Joist vs Jobber
Joist and Jobber solve different-sized problems. Joist is an estimate-and-invoice app for a solo contractor: $10–$32/month, one user, documents in and out. Jobber is a full field service platform — scheduling, CRM, jobs, invoicing — priced per user from $39/month. The question isn't which is better; it's how much of your business you want the software to run, and what happens when you're in between.
The short version
- Joist: $10/month (Basics, capped at 5 documents/month), $17/month (Pro, unlimited), $32/month (Elite). Single user, estimates and invoices only.
- Jobber: $39/month for one user with a 1-year commitment, $29/month per extra user, team plans $169–$429/month. Full scheduling, CRM, jobs and invoicing.
- Solo and only sending documents? Joist is the value pick. Running a crew with scheduling and customer history? That's Jobber territory.
- In between — a small crew that needs jobs, scheduling and lead follow-up without per-user pricing — is exactly where Trusso sits at $29–$99/month flat.
Pricing compared
Joist's plans are built around a single user creating documents: Basics at $10/month caps you at 5 documents per month, Pro at $17/month removes the cap, Elite is $32/month. Jobber is per-user platform pricing: Core at $39/month with a 1-year commitment ($49 month-to-month), $29/month per additional user, and team plans from $169/month (Grow, 5 users) to $429/month (Plus, 15 users).
| Joist | Jobber | Trusso | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $10/mo (max 5 documents/mo) | $39/mo (1 user, 1-yr commitment) | $29/mo (owner + 2 crew) |
| Unlimited estimates & invoices | From $17/mo (Pro) | Included | Included on every plan |
| Jobs, scheduling & CRM | Not offered | Included | Included on every plan |
| Crew logins | Single user | $29/user/mo | Included — no per-seat fees |
| AI lead capture & estimates | Not offered | Not offered | Included on every plan |
Joist and Jobberpricing as published or commonly reported in July 2026 and may change — check each vendor's site for current rates. Joist and Jobber are trademarks of their respective owners.
Features compared
| Feature | Joist | Jobber | Trusso |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auto-import leads from Angi, Thumbtack & Yelp | |||
| AI lead-to-estimate in under 30 seconds | |||
| Unified inbox for marketplace replies | |||
| AI-powered estimates | |||
| Job photos, notes & updates | |||
| Crew clock-in from the field | |||
| Invoices with instant card payments | |||
| Customer CRM & history | |||
| Flat price — no per-tech fees | |||
| Free onboarding & support |
What Joist covers — and where it stops
Joist does its job well: professional-looking estimates and invoices from your phone, card payments, and a price that rounds to a tank of gas. For a solo contractor whose only software problem is 'my estimates look like text messages,' it's a fair pick.
But that's the whole product. There's no job tracking, no scheduling, no customer history, no crew access, no lead capture. Everything before the estimate (the lead) and after it (the job) still lives in your texts, calls and memory. Joist doesn't claim otherwise — it's a documents app.
What Jobber adds — and what it costs
Jobber runs the whole workflow: requests, quotes, scheduling, job details, invoicing, payments, plus a polished client hub and deep QuickBooks Online sync. The jump from Joist isn't just features, though — it's pricing model. Jobber charges per user, so the $39 entry price is really 'per person who touches the software.' An owner plus four crew lands around $155–169/month, roughly five to ten times a Joist subscription.
For an established operation that lives in the office and the truck, that can be worth it. For a contractor who mainly wanted better documents plus some organization, it's a big step.
The gap between them
Most contractors comparing these two are in the middle: more than documents, less than a $169/month platform. That middle is Trusso's lane — $29/month covers an owner plus 2 crew with unlimited estimates, invoices, jobs, scheduling and a full CRM; $59/month covers an owner plus 10. And unlike either Joist or Jobber, it imports leads from Angi, Thumbtack, Yelp and Google automatically and drafts estimates with AI, so the work before the document is handled too.
Which one is right for you?
Choose Joist if…
- You're strictly solo and only need estimates and invoices
- The lowest possible monthly price is the deciding factor
- You already manage scheduling and customers somewhere else
Choose Jobber if…
- You run an established crew and want mature scheduling, CRM and a client hub
- Deep QuickBooks Online sync and third-party integrations matter
- Per-user pricing at $150+/month for a small team fits your budget
The third option: Trusso
If Joist is too little and Jobber's per-user pricing is too much, Trusso is the middle: $29–$99/month flat for unlimited estimates, invoices, jobs, scheduling, CRM and crew access — plus AI lead capture and AI-drafted estimates neither of them offers.
Common questions
What's the difference between Joist and Jobber?
Joist is a single-user estimate-and-invoice app at $10–$32/month. Jobber is a full field service platform — scheduling, jobs, CRM, invoicing — priced per user from $39/month, reaching roughly $155–169/month for an owner plus four crew.
Is Joist good enough to run a contracting business?
It's good at documents. But leads, scheduling, job tracking, customer history and crew coordination all happen outside the app, usually in texts and spreadsheets. Once a helper or a second simultaneous job shows up, most contractors outgrow it.
Is there something between Joist and Jobber?
Yes — Trusso covers the full lead-to-payment workflow (including automatic Angi/Thumbtack/Yelp/Google lead import and AI estimates) at $29–$99/month flat with no per-user fees. It's built for exactly the small crews caught between an estimate app and per-user platform pricing.
How much does Jobber cost compared to Joist for a small crew?
Joist stays $10–$32/month but only one person can use it. Jobber for an owner plus four crew is roughly $155–169/month. Trusso Pro covers an owner plus ten crew for $59/month flat.
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