The Joist Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Joist in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Joist
The Insider’s Guide
Estimates, invoices and payments app for solo contractors
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among field service apps, read from Joist’s own pages.
Made by Joist, Inc. · checked Oct 18, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Joist’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Joist’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 18, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 9 of the 15 other field service apps we grade
Joist is an estimating and invoicing app for contractors such as general contractors, handymen, painters, electricians and roofers. It turns estimates into invoices, takes online payments and deposits, offers homeowner financing and syncs with QuickBooks, on the web and in iOS and Android apps. The top plan, Run, adds job organization and visit scheduling.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Joist, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Turning an approved estimate into an invoice takes a few taps without retyping, which is the whole appeal.
- 1
Best for solo contractors who quote from their phone
It's built for one person, though: visit scheduling only comes with Run, and nothing in its listing hands jobs out to a crew.
- 2
Paid plans start at $8.34 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $8.34 per month, billed annually ($10 billed monthly).
- 3
You can try it first
14-day free trial of the Run plan, no credit card required
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
Change orders and reports
Elite adds change orders, license and insurance details on documents, and business and sales reports.
- 8
A 2.6 GPA, above 9 of 15
That is against the other field service apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Joist you could make: quotes and estimates, invoicing, job scheduling, expense tracking and review collection. What surrounds it you could not. The 2 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Joist at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $8.34 per month, billed annually ($10 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial of the Run plan, no credit card required
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Joist, Inc.
- Category
- Field Service Software
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
- Store rating
- 4.7 on the App Store, 14,362 ratings
The report card
Best for solo contractors who quote from their phone
Joist is a quick, well-liked way for a solo contractor to send estimates, turn them into invoices and get paid, and its app averages 4.75 from 14,362 ratings. It's built for one person, though: visit scheduling only comes with Run, and nothing in its listing hands jobs out to a crew.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Run, 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 | C | A 14-day trial of Run with no card needed. The free plan has been discontinued. |
| Features | C | Estimates 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 | A | 4.75 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 | B | Web, iPhone and Android, but the only integration listed is QuickBooks. No desktop app. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Joist is for
- Great if you work alone and mostly need estimates, invoices and payments
- Handy when you quote from your phone standing in the client's kitchen
- Good for part-timers sending a handful of documents a month
Who it is not for
- Too light for a crew of three that needs jobs handed out and tracked
- Tight if you send more than 5 documents a month on Basics, the $8.34 plan
- Pricey if you want an AI receptionist, an add-on at $49 a month
Good to know
Good for
- 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
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$8.34
A month to start
Joist is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $8.34 per month, billed annually ($10 billed monthly).
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.
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.
Trying it first
14-day free trial of the Run plan, no credit card required
Read from joist.com on Oct 18, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on joist.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
Estimates, invoices and payments app for solo contractors. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, invoicing, expense tracking, job scheduling, quotes and estimates, review collection.
Estimates to invoices, online payments and deposits, homeowner financing, change orders on Elite and job scheduling on Run.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- QuickBooks
Joist is made by Joist, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
9/15
Other field service apps it is graded above
Joist's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 9 of the 15 other field service apps we grade, and level with 4.
It stands best on ease of use (A, above 13 of 15) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $8.34 a month, against a middle price of $49 for the category: 0 of the 10 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 16 field service apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Joist’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 2 of 15
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 15
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 15
- AEase of useAbove 13 of 15
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 15
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 11 field service apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Joist is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Joist you could make: quotes and estimates, invoicing, job scheduling, expense tracking and review collection. What surrounds it you could not. The 2 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It costs $100.08 a year.
What you could make
- Quotes and estimates, invoicing, job scheduling, expense tracking and review collection: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
What this rests on. Joist’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Housecall Pro, Jobber, Tradify, Houzz Pro and Contractor Foreman
The 5 tools Joist is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Housecall Pro
Free trial · from $59/mo
Scheduling, quotes and payments for home service businesses.
- Joist also covers expense tracking.
- Housecall Pro also covers appointment booking.
- 2.8GPA
Jobber
Free trial · from $29/mo
Quotes, scheduling and payments for home service businesses.
- Joist also covers expense tracking and review collection.
- Jobber also covers time tracking, business texting and appointment booking.
- 2.2GPA
Tradify
Free trial · from $47/mo
Job management for trade businesses, priced per user.
- Joist also covers expense tracking and review collection.
- Tradify also covers time tracking.
- 2.2GPA
Houzz Pro
Free plan · from $99/mo
Project, design and billing software for remodelers and designers.
- Houzz Pro has a free plan. Joist does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Houzz Pro lists a browser extension.
- Joist also covers expense tracking, job scheduling and review collection.
- 2.6GPA
Contractor Foreman
Free trial · from $49/mo
Construction management for contractors, priced by team size.
- Joist also covers expense tracking and review collection.
- Contractor Foreman also covers Gantt & timelines, time tracking and reports.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Joist free?
No, Joist is a paid product, but you can try it first. 14-day free trial of the Run plan, no credit card required.
How much does Joist cost?
Joist lists 4 plans. Basics: $8.34 per month, billed annually ($10 billed monthly).
What platforms does Joist work on?
Joist is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does Joist offer any discounts?
Joist publicly lists the following: Two months free with annual billing.
How is Joist rated?
Joist's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14,362 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 18, 2026.
Does Joist have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. Joist is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Joist have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 18, 2026. Joist is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Joist open source?
Joist is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 18, 2026.
What does Joist integrate with?
Joist's listing names QuickBooks. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Joist?
Joist is made by Joist, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Joist?
The closest alternatives to Joist in our directory are Housecall Pro, Jobber, Tradify, Houzz Pro and Contractor Foreman.
How does Joist compare with other field service apps?
Joist's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 9 of the 15 other field service apps we grade, and level with 4.
Is Joist good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Joist C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $8.34 a month, against a middle price of $49 for the category: 0 of the 10 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Joist?
The plain part of Joist you could make: quotes and estimates, invoicing, job scheduling, expense tracking and review collection.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Joist’s own pages on Oct 18, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 18, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Joist's own pages on 18 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Joist, Inc. Prices change, so check joist.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
2,068
Tools graded, in 57 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
2,068
tools graded
57
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Joist, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/joist
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Joist: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 18, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/joist
Know someone choosing between field service apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/joist/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded field service apps after Joist, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Field Service Software Insider's GuideEvery one of the 16 field service apps we grade, compared
- ServiceM8 Insider's GuideJob management for trades, priced by jobs a month, not users3.4 GPA
- Jobber Insider's GuideQuotes, scheduling and payments for home service businesses2.8 GPA
- Contractor Foreman Insider's GuideConstruction management for contractors, priced by team size2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Joist’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. Joist is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Joist, Inc. Prices and plans change: check joist.com before you buy.