--- title: "The Best Joist Alternative For Smoother Projects" url: "https://pro.houzz.com/for-pros/compare-joist-alternative" datePublished: "2026-09-23T23:14:58+0000" --- HOUZZ PRO VS. JOIST # The best alternative to Joist by Everpro? Houzz Pro! Turning projects into profit isn't easy, but choosing the best Joist alternative is. With the exception of homeowner financing, Houzz Pro offers all the same features Joist is known for, plus client and project dashboards that increase collaboration and save time. JOIST ALTERNATIVE ## Why Choose Houzz Pro vs. Joist? It’s simple! Apps like Joist offer financial features like estimates, invoices and payments. Houzz Pro handles all that and then some. Some differences between Houzz Pro vs. Joist are: - Unlike Joist, the Houzz Pro client portal allows clients to view messages, daily logs and project schedules with a click. - Houzz Pro has a reliable cost catalog to quickly build estimate templates with items you work with regularly. - Houzz Pro pulls all project information into a single place so you can see everything in one view. To top it off, features like adding your logo to documents, unlimited file uploads and financial reports are included in every Houzz Pro plan–something you won’t find with Joist. [Get Started](https://www.houzz.com/houzz-pro/pricing) ## The Latest Houzz Pro Buzz > “We use Houzz Pro as a cloud service both internally as a team and with clients. That includes managing leads, organizing notes and files—like plans, job scope, estimates and photos. Everything is now in one place; so you don't have to jump back and forth between different systems or scroll through emails to find a file.” > > – Wade Rosenburg, General Contractor I Home*Work DFW ## Where Houzz Pro wins as a Joist alternative CLEAR CLIENT DASHBOARDS ## Better Client Communication With Joist, clients have to reference old text or email threads to know how their project is progressing. Instead, try Houzz Pro and give them the keys to answer their own questions with a 24/7 [Client Dashboard](/for-pros/feature-client-dashboards). - Clients can view and respond to messages - Update clients in real time with daily logs - Clients have visibility into project schedules If communication’s a two-way street, Houzz Pro is your new favorite highway. With tools like these, apps like Joist just can’t keep up. [Get Started](https://www.houzz.com/houzz-pro/pricing) FAST FINANCIAL REPORTING ## Deep Dive Into Profitability Houzz Pro offers a high-level view of your [project finances](/for-pros/feature-financial-reports) right on your project overview so you can see income and expenses at a glance. Most sites like Joist allow you to see payments coming in, but don’t give you visibility into business management metrics like profitability, which makes Houzz Pro a primo Joist alternative. [Get Started](https://www.houzz.com/houzz-pro/pricing) HANDY ESTIMATE TEMPLATES ## More Precise Estimates When it comes to Joist alternatives, Houzz Pro helps you price jobs more accurately with an integrated database of local material and labor costs. - Use our database to confirm your pricing is competitive - Save commonly used items as [estimate templates](/for-pros/feature-estimates) - Get estimates out faster than the competition Factor in our built-in [takeoffs tool](/for-pros/takeoff) and there may be no question about which tool is the best Joist alternative for you. [Get Started](https://www.houzz.com/houzz-pro/pricing) ALL-IN-ONE SOFTWARE ## One Tool for Your Entire Workflow If you haven’t noticed, some Joist alternatives leave out key features that help you stay on top of your workflow, forcing you to pay extra for additional software to fill the gaps. Think [email marketing](/for-pros/feature-email-marketing-tools), [lead generation](/for-pros/software-interior-designer-leads) and [advertising](/for-pros/feature-advertising) through daily logs, time tracking, task management and more. Houzz Pro offers these perks without the extra logins. [Get Started](https://www.houzz.com/houzz-pro/pricing) ## Get to know Houzz Pro with a free demo Discover how Houzz Pro is the best Joist alternative. [View plans & pricing](https://www.houzz.com/houzz-pro/pricing) to start exploring Houzz Pro today [Schedule Free Demo](https://www.houzz.com/houzz-pro/schedule-demo?sourceCommandName=HouzzProCMSLanding) What you get with Houzz Pro vs. Joist | All Features | Houzz Pro | Joist by Everpro | | --- | --- | --- | | **Business Management** | | | | Estimates — Bid on jobs faster with easy-to-edit, professional templates. | ✓ | ✓ | | Assemblies — Simplify invoices and estimates by grouping multiple items together under one parent line item. | ✓ | – | | Proposals — Win over leads with branded templates perfected with product visuals. | ✓ | – | | Invoicing — Simplify payday with advance scheduling and automatic requests. | ✓ | ✓ | | Contracts — Give clients peace of mind with secure, legally-binding e-signatures for your project contracts. | Teams Plan Only | ✓ | | AI Estimate Creation — Type a description of your project, get a fully built estimate. | ✓ | – | | AI Schedule Creation — Create a Schedule in one click from your Estimate. | ✓ | – | | Online Payments — Get paid quickly and conveniently with digital payments. | ✓ | ✓ | | CRM — Easily manage leads with follow-up reminders and communication tools. | ✓ | – | | Financial Reporting (Popular) — Monitor profits at a glance with billing reports and transaction tracking. | ✓ | – | | Financing Options — Access funding for your clients or your business. | ✓ | ✓ | | Budgets — Stay on track financially with easy project budget tracking. | Teams Plan Only | – | | Client Dashboard (Popular) — Minimize client questions by offering them 24/7 access to select project updates. | ✓ | – | | Product Clipper — Shave time off product sourcing with the handy Houzz Pro Clipper. | ✓ | – | | Cost Catalog — Source prices instantly with our library of local labor and material costs. | ✓ | – | | Home Depot Cost Catalog — Quickly add Home Depot products directly into estimates, proposals, invoices, and more. | ✓ | – | | Mobile App — Work from anywhere with on-the-go tools in the palm of your hand. | ✓ | ✓ | | Mood Boards — Inspire clients and leads with enticing visuals of your project ideas. | ✓ | – | | 3D Floor Planner — Impress clients and leads with immersive 3D renders of their future spaces. | ✓ | – | | Task Management — Keep your team on task and in the know with collaborative to-do lists. | ✓ | – | | Punchlists — Track and complete final tasks faster, keeping clients happy and projects profitable. | ✓ | – | | Takeoffs — Save time with built-in floor plan measuring tools and automatic calculations. | Teams Plan Only | – | | Selections — Enhance presentations with products and visuals in one collaborative hub. | ✓ | – | | Project Schedule (Popular) — Stay on schedule with a visual, shareable overview of tasks and milestones. | Teams Plan Only | – | | Change Orders — Expedite changes using approved Estimates and eSignatures. | Teams Plan Only | ✓ | | Daily Logs — Streamline project updates with photos and messages from the jobsite. | Teams Plan Only | – | | Time Tracking — Boost your earnings with tools that track every billable minute. | ✓ | – | | Purchase Orders — Stay organized with seamless Estimate conversions and record keeping. | ✓ | – | | Expense Tracking — Turn every minute of hard work into dollars in your pocket. | ✓ | – | | Photorealistic Renders — Showcase your vision with true-to-life image representations of every project. | ✓ | – | | Bid Management — Streamline every step from requesting to awarding in one place. | Teams Plan Only | – | | Migration Support — Award-winning customer support to help you switch to Houzz Pro. | Teams Plan Only | – | | **Integrations** | | | | Zapier — Create custom automations with Zapier. | Teams Plan Only | – | | QuickBooks Online — Skip the double-data entry by syncing your financial files automatically. | ✓ | ✓ | | Google Drive — Import files and photos directly from Google Drive. | Teams Plan Only | – | | **Marketing Solutions** | | | | Email Marketing — Promote your brand by keeping in touch with past and present contacts. | Teams Plan Only | – | | Premium Profile — Stand out to homeowners with an elevated page in our pro directory. | Teams Plan Only | – | | Website — Expand your online presence with templates or a custom webpage built by us. | Teams Plan Only | – | | **Get More Leads** | | | | Preferred Directory Placement — Distinguish yourself by showing up more prominently in our pro directory. | Add on to Any Plan | – | | Lead Generation Program — Connect with quality leads through our pre-screening specialists. | Add on to Any Plan | – | | Targeted Advertising — Earn the work you want with ads based on your set projects and locations. | Add on to Any Plan | – | | **Teams** | | | | Subcontractor Management — Invite and collaborate with subcontractors from your Houzz Pro account. | Pro & Teams Plans | – | | Role-Based Team Members — Give team members access to specific projects/features or all projects/features. | ✓ | – | | Users — Collaborate quicker by inviting key team members to use Houzz Pro. | Varies by Plan | – | | Additional Users — Maximize your membership by adding extra users as your team grows. | Varies by Plan | – | | **Support** | | | | Customer Support — Stay productive with real-time assistance from in-house experts. | Varies by Plan | Chat and case only | | Onboarding Experts — Get familiar with our features fast with help from Houzz Pro specialists. | Teams Plan Only | – | \*Based on the features available on Joist and Houzz Pro in the U.S. in January, 2025. Please note that this information may have changed since publication. Visit the company websites for current prices and features. ## Trusted by 3 Million+ Contractors and Design Pros [Capterra: 4.3 out of 5 stars, 1,081 reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/199689/Houzz-Pro/) [Software Advice: 4.3 out of 5 stars, 1,081 reviews](https://www.softwareadvice.com/construction/houzz-pro-profile/) [GetApp: 4.3 out of 5 stars, 1,080 reviews](https://www.getapp.com/construction-software/a/houzz-pro/reviews/) [App Store: 4.6 out of 5 stars, 4.2K reviews](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/houzz-pro/id1488002482) INTEGRATIONS ## Houzz Pro Teams Up with Your Tools When comparing Joist alternatives, look for a tool like Houzz Pro that [integrates](/for-pros/feature-integrations) with the tools you already use: - iCloud - Gmail - Exchange - Office 365 - Outlook - QuickBooks Online As opposed to other sites like Joist who only offer a QuickBooks Online integration, Houzz Pro helps you cut back double data entry and app jumping so you can spend more time on meaningful work. [Get Started](https://www.houzz.com/houzz-pro/pricing) ## More reasons to pick Houzz Pro vs. Joist ### Built-in Takeoffs When looking for the best Joist alternative around, remember that Houzz Pro has [Takeoffs](/for-pros/takeoff) built right in. Get fast, accurate measurements for any project (without the pen and paper) so you can bid on jobs up to 10x faster. ### Immersive 3D Floor Planner High-tech meets low-effort with Houzz Pro’s [3D Floor Planner](/for-pros/feature-3d-floor-plan). Whether you start with our mobile Room Scanner or upload pre-made plans, you can create and tour a lifelike version of your client’s future space like no Joist alternative can. As if that wasn’t enough, Houzz Pros that create a 3D Floor Plan are able to recoup $5K more in profits.\* ### Visual Project Schedules While some Joist alternatives may make task tracking a task in itself, Houzz Pro’s streamlined [Project Schedules](/for-pros/feature-project-management) put every step in perspective. Assign tasks to team members, shift milestones in a snap, and zoom into any phase for a more detailed look. ### Trade-only Discounts The Houzz marketplace is home to thousands of renovation-ready products. It’s also where you’ll get exclusive discounts just for being a Houzz Pro member—as if you needed another reason to name Houzz Pro your top Joist alternative. ## Hands-on Help ### Making the Jump From Joist? Along with our suite of top-tier tools, Houzz Pro also offers customer support by chat, phone and email. Use our easy import tool to salvage estimates or invoices from Joist or schedule a demo first to feel confident we’re the Joist alternative for you. ### Shopping Around for the First Time? Houzz Pro’s Stevie award-winning customer support makes onboarding a breeze, especially for newcomers to business management software. Our on-staff specialists can help you pick a plan and get up and running in no time. Then, move any work from your homemade estimate or invoice templates into Houzz Pro with a simple copy and paste. ## More Houzz Pro Comparisons ### Buildertrend Designed by pros for pros, Houzz Pro has all the features builders need–and at one-third of the price of Buildertrend. [Compare More Features](/for-pros/compare-buildertrend-alternative) ### Jobber Houzz Pro offers takeoffs and project schedules. Our estimates and client portal are more feature-rich, too. [Compare More Features](/for-pros/compare-jobber-alternative) _\*Based on a 2022 Houzz Pro Usage Study of U.S. Houzz Professionals across all categories._ _\*\*Note: Not all features are included in every plan. Please view [pricing and plans](https://www.houzz.com/houzz-pro/pricing) to find the plan right for you._ ## On the fence? Schedule a free Houzz Pro demo. See why home professionals choose Houzz Pro as the best Joist alternative. Have questions? Give us a call at (888) 372-2851 [Schedule Free Demo](https://www.houzz.com/houzz-pro/schedule-demo?sourceCommandName=HouzzProCMSLanding)