Houzz Pro vs Joist
We give Houzz Pro a 2.2 GPA and Joist a 2.6, out of 4.0. Joist grades higher on value for money and ease of use. They get the same grade on the free plan, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Houzz Pro
Project, design and billing software for remodelers and designers
Joist
Estimates, invoices and payments app for solo contractors
How we grade them
| 2.2GPAHouzz ProFair | 2.6GPAJoistGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | DPro, the plan with the schedule and daily logs, is $199 a month for 1 user plus $50 for each extra, so three of you pay $299 a month on a yearly subscription. That's more than any listed rival with a published price charges three people, and near the top of this category. | CRun, the plan with visit scheduling, is $58.33 a month billed yearly ($70 monthly) at a 30% introductory price with no end date. Joist sells to solo contractors and doesn't say how many people a plan covers, so we can't say what a crew of three pays. |
| Free plan and trial | CThere's a free plan, but it's a basic one for trying the floor planner, estimates and invoicing. Watch the 30-day trial: the yearly subscription starts when it ends unless you cancel. | CA 14-day trial of Run with no card needed. The free plan has been discontinued. |
| Features | C3D floor plans and room scans, selections, estimates, takeoffs, bids, change orders, a project schedule and daily logs. Strong next to the builder tools it's listed with, but the listing names the gap: no dispatch or route planning for service calls. | CEstimates to invoices, online payments and deposits, homeowner financing, change orders on Elite and job scheduling on Run. Good at quoting and billing, but there's no dispatch, routing or crew management in its listing. |
| Ease of use | B4.6 from 4,997 App Store ratings. The phone apps cover projects, files and time on site, and you can scan a room with your phone to start a floor plan. | A4.75 from 14,362 App Store ratings. Turning an approved estimate into an invoice takes a few taps without retyping, which is the whole appeal. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone, Android and a Chrome extension that adds leads from Gmail, plus QuickBooks Online, Gusto, Google Calendar and Drive, and Zapier. No desktop app. | BWeb, iPhone and Android, but the only integration listed is QuickBooks. No desktop app. |
| Best for | remodelers and designers who sell with 3D plans | solo contractors who quote from their phone |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Houzz Pro and Joist. How we grade
Price against what you get
Houzz Pro starts at $99 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Joist starts at $8.34 a month and scores 3.0.
Joist scores higher and starts $90.66 a month lower. Of the other field service apps on the chart, 4 score higher than Houzz Pro for less, and none scores higher than Joist for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Houzz Pro starts at $99 per month for 1 user, annual subscription. Joist starts at $8.34 per month, billed annually ($10 billed monthly).
- Houzz Pro has a free plan. Joist does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Houzz Pro lists a browser extension.
- Houzz Pro also covers time tracking and email campaigns.
- Joist also covers expense tracking, job scheduling and review collection.
At a glance
| Houzz Pro | Joist | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free trial |
| Starts at | $99 per month for 1 user, annual subscription | $8.34 per month, billed annually ($10 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | Free basic plan with the 3D floor planner, estimates and invoicing, no credit card required. | None |
| Free trial | 30-day free trial; the annual subscription starts when it ends unless cancelled | 14-day free trial of the Run plan, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Houzz Inc. | Joist, Inc. |
| Price read from | houzz.com | joist.com |
| Checked | Oct 18, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Houzz Pro
- Remodelers and design-build firms that win work through Houzz
- Interior designers who need floor plans, mood boards and selections
- Small teams that want design and job costing in one subscription
Joist
- Solo contractors who mainly need estimates, invoices and payments
- General contractors and handymen quoting from a phone on site
- Part-time contractors sending only a few documents a month
Worth knowing
Houzz Pro
- Design and Pro include 1 user; extra users cost $50 each a month, and unlimited users start with Teams at $399 a month.
- Paid plans are annual subscriptions that begin when the 30-day trial ends unless you cancel first.
- It is built around design and remodeling projects; the feature pages list no dispatch or route planning for service calls.
- Advertising to homeowners on Houzz is a separate package starting at $499 a month.
Joist
- Basics allows only 5 documents a month; unlimited estimates and invoices start on Pro.
- Scheduling and job organization are only on Run, whose 30% introductory discount has no stated end date.
- The free plan has been discontinued; the 14-day trial is the only way to try it free.
- The AI Receptionist is a $49-a-month add-on, and Joist Payments charges standard processing fees.
Key features
Houzz Pro
- 3D floor plans and selections
- Draw 3D floor plans, scan rooms with a phone, make photorealistic renders and mood boards, and collect product selections for clients to approve.
- Estimates, proposals and invoices
- Build estimates and proposals from a cost catalog and assemblies, send invoices, take online payments and sync the figures with QuickBooks Online.
- Takeoffs, bids and budgets
- From Pro, measure takeoffs, manage subcontractor bids, track budgets, write contracts and turn scope changes into change orders.
- Project schedule and daily logs
- Pro adds a project schedule and daily logs; time and expense tracking, a client dashboard and subcontractor access keep everyone on the same job.
- Marketing on Teams
- Teams adds a premium Houzz profile, email marketing, a custom website and an AI receptionist in beta, and advertising on Houzz is sold separately.
- Gmail extension and mobile apps
- A Chrome extension adds leads to the CRM from Gmail, and iOS and Android apps cover projects, files and time on site.
Joist
- Estimates to invoices
- Build estimates with line items and photos, then turn an approved estimate into an invoice in a few taps without retyping it.
- Online payments and deposits
- Clients pay online and you can request deposits; processing fees can be passed on to the client, and homeowner financing is offered on every plan.
- Change orders and reports
- Elite adds change orders, license and insurance details on documents, and business and sales reports.
- Jobs and scheduling on Run
- Run organizes work into jobs, schedules visits and links each job to its estimates, invoices and client.
- Expenses and QuickBooks
- Track expenses against jobs, see real-time reports, and sync with QuickBooks to keep the books current.
- AI Receptionist add-on
- For $49 a month, an AI receptionist answers missed calls while you work and records new leads for follow-up.
Plans
Houzz Pro
Free$0
A basic plan for trying the 3D floor planner, estimates and invoicing.
Design$99
per month for 1 user, annual subscription
3D floor plans, selections, product clipper, mood boards, CRM, estimates and proposals, invoices and online payments.
Pro$199
per month for 1 user, annual subscription
Adds takeoffs, bid management, change orders, budgets, contracts, the project schedule and daily logs. Extra users $50 each a month.
Teams$399
per month and up, unlimited users, annual subscription
Adds AI note-taking, a premium Houzz profile, email marketing, a custom website, Front Desk (beta) and dedicated support.
Joist
Basics$8.34
per month, billed annually ($10 billed monthly)
$100 a year. Up to 5 documents a month, estimates to invoices, online payments, AI tools and homeowner financing.
Pro$14.17
per month, billed annually ($17 billed monthly)
$170 a year. Unlimited documents and clients, your logo, line items with photos, client activity tracking and work orders.
Elite$26.67
per month, billed annually ($32 billed monthly)
$320 a year. Adds license and insurance details, change orders, business and sales reports, Joist Reviews and social integrations.
Run$58.33
per month, billed annually ($70 billed monthly)
Introductory price, 30% off a crossed-out $100 a month, with no end date given. Adds job organization and visit scheduling.
Ways to pay less
Houzz Pro
No public discounts listed.
Joist
- Annual discount
Two months free with annual billing
Yearly billing costs $100 for Basics, $170 for Pro and $320 for Elite, against $10, $17 and $32 billed monthly.
