Joist vs Paint Estimator Pro
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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/
Paint Estimator Pro
Generate professional painting estimates and work orders quickly from your mobile device. Impress clients with detailed PDFs, track leads, and manage jobs efficiently to increase booked work.
- Generate painting estimates and work orders
- Create professional PDF documents with pictures
- Track leads, booked jobs, and completed jobs
- Quantify labor and material costs
- Provide project gross profit view
- Offer estimate options for upsells
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* This estimating mobile app provides the professional painter or paint company with the ability to produce painting estimates and work orders in minutes from your mobile phone. *Be more productive than ever before with the ability to provide the customer with a professional detailed estimate on the spot, increasing booked jobs. The estimates are produced in a PDF document that can be sent to the customer quickly and easily and can even include pictures of the project. *The app also keeps your company running smoothly by keeping track of your leads, completed estimates, booked jobs, and completed jobs. All the information is available at your finger tips on your phone. This app is designed by painters for painters. It is specific to painting company. It comes with unlimited free support. App features summary: *Easy set-up. Enter your company information and you are ready to go. *Produce paint project estimates quantifying labor and materials costs. *Provide quick view of project gross profit. *Produce PDF estimates with pictures quickly. Impress customers and win jobs. *Provide options on estimates. Easy upsell of more work. *Easy to use on your phone. Conveniently, produce estimates and You always have project information at your finger tips. *Produce detailed project work orders from your phone. Send them quickly to your crews. *Higher closing rate. In testing closing rates of up to 90% were achieved. *Designed by painters to be used on your phone.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Joist at 4.7 against Paint Estimator Pro's 2.0. Joist also leads on ratings volume (15K vs 4) and chart position (#13 vs unranked). Paint Estimator Pro's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). 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
Both are free to download. Joist sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Paint Estimator Pro asks for nothing beyond the download.
Joist holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Joist has 15K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of Joist's written reviews are positive against 50% of Paint Estimator Pro's.
Joist ships an update every 2 weeks, Paint Estimator Pro weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Joist | Paint Estimator Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (15K ratings) — better | 2.0 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 61.3% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 15K — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #13 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 194 MB | 59 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Joist Software Inc. | Bluestone Apps, LLC Mobile |
Customer experience
Joist
Paint Estimator Pro
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
Paint Estimator Pro
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Joist
- Quickbooks Sync Monthly$9.991 Month
- Joist Basics Monthly$9.991 Month
- Joist Pro Monthly$16.991 Month
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- 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
Paint Estimator Pro
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Joist free?
Is Paint Estimator Pro free?
Which has better reviews, Joist or Paint Estimator Pro?
Do Joist or Paint Estimator Pro have ads?
Which is updated more often, Joist or Paint Estimator Pro?
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