A simpler, flat-price alternative to Joist.
PayPolka does the core of what the trades use Joist for (estimates clients sign online, deposit and progress billing, payment links) at one flat price, with payments through your own Stripe account at Stripe's standard rates.
14-day refund for new accounts. Cancel anytime.
PayPolka vs. Joist at a glance
Joist is a solid, established product: 20+ trades, native mobile apps, financing offers, QuickBooks sync. The honest pitch for PayPolka isn't "Joist but better"; it's smaller, flatter, and cheaper: the estimate-to-paid workflow without tiers, document caps, or in-app processing rates. Pricing and plans change, so treat this as a starting point, verified as of June 2026:
| PayPolka | Joist | |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | $5/mo beta (locked for life), $15/mo standard; one plan | Basics $10/mo (5 documents/mo cap) · Pro $16/mo · Elite $32/mo |
| Documents & clients | Unlimited on the one plan | Unlimited from Pro up; Basics capped at 5 documents/month |
| Card processing | Your own Stripe account, Stripe's standard rates, no markup | In-app processing, published rate 3.49% + $0.49 per transaction |
| ACH | Via your Stripe account, Stripe's standard ACH pricing | 1% capped at $15 per transaction |
| Deposit & progress billing | Deposit, progress, and final invoices tracked against the estimate; included | Deposits / deposit schedules (higher tiers per Joist's plan pages) |
| Online estimate acceptance | Public link, typed signature, timestamp + IP, terms acknowledgment | eSignature on estimates |
| Homeowner financing | — | Yes, financing offers built in |
| QuickBooks sync | — | QuickBooks Online sync |
| Mobile | Web app (works on phones) | Native iOS & Android apps + web |
| Users | Up to 3 included, no per-seat fee | Collaboration varies by tier |
Joist details from joist.com plan pages and published Joist Payments rates, as of June 2026. Joist is a trademark of its owner; PayPolka is not affiliated with Joist.
What Joist actually costs: pricing and payment fees
A lot of people searching for a Joist alternative are really asking what Joist costs once payments run through it. Two numbers, as of June 2026: the subscription (Basics $10/month with a 5-document cap, Pro $16, Elite $32) and Joist Payments processing at 3.49% + $0.49 per card transaction, with ACH at 1% capped at $15.
The processing rate is the one that adds up. On a $5,000 card payment, Joist's published rate comes to about $175. The same payment through your own Stripe account at Stripe's standard 2.9% + $0.30 is about $145. Call it $30 per $5,000 card payment, on top of the subscription gap. Bill a couple of card-paid jobs a month and the processing difference alone outruns what PayPolka costs.
PayPolka doesn't process payments itself and doesn't mark anything up: you connect your own Stripe account, pay Stripe's standard rates, and the money settles directly to you. You can also pass the card fee to the client on any invoice.
When Joist is the better choice
Honestly: if you close jobs with homeowner financing offers, need your billing synced into QuickBooks Online, or live in a native mobile app on the truck all day, Joist earns its price. PayPolka has none of those three. What it has is the core of getting paid: estimates accepted online, deposit, progress, and final invoicing where the totals always match the estimate, and payment links through your own Stripe account, at a price that doesn't scale against you.
The deeper rundown of how staged billing works is in the deposit & progress invoicing page, and the contractor page shows the full workflow for the trades.
Where PayPolka is the better fit
One flat price, nothing gated
Joist splits features across Basics ($10/mo, capped at 5 documents a month), Pro ($16/mo), and Elite ($32/mo). PayPolka is one plan ($5/month during beta, $15 standard) with unlimited estimates, invoices, and clients, and every feature included.
Your own Stripe account, no markup
Joist payments run through its in-app processing at published rates of 3.49% + $0.49 per card transaction. PayPolka connects your own Stripe account: you pay Stripe's standard rates, PayPolka adds nothing on top, and the money settles directly to you.
Deposit, progress & final billing on every account
Bill a deposit from the accepted estimate, invoice progress as the job moves, and send an invoice for whatever's left in one click. Every stage is tracked against the original estimate, so the totals always match. No upgrade required to bill in stages.
Estimates accepted online, on the record
Your client opens a public link and accepts with a typed signature: timestamp, IP, and acknowledgment of your published terms included. Attach the spec or proposal as files.
An estimate ready for online acceptance. Deposit, progress, and final invoices bill against it.
Common questions: Joist vs. PayPolka
Is PayPolka cheaper than Joist?
During beta, clearly: $5/month versus Joist's $10–$32/month tiers, as of June 2026. The $15 standard rate sits inside Joist's range: below Pro ($16) and Elite, above the document-capped Basics ($10), with no document caps at any price. On processing, PayPolka uses your own Stripe account at Stripe's standard rates with no markup, while Joist's published in-app rate is 3.49% + $0.49 per card transaction. On a $5,000 card payment that difference alone is roughly $25–30.
What does Joist have that PayPolka doesn't?
A fair amount. Joist is a bigger product: native iOS and Android apps, homeowner financing offers, QuickBooks Online sync, work orders, and change orders. If you need financing offers at the kitchen table or your books live in QuickBooks sync, Joist may genuinely fit better. PayPolka is the simpler, cheaper option for getting estimates accepted and jobs billed.
Can I bill deposits and progress payments like Joist's deposit schedules?
Yes, and it's included on every PayPolka account rather than a higher tier. Bill a deposit (percentage or fixed) from the accepted estimate, invoice progress against the remaining balance, and send a final invoice for whatever's left in one click. Everything is tracked against the original estimate, so the totals always match.
Does PayPolka have a free plan like Joist's trial?
No free tier and no trial. PayPolka is pay-or-no-account at $5/month during beta, with a 14-day refund for new accounts if it isn't the right fit. Cancel anytime. The beta rate is locked in for life while you stay subscribed.
Can clients pay by card, ACH, or on the job?
Yes. Every invoice carries a payment link for credit/debit card, ACH bank transfer, and Cash App Pay through your own Stripe account, and you can record cash or check payments yourself. Optionally pass the processing fee through to the client.
Is switching from Joist hard?
PayPolka doesn't import Joist data automatically yet. Most businesses bring over their client list and price book first (clients and labor-rate/catalog presets are quick to create), finish open Joist jobs where they are, and start new estimates in PayPolka.
Is PayPolka US-only?
Yes. PayPolka is built for US-based service businesses and billed in USD. Joist also serves Canada; if you're outside the US, Joist or another tool is the better choice.
Keep the workflow. Drop the tiers.
Start for $5/month during beta and lock that rate in for life. Connect your own Stripe account and send your first estimate today.
14-day refund for new accounts. Cancel anytime.