Comparison

Joist vs Valay Contractor

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

Head to head
About

Joist

Streamline your contracting business with tools for creating professional estimates and invoices, managing jobs, and accepting secure payments. Keep all client and job details organized in one place, accessible from any device.

Highlights
  • Create professional estimates and invoices
  • Manage jobs and client information
  • Schedule work and track workload
  • Accept credit card and PayPal payments
  • Customize with company logo
  • Convert estimates to invoices
  • Export data to accounting programs
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Win more jobs and get paid faster with Joist — the ultimate estimate, invoice & job management tool for contractors. Manage your business entirely from your iPhone or iPad. Create professional quotes in seconds, schedule work, accept secure payments, and stay ahead of the competition with the industry's most trusted tool for builders. Whether you are estimating on-site, scheduling upcoming work, or sending professional bills from the office, Joist saves time, keeps you organized, and helps you stay on top of your workday. Note: Payments functionality is currently available in the US & Canada. ——— WHY CONTRACTORS LOVE JOIST • SAVES TIME – Complete administrative work at the jobsite or on-the-go. Stop spending evenings catching up on paperwork, paper notes & digital receipts. • STAY ORGANIZED – Keep every job organized in one place. Connect customer details, estimates, invoices, notes, and schedules so you always know where work stands without digging through texts or spreadsheets. • PLAN WITH CONFIDENCE – See upcoming work in a simple calendar view, avoid scheduling conflicts, and always know what’s coming next. • WIN MORE JOBS – Send your client an estimate before you leave. Be the first to create an estimate & give them the opportunity to say YES on the spot. • SPEED UP ESTIMATING & INVOICING – Build estimates & invoices quicker by selecting from your list of commonly used materials + labor rates. • ACCEPT PAYMENTS – Accept Credit Card & PayPal payments directly through Joist. No more driving around to pick up checks. • EASILY MANAGE CLIENTS – Create, organize & store valuable info to access your clients' data anytime, on the go. • LOOK PROFESSIONAL – Show clients you are the contractor they should trust with customized estimates & invoices. ——— KEY FEATURES • Create & organize jobs, keeping notes, photos, estimates & invoices connected • Schedule visits for every job & track workload in a simple calendar view • Customize estimates & invoices with company info & logo • Attach a client contract & collect a signature on the spot • Accept Credit Card & PayPal payments directly through the app • Build a list of commonly used items, services & materials • Attach photos to your estimates & invoices • Preview, print, or email estimates & invoices on the spot • Create personal messages & digital receipts for your clients • Convert estimates into invoices ASAP • Keep track of customer payments & bills • Export data into your accounting program to reduce costs • Access all your info from any device or the web — Joist is cloud-based. ——— USE CASES & VERSATILITY • On-Site Estimates: Walk through a job & create a quote before leaving the property. • Smart Scheduling: Plan your workday, set up job site visits, and stay on top of active work. • Job Organization: Keep estimates, invoices, client notes & photos grouped neatly under each job. • Instant Invoicing: Convert approved quotes into professional bills & send instantly. • Mobile Payments: Accept payments immediately upon job completion. • Project Tracking: Use the estimator for accurate material & labor margins. ——— WHO USES JOIST General contractors, handymen, electricians, plumbers, builders, landscapers, roofers, painters, HVAC, flooring, remodeling, construction & more! ——— WHAT OTHER CONTRACTORS ARE SAYING "Now I can do quotes on the fly! I don't have to walk through the job & write everything down; it's all programmed into my iPad right from material cost to cost per square foot! This app is so awesome." ——— JOIST SUBSCRIPTIONS You can subscribe to Joist Pro or Joist Elite (Monthly/Annual). Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off 24 hrs prior to the end of the current period. Manage settings in App Store or iTunes. ——— Joist is FREE to Download & FREE to try! Available on iPhone, iPad & desktop. Get support FAST: hello@joist.com | www.joist.com | In-app live chat Terms: https://www.joist.com/terms/ Privacy: https://www.joist.com/privacy-policy/

About

Valay Contractor

This app connects skilled tradespeople with customers needing services like plumbing, electrical, or repair work. Professionals can go online to receive job requests, accept them within a time limit, complete the service, and get paid.

Highlights
  • Receive on-demand job requests
  • Accept or deny jobs within 20 seconds
  • Flexible working hours
  • Stream of new customers
  • Built for contractors by contractors
Features
Read full description

Download the Valay Contractor app now! If you are a plumber, electrician, HVAC provider, locksmith, computer repair specialist, or iPhone repair specialist, then sign up. Valay provides you a constant stream of customers. Share with your friends while we gear up for liftoff. Valay is the easiest way for professionals to get free on-demand jobs just by signing up and accepting a task. The Way It Works: 1. Go to the platform and go online. 2. Receive a photo and description of a job. 3. Your phone will buzz and you can accept or deny the request within 20 seconds before it is sent to the next closest pro. 4. Drive to the customer and fix the issue. 5. Get paid. _________________________________________________ WHY VALAY? FLEXIBLE HOURS Sign on at any time, night or day, and receive instant jobs for your profession. BUILT FOR CONTRACTORS Valay is built for contractors by contractors. We understand the struggle. Valay is dedicated to improving the contractor experience by providing you with a constant stream of customers. Signup for free today and get started.

Screenshots

Joist4 screens
Valay Contractor4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Joist at 4.7 against Valay Contractor's 4.2. Joist also leads on ratings volume (15K vs 10) and chart position (#15 vs unranked). Valay Contractor's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and review sentiment (80% vs 61%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. Joist sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Valay Contractor asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Joist holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Joist has 15K ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 61% of Joist's written reviews are positive against 80% of Valay Contractor's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Joist versus Valay Contractor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJoistValay Contractor
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (15K ratings) — better4.2 (10 ratings)
Positive reviews61.3% of reviews80.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings15K — better10
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#15 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.010.2 — better
Further details — not scored
Size194 MB73 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJoist Software Inc.Valay

Customer experience

Joist

All ratings14,480 ratings
Positive94.6%
Neutral1.4%
Negative3.9%
Written reviews463 reviews
Positive61.3%
Neutral7.3%
Negative31.3%

Valay Contractor

All ratings10 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%

Bugs and requests

Joist

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Freezing when removing photos
  • Estimates and invoices not being delivered
  • Inconsistent behavior across devices
  • Issues with payment processing and funds being held

Requested features

5 requests
  • Offline mode
  • Ability to customize invoices and estimates
  • More payment options
  • Integration with accounting software
  • Better organization and search for past invoices

Valay Contractor

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Joist

Subscriptions10
  • Quickbooks Sync Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Joist Basics Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Joist Pro Monthly$16.991 Month
Show 7 more
  • Joist Elite Monthly$31.991 Month
  • Quickbooks Sync Annual$90.991 Year
  • Joist Run Monthly$99.991 Month
  • Joist Basics Annual$99.991 Year
  • Joist Pro Annual$169.991 Year
  • Joist Elite Annual$319.991 Year
  • Joist Run Annual$999.991 Year
None

Valay Contractor

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Joist free?
Joist is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Valay Contractor free?
Valay Contractor is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Joist or Valay Contractor?
Joist is rated higher. Joist averages 4.7 out of 5 from 15K ratings, while Valay Contractor averages 4.2 from 10 ratings.
Do Joist or Valay Contractor have ads?
Neither Joist nor Valay Contractor shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Joist or Valay Contractor?
Joist ships an update every 2 weeks, and Valay Contractor every 2 weeks. Most recently, Joist was updated on November 8, 2026 and Valay Contractor on November 3, 2026.

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