The honest comparison:
SimplyWise vs Joist
Joist is a free estimate-and-invoice app contractors have used for years. SimplyWise is an AI-first estimator that works from a photo. Here is where each one is the right fit.
★★★★★ 4.8 App Store • 2M+ contractors • 7-day free trial
★★★★★4.8 App Store (23K ratings)
★★★★★4.7 Google Play (11.6K reviews)
★★★★★4.6 Trustpilot• 35K+ verified contractor ratings
Three things Joist can’t do yet
Every advantage traces back to how SimplyWise was built. Mobile-first, for a contractor standing on a jobsite with a phone.
AI photo-to-estimate
Take a photo, walk away with a full estimate. Joist is a manual line-item tool with no AI — every estimate gets typed in.
LiDAR room measurement
Capture dimensions from your phone’s LiDAR sensor. Joist has no measurement pipeline.
Smart upsell suggestions
AI surfaces relevant upsells from the photo. Joist has no upsell intelligence.
Feature-by-feature: every box a working contractor needs to tick
Pulled from the live SimplyWise release and Joist’s public website, April 2026.
| Feature | SimplyWise | Joist |
|---|---|---|
| Estimate speed | Snap a photo, estimate in seconds | Manual entry |
| Photo-to-estimate AI | Yes | No |
| LiDAR room scanning | Yes | No |
| Before & after AI visualization | Yes | No |
| Smart upsell suggestions | Yes | No |
| AI estimating | Yes | No |
| Real-time local pricing | Yes, ZIP-calibrated | No (manual catalog) |
| Professional PDF proposals | Yes | Yes |
| E-signatures | Yes | Yes |
| Change orders | Yes | Yes |
| Invoicing | Yes | Yes |
| Free tier | 7-day free trial | Yes, free tier |
| Mobile-first | Yes | Yes |
Data verified live from simplywise.com and Joist’s public website on April 21, 2026.
“The prices it’s putting out are what we should be making. I wish everyone used it. Could actually make money in this business.”
What contractors are saying
Verified 5-star reviews from contractors using SimplyWise Cost Estimator on the jobsite.
★★★★★
“I started using SimplyWise to help with estimates. I didn’t have experience doing estimates. The ease of access was amazing.”
★★★★★
“I run a business that uses this estimator tool daily. A task that used to take me hours now takes minutes, and I can get an estimate to a client and contract signed within the same visit.”
★★★★★
“4.5 stars. It works great. Definitely beats writing estimates on my own.”
How SimplyWise stacks up against every major estimating tool
Common questions, answered
Write your first AI estimate in seconds
Try SimplyWise free for 7 days and see what a photo-to-estimate workflow actually feels like.
Joist Alternatives for Contractors
Joist is a popular contractor invoicing app, but it isn’t the only option. Here are the leading Joist alternatives for contractors who want a different feature set, pricing structure, or estimating workflow.
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1
SimplyWise Cost Estimator
The leading Joist alternative for contractors who want photo-to-estimate, LiDAR room scanning, and AI-generated material lists in addition to invoicing. Priced at $29.99 per month standard or about $20 per month annual ($239.99 per year). 7-day free trial with full feature access.
Best for: Solo contractors and small crews who need fast on-site estimates plus invoicing in one app.
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2
Jobber
Field service management platform with scheduling, dispatching, invoicing, and CRM. Heavier than Joist with a steeper learning curve. Best for crews of three or more with recurring service work (HVAC, lawn care, cleaning).
Best for: Service-based contractors managing recurring jobs and multi-person crews.
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3
Buildertrend
Full project management platform for residential builders and remodelers. Estimating, scheduling, change orders, and client portals. Higher price point and complexity than Joist.
Best for: Mid-size remodeling and home-building companies.
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4
Houzz Pro
Combines lead generation through the Houzz marketplace with project management, estimating, and invoicing. Stronger fit for design-build firms that want client-facing visualization tools.
Best for: Designer-led remodeling firms and contractors who lean on Houzz for leads.
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5
Square Invoices
Free invoicing tied to Square Payments. Simplest option in the category. No estimating beyond manual line items, no project management, no scheduling. Pure invoice plus payment processing.
Best for: Solo handymen and contractors who already use Square for in-person payments.
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6
Contractor Foreman
All-in-one construction management platform. Estimating, invoicing, project management, daily logs, time tracking. Heavier than Joist but more affordable than Buildertrend.
Best for: Contractors who want one platform for everything and are willing to invest in setup time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best Joist alternatives for contractors?
The leading Joist alternatives for contractors are SimplyWise Cost Estimator (best for fast on-site photo-to-estimate at $29.99 per month or $20 per month annual), Jobber (best for crews managing recurring service work), Buildertrend (best for mid-size remodeling firms), Houzz Pro (best for design-build firms using Houzz for leads), Square Invoices (free, simplest option), and Contractor Foreman (all-in-one platform).
Are there apps like Joist that are free?
Square Invoices is the only fully free Joist alternative for contractors. SimplyWise Cost Estimator offers a 7-day free trial with full feature access (photo-to-estimate, LiDAR room scanning, branded PDF quotes), then runs $29.99 per month standard or about $20 per month on the annual plan ($239.99 per year). Joist itself has a free tier with limits.
What is the best alternative to Joist for solo contractors?
For solo contractors, SimplyWise Cost Estimator is the leading Joist alternative because it adds photo-to-estimate and LiDAR room scanning to the invoicing workflow Joist provides. Solo contractors typically save 30 to 45 minutes per estimate by skipping the manual measure-and-look-up-prices step. SimplyWise is $29.99 per month or $20 per month on the annual plan.
How does SimplyWise compare to Joist on price?
SimplyWise Cost Estimator is $29.99 per month standard or about $20 per month on the annual plan ($239.99 per year). Joist offers a free tier and paid plans starting around $30 per month for premium features. Both offer free trials. The pricing is comparable, but SimplyWise includes photo-to-estimate, LiDAR scanning, and access to the full SimplyWise app suite (Receipts and Expenses, Mileage Tracker, AI Receptionist) at no extra charge.
Why do contractors switch from Joist to SimplyWise?
Most contractors switch from Joist to SimplyWise Cost Estimator for one of three reasons. First, they want to skip the manual estimating step (SimplyWise generates priced estimates from a photo or LiDAR scan). Second, they want estimating, invoicing, and receipt scanning in one app instead of three. Third, they want LiDAR room scanning for interior remodels (kitchen, bath, flooring), which Joist does not offer.