The stack
A solo operator needs exactly two pieces of software to look and run like a professional:
- A field-service app — scheduling, dispatching, invoicing, customer records, and a mobile app for the truck
- Accounting — a ledger that connects to your checking account and to your field-service app
That's it. Everything else is a distraction until you have at least 2–3 employees and enough volume to justify the overhead of a third system.
Field-service apps: Jobber vs. Housecall Pro
Both are purpose-built for residential service trades. Neither is wrong. Pick the one whose interface clicks for you and start a free trial before paying.
| | Jobber | Housecall Pro | |---|---|---| | Starting price | ~$49/mo (Core) | ~$49/mo (Basic) | | Quoting | Yes — email or in-person | Yes — in-app signature | | Scheduling | Calendar + drag-drop | Calendar + GPS | | Invoicing | Auto-pay, card on file | Auto-pay, card on file | | Mobile app | iOS + Android | iOS + Android | | QuickBooks sync | Yes (two-way) | Yes (two-way) | | Best for | Any trade, clean UI | HVAC/plumbing-heavy workflows |
When Jobber wins: you want a clean, fast interface and don't need heavy upsell features. Strong for plumbers, electricians, and general contractors.
When Housecall Pro wins: you're HVAC-focused, you want built-in price-book templates, or you want the in-app "Good / Better / Best" upsell prompts.
ServiceTitan is often mentioned in the same breath — it's excellent for shops over $1M revenue with multiple trucks and a full back-office team, but overkill and significantly more expensive ($500–$1,500+/mo) for a solo operator.
Accounting: QuickBooks Simple Start
At ~$30/month, QuickBooks Simple Start connects to your business checking account and to your field-service app so invoices and expenses flow automatically. You shouldn't be doing manual data entry between your scheduling app and your books.
What it does:
- Bank-feed sync (transactions import automatically)
- Invoice tracking (what's been sent, what's unpaid)
- Expense categorization
- Quarterly estimated tax prep
- Profit & loss and basic reporting
What to skip: Wave Accounting is free but doesn't sync with Jobber or Housecall Pro natively. FreshBooks is solid but more expensive for equivalent functionality. Stick with QuickBooks — your accountant will thank you.
What to add as you grow
| Headcount | What to add | Why | |---|---|---| | 2–3 techs | Call-answering service ($150–$300/mo) | Missed calls are missed jobs | | 3–5 techs | GPS tracking (often bundled with field-service app) | Dispatch accuracy | | 5+ techs | ServiceTitan or upgrade FSM plan | Full dispatch + call-booking features | | 10+ techs | Payroll software (Gusto ~$40/mo + per-person fee) | Automated payroll + W-2s |
Don't buy dispatch software before you have anyone to dispatch. Don't buy payroll software before you have employees. Buy the next layer when the current one is the bottleneck.
The TradeAtlas directory
TradeAtlas tracks 100+ platforms across field service, accounting, and operations. Once you're ready to compare upgrades — or switch from a free trial — the software directory has head-to-head comparisons and capability breakdowns for every major trade platform.