Updated November 2026 · Prices checked on Joist’s official pricing page and help center
Joist pricing starts at $10 a month for the Basics plan and goes up to $100 a month for the new Run plan, which is currently offered at an introductory $70. There’s no free plan anymore, every plan is for a single user, and card payments through Joist Payments cost up to 3.49% + 49¢ per transaction on top of the subscription.
This guide covers what each Joist plan costs, what you get, the costs that aren’t on the pricing page, and when a different tool is better value.
Quick Answer
- Cheapest plan: Basics at $10/month ($100/year), but it’s capped at 5 documents a month.
- Best value for most solo contractors: Pro at $17/month ($170/year): unlimited documents and clients, your logo, photos and client activity tracking.
- Scheduling costs extra: only the Run plan ($70/month introductory, $100 list) adds job scheduling.
- One user only: Joist accounts don’t support multiple logins, so it isn’t built for teams.
- Free trial: 14 days, no credit card required.
Joist Plans and Prices (2026)
Joist has four paid plans. Paying annually gets you two months free:
| Plan | Monthly | Annual (per year) | Annual (per month) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basics | $10 | $100 | $8.34 |
| Pro | $17 | $170 | $14.17 |
| Elite | $32 | $320 | $26.67 |
| Run | $70 (intro; list $100) | $700 | $58.33 |
Optional add-on: AI Receptionist, $49/month, which answers missed calls and captures new leads. Prices change often, so confirm on Joist’s pricing page.
What Each Joist Plan Includes
Basics ($10/month)
Estimates that convert to invoices, online payments and homeowner financing, plus built-in AI tools for creating estimates and invoices. The catch: you can only send 5 documents a month, and your logo doesn’t appear on them. Fine for side jobs; tight for a full-time business.
Pro ($17/month)
Unlimited documents and clients, your logo on documents, line items and job photos, client activity tracking (see when a customer opens your estimate) and work orders. For most one-person contractors, this is the plan to pick.
Elite ($32/month)
Everything in Pro plus your license and insurance details on documents, change orders, business and sales reports, Joist Reviews (for collecting customer reviews) and social integrations. Worth it if you write change orders regularly or want a clearer view of your numbers.
Run ($70/month introductory, $100 list)
Joist’s newest plan adds job organizing and visit scheduling, linking each job to its estimates, invoices and client. This is the first Joist plan that goes beyond quoting and billing into running the work itself.
Costs That Aren’t on the Pricing Page
- Card processing: Joist Payments charges up to 3.49% + 49¢ per card payment in the US. That’s higher than many competitors.
- Bank (ACH) payments: 1% per payment, capped at $15. The cap is a real advantage on large jobs: a $10,000 invoice paid by bank transfer costs you $15.
- Refunds: processing fees aren’t returned if you refund a customer.
- Passing fees on: Joist lets you pass processing fees to clients, but check your state’s surcharging rules first.
- Extra users: not available. Each Joist account is one login, so a second person needs a separate account.
Processing usually matters more than the subscription. A contractor who collects $60,000 a year by card through Joist Payments could pay roughly $2,100 a year in card fees at the top rate, more than ten years of the Pro plan would cost. Pushing larger invoices to bank transfer is the easiest way to cut that.
What Joist Really Costs: Three Examples
| Your business | Plan | Subscription per year |
|---|---|---|
| Weekend side jobs, a few estimates a month | Basics, annual | $100 |
| Full-time solo contractor, estimates and invoices | Pro, annual | $170 |
| Solo contractor juggling several jobs who wants scheduling | Run, annual | $700 |
Joist is cheap for what it does: estimates and invoices for one person. The value drops once you need scheduling or a second user, because that’s where Joist either jumps to $70–100 a month or simply stops fitting.
Joist vs Jobber on Price
Jobber is the most common step up from Joist. Here’s how the costs compare for a one-person business (both billed annually):
| Joist | Jobber | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest plan | $8.34/month (Basics, 5 documents/month) | $29/month (Core) |
| Unlimited quotes and invoices | $14.17/month (Pro) | $29/month (Core) |
| Scheduling included | $58.33/month (Run) | $29/month (Core) |
| Automatic quote and invoice follow-ups | Not listed | $99/month (Connect) |
| Multiple users | Not available | Team plans from $149/month (up to 5 users) |
| Card processing | Up to 3.49% + 49¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ |
| Bank (ACH) processing | 1%, capped at $15 | 1% |
| Free trial | 14 days, no card | 14 days, no card |
If you only need estimates and invoices, Joist is cheaper. If you need scheduling, Jobber Core costs about half as much as Joist Run, and Jobber also handles crews when you hire. Its lower card rate can save more than the subscription difference for a busy shop. For the full comparison, see Jobber vs Joist, and for every Jobber plan, our Jobber pricing guide.
Which Joist Plan Should You Choose?
- Basics if you send fewer than 5 estimates or invoices a month.
- Pro if you’re a full-time solo contractor who mainly needs unlimited, professional-looking estimates and invoices.
- Elite if you write change orders often or want business reports and review collection.
- Run only if you want scheduling and want to stay with Joist. Compare it with Jobber Core first.
- A different tool if you have (or plan to hire) a crew, since Joist is single-user.
Joist Alternatives
- Jobber vs Joist: the closest upgrade, with scheduling and team plans.
- Jobber vs QuoteIQ: QuoteIQ is popular with lawn care and exterior trades.
- Is Jobber worth it?: when the higher price pays for itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Joist cost per month?
Joist costs $10 a month for Basics, $17 for Pro, $32 for Elite and $100 for Run (currently $70 introductory). Paying annually gives you two months free: $100, $170, $320 and $700 a year.
Is Joist free?
No. Joist discontinued its free plan. You can try it free for 14 days without a credit card.
Can multiple people use one Joist account?
No. Joist accounts are set up for a single user with one login. Businesses with office staff or crews usually need a multi-user tool.
What are Joist’s payment processing fees?
In the US, card payments through Joist Payments cost up to 3.49% plus 49¢ per transaction. Bank (ACH) payments cost 1%, capped at $15. Fees aren’t returned on refunds.
Does Joist include scheduling?
Only on the Run plan, launched in 2026 at $100 a month list price ($70 introductory). Basics, Pro and Elite focus on estimates and invoices.
Is Joist cheaper than Jobber?
For estimates and invoices only, yes: Joist Pro is $17 a month versus $29 for Jobber Core. For scheduling, Jobber Core is cheaper than Joist Run, and Jobber has lower card processing fees.
The Bottom Line
Joist is one of the cheapest ways for a one-person contractor to send professional estimates and invoices, and Pro at $17 a month is the sweet spot. It gets expensive, or simply doesn’t fit, once you need scheduling or more than one user. At that point, compare the total cost, including card processing, against a full field service tool before you commit.
Prices change, so confirm current rates on each vendor’s website before buying. ContractorTechGuide.com reviews software for contractors and trade businesses. We have no financial relationship with Joist. Some links on this page are affiliate links (Jobber). If you sign up through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That never affects our recommendations.