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Comparison

HandyBook vs Joist: which is better for your business?

Joist is a low-cost estimating and invoicing app for contractors, with plans from roughly $10–$17/month. HandyBook costs more ($44.99/month and up) but runs the whole business: scheduling, CRM, job costing, time tracking (Pro), materials calculators (Pro), Stripe payments and a point-of-sale register (Pro).

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HandyBook vs Joist side by side

HandyBook compared with Joist
HandyBookJoist
Starting price (monthly billing)$44.99/moAbout $10–$12/mo (Basics)
Estimates and invoicesYesYes
Scheduling and calendarYesOn the Run plan
Materials calculators150+ job types (Pro)Not advertised on pricing page
Crew time trackingPro and BusinessNot advertised on pricing page

Joist pricing: Basics from about $10–$12/mo; Pro $17/mo; Elite $32/mo; Run $100/mo (monthly billing). Joist offers Basics, Pro, Elite and Run plans, with two months free on annual billing. Basics limits documents per month. Checked October 2026 on Joist's pricing page; prices change, so confirm before you buy.

What Joist does well

  • Very low monthly price
  • Simple, focused estimates and invoices
  • Homeowner financing options

Where HandyBook is different

  • Job scheduling, calendar and crew management
  • Customer CRM with job history
  • Per-job profit from expenses and labor
  • 150+ materials calculators and AI quoting (Pro)

Which should you choose?

Choose Joist if

  • You only need estimates and invoices
  • Lowest possible monthly cost is the priority

Choose HandyBook if

  • You have outgrown a quotes-and-invoices app and need scheduling, CRM and job costing
  • You manage a crew

Frequently asked questions

Should I switch from Joist to HandyBook?

Switch when you need more than estimates and invoices — scheduling, a customer CRM, job costing or crew management. If you only send a few estimates a month, Joist is cheaper.

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Quotes, invoices, scheduling, CRM and card payments in one app for iPhone and the web. Cancel any time during the trial at no cost.

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