Comparison

ContractorTools vs HomeStars for Pros

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ContractorTools

Streamline your contracting business with tools for creating estimates, invoices, and managing payments. Sync data seamlessly with QuickBooks Online and collaborate with your team across multiple devices. Focus on your work while this app handles the paperwork.

Highlights
  • Estimating
  • Invoicing
  • Payment tracking
  • QuickBooks Online sync
  • Multi-device sync
  • Offline functionality
  • Job templates
Features
Read full description

ContractorTools helps you estimate, invoice, and get paid, all from your iPhone or iPad. —————— WHY CONTRACTORS LOVE CONTRACTORTOOLS - SAVES TIME – Build estimates on the jobsite instead of at the kitchen table at night. Start from job templates and your own costbooks. - WIN MORE JOBS – Send the quote before you leave. Let customers sign on your phone or iPad and say YES on the spot. - GET PAID FASTER – Turn an approved estimate into an invoice in a tap and collect card payments through Stripe. No more chasing checks. - PRICE MATERIALS FAST – Add Home Depot products straight to your estimates with live pricing and inventory from your local store. Use your ProXtra account for discounts, then have materials delivered or pick them up. - KNOW YOUR COSTS – Add Craftsman costbooks (optional) for 40,000+ construction cost items, localized by zip code in the US or postal code in Canada. - WORK ANYWHERE – ContractorTools is a native app that works fully offline. Keep working in a basement or at a remote site, and your data syncs when you're back online. - RUN YOUR TEAM – Sync between multiple users and devices so everyone sees the same jobs, estimates, and invoices. - KEEP YOUR BOOKS CLEAN – Sync estimates, invoices, and payments to QuickBooks Online and skip the double entry. —————— KEY FEATURES - Estimates and quotes, sent by PDF via email or text message - Customer signatures on your phone or iPad - Invoicing and card payments - Change orders and credits - Draw schedules - Job costing - Job templates - Custom costbooks - Craftsman costbooks (optional in-app purchase) - Home Depot products with live pricing - QuickBooks Online sync - Multi-user, multi-device sync on iPhone, iPad, and Mac - Full support for international currencies and units —————— WHO USES CONTRACTORTOOLS General contractors, handymen, plumbers, electricians, roofers, HVAC, remodelers, concrete specialists, home builders, fencing specialist, landscapers, painters, and other trades. —————— WHAT CONTRACTORS SAY "I can honestly say this is the best program we have ever used. Especially when you compare price, ease of use, Home Depot integrations, QuickBooks sync, and developer support. I've seen our customers respond to the estimates in such a positive way that it's helping us close more deals faster. Our speed and estimating accuracy have improved dramatically." —————— PRICING Try ContractorTools free for 30 days then subscribe to our Basic, Essentials, or Pro plan. Prices are in USD and may vary by region. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account after the free trial ends. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. —————— ContractorTools is FREE to try out! Got Questions? We're here to help: Call (888) 802-1040 or email support@contractortools.com. Privacy Policy: https://contractortools.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://contractortools.com/terms

About

HomeStars for Pros

Connect with homeowners seeking professional services. This platform offers a steady stream of relevant job leads tailored to your skills and location. You only pay when you connect with a homeowner, putting you in control of your business growth.

Highlights
  • Find and express interest in new leads
  • Communicate with homeowners
  • Receive push notifications for leads
  • Edit profile and settings
  • Transparent pricing for leads
Features
Read full description

HomeStars is the reliable way for pros to find new jobs, with no joining or subscription fees. It puts you in control, with easy access to jobs that match your skills and location. See the lead price upfront and only pay a fee when both you and the homeowner are interested to get in touch. Every month, over 16,000 homeowners post jobs on HomeStars, from handyman jobs and home repairs to electrician jobs, plumbing, painting, roofing, and more. Whether you're a general contractor, a specialist, or anywhere in between, HomeStars connects you with local leads that match your skills. How it works: Step 1 - Receive tailored leads: Sign up for free and create your professional profile. Tell us your trade, skills, and service area and we'll send you matched leads straight to your phone. Step 2 - Show interest: Browse leads and express interest in the jobs you want, for free. There's no limit to how many leads you can respond to. Step 3 - Connect and get hired: If a homeowner shortlists you, we charge a one-time fee for their contact details. From there, it's over to you to close the job. Why pros choose HomeStars: A ll the work you want - Over 16,000 jobs posted every month - Leads matched to your trade, skills, and location - From small gap-fillers to large home renovation jobs, you choose - Trades include: handyman, electrician, plumber, painter, roofer, general contractor, and more You're in control - Join for free with no commitment - Express interest in as many leads as you like, for free - Only pay a fee when you're shortlisted See the lead price upfront, no surprises Grow your reputation - Free profile to showcase your work, skills, and experience - Collect reviews from homeowners to build trust with new clients - A stronger profile means more visibility and more leads Finding and arranging jobs is even easier with the HomeStars app. Download it now to search for jobs, receive instant notifications for new leads, shortlists and lead updates, chat with prospects and customers, and manage your profile and settings — wherever you are. To get started, sign up for free at HomeStars.com and create your pro profile.

Screenshots

ContractorTools3 screens
HomeStars for Pros4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ContractorTools at 81% against HomeStars for Pros's 22%. ContractorTools also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.2) and chart position (#169 vs unranked). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. ContractorTools sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month and HomeStars for Pros sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ContractorTools holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.8K and 967 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of ContractorTools's written reviews are positive against 22% of HomeStars for Pros's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ContractorTools ships an update every 3 weeks, HomeStars for Pros fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
ContractorTools versus HomeStars for Pros: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterContractorToolsHomeStars for Pros
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (1.8K ratings) — better4.2 (967 ratings)
Positive reviews80.6% of reviews — better22.1% of reviews
Number of ratings1.8K — better967
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#169 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size86 MB21 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperContractor ToolsWerkspot BV

Customer experience

ContractorTools

All ratings1,765 ratings
Positive94.6%
Neutral2.5%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews93 reviews
Positive80.6%
Neutral7.5%
Negative11.8%

HomeStars for Pros

All ratings6 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews122 reviews
Positive22.1%
Neutral2.5%
Negative75.4%

User reviews

ContractorTools

From 1.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great solution for estimating
  • 👍 Easy to learn and operate
  • 🚀 Convenient and professional
  • 👍 Seamless access across devices
  • 👍 Integrates with QuickBooks

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive for small contractors
  • 🐛 Glitches and bugs
  • 🔒 Limited payment processor options
  • 📄 Limited customization for invoice templates
  • 🔒 Frequent layout/hierarchy changes

HomeStars for Pros

From 967 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great app for contractors
  • 👍 Helps build clientele
  • 👍 Good source for leads
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 👍 Amazing app

Room to improve

  • 😞 Scam, fake leads
  • 😞 Overpriced leads
  • 😞 Unfair pricing model
  • 😞 Leads don't respond
  • 😞 Waste of money

Bugs and requests

ContractorTools

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Deleting items from estimates causes issues with invoices
  • Syncing problems leading to incorrect data
  • App crashing and becoming unusable

Requested features

5 requests
  • Option to show labor and materials costs separately
  • Ability to copy/paste entire sections in estimates
  • Quarterly updates for cost books
  • Stage manager support
  • Basic company financial reports

HomeStars for Pros

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • App keeps shutting down
  • New update is problematic
  • Interface is inconvenient
  • Leads don't show up in app after email notification
  • Difficult to add services
Show 5 more
  • Cannot log in
  • New website is bad
  • System doesn't recognize industry credentials
  • App crashes occasionally
  • Login screen freezes

Requested features

2 requests
  • Bring back the old version of the app
  • Offer different packages to fit needs

In-app purchases

4 purchases

ContractorTools

Subscriptions4
  • Craftsman Costbooks1 Month trial$12.991 Month
  • Basic Plan1 Month trial2 variants$24.991 Month
  • Essentials Plan1 Month trial2 variants$34.991 Month
Show 1 more
  • Pro Plan1 Month trial2 variants$64.991 Month
10 purchases

HomeStars for Pros

One-time10
  • Lead Credit Package AB$0.99
  • Lead Credit Package A1$0.99
  • Lead Credit Package AA$0.99
Show 7 more
  • Lead Credit Package A2$1.99
  • Lead Credit Package A3$2.99
  • Lead Credit Package A4$3.99
  • Lead Credit Package A5$4.99
  • Lead Credit Package 36$35.99
  • Lead Credit Package 37$36.99
  • Lead Credit Package 38$37.99

Questions

Is ContractorTools free?
ContractorTools is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HomeStars for Pros free?
HomeStars for Pros is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ContractorTools or HomeStars for Pros?
ContractorTools is rated higher. ContractorTools averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while HomeStars for Pros averages 4.2 from 967 ratings.
Do ContractorTools or HomeStars for Pros have ads?
Neither ContractorTools nor HomeStars for Pros shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ContractorTools or HomeStars for Pros?
ContractorTools ships an update every 3 weeks, and HomeStars for Pros fortnightly. Most recently, ContractorTools was updated on October 24, 2026 and HomeStars for Pros on October 24, 2026.

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