A Joist alternative that keeps crew hours with the bill.
Quote jobs, track time and expenses, and invoice deposits or progress payments in PayPolka. It suits small US contractors who want to understand the work behind each invoice.
Try every feature free for 30 days. No card needed.
Look at what you need after the estimate is accepted.
Joist offers contractor estimating and invoicing, online payments, and homeowner financing. Its plans also cover job-related features, so review the current plan details if those are part of your day-to-day work. Joist product and plan details were reviewed September 7, 2026.
PayPolka focuses on the daily connection between client work and billing: log hours, record project expenses, prepare the invoice, and review how the job is doing. It includes the same features at every team size.
How credit card and payment processing fees compare
A major consideration when evaluating Joist alternatives is how payment processing is billed. Many contractor platforms charge transaction fee markups or require higher-tier subscriptions to access lower payment rates. In PayPolka, you connect your own Stripe account with zero added platform fees.
| Feature / Fee | Joist | PayPolka |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription Price | Tiered plans (Free limited, Pro ~$14+/mo, Elite ~$30+/mo) | $9 per person / month, all features included |
| Payment Processing Fee | Proprietary processing with tiered transaction fees | Standard Stripe rates; PayPolka adds 0% markup |
| Time Tracking & Timesheets | Not included (requires separate tool) | Included: weekly crew timesheet grid & approvals |
| Project Job Costing | Limited to basic invoicing totals | Included: hours, cost rates, receipts & profit margins |
| Accountant Access | Varies by tier | Free read-only access for your accountant |
Where each tool fits best
Joist offers homeowner financing, mobile-first dispatching, and contractor financing integrations. If your trade depends on offering homeowner loans directly through your estimates, Joist is built for that workflow.
PayPolka is built for small crews that want estimates, staged progress invoices, team hours, and expense receipts in one place without paying transaction markups. See our contractor invoicing guide or try a sample project in PayPolka.
How PayPolka helps
Track the cost of delivering the job
Give the job a project, record crew hours and expenses, and add cost rates to review labor costs alongside billed work.
Keep invoicing connected to the quote
Bill portions of an accepted estimate and see what remains. For hourly work, add recorded hours and expenses to the invoice.
Pay one price for the whole team
$9 per person per month, nothing metered. Unlimited clients, projects, estimates, and invoices. Accountants and client contacts never take a seat, and the first 30 days are free with no card needed.
Give your accountant access
Invite an accountant for free read-only access to financial information. Use CSV exports to pass records to your bookkeeping process.
Questions, answered.
Who is PayPolka a good fit for?
Small US service teams, including contractors, consultants, freelancers, and studios that want project time, expenses, and billing together.
Can I automatically migrate my account?
PayPolka offers a client CSV import and a separate Harvest importer. It doesn't provide a full automatic migration from this product. Review your records and keep access to the history you need.
What does PayPolka cost?
$9 per person per month. Every feature is included, and read-only accountant access is free. New accounts get 30 days free with no card needed. Add a card before the trial ends to keep going; if you never do, nothing is charged.
See how your next project would work in PayPolka.
Start with your next client project. Log the work, prepare the invoice, and see how PayPolka fits your business.
Try every feature free for 30 days. No card needed.