Comparison

Joist vs UpStart

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 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
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

UpStart

Discover high-end small to medium businesses across various sectors and industries. Browse brands, view their details, and connect with premium businesses. Create a profile, endorse your favorite brands, and explore curated selections.

Highlights
  • Browse businesses by sector and industry
  • Search for specific brands
  • View brand contact and social media details
  • Create user profiles
  • Endorse and save favorite brands
  • View brand statistics
Read full description

UpStart is an app directory exclusively on iOS, showcasing small to medium high-end businesses in over 256 sectors across 20 industries. Discover those elite brands in 3 ways:  * General Search: Just looking? Browse through our 256 sectors in 20 industries * Extensive Search: Know the sector and city you're looking in? Find brands in a specific industry, sector and city * Brand Search: Know the exact Brand you're looking for? Find their contact and social media details here User Features: * Create your own UpStarter profile with your details and display picture * Endorse (like) brands and have them show up on your home page * Scroll through brand images showcasing their product/service * View other users that have endorsed a brand * Report a brand * Access a brand's contact and social media details Brand Features: * Upload details of your brand for review * Register and subscribe to be visible on UpStart * View interactions in brand statistics Our Brands Goal is to empower, categorise and subsequently expand their exposure. Our Users Goal is to display quality brands for them to interact with. Our UpStart Goal is to establish a community that connects empowering users to premium brands. So what are you waiting for? Download the app now and become an UpStarter! * Disclaimer: UpStart uses the standard Apple Terms of Use (EULA). The link to our Terms of Use is as follows, https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Joist4 screens
UpStart4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Joist at 4.7 against UpStart's 3.5. Joist also leads on ratings volume (14K vs 50) and chart position (#15 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 and UpStart sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $16.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Joist holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Joist has 14K ratings behind it against 50, 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 UpStart's.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Joist versus UpStart: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJoistUpStart
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (14K ratings) — better3.5 (50 ratings)
Positive reviews61.3% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings14K — better50
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#15 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size193 MB9 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperJoist Software Inc.Eesa Patel

Customer experience

Joist

All ratings14,376 ratings
Positive94.6%
Neutral1.4%
Negative4.0%
Written reviews463 reviews
Positive61.3%
Neutral7.3%
Negative31.3%

UpStart

All ratings49 ratings
Positive61.2%
Neutral6.1%
Negative32.7%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

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

UpStart

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
4 purchases

UpStart

Subscriptions4
  • 1 Sector$16.491 Month
  • 2 Sectors1 Month trial$32.991 Month
  • 3 Sectors1 Month trial$48.991 Month
Show 1 more
  • 4 Sectors1 Month trial$65.991 Month

Questions

Is Joist free?
Joist is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is UpStart free?
UpStart is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Joist or UpStart?
Joist is rated higher. Joist averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while UpStart averages 3.5 from 50 ratings.
Do Joist or UpStart have ads?
Neither Joist nor UpStart shows ads.

Other comparisons