Joist review

Joist is the most direct fit for this list's angle: a contractor standing in a driveway who needs to send a priced estimate and later an invoice from a phone. Every plan converts estimates to invoices, takes online payments and offers homeowner financing. Basics costs $10 a month month to month, or $8.34 a month billed annually, but allows only 5 documents a month, so most working contractors will start on Pro at $17 a month, which removes the document and client limits and adds your logo, line items, document photos and work orders. Elite, at $32 a month, adds license and insurance details, change orders and business reports, which matters for remodelers whose scope changes mid-job. The newer Run plan adds job organization and visit scheduling at an introductory $70 a month. Joist is not a full field service system: dispatch and crew tools are thin compared with Jobber or Housecall Pro. We compared documented features and published prices, and Joist scores highest on value for solo tradespeople.

Who it is for

Solo contractors who mainly need fast estimates and invoices from a phone

Price

Basics $10 per month month to month or $8.34 a month billed annually (5 documents a month); Pro $17 per month with unlimited documents.

Basics Best for occasional jobs or businesses just starting out. $12 $10 $8.34 /mo /mo Billed monthly, switch to annual for 2 months free
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 12, 2026.

Key features

• Turn estimates into invoices on every plan
• Online payments and homeowner financing on every plan, including Basics
• Pro plan: unlimited documents and clients, logo, line items, document photos and work orders
• Elite plan: license and insurance details, change orders and business reports
• Run plan: job organization, visit scheduling and linking jobs to estimates and invoices

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Pro plan with unlimited estimates and invoices costs $17 per month
• Strength: 14-day free trial with no credit card required
• Strength: Homeowner financing is included from the cheapest plan
• Weakness: Basics caps you at 5 documents per month
• Weakness: Change orders need the $32 Elite plan
• Weakness: Scheduling arrives only on the Run plan, $70 per month at its introductory price

Key facts

• Starting price: $10 per month, Basics, 5 documents a month
• Unlimited documents: Pro, $17 per month
• Free trial: 14 days, no credit card
• Add-on: AI Receptionist from $49 per month

Where it ranks

Joist is No. 2 in our Best Invoicing Software for Contractors verdict.