The simplest software setup for a new home-service business
Updated Oct 10, 2026 · Prices and features from each vendor’s public pricing page · How we choose
Quick picks
- JobberJob app: quote, schedule, invoice and get paid in one place.Core $29/mo billed annually (1 user) · Connect, 5 users, $149/moTry Jobber free →affiliate link
- QuoteIQJob app: one-user plan at a similar price, with satellite measuring from Beginner and an AI estimate generator.Essentials $29.99/mo (1 user) · Beginner $99.99/mo (2 users)Try QuoteIQ free →affiliate link
- GustoPayroll: add it when you hire your first W-2 employee.Simple $49/mo + $6/mo per personTry Gusto free →affiliate link
Ordered by fit for this page, not payout. Prices are the vendors’ listed prices, as checked Oct 10, 2026.
The short version
- Day one, you need two things: one app to quote, schedule, invoice and get paid, and a place to keep your books. Everything else can wait.
- Job app: Jobber Core is listed at $29/mo billed annually, QuoteIQ Essentials at $29.99/mo, and Housecall Pro Basic at $59/mo billed annually, each for one user. On a tight budget, Yardbook lists a free basic plan (lawn and landscaping), and Joist Basics is $10/mo for up to 5 documents a month.
- Books: QuickBooks Online Simple Start is listed at $38/mo for 1 user (a limited-time discount was also showing; we left it out).
- First employee: add payroll. Gusto Simple is listed at $49/mo + $6/mo per person.
- Small crew: move to a job-app plan that includes more users, and turn on the QuickBooks and payroll connections if your plan lists them.
All prices as checked Oct 10, 2026 on each vendor’s official pricing page (sources below). Taxes and card-processing fees are extra.
Stage 1: Just you
Pick one job app and one bookkeeping tool. If an app does quoting, scheduling, invoicing and payments, you don’t need separate tools for each.
| Need | Options | Listed price, as checked Oct 10, 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quote, schedule, invoice, get paid | Jobber Core | $29/mo billed annually · $49/mo month-to-month · source | 1 user. Online booking and a client hub listed on every plan |
| QuoteIQ Essentials | $29.99/mo or $299.99/yr · source | 1 user. Online booking and self-scheduling listed on every plan. Card required for the trial | |
| Housecall Pro Basic | $59/mo billed annually · source | 1 user. Online booking, estimates, invoicing, payments and a price book listed | |
| Free or cheap start | Yardbook | Free basic plan · source | Lawn and landscaping focus. Its terms mention optional paid Premium plans: check current price |
| Joist Basics | $10/mo billed monthly, up to 5 documents a month · source | Estimates and invoices, online payments. Scheduling is on its Run plan only | |
| Bookkeeping | QuickBooks Online Simple Start | $38/mo · source | 1 user plus access for 2 accountants. Lists invoicing, bill pay and general business reports |
QuickBooks Online was also showing a limited-time offer (50% off for 3 months, or a 30-day free trial). We list the regular monthly price. Joist’s annual billing gives 2 months free, per its pricing page.
Do you need QuickBooks on day one?
Not always. Many job apps track invoices and payments, and some owners start with those and a separate business bank account. Once you have expenses to categorize, or an accountant asks, a bookkeeping tool earns its keep. If you plan to use QuickBooks Online, note which job-app plan lists the sync: Jobber from Connect, Housecall Pro on Essentials, QuoteIQ from Pro.
What it adds up to
Using the listed prices: Jobber Core (annual) + QuickBooks Online Simple Start = $29 + $38 = $67 a month. QuoteIQ Essentials + Simple Start = $29.99 + $38 = $67.99. Yardbook’s free plan + Simple Start = $38. Joist Basics alone = $10, if 5 documents a month is enough.
Try Jobber free →Try QuoteIQ free →Try Housecall Pro free →affiliate link
Visit YardbookNo affiliate relationship; plain link.Visit JoistNo affiliate relationship; plain link.Visit QuickBooks OnlineNo affiliate relationship; plain link.
Stage 2: Your first hire
Once someone else is on the payroll, you need to withhold and pay payroll taxes and file the forms. A payroll service handles that. Check with your state and a tax professional about what applies to you.
| Need | Option | Listed price, as checked Oct 10, 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payroll for W-2 employees | Gusto Simple | $49/mo + $6/mo per person · source | Single-state payroll, unlimited payroll runs, tax filings and payments, basic PTO policies |
| Payroll across states, time tracking | Gusto Plus | $80/mo + $12/mo per person · source | Multi-state payroll, next-day pay, time tracking |
| Job app for 2 people | QuoteIQ Beginner | $99.99/mo or $999.99/yr · source | 2 users included |
Gusto says there are no contracts, account setup is free, and you can switch or cancel anytime. Using the listed prices, Gusto Simple for one employee would be $49 + $6 = $55 a month (if that’s the only person paid through Gusto).
Connecting payroll to your job app
Jobber lists a Gusto integration starting on Connect, so timesheets can flow into payroll. Housecall Pro sells its own Payroll as an extra product. We didn’t check QuoteIQ for a Gusto connection, so ask before you count on one.
Don’t forget
Workers’ comp and liability coverage, a written pay policy, and time tracking you trust. Those come from your insurer, your state and your own paperwork. No app handles them for you.
Try Gusto free →affiliate link
Stage 3: A small crew (2–5 people)
Now the question is how many users each plan includes, and whether routing, GPS and the QuickBooks sync are on the plan you can afford.
| Option | Users | Listed price, as checked Oct 10, 2026 | Listed on that plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jobber Connect (team 2–5) | 5 | $149/mo billed annually · $199/mo month-to-month · source | Routing, GPS, time tracking, QuickBooks Online and Gusto integrations |
| QuoteIQ Pro | 4 | $199.99/mo or $1,999.99/yr · source | QuickBooks Online integration |
| Housecall Pro Essentials | 5 | Check current price · source | Routes, employee GPS, QuickBooks Online sync |
| QuickBooks Online Essentials | 3 | $85/mo · source | Enhanced reports, add employee time to invoices |
Only move up your bookkeeping plan if more people need to log in or you need the extra reports. Your crew uses the job app, not the books. For trade-specific picks, see our guides by trade.
What you can skip for now
- Separate apps for each job step. One job app that quotes, schedules and invoices is simpler than three tools that don’t talk to each other.
- Top-tier plans “to grow into.” You can usually move up a plan later (check each vendor’s terms), so pay for what you use this season.
- Add-ons you haven’t needed yet. AI receptionists, marketing suites and phone systems are sold as extras by several vendors. Try the core app first.
How we choose
How we choose. Our picks are based on each vendor’s public pricing page: listed prices, the features named for each plan, and plan limits such as included users. We haven’t run these products ourselves, so we describe features as “listed,” not tested, and we say when a price isn’t published. We rank by fit for your trade and team size, not by payout.
Read how we choose and our affiliate disclosure.
FAQs
What software do I need to start a home-service business?
At minimum, one app to quote, schedule, invoice and take payments, plus a way to keep your books. Payroll comes when you hire. Starting prices we checked: Jobber Core $29/mo billed annually, QuoteIQ Essentials $29.99/mo, QuickBooks Online Simple Start $38/mo, as checked Oct 10, 2026.
Is there free software for a new service business?
Yardbook lists a free basic plan aimed at lawn and landscaping businesses. Joist’s cheapest plan is $10/mo for up to 5 documents a month. See also CrewNest’s free plan in our lawn care guide.
When do I need payroll software?
When you hire your first W-2 employee. Gusto Simple is listed at $49/mo + $6/mo per person.
Do I need QuickBooks if my job app does invoicing?
Not necessarily on day one. A bookkeeping tool helps once you’re tracking expenses and preparing for taxes. Ask your accountant what they prefer to work with.
How much should I charge per hour?
Use our hourly rate calculator to work backward from your take-home pay, overhead and billable hours.