Comparison

Invoice Gen vs Hoist

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Invoice Gen

Features
Read full description

This app helps you generate invoices on the fly for free. You can share the invoices as PDF. You will be able to customize your invoice profile also. All these will be done offline, so you don’t need to worry about internet connection issues Please leave your reviews, so I can make this app better for you!

About

Hoist

This app helps UK sole trader builders manage job costs, create quotes and invoices from their phone, and track expenses like receipts and mileage. It simplifies business administration with clear records and financial insights.

Highlights
  • Create quotes and invoices on-site
  • Scan and log receipts with OCR
  • Track job-related mileage
  • Detailed job costing and margin analysis
  • Export financial records (CSV/PDF)
  • View outstanding balances and job status
Features
Read full description

Good catch pulling this up — this description still sells the old Pro/subscription model throughout, and that EULA link at the bottom is specifically Apple's subscription agreement, which no longer applies at all. Here's the updated version: Hoist is built for UK sole trader builders who want less paperwork, cleaner records, and a better grip on every job. Create quotes and invoices from site. Scan receipts before they disappear. Track mileage. See what each job is really costing you. No accounting jargon. No bloated software. Just the tools a builder needs to stay on top of the business side of the job. Free to use. No subscription, no limits. KNOW WHAT YOU'RE OWED See your outstanding balance the moment you open the app. Track unpaid invoices, overdue jobs, quoted work and paid jobs in one clear place. QUOTE AND INVOICE FROM SITE Create professional PDF quotes and invoices in seconds. Send them straight from your phone while you're still on site, instead of leaving the paperwork until later. SCAN YOUR RECEIPTS Snap material receipts, fuel receipts and job expenses before they get lost in the van. Hoist reads the details with OCR and logs them against the right job. TRACK EVERY MILE Record site visits and calculate claimable mileage using UK mileage rates. Keep mileage records tidy throughout the year instead of trying to piece them together at tax time. JOB COSTING THAT WORKS Add labour, materials, receipts, expenses and mileage to each job. See your costs, income and margin before the job is finished, so you can stop undercharging and stay in control. EXPORT CLEAN RECORDS Export income, expenses and mileage as clean CSV or PDF records. Send them to your accountant or keep them ready for your own tax records. BUILT FOR BUILDERS Hoist is not trying to be full accounting software. It is made for builders who need a simple way to manage jobs, send invoices, log receipts and track mileage from their phone. COMPLETELY FREE Unlimited jobs, receipt scanning, mileage tracking and exports — all included, no card required, no subscription.

Screenshots

Invoice Gen4 screens
Hoist4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Hoist at none against Invoice Gen's shown. Hoist also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs fortnightly). Invoice Gen's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Invoice Gen ships an update fortnightly, Hoist every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Invoice Gen versus Hoist: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterInvoice GenHoist
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 5 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMichael ShobowaleCraig Paterson

In-app purchases

None

Invoice Gen

No in-app purchases

None

Hoist

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Invoice Gen free?
Invoice Gen is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Hoist free?
Hoist is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Invoice Gen or Hoist have ads?
Invoice Gen shows ads; Hoist does not.
Which is updated more often, Invoice Gen or Hoist?
Invoice Gen ships an update fortnightly, and Hoist every 5 days. Most recently, Invoice Gen was updated on November 3, 2026 and Hoist on October 31, 2026.

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