10 | MarketSharp |
| General Contractors | 6 / 10 | 8 / 10 | MarketSharp |
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, Joist or MarketSharp?
Neither is universally better — they target different buyers. Joist is best for Solo contractors and small 1-2 person operations needing only estimates and invoicing. MarketSharp is best for Home improvement contractors (roofing, windows, siding, baths, remodeling) doing 100+ leads/mo wanting better lead management and marketing attribution. 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 Joist cheaper than MarketSharp?
Joist has a lower starting price (From $10/mo vs From $182/mo). However, total cost depends on team size, features needed, and tier — see the full pricing breakdown above.
Can Joist and MarketSharp integrate with QuickBooks?
Joist integrates with QuickBooks natively. MarketSharp integrates with QuickBooks natively. Both work with QuickBooks Online; confirm QuickBooks Desktop support before signing if your accountant uses Desktop.
Do Joist or MarketSharp offer a free trial?
Joist: 30-day free trial, no credit card required. MarketSharp: no free trial advertised; demo on request.
How long does Joist vs MarketSharp take to implement?
Joist: 1-3 weeks self-service onboarding. MarketSharp: 4-8 weeks self-service or with optional paid 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 Joist to MarketSharp (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.
Joist vs MarketSharp: which has better customer support?
Both Joist and MarketSharp 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.
Should your product be in this comparison?
We review Joist and MarketSharp against their own published pricing and terms, and we publish the cons next to the pros. If you build a competing product and it is not covered here, send it to us and it gets the same treatment.
Listings are free. No vendor can pay for placement, for a score, or to have a documented con removed. Read this page first and decide whether you want that.