Comparison

Joist vs Handoff Construction Estimator

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

Handoff Construction Estimator

This AI-powered app helps construction professionals create accurate project estimates and proposals quickly. Streamline project management, improve client communication, and accelerate business growth with efficient lead management and invoicing tools.

Highlights
  • AI-driven project estimates
  • Intuitive CRM for project tracking
  • Easy invoicing and financing options
  • Lead generation platform integration
  • Streamlined client communication
Currently charting
Read full description

Handoff revolutionizes the construction and remodeling industry with its AI-driven estimating software, designed to empower contractors and handymen with precision and efficiency. This essential contractor app facilitates instant, accurate construction estimates, simplifies project management, and enables the swift delivery of compelling client proposals. Do you aspire to deliver on-the-spot, precise estimates during client visits to secure jobs immediately? Are you spending your valuable evenings or weekends drafting estimates, yet feeling your win rate doesn't justify your efforts? Ever overlooked crucial details in your project estimates or doubted the competitiveness of your pricing? Handoff is specifically crafted for residential construction, remodeling businesses, and handymen looking to scale operations without ballooning overhead costs. Our construction estimating app serves a broad spectrum of professionals, from kitchen and bath remodelers to restoration specialists, roofers, painters, deck builders, carpenters, plumbers, and ADU constructors, among others. With Handoff, daily business operations are streamlined. Contractors gain quick access to accurate estimating tools, efficient lead management, and the ability to generate professional, winning proposals on the go. ACCELERATE YOUR BUSINESS WITH HANDOFF: - Generate precise, AI-driven residential project estimates - Intuitive CRM for seamless project tracking - Easy invoicing and accessible project financing options - Integration with leading lead generation platforms for improved outreach - AI-enhanced centralized lead management for quick, effective responses (coming soon!) - Dedicated business communication line for streamlined client interactions (coming soon!) YOUR ALL-IN-ONE APP FOR CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS: - Eliminate the endless hours spent on estimating - Shift your focus from working in your business to working on your business - Elevate client satisfaction and outperform the competition - Secure faster and more significant business growth Equipped with state-of-the-art AI technology, Handoff saves valuable time, improves estimate accuracy, and enhances customer satisfaction, leading to more successful projects and business expansion. Transform your remodeling business with Handoff and step into the future of construction management today! For more information, visit https://www.handoff.ai/ Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Joist4 screens
Handoff Construction Estimator4 screens

Verdict

The call

Joist and Handoff Construction Estimator both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 84% of Handoff Construction Estimator's written reviews are positive against 61% of Joist's. Handoff Construction Estimator also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). Joist's advantage is ratings volume (14K vs 1.9K) and chart position (#15 vs #80). On price, rating, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Joist sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Handoff Construction Estimator sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $49.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Joist against 4.8 for Handoff Construction Estimator. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Joist has 14K ratings behind it against 1.9K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 61% of Joist's written reviews are positive against 84% of Handoff Construction Estimator's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Joist ships an update every 2 weeks, Handoff Construction Estimator every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Joist versus Handoff Construction Estimator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJoistHandoff Construction Estimator
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (14K ratings)4.8 (1.9K ratings) — better
Positive reviews61.3% of reviews84.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings14K — better1.9K
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#15 — better#80
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size193 MB178 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJoist Software Inc.1Build, Inc.

Customer experience

Joist

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

Handoff Construction Estimator

All ratings1,902 ratings
Positive96.1%
Neutral2.7%
Negative1.2%
Written reviews82 reviews
Positive84.1%
Neutral1.2%
Negative14.6%

User reviews

Joist

From 14K App Store ratings

What 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

Handoff Construction Estimator

From 1.9K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and accurate estimates
  • 👍 Easy to use and customize
  • 💡 Helpful AI assistant
  • 🚀 Quick response and professionalism
  • 👍 Streamlines the estimating process

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive subscription costs
  • 🐛 Buggy and unreliable performance
  • 🔒 Lack of integration with existing tools

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

Handoff Construction Estimator

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Constant overwriting of manual changes
  • Random repopulation of removed items
  • Login issues and app crashes

Requested features

3 requests
  • Ability to add customer name on estimates
  • Incorporate photo analysis for estimates
  • Invoicing and receiving features

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
3 purchases

Handoff Construction Estimator

Subscriptions3
  • Starter Monthly Subscription$49.001 Month
  • Flex Monthly Subscription$149.001 Month
  • Business Monthly Subscription$149.001 Month

Questions

Is Joist free?
Joist is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Handoff Construction Estimator free?
Handoff Construction Estimator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Joist or Handoff Construction Estimator?
Handoff Construction Estimator is rated higher. Joist averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Handoff Construction Estimator averages 4.8 from 1.9K ratings.
Do Joist or Handoff Construction Estimator have ads?
Neither Joist nor Handoff Construction Estimator shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Joist or Handoff Construction Estimator?
Joist ships an update every 2 weeks, and Handoff Construction Estimator every 5 days. Most recently, Joist was updated on November 1, 2026 and Handoff Construction Estimator on October 30, 2026.
Which is more popular, Joist or Handoff Construction Estimator?
Joist currently peaks at #15 in the App Store charts, and Handoff Construction Estimator at #80. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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