Joist vs Backflow 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 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.
- 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
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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/
Backflow Pro
This app digitizes backflow prevention documentation, creating secure, visual records with time-stamped photos and GPS data. It streamlines compliance letters, invoices, and repair tracking for building and facility professionals.
- Digital backflow prevention program creation
- Time-stamped and GPS-stamped photo embedding
- Electronic signature capture
- Automated compliance letters and invoices
- Cloud syncing across multiple devices
- Scheduling calendar with push notifications
- Organized file storage by project and client
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A powerful, user-friendly app by Time Lock Documentation with embedded backflow testing checklists and compliance letters. This program creates a visual digital backflow documentation record which is attached to common paperwork creating digital visual proof of backflow prevention certification and compliance with governing law. The Backflow PRO provides a mobile and web synced backflow documentation process for all buildings and facilities. The Backflow program has been designed for the building, facility, and maintenance industries, for professional contractors, inspectors, plumbers, states, provinces, cities, counties, water companies, property managers and service technicians. The Backflow PRO documents backflow testing procedures providing testing “passed” and testing “failed” on the building backflow prevention device including a compliance letter, invoice, estimate, change order for any repairs required in the field. This creates a highly effective program for certifying and tracking repaired “backflow assembly devices” on a regular schedule. Backflow prevention device certifications, repairs, work estimates, and invoices are easily scheduled, visually captured, and logged with ease. The Backflow PRO leverages smartphone technology with our patented, time-lock documentation process that includes embedded photos watermarked with time, date, ambient temperature, and GPS location in addition to sorting, storing, and emailing documents and enabling signature capture (E-Sign). The program provides remote E-sign-off from multiple locations and cloud syncing on multiple devices . Features • Creates secure, digital backflow prevention program in minutes (Say goodbye to lost or damaged paperwork). • Reduces labor hours for projects by providing a digital web log and field application. • Backflow inspections, compliance letters, and repairs are easily scheduled, created, digitally captured, and logged with ease. • Embeds photos-stamped with time, date, ambient temp, GPS location. • E-signoff for multiple signatures of inspectors, project managers, etc. • Emails professionally documented, certified PDFs. • Time-locked, encrypted data fields-prevent errors and data tampering. • Organizes and stores files by date, project, system, and client. • Improves accountability-gives clients, water companies, and building owners detailed proof of work. • Designed for field use with no internet or server connections needed. • Cloud storage and synchronizing on multiple devices . • Creates full scheduling calendar with push notifications to field applications. • Certifications can be saved to the PlanGrid documents folder when the application is synchronized. • TLD PRO version, multi-user web dashboard and integrated apps allow teams to sync projects and documents on multiple devices from the field to the office. No ads. $71.99/ month; $80.99/month, $49.99/month, $29.99/month and , $3.99/month are the intended price of your in-app purchase product, Gold_Mechanical, Platinum_Mechanical, and Silver_Mechanical, Bronze_Mechanical and StandAlone_Mechanical. See privacy policy: https://timelockdocs.com/times/site/privacy-policy Terms of use: https://timelockdocs.com/times/site/terms-of-use
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: Joist at 14K against Backflow Pro's 1. Joist also leads on chart position (#14 vs unranked). Backflow Pro's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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 Backflow Pro sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Backflow Pro holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Joist has 14K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Joist ships an update every 2 weeks, Backflow Pro every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Joist | Backflow Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (14K ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 62.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 14K — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #14 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 193 MB | 22 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Joist Software Inc. | Time Lock Documentation, LLC |
Customer experience
Joist
Backflow 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
Backflow 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
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
Backflow Pro
- Stand Alone Plan$3.991 Month
- Bronze Plan$29.991 Month
- Silver Plan$49.991 Month
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Gold Plan$71.991 Month
- Platinum Plan$80.991 Month
Questions
Is Joist free?
Is Backflow Pro free?
Which has better reviews, Joist or Backflow Pro?
Do Joist or Backflow Pro have ads?
Which is updated more often, Joist or Backflow Pro?
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