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Most HVAC shops searching for a CRM do not actually want a CRM. They want to stop losing the callback they promised a customer in March, and they want to know which of last winter no-heat calls never turned into an equipment quote.
Those are two different problems, and they map to two different kinds of software. This guide separates them, then gives you the pricing — read live off each vendor page, oldest reading August 14, 2026, with the billing cycle stated, and a plain “not published” where a vendor does not show a price.
Client record vs. sales pipeline: the split that matters
Nearly every field service platform calls its customer database a CRM. For most of them that is a client record: name, address, equipment history, past invoices, notes. It is genuinely useful — a tech pulling up the last three visits before knocking on the door closes more work.
What a client record does not do is track an opportunity. If you quoted a system replacement in June and the homeowner said “call me in the fall,” nothing in a client record makes that resurface in September. That needs pipeline: a deal with a stage, an owner, and a next action date.
So before you shop, decide which you are buying. Reactive service work mostly needs a strong client record. Selling replacements, IAQ upgrades, or commercial contracts needs a pipeline. Paying for pipeline you never populate is the most common way HVAC shops overbuy here.
Jobber — strong client record, pipeline only at the top tier
Jobber runs a proper field service CRM: detailed client profiles, fast lookup of past job details, and a record of client communication attached to the customer. For a shop that mostly runs service calls and repeat maintenance, that covers it.
The thing to know before you pick a plan: Pipeline — Jobber lead-tracking feature — is bundled into the Plus tier, not into Core, Connect, or Grow. Confirmed live 2026-08-19: Plus does bundle it — the Plus feature list reads “Track every lead with Pipeline.” But Pipeline is also sold as a standalone add-on at $49/mo, and the pricing page states no plan requirement for it. Wanting a pipeline does not force you onto Plus money. On the 2–5 band that is Grow at $299/mo plus $49 = $348/mo, against Plus at $499/mo — roughly $150/mo cheaper for the same lead tracking, if you do not need the rest of the Plus feature set.
Pricing, read live 2026-08-19 on getjobber.com/pricing. Jobber prices by team-size band rather than per seat:
- Just me (1 user): Core $49/mo, Connect $139/mo, Grow $199/mo. Billed annually: $29, $99, $149/mo.
- 2–5 people (5 users included), read live 2026-08-19: Connect $199/mo, Grow $299/mo, Plus $499/mo month-to-month; on a 1-year commitment those become $149, $229 and $399/mo. Jobber is running an introductory promotion as of this reading (“Save up to 40%,” advertised as ending Aug 31) that discounts the first 3 months month-to-month and the first 12 months annually — the figures above are the standard rates the promotion reverts to. The 6–10, 11–15 and 16-or-more bands price higher again; check the band that matches your crew before you budget.
Fit: solo through about 5 techs running service and maintenance. Skip it if you expect lead tracking to come free with the plan — Pipeline is a $49/mo add-on on top of whichever tier you choose, or bundled once you reach Plus. Either way it is a line item.
Housecall Pro — built around keeping customers, not chasing them
Housecall Pro customer management is aimed squarely at retention: automated follow-up, two-way chat, and an online client portal that lets customers book and pay without calling you. If your growth problem is repeat work and reviews rather than new-deal velocity, this is the right shape of tool.
Pricing, verified 2026-08-19 on housecallpro.com/pricing:
- Basic — $79/mo month-to-month, or $59/mo billed annually. 1 user.
- Essentials — $189/mo month-to-month, or $149/mo billed annually. 5 users.
- Max — $329/mo month-to-month, or $299/mo billed annually. 8 users, then $35/mo per additional user.
Fit: residential HVAC where the customer relationship is the asset. Skip it if you need a real deal pipeline with stages and forecasting — retention tooling is not the same thing.
See Housecall Pro pricing and plans
ServiceTitan — the CRM most shops are too small to justify
ServiceTitan is the most complete option here, with customer records, memberships, and sales tooling in one platform. It is also the one you cannot price without a phone call: the pricing page lists four tiers — Starter, Essentials, The Works, Enterprise — and no dollar figures at any of them, confirmed 2026-08-19.
We are an affiliate and we will still say it plainly: below roughly 10 techs this is usually the wrong buy. Not because the software is bad, but because you need the office staff to feed it, and shops that cannot staff it end up paying enterprise money for a very expensive scheduler.
Request ServiceTitan pricing · see also our ServiceTitan vs Jobber comparison for HVAC.
ServiceTrade — if your customers are buildings, not homeowners
Commercial HVAC breaks residential CRMs, because the customer is a property manager with twelve sites and forty units, and the thing you are tracking is equipment. ServiceTrade builds its HVAC CRM around that: equipment and site records with the sales activity layered on top.
Pricing: not published. Three suites — Select, Premium, Enterprise — quoted by team size.
We earn nothing from ServiceTrade. It is on this list because for commercial mechanical work it is the better fit, and a guide that hid it would be worthless to the shops it suits.
Price comparison
Each row states the vendor own billing basis. Nothing has been converted to a common cycle, because two of these vendors publish no price at all. Figures read from vendor pricing pages 2026-08-19.
| Platform / plan | Price | Users included | Billing basis | Deal pipeline? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jobber Core (solo) | $49/mo | 1 | Month-to-month; $29/mo billed annually | No |
| Jobber Connect (solo) | $139/mo | 1 | Month-to-month; $99/mo billed annually | No |
| Jobber Grow (solo) | $199/mo | 1 | Month-to-month; $149/mo billed annually | No |
| Housecall Pro Basic | $79/mo | 1 | Month-to-month; $59/mo billed annually | No |
| Housecall Pro Essentials | $189/mo | 5 | Month-to-month; $149/mo billed annually | No |
| Housecall Pro Max | $329/mo | 8 | Month-to-month; $299/mo billed annually; +$35/mo per extra user | No |
| ServiceTitan | Not published | — | Quote only; 4 tiers named, no prices | Yes |
| ServiceTrade | Not published | — | Quote only; priced by team size | Yes — commercial |
“Deal pipeline” here means a tracked opportunity with a stage and a follow-up date, not a customer record. Rows marked No still have full client records.
How to choose in about five minutes
- Solo or two trucks, mostly service calls: Jobber Core or Connect. You need the client record and reminders, not pipeline.
- Residential, growing on repeat customers and reviews: Housecall Pro Essentials.
- Residential, actively selling system replacements: you need pipeline. Price Jobber Plus against a standalone CRM bolted to a cheaper tier, and pick on total cost.
- Commercial or mixed portfolios: ServiceTrade, or ServiceTitan if you also carry a large residential book.
- Under about 10 techs: be honest about whether anyone in the office will actually work the pipeline. Software does not follow up. People do.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a separate CRM alongside my field service software?
Usually not. Running two systems means the customer exists twice and neither copy is trusted. The exception is a shop with a dedicated salesperson selling replacements, where the pipeline discipline is worth the duplication.
Will a CRM help me sell more maintenance agreements?
Only indirectly. Agreements need their own tracking — see our guide to HVAC service agreement software for how that differs.
What should I check before I sign anything?
Whether you can export your customer list, and in what format. If the answer is vague, that is your answer.
Related reading
- Best software for HVAC contractors: verified pricing and honest fit
- Best HVAC estimating software
- Best lead generation for HVAC contractors
- All HVAC guides
Disclosure: Augmented Trades participates in affiliate programs and may earn a commission if you click a link and buy, at no extra cost to you. We recommend by fit, not by commission, and we name tools we earn nothing on. Read our full disclosure.
Pricing verified 2026-08-19. Vendor pricing changes without notice — check the vendor page before you buy.
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Michael is the founder of Augmented Trades, an independent site that compares AI and software tools for trade contractors on published pricing, contracts, and real feature limits. Tools are recommended on fit for your shop — affiliate partnerships never decide coverage.