What it is
Joist is an app built for contractors that brings estimates, invoices, online payments, job management, and client records together. Estimates can include line items, markups, taxes, discounts, photos, branding, and digital signatures. Contractors can accept deposits and milestone payments, as well as payments by Tap to Pay, credit card, ACH, and PayPal. Joist Run organizes jobs, schedules visits, and links work to estimates, invoices, and clients. The app is available on Android, iOS, and the web, and it can sync invoices and payments automatically with QuickBooks. Its PayPal integration offers PayPal, Venmo in the US, and card processing. Joist focuses on solo and small home contractors, generally businesses with one to three employees serving residential customers in the US and Canada. There is no free plan, but a 14-day trial provides access to Joist Run features without a credit card. Basics allows up to five documents per month.
Who it suits. Joist suits solo and small home contractors serving residential customers in the US and Canada. Its stated audience is generally businesses with one to three employees.
Good
- Estimates support line items and digital signatures
- Accepts deposits and milestone payments
- Joist Run links jobs with estimates and invoices
- Available on Android, iOS, and web
- Invoices and payments can sync with QuickBooks
Watch for
- No free plan
- Basics allows up to five documents per month
- The trial lasts 14 days
Verdict
Joist brings estimating, payments, client records, and job organization together for small residential contractors. The Basics document cap and lack of a free plan are worth weighing before choosing it.
Plans and prices
| Plan | Price | Billed |
|---|---|---|
| AI Receptionist add-on | $49 a month | Billed monthly |
| Basics | $108.34 a month | Monthly or annually; annual price includes 2 months free |
| Pro | $1,714.17 a month | Monthly or annually; annual price includes 2 months free |
| Elite | $3,226.67 a month | Monthly or annually; annual price includes 2 months free |
| Run | $7,058.33 a month | Monthly or annually; annual price includes 2 months free and 30% off |
From Joist's own pricing page, checked 1 Oct 2026. Every plan
What the maker publishes
- Audience
- Joist is focused on solo and small home contractors, generally businesses with 1 to 3 employees serving residential customers in the US and Canada. source
- Basic limit
- The Basics plan allows up to five documents per month. source
- Estimates
- Users can create detailed estimates with line items, markups, taxes, discounts, photos, branding, and digital signatures. source
- Headquarters
- Toronto, Ontario, Canada source
- Jobs and scheduling
- Joist Run lets contractors organize jobs, schedule visits, and link jobs to estimates, invoices, and clients. source
- Mobile apps
- Joist offers full-featured iOS and Android apps and a web app for managing work from the jobsite or on the go. source
- Payments
- Joist supports online payments, deposits, milestone payments, Tap to Pay, credit cards, ACH, and PayPal. source
- PayPal integration
- Joist Payments with PayPal offers customers PayPal, Venmo in the US, and card processing through one PayPal integration. source
- Purpose
- Joist brings together estimates, invoices, online payments, job management, and client records in one app built specifically for contractors. source
- QuickBooks
- Joist can sync invoices and payments automatically with QuickBooks accounting software. source
- Scale
- Joist says more than 1.3 million contractors use it across more than 20 industries and have processed over $85 billion in transactions. source
- Security
- Joist says its sites use SSL with a 256-bit Sectigo RSA certificate, while payment providers handle payment data under PCI DSS and NACHA requirements. source
- Support
- The Basics, Pro, and Elite plans include email and live chat support, while Elite includes priority email response times. source
- Trial
- The 14-day free trial provides full access to all Joist Run features with no credit card required. source