Joist alternatives for contractors
Joist alternatives worth a look are Vorkeon (free plan, AI quotes and crew tools), Invoice2go (simple invoicing), Jobber and Housecall Pro (scheduling and dispatch for growing teams) and Handoff (deep AI estimating for remodelers). Joist's free plan is no longer available, so people who want free estimates often look elsewhere.
Updated October 30, 2026
Why people look past Joist
Joist is a low-cost, easy estimate and invoice app with online payments and financing. People look at other options when:
- They want a free plan. Joist says its free plan is no longer available; Basics is $12 a month and limited to 5 documents a month.
- They hire workers and need a time clock, team chat or payroll. These are not listed on the Joist pricing page.
- They want scheduling, which Joist only lists on its Run plan ($100 a month month to month).
Quick comparison
| App | Starts at (USD) | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joist | $12/mo (5 documents a month) | No (14-day trial) | Solo estimates and invoices |
| Vorkeon | Free; Solo US$19.99/mo | Yes | AI quotes plus a crew |
| Invoice2go | See their pricing page | No (30-day trial) | Simple invoicing |
| Jobber | $29/mo yearly, $49 monthly | No (14-day trial) | Scheduling and routing |
| Housecall Pro | $59/mo yearly, $79 monthly | No (14-day trial) | Home service dispatch |
| Handoff | $119/mo yearly (Flex) | No (7-day trial) | Remodel bids |
Vorkeon: when you want free, AI, or a crew
The Vorkeon Free plan keeps manual quotes, customer PDFs and a crew time clock at no cost. Paid plans add AI quotes from one sentence in about a minute, send to sign, deposits, invoices, team chat, site reports and change orders (Solo, US$19.99 a month), then timesheets, pay stubs and payroll export (Crew, US$39.99 a month). Workers who only clock in are free. Weaker than Joist at: track record and store apps today (Vorkeon launched October 2026; the web and Android apps are live and iPhone is in App Store review), and Joist's financing options. See Vorkeon vs Joist.
Invoice2go: simple invoicing
Invoice2go is a general invoicing app with unlimited estimates, a job timer, PayPal and bank transfer payments, and apps on web, iOS and Android. Starter allows 30 invoices a year and Professional 100 a year; Premium is unlimited. The 30-day trial asks for card details. Suits: solo operators who send a modest number of invoices and want accounting sync (QuickBooks or Xero on Professional). See Vorkeon vs Invoice2go.
Jobber and Housecall Pro: when you grow
If you outgrow paperwork and need a calendar, routes and a customer portal, Jobber and Housecall Pro are the big names. Jobber Core is $49 a month month to month ($29 billed yearly) for 1 user, with time tracking from Connect. Housecall Pro Basic is $79 a month monthly ($59 billed yearly) with scheduling and dispatch. Both cost more than Joist and both are strongest for service visits. See Vorkeon vs Jobber and Vorkeon vs Housecall Pro.
Handoff: deeper AI estimating
Handoff focuses on AI estimating for residential remodelers, with custom pricing catalogs, AI site walkthroughs and plan takeoffs on its Scale plan. Flex is listed at $119 a month billed yearly with a 7-day trial. Suits: remodelers who bid big jobs and want more estimating depth than Joist. See Vorkeon vs Handoff.
Not sure what a job should cost? Try the free quote calculators first. Prices vary by region; always check local costs.
Try Vorkeon on your next job
Every new business gets 14 days of the Crew plan free, no card. After that it moves to the Free plan by itself. Open the web app → · See pricing
Questions
Is there a free alternative to Joist?
Yes. Vorkeon has a free plan with manual quotes, customer PDFs and a crew time clock. Joist says its own free plan is no longer available.
Which Joist alternative has a time clock?
Vorkeon has a crew time clock on every plan, including Free. Jobber lists time tracking from its Connect plan, Housecall Pro lists team hours tracking, and Invoice2go has a job timer.
Which Joist alternative uses AI to write estimates?
Vorkeon and Handoff are built around AI quotes. Vorkeon builds a full quote from one sentence in about a minute; Handoff goes deeper for remodel bids at a higher price.
Is Vorkeon more expensive than Joist?
Vorkeon Solo is US$19.99 a month, a little more than Joist Pro at $17, but it adds AI quotes, team chat and site reports. The Vorkeon Free plan costs nothing.
Facts about other products come from their own websites, checked on the date shown: Joist pricing page (2026-10-30) · Invoice2go pricing page (2026-10-30) · Invoice2go features page (2026-10-30) · Jobber pricing page (2026-10-30) · Housecall Pro pricing page (2026-10-30) · Handoff pricing page (2026-10-30). Products change: check their site for the latest.