Vorkeon vs Joist
Joist is a low-cost estimate and invoice app for solo contractors, with plans from $12 a month and a 14-day trial, but its free plan is no longer offered. Vorkeon covers quotes and invoices too, and adds AI quotes from one sentence, a crew time clock, team chat, site reports and pay stubs, with a free plan and free workers. Pick Joist for simple paperwork; pick Vorkeon if you also run a crew.
Updated October 30, 2026
The short verdict
Pick Vorkeon if you want AI to build the whole quote in about a minute, or you have workers to clock in, schedule, chat with and pay. Vorkeon keeps that in one app, and workers who only clock in are free.
Pick Joist if you work alone, want a simple estimate-to-invoice app with online payments and homeowner financing, and like a very low monthly price. Joist has been on the market much longer than Vorkeon.
Side-by-side facts
| Vorkeon | Joist | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free plan; Solo US$19.99/mo (US$149/yr) | Basics $12/mo (5 documents a month); Pro $17/mo; Elite $32/mo; Run $100/mo month to month; cheaper yearly |
| Free plan | Yes: manual quotes, customer PDFs, time clock | No (Joist says its free plan is no longer available) |
| Free trial | 14 days of the Crew plan, no card, one per person | 14 days, no card, with Run features |
| AI quoting | Yes: full quote from one sentence, with store price search (paid plans) | Lists "create estimates & invoices with AI" and AI note polishing |
| Invoicing | Yes, plus deposits and send-to-sign | Yes, with online payments, deposits and financing |
| Crew time clock | Yes, on every plan including Free | Not listed on its pricing page |
| Team chat | Yes (Solo and up) | Not listed on its pricing page |
| Scheduling | Project scheduling (Solo); team schedule (Crew) | Visit scheduling listed on Run |
| Platforms | Web app and Android app live; iPhone in App Store review | See their site |
Joist prices are in USD from its own pricing page; it shows yearly prices with two months free and an introductory discount on some plans.
Price
For one person who only needs estimates and invoices, Joist is cheap. Basics is $12 a month but limited to 5 documents a month. Pro at $17 a month gives unlimited documents. Elite at $32 a month adds change orders and reports. The newer Run plan at $100 a month month to month adds jobs and visit scheduling.
Vorkeon Solo is US$19.99 a month and already includes AI quotes, invoices, send-to-sign, deposits, change orders, site reports, team chat and scheduling. Crew at US$39.99 a month adds timesheets with overtime and payroll export, a chat per project and up to 3 office users. If you only need manual quotes and PDFs, the Vorkeon Free plan costs nothing.
Vorkeon prices (USD): Free plan $0. Solo US$19.99 a month or US$149 a year. Crew US$39.99 a month or US$299 a year. Everything US$99.99 a month or US$899.99 a year. The website also shows prices in CAD, EUR, GBP and AUD; see pricing. Workers who only clock in are always free on every plan.
Quoting and estimates
Both apps turn an estimate into an invoice. The difference is how the estimate gets built.
In Vorkeon you describe the job in one sentence. The AI lists materials, labor, waste and markup, can look up store prices, and gives you a full quote in about a minute. You can offer Good / Better / Best choices on Crew. You always check and edit before sending, because prices vary by region.
Joist lists AI tools to create estimates and invoices and to polish notes; its pricing page does not show which plans include them. Vorkeon also has free quote calculators with tear-off, disposal and overhead lines where they apply.
Running a crew
This is the biggest gap. Joist's pricing page covers estimates, invoices, payments, change orders, reports and job scheduling, but not a worker time clock, team chat or payroll.
Vorkeon includes a GPS-checked time clock on every plan, plus team chat, direct messages and site reports from Solo. Crew adds timesheets with overtime and approvals, pay stubs and payroll export, safety tools, a photo at clock-in and alerts when someone clocks in off-site or forgets to clock out.
Where Joist is stronger
- Lowest price for a solo contractor who only needs estimates and invoices.
- Homeowner and contractor financing options listed on its pricing page.
- A much longer time on the market than Vorkeon, which launched in October 2026.
- An AI Receptionist add-on, listed from $49 a month.
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
Does Joist still have a free plan?
No. Joist says its free plan is no longer available; it offers a 14-day free trial. Vorkeon has a free plan with manual quotes, customer PDFs and the time clock.
Does Joist have a time clock for workers?
A worker time clock is not listed on the Joist pricing page. Vorkeon has a GPS-checked time clock on every plan, and workers who only clock in are free.
Which is cheaper, Joist or Vorkeon?
For one person who only needs estimates and invoices, Joist Pro at $17 a month is cheaper than Vorkeon Solo at US$19.99. Vorkeon Solo adds AI quotes, team chat, site reports and scheduling, and the Vorkeon Free plan costs nothing.
Can Vorkeon make a quote with AI?
Yes. Type one sentence about the job and Vorkeon builds a full quote with materials, labor and markup in about a minute. You check every line before sending.
Facts about other products come from their own websites, checked on the date shown: Joist pricing page (2026-10-30). Products change: check their site for the latest.