Joist vs Houzz 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
Read full descriptionHide 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/
Houzz Pro
This AI-powered business platform helps home professionals streamline operations. It offers tools for client management, project planning, 3D design, and financial workflows, aiming to increase efficiency and profitability.
- AI-powered 3D floor plans
- Photo-realistic renders
- Automated takeoff measurements
- AI-driven estimates and invoices
- Project scheduling and task management
- AI notetaking and transcription
- Client relationship management (CRM)
Read full descriptionHide full description
Run your business better with Houzz Pro. The all-in-one AI platform for builders, remodelers and designers. It’s the only software and app with AI trained on our industry, so every part of your business becomes faster, more efficient and more profitable. Trusted by over 3 million home professionals, Houzz Pro brings together client experience, marketing, planning, project management and financial workflows in a single system. With AI embedded throughout, you can automate routine work and spend more time delivering exceptional projects and growing your business, whether you're on the jobsite or in the showroom. PLANNING – DESIGN & VISUALIZATION TOOLS - 3D Floor Plans: Generate immersive, client-winning 3D models with Houzz AI. No outsourcing, no specialized software, and no more waiting on costly third-party renders. - Photo Realistic Renders: Showcase your designs in a new light by generating photorealistic stills from any angle. - Automated Takeoffs: AI scans plans to measure spaces and count key components automatically, speeding bid prep and accuracy. - One-Click Sourcing: Houzz Pro's AI-powered Clipper is your sourcing superpower. Capture all product info—images, specs, and install guides—with a single click or URL copy-and-paste. FINANCIAL SUITE – ESTIMATES, INVOICES & PAYMENTS - Branded and AI-Powered Estimates & Proposals: Create detailed estimates and proposals instantly from voice or typed prompts; includes labor, materials, and pricing based on local data. - Invoices & Payment Requests: Send invoices instantly and collect payments online. PROJECT & CLIENT MANAGEMENT - AI-Powered Scheduling: Turn any estimate into a project schedule in seconds with fully framed phases and task lists. Track jobs, tasks, schedules, and timelines in one place. - AI Notetaking: Record calls and in-person meetings and Houzz AI will transcribe, summarize, and suggest next steps for you—no extra hardware or subscription required. - Client Management (CRM): Manage leads, clients, and follow-ups with reminders and replies. - Client Messaging: Communicate quickly, keep conversations organized, and stay responsive on the go. - Documents: Create, store, and share professional project documents anytime, anywhere. SCHEDULING & WORKFLOWS - Task Schedules & Gantt Charts: Plan every phase with clarity and control. Use our built-in AI to create detailed project Schedules in almost half the time. - Assign To-Dos: Keep projects moving by delegating action items to your team, subs, and clients. TOOLS TAILORED TO YOUR TRADE — Houzz Pro is perfect for: Custom & Commercial Builders, Remodelers, Interior Designers, Contractors, Design-Build Firms and Specialty Contractors. New to Houzz Pro? Download this app to start your free 30-day trial. Already a member? Take your workflow to-go with one download. For the full Houzz Pro experience, log in on desktop or laptop to access advanced AI-driven tools for your team and clients.
Screenshots
Verdict
Joist and Houzz Pro both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 61% of Joist's written reviews are positive against 20% of Houzz Pro's. Joist also leads on chart position (#14 vs #132). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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 and Houzz Pro sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $39.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Joist against 4.6 for Houzz Pro. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15K and 5K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 61% of Joist's written reviews are positive against 20% of Houzz Pro's.
Joist ships an update every 2 weeks, Houzz Pro weekly. Both last shipped on November 10, 2026.
| Parameter | Joist | Houzz Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (15K ratings) — better | 4.6 (5K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 61.3% of reviews — better | 20.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 15K — better | 5K |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #14 — better | #132 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 194 MB | 388 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Joist Software Inc. | Houzz Inc. |
Customer experience
Joist
Houzz Pro
User reviews
Joist
From 15K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🚀 Professional-looking invoices
- 🚀 Convenient for small businesses
- 🚀 Helpful for organizing estimates and invoices
- 🚀 Great customer service
Room to improve
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔒 Security and payment processing issues
- 💰 Expensive subscription fees
- 🔒 Locking users out of their data
- 🤯 Removing previously free features
Houzz Pro
From 5K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great platform for leads
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 👍 Helpful customer service
- 👍 Useful all-in-one platform
- 👍 Expedites communication with clients
Room to improve
- 💰 Expensive for the value provided
- 🐛 Glitches and bugs
- 🔍 Lack of features compared to expectations
- 💬 Poor customer support and communication
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
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
Houzz Pro
Reported bugs
3 issues- App freezes and crashes
- Syncing issues between mobile and desktop
- Inability to fully utilize app features
Requested features
4 requests- Ability to import and manage floor plans
- Better Gantt chart functionality
- Improved mobile app sync with desktop
- Weekend customer support
In-app purchases
Joist
- Quickbooks Sync Monthly$9.991 Month
- Joist Basics Monthly$9.991 Month
- Joist Pro Monthly$16.991 Month
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- 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
Houzz Pro
- Monthly$39.991 Month
- Starter Monthly$64.991 Month
- Starter Monthly Free Trial1 Month trial$64.991 Month
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- Essential Monthly Free Trial1 Month trial$84.991 Month
- Houzz Pro Flex1 Month trial$85.001 Month
- Houzz Pro Flex$85.001 Month
- Houzz Pro Flex1 Month trial$99.001 Month
- Houzz Pro Flex1 Month trial$149.991 Month
- Houzz Pro Flex$149.991 Month
- Essential Annual Subscription1 Month trial$1000.001 Year







