Best Joist Alternatives in 2026
The top Joist alternatives are Zoho Invoice, Invoice Ninja and FreshBooks: 15 contractor invoicing software our editors would look at instead of Joist, in our ranking order.
Joist: A contractor-focused workflow for estimates, deposits, payment schedules, and invoices. Where it falls short: no free plan is available.
Switching from Joist? For most contractor invoicing software buyers the best Joist alternative is Zoho Invoice, built for contractors wanting broad free invoicing. On a budget, Billdu starts at $4.99/mo. Invoice Plus offers the most invoice limit (10 /mo).
Why People Look for a Joist Alternative
- No free plan is available
- Change orders and advanced reporting require the Elite plan
- QuickBooks synchronization is limited to QuickBooks Online
- No free plan — 7 of the alternatives below have it
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallZoho Invoice9.4
Contractors wanting broad free invoicing
Visit Zoho Invoice - Lowest priceBilldu8.8
Paid plans from $4.99/mo
Visit Billdu - Best free optionZoho Invoice9.4
Has a free plan (Joist has none)
Visit Zoho Invoice - Most invoice limitInvoice Plus7.5
10 /mo
Visit Invoice Plus
All 15 Joist Alternatives, Ranked
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.
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Best forContractors wanting broad free invoicing
- Better than Joist:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.4 vs 8.1
A broad free invoicing platform with payments, reminders, projects, and reporting.
- Recurring invoices
9.4/10★★★★★Visit Zoho Invoice -
Best forFlexible teams needing broad platform coverage
- Better than Joist:
- Free plan
- Editor score 9.2 vs 8.1
A broad invoicing platform with a useful free tier and flexible deployment options.
- Payment requests
- Recurring invoices
- Estimates
9.2/10★★★★★Visit Invoice Ninja -
Best forEstablished businesses needing full contractor workflows
- Better than Joist:
- Editor score 9.0 vs 8.1
A broad contractor workflow suite, though its $23 monthly entry price limits value.
- Recurring invoices
- Online payments
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit FreshBooks -
Best forBudget-conscious contractors needing team features
- Better than Joist:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 8.1
Affordable contractor invoicing with estimates, payments, reminders, and team access.
- Recurring invoices
- Online payments
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Billdu -
Best forTrades businesses needing operations management
- Better than Joist:
- Free plan
- Editor score 8.7 vs 8.1
A broad contractor platform with free invoicing and paid operations tools.
- Payment requests
- Recurring invoices
- Estimates
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Contractor+ -
Best forMobile-first freelancers and small contractors
- Better than Joist:
- Free plan
- Editor score 8.6 vs 8.1
Mobile-friendly invoicing with recurring billing, reminders, payments, and expense tracking.
- Recurring invoices
- Online payments
8.6/10★★★★☆Visit Bookipi -
Best forContractors wanting simple invoicing and bookkeeping sync
- Better than Joist:
- Editor score 8.5 vs 8.1
A practical invoicing hub for contractors who need payments, reminders, and bookkeeping sync.
- Recurring invoices
- Online payments
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Invoice2go -
Best forUK trades needing VAT and CIS support
- Better than Joist:
- Editor score 8.4 vs 8.1
A broad invoicing and job-management platform with VAT and CIS support for UK trades.
- Payment requests
- Recurring invoices
- Estimates
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Traddie -
Best forSmall businesses needing invoicing plus time and expenses
- Better than Joist:
- Free plan
- Editor score 8.3 vs 8.1
A flexible invoicing tool for small teams that also track time, expenses and mileage.
- Recurring invoices
- Online payments
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit Invoicely -
Best forMobile contractors wanting affordable core invoicing
Affordable core invoicing for contractors who work across web and mobile.
- Recurring invoices
- Online payments
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Invoice Simple -
Best forQuote-led contractors using web workflows
A quote-led contractor workspace with invoicing, payments, scheduling, and API access.
- Recurring invoices
- Estimates
- Online payments
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit QuoteAnvil -
Best forBusinesses needing currencies and client portals
A capable web invoicing tool for multi-currency billing and client portals.
- Recurring invoices
- Online payments
7.8/10★★★★☆Visit InvoiceBerry -
Best foriPhone-based contractors wanting AI assistance
- Better than Joist:
- Free plan
A focused iPhone app for contractor invoicing, payments, expenses, and crew administration.
- Payment requests
- Recurring invoices
- Estimates
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit InvoiceGo -
Best forAustralian contractors needing GST and Xero export
A broad invoicing and job-management tool for Australian contractors using Xero.
- Payment requests
- Estimates
- Online payments
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Yamate -
Best forAustralian field teams needing scheduling and payments
- Better than Joist:
- Free plan
A practical field-service toolkit, but the free plan and integrations are limited.
- Estimates
- Online payments
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit Invoice Plus
Joist Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Joist?
Zoho Invoice: #1 in our Contractor Invoicing Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.4 out of 10. A broad free invoicing platform with payments, reminders, projects, and reporting.
Is there a free alternative to Joist?
Yes. Zoho Invoice, Invoice Ninja, Contractor+, Bookipi and Invoicely have a free plan or a free tier (7 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Joist?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Billdu starts lowest, at $4.99/mo.
Why do people look for Joist alternatives?
No free plan is available; Change orders and advanced reporting require the Elite plan; QuickBooks synchronization is limited to QuickBooks Online.
Which Joist alternative has the most invoice limit?
Invoice Plus, with 10 /mo.
How do I switch from Joist?
Export your data from Joist (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Joist.
How to Switch from Joist
- Export your data from Joist (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Joist.
Joist vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Estimates | Online payments | Recurring invoices | Mobile apps | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | Joist | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 8.1 | |
| 1 | Zoho Invoice | Yes | Free | Yes | 9.4 | |||
| 2 | Invoice Ninja | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 9.2 | |
| 3 | FreshBooks | No | $23/mo | Yes | Yes | 9.0 | ||
| 4 | Billdu | No | $4.99/mo | Yes | Yes | 8.8 | ||
| 5 | Contractor+ | Yes | $29/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 8.7 |
| 6 | Bookipi | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.6 | |||
| 7 | Invoice2go | No | Yes | Yes | 8.5 | |||
| 8 | Traddie | No | £9.99/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Both | 8.4 |
| 9 | Invoicely | Yes | $9.99/mo | Yes | Yes | 8.3 | ||
| 10 | Invoice Simple | No | Yes | Yes | 8.0 | |||
| 11 | QuoteAnvil | No | $70/yr | Yes | Yes | Yes | None | 7.9 |
| 12 | InvoiceBerry | No | $15/mo | Yes | Yes | 7.8 | ||
| 13 | InvoiceGo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Ios | 7.7 | |
| 14 | Yamate | No | Yes | Yes | Both | 7.6 | ||
| 15 | Invoice Plus | Yes | A$14.99/mo | Yes | Yes | Both | 7.5 |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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