Running a successful home service business is more than just delivering great work. You need to have a system for creating invoices, communicating with customers, and managing payments. The right invoicing software can automate these tasks and let you focus on serving your customers.
In this guide, we’ll compare four popular invoicing solutions for home service professionals: Invoices by Housecall Pro, Joist, Square, and QuickBooks. We’ll explore their strengths, features, pricing, and ease of use so you can make the best decision for your business.
Your guide to comparing the top invoicing tools
- What are the core capabilities of each invoicing software?
- Invoicing features: Housecall Pro vs. Joist vs. Square vs. QuickBooks
- What do you get for your money?
- Where Housecall Pro wins
- How to choose the best invoicing software for your business
- Which invoicing software should you choose?
- Simplify your payment workflows with Housecall Pro
What are the core capabilities of each invoicing software?
Every Pro wants to get paid on time. However, creating estimates and sending invoices can quickly become overwhelming when you’re juggling multiple jobs. The solution? Bringing in the right invoicing software to streamline these critical processes.
Invoices by Housecall Pro, Joist, Square, and QuickBooks all offer invoicing capabilities, but serve different users and business needs:
- Invoices by Housecall Pro is a comprehensive invoicing solution designed for businesses of all sizes within the trades industry. Electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians, and other home service providers use Housecall Pro to streamline their operations, from estimates and quotes to invoicing and payment.
- Joist is an invoicing tool for contractors in construction, home improvement, and related trades. The software makes it easy to send estimates and invoices.
- Square functions primarily as a payment processor. While it enables businesses to create and send invoices, it lacks some of the functionalities that might benefit growing home service businesses.
- QuickBooks is an established accounting software that allows businesses to track their income and expenses and automate invoicing and payment processes. Owned by Intuit, QuickBooks also includes tools for creating and sending invoices as part of its broader feature set.
Invoicing features: Housecall Pro vs. Joist vs. Square vs. QuickBooks
You need more than just the basics in your invoicing solution. The right features can help you simplify your operations, reduce manual labor, take control of your cash flow, and keep customers coming back.
The following chart breaks down key features across the four popular platforms.
- Number of invoices per month: The amount of invoices you can create and send in the software each month
- Invoice customization: Tools that allow you to format the look, feel, and details of your invoices
- Estimates: The ability to send quick, accurate quotes with clear pricing
- Invoice reminders: Tools that enable you to send automatic reminders for past-due invoices
- Invoice attachments: The ability to add more information and photos to your invoices
- Instapay: How quickly you can access your earnings after payments are processed
- Processing rates and fees: The costs charged for processing credit cards, invoices, and other payments in the software
Invoices by Housecall Pro, Square, and QuickBooks enable you to create and send unlimited invoices each month. Joist users, on the other hand, are limited to five estimates and invoices per month with the entry-level Basics plan. The four software options differ in their levels of invoice customization, estimating capabilities, and processing rates.
When comparing invoicing features, it’s important to take into account the current size and volume of your business. You’ll want to factor in processing rates and transaction fees since these costs can grow over time and impact your bottom line. In addition, you’ll want features that align with your present needs and can scale alongside your business as it grows.
What do you get for your money?
Invoices by Housecall Pro, Joist, Square, and QuickBooks each have different pricing models, which directly impact the features, capabilities, and potential limitations you’ll encounter as a user.
For example, some of the free plans provide basic invoicing functionalities but restrict the number of invoices you can send, the level of customization available, and access to customer support. If you have a paid plan like Joist, you can make templates, add your logo, customize quotes, and accept online payments. However, you’ll need to upgrade to a more premium plan to unlock additional tools.
Therefore, evaluating both features and pricing is essential. Carefully consider the starting price, transaction fees, subscription costs, and ability to scale so you can make a cost-effective decision for your business.
Invoices by Housecall Pro, Joist, Square, and QuickBooks each offer different strengths:
- With Invoices by Housecall Pro, you can send unlimited invoices for free. It’s designed for trades professionals and provides full-service invoicing and payments.
- Joist offers a focused solution for contractors, enabling them to send estimates and invoices to customers and facilitate payments. Customization is limited to the Pro and Elite plans.
- Square provides consumer-focused invoicing software with an emphasis on simplifying the payment process.
- QuickBooks is a financial management tool that you can use to send invoices, but it has limited options for branding and customizing invoices.
Where Housecall Pro wins
Invoices by Housecall Pro is built specifically for home service businesses, offering a wider set of free features than other invoicing solutions. Free tools include customizable professional templates, invoice tracking, and flexible payment options.
Send unlimited invoices
Compared to other software providers, Housecall Pro offers unlimited, customizable invoices as part of its free invoicing solution. This means you won’t have to worry about hitting a monthly limit or having to upgrade to a paid plan for more advanced features. You can even add company logos, branding, and personalized messages to invoices out of the box.
Professional invoices that stand out
In the home services industry, every detail counts. A clean and professional invoice shows your business in the best light. With Invoices by Housecall Pro, you can customize every part of your invoice or use a pre-filled template to save time and effort. Plus, Housecall Pro’s central hub makes it easy to send, organize, and search for any invoice from one place.
Give customers more choice with estimates
With Invoices by Housecall Pro, you can create tiered proposals to help your customers make more informed decisions.
For example, if you’re an HVAC professional, you could provide estimates for different efficiency levels of air conditioners or offer add-on services like duct cleaning and air purification systems. If you’re an electrician, you might quote different grades of wiring, the number of outlets, or options for smart home integration.
By offering “good, better, best” proposals, you can stand out from your competitors, build confidence in your customers, and increase your chances of landing bigger jobs.
More ways for you to get paid
Housecall Pro streamlines your payment process by offering your customers multiple payment options, including credit cards, Google Pay, Apple Pay, mobile checks, consumer financing, and other digital payment methods. You can even send automated reminders for any past due or unpaid invoices. These flexible options ensure faster and more reliable payments. Plus, instant payout ensures you can access your funds right away.
Scales as your business grows
As you grow, your software needs to grow too. Switching providers can be confusing and disruptive. Housecall Pro, however, is designed to handle increased business volume as you scale. Access to new tools and technology makes Housecall Pro a strong, long-term solution for your business.
How to choose the best invoicing software for your business
When selecting the best field service invoicing software, it’s important to understand the nuances of each option. We recommend taking a step-by-step approach:
Step 1: Determine your needs.
First, pinpoint your specific requirements. What features are essential to your operations? Is it creating estimates for your services? Processing payments from recurring customers? Or keeping track of expenses? Consider the size and complexity of your business when making this assessment. A clear understanding will help you decide on the best invoicing software.
Step 2: Research your options.
Don’t settle for the first solution you find—research various providers and compare their features. Read user reviews to see how each software performs both on the jobsite and in the office.
Step 3: Compare ease of use.
You should also prioritize the user experience when selecting invoicing software. Consider factors like the clarity of the interface, the simplicity of workflows, the availability of a mobile app, and the quality of customer support and training resources. A user-friendly solution will save you time in the long run.
Which invoicing software should you choose?
So, which software is the best fit for you? If you’re looking to process quick, point-of-sale purchases, Square offers the most straightforward solution. However, it might be lacking if you want to send more complex invoices. Joist’s starter plan provides basic invoicing for contractors, but you’ll miss out on automated reminders, banking integration, and consumer financing unless you opt for a premium plan.
QuickBooks is a viable option for sending invoices, but you won’t be able to send automated invoice reminders or customize your estimates.
Invoices by Housecall Pro stands out as a cost-effective, comprehensive choice. Built for the trades, it provides free, unlimited invoicing every month, making it easy to integrate seamlessly into your business. Flexible payment options mean your customers can pay you anytime, anywhere. And when the time to get paid comes, Housecall Pro’s instant payout means you’ll get your money quickly.
These features make Invoices by Housecall Pro the superior choice for home service businesses. Housecall Pro’s scalability is a smart investment for your long-term success.
Simplify your payment workflows with Housecall Pro
Choosing the right invoicing software is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your business. It’s about finding a system that automates processes and puts your tasks on autopilot so you can focus on what you do best: serving your customers.
We know that selecting and implementing new software is hard, but the right system will have lasting benefits. While many popular options are available, Invoices by Housecall Pro’s user-friendly features and ability to integrate into your entire workflow make it a powerful tool for your home service business. Don’t let manual invoicing hold you back—take control of your business and try Housecall Pro’s invoicing software now.
