# Joist vs ArboStar

The clearest difference is rating: Joist at 4.7 against ArboStar's 3.4. Joist also leads on ratings volume (14K vs 32) and chart position (#15 vs unranked). ArboStar's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and review sentiment (91% vs 61%). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Joist sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. ArboStar asks for nothing beyond the download.

Joist holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Joist has 14K ratings behind it against 32, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 61% of Joist's written reviews are positive against 91% of ArboStar's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Joist ships an update every 2 weeks, ArboStar every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Joist | ArboStar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/joist-estimate-invoice-maker/id592163563/reviews)** | [3.4 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arbostar/id1494526916/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 32 |
| Positive reviews | 61.3% of reviews | **91.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#15** | — |
| Size | 193 MB | 41 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Joist Software Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/512868153) | [INNOVATION SYSTEMS CORP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1494526915) |

## What reviewers say

### Joist

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/joist-estimate-invoice-maker/id592163563)

**Currently charting:** #15 Top Grossing · Business (US App Store)

Streamline your contracting business with this app. Create professional estimates and invoices quickly, accept payments, and manage client information all from your mobile device. Save time and win more jobs with organized project management.

**Highlights:** Create professional estimates and invoices, Accept credit card and PayPal payments, Manage client information, Convert estimates to invoices, Attach photos and contracts, Export to accounting software

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Quickbooks Sync Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Joist Basics Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Joist Pro Monthly | $16.99 | per month |
| Joist Elite Monthly | $31.99 | per month |
| Quickbooks Sync Annual | $90.99 | per year |
| Joist Run Monthly | $99.99 | per month |
| Joist Basics Annual | $99.99 | per year |
| Joist Pro Annual | $169.99 | per year |
| Joist Elite Annual | $319.99 | per year |
| Joist Run Annual | $999.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🚀 Professional-looking invoices
- 🚀 Convenient for small businesses
- 🚀 Helpful for organizing estimates and invoices
- 🚀 Great customer service

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔒 Security and payment processing issues
- 💰 Expensive subscription fees
- 🔒 Locking users out of their data
- 🤯 Removing previously free features

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


### ArboStar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arbostar/id1494526916)

This cloud-based platform helps tree care and landscaping businesses manage leads, create estimates and invoices, and track work orders. It offers automated and analytical features to streamline operations and maximize growth for companies of all sizes.

**Highlights:** Lead tracking, Estimate and invoice creation, Work order management, Scheduling, Automated features, Analytical features

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast estimate generation on-site
- 📊 Comprehensive reporting and financial insights
- 🗂️ Centralized business management (CRM, scheduling, invoicing)
- 📱 Seamless mobile app functionality
- 🗺️ Excellent mapping and route optimization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and stability issues
- ⏳ Slow loading times for photos and data
- 📡 Poor performance with spotty internet connection
- 🔐 Excessive location access permissions required
- 🗺️ GPS address inaccuracies

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes constantly
- Clock in/out not registering work time
- Photos take extremely long to load
- Data doesn't save with spotty cell service
- Keyboard blocks screen access requiring app restart

**Requested features**

- Wood chip drop-off list creation tool
- Improved offline capabilities
- Phone/tablet scheduling functionality
- Better data persistence with poor connectivity


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Joist free?

Joist is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ArboStar free?

ArboStar is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Joist or ArboStar?

Joist is rated higher. Joist averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while ArboStar averages 3.4 from 32 ratings.

### Do Joist or ArboStar have ads?

Neither Joist nor ArboStar shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Joist or ArboStar?

Joist ships an update every 2 weeks, and ArboStar every 9 days. Most recently, Joist was updated on November 1, 2026 and ArboStar on October 23, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*