# Joist vs GroundUp

The clearest difference is review sentiment: GroundUp at 100% against Joist's 61%. GroundUp also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Joist's advantage is ratings volume (14K vs 3) and chart position (#16 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Joist sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and GroundUp sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $79.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

GroundUp 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 3, 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 100% of GroundUp's.

Joist ships an update every 2 weeks, GroundUp weekly. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Joist | GroundUp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/joist-estimate-invoice-maker/id592163563/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/groundup-construction/id6760365673/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 61.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#16** | — |
| Size | 193 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Joist Software Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/512868153) | [GroundUp Technologies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1884151965) |

## What reviewers say

### Joist

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

**Currently charting:** #16 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


### GroundUp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/groundup-construction/id6760365673)

Manage construction projects, crew, and finances from your phone or desk. Track tasks, budgets, and daily logs with voice input. Connect your team and partners for seamless collaboration.

**Highlights:** Project organization, Crew management, Partner collaboration, Estimates and proposals, Financial tracking, Voice-to-text daily logging, Offline functionality

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Builder Monthly | $79.99 | per month |
| Pro Monthly | $149.99 | per month |
| Builder Annual | $699.99 | per year |
| Pro Annual | $999.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Joist free?

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

### Is GroundUp free?

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

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

GroundUp is rated higher. Joist averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while GroundUp averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Joist or GroundUp have ads?

Neither Joist nor GroundUp shows ads.

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

Joist ships an update every 2 weeks, and GroundUp weekly. Most recently, Joist was updated on October 28, 2026 and GroundUp on October 28, 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.*