If you’re a contractor still cutting invoices in a Word doc or chasing payments by text, the right billing software pays for itself fast. But “billing software” gets used loosely, and the wrong pick either does too little or buries you in features you’ll never touch. This guide sorts the field by what you actually need — from a solo electrician who just wants to get paid, to a commercial shop running progress and AIA billing.
We recommend by fit, not by commission. Some tools below are affiliate partners; several of our picks are not, and we’ll tell you which is which.
Billing software vs. accounting software — what’s the difference?
This trips up a lot of buyers, so let’s be clear:
- Billing/invoicing software creates and sends invoices, collects payment (card and ACH), automates late-payment reminders, handles deposits, and — on the better tools — does progress billing. It’s about getting cash in the door.
- Accounting software does all your books: categorizing expenses, reconciling bank feeds, running profit-and-loss statements, and prepping for taxes. Invoicing is one feature inside a much bigger system.
Plenty of contractors use both — a field-service or invoicing app to bill jobs, and accounting software (or a bookkeeper) behind it for the books. QuickBooks is the rare tool that’s genuinely both. (For the books side, see our accounting software guide.) Here’s how to choose by need.
Best all-around: Jobber
Who it’s for
Service businesses — HVAC, plumbing, electrical, landscaping — that want invoicing built into the whole job workflow: quote, schedule, complete, invoice, get paid. If billing is the last step of a service call rather than a standalone task, this is the category to look at, and Jobber is the cleanest entry point.
Billing features
Professional invoices with templates, batch invoicing, automated invoice follow-ups, progress invoicing (bill as you go on bigger jobs), and online payments. It syncs to QuickBooks Online for the books.
Pricing
Core starts at $29/mo (annual) or $49/mo monthly; Connect is $99/mo (annual) or $139/mo monthly; Grow is $149/mo (annual) or $199/mo monthly; Plus is $529/mo (annual) or $699/mo monthly (source: getjobber.com/pricing). Card processing is 2.9% + 30¢, ACH bank payments 1%. 14-day free trial, no card required.
The catch
It’s a full operations platform, not a pure billing tool — you’re paying for scheduling and CRM too. If all you want is to send invoices, it’s more than you need. Try Jobber.
Best for solo and small trades on a budget: Joist
Who it’s for
Solo operators and small crews who want to estimate, invoice, and collect payment from their phone without a learning curve. Popular with handymen, painters, and one-truck trades.
Billing features
Estimates and invoices, online payments, homeowner financing, deposit and payment schedules, and (on paid tiers) change orders, work orders, and QuickBooks sync.
Pricing
Basics is $10/mo or $100/yr (up to 5 documents per month); Pro is $17/mo or $170/yr (unlimited documents); Elite is $32/mo or $320/yr, adding business reports and change orders (source: joist.com/pricing). Online payments and homeowner financing are available on all tiers.
The catch
The cheapest tier caps you at 5 documents a month, and Joist isn’t accounting software — it’s invoicing-first. We have no affiliate relationship with Joist; we link it directly: joist.com.
Best free option: Square Invoices and Wave
Who it’s for
Contractors who refuse to pay a monthly fee and only want to send invoices and take a card.
Billing features
Square Invoices is free to create and send unlimited invoices; you only pay when you get paid. Wave‘s Starter plan is $0 and includes unlimited invoices, estimates, and basic bookkeeping — a nice bonus if you want light books too.
Pricing
Square Invoices: free plan with online card payments at 3.3% + 30¢; the optional Invoices Plus plan is $20/mo and drops card processing to 2.9% + 30¢ (source: squareup.com/us/en/invoices/pricing). Wave: Starter is $0 with card payments at 2.9% + 60¢ (3.4% + 60¢ Amex) and ACH at 1%; the Pro plan is $19/mo or $190/yr (source: waveapps.com/pricing).
The catch
Neither is built around field-service jobs — no scheduling, no progress-billing workflow tuned for construction. Great for getting paid, thin on running the operation. Both are non-affiliates; we link them directly: Square Invoices, Wave.
Best if you also want accounting: QuickBooks Online
Who it’s for
Contractors who want invoicing and full books in one place, or whose bookkeeper already lives in QuickBooks. It’s also the engine many other tools (Jobber, Knowify, Housecall Pro) sync into.
Billing features
Invoicing with QuickBooks Payments (cards and ACH), automated reminders, estimates, and — on higher tiers — progress invoicing and project profitability tracking.
Pricing
Simple Start is $38/mo, Essentials $75/mo, Plus $115/mo, and Advanced $275/mo (source: quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing). Progress invoicing and project tracking land on the Plus tier.
The catch
It’s accounting-first, so the field workflow (scheduling, dispatch) isn’t there — pair it with a job app if you need that. Try QuickBooks.
Electrical contractors: progress, T&M, and AIA billing
Commercial electrical work bills differently from a residential service call. If you’re on bigger projects, you’re likely doing one of three things: progress billing (invoicing a percentage of completion as the job advances), time-and-materials (T&M) billing (labor hours plus marked-up materials), or AIA-style pay applications — the G702/G703 forms general contractors require on commercial jobs, with a schedule of values and retainage held back each draw. Know your loaded labor rate before you bill T&M — our free true hourly rate calculator helps.
Most simple invoicing apps can’t do this. Two tools can:
Knowify
Built for trade and construction contractors doing exactly this work. It handles fixed-price progress billing, cost-plus/T&M contracts, and automated AIA pay applications (G702/G703) with a schedule of values, retainage tracking, and change-order reconciliation. It syncs two-way with QuickBooks. Core is $149/mo for 1 user; Advanced is $399/mo for up to 10 users; additional users are $29/mo; Enterprise is quote-based (source: knowify.com/pricing). T&M/cost-plus contracts require the Advanced tier. Non-affiliate — we link directly: knowify.com.
QuickBooks Plus (and up)
Progress invoicing off an estimate is available on QuickBooks Online Plus ($115/mo) and Advanced ($275/mo), along with project profitability tracking. It does not generate AIA G702/G703 forms natively — for true pay applications you’ll want Knowify (which syncs into QuickBooks) or a dedicated construction billing tool.
For high-volume commercial electrical shops, ServiceTitan is the enterprise option, but it does not publish pricing — it’s quote-based and requires a sales demo (source: servicetitan.com/pricing). Treat any number you see online as an estimate, not a quote. If you want to evaluate it, request a demo from ServiceTitan. (More electrical-specific picks in our electrical contractor software guide.)
Budget/DIY pick: a free invoice template
If you bill a handful of jobs a month and aren’t ready to pay for software, a clean template beats a sloppy one every time. Grab our free Contractor Invoice Template and, for quoting, Estimate Template Pro. You’ll send professional-looking paperwork today, and you can graduate to software once invoice volume justifies it. (You’ll still collect card payments separately — a free Square or Wave account handles that.) For the full walkthrough — what every invoice needs, plus the Excel and Google Sheets versions — see our free contractor invoice template guide.
FAQ
Billing vs. invoicing vs. accounting software — what’s the difference?
“Billing” and “invoicing” software mean essentially the same thing: creating and sending invoices, collecting payment, and chasing what’s owed. Accounting software is broader — it tracks all income and expenses, reconciles your bank, and produces financial statements for taxes. Invoicing is just one piece of accounting. Many contractors run a billing/job app for getting paid and accounting software (like QuickBooks) for the books.
What’s the cheapest billing software for contractors?
Free. Square Invoices lets you create and send unlimited invoices at no monthly cost (you pay 3.3% + 30¢ only when a card is run), and Wave’s Starter plan is $0 with invoicing plus light bookkeeping. If you want a trade-specific app, Joist Basics is $10/mo. Or skip software entirely with our free invoice template.
How do electrical contractors handle progress billing?
On commercial jobs you typically bill a percentage of completion against a schedule of values, often on AIA G702/G703 pay applications with retainage held back. Knowify automates these pay apps. QuickBooks Online Plus and up supports progress invoicing off an estimate but doesn’t generate AIA forms natively.
Can I take card payments through billing software?
Yes — every tool here accepts cards, and most take ACH bank transfers too (cheaper for big invoices). Watch the processing rate: Jobber and Wave run 2.9% + 30¢/60¢ on cards and 1% on ACH; Square is 3.3% + 30¢ free or 2.9% + 30¢ on the $20/mo Plus plan; Housecall Pro card rates start at 2.59% with bank payments at 1%. On large invoices, pushing customers to ACH instead of card saves real money.
The bottom line
Match the tool to the job. Just need to get paid? Square Invoices or Wave (free), or our template. Want invoicing inside your service workflow? Jobber or Housecall Pro. Want billing and books together? QuickBooks Online. Commercial electrical doing progress, T&M, and AIA billing? Knowify, with QuickBooks behind it — or ServiceTitan if you’re an enterprise shop and can stomach a sales process. Start with the simplest tool that covers how you actually bill, and upgrade when volume forces the issue.
Augmented Trades is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you buy through some links on this page, at no extra cost to you — see our affiliate disclosure. We recommend by fit, not by commission. Pricing was verified against official vendor pages in June 2026; always confirm current pricing on the vendor’s site before you buy.
Related guide: Best Time-Tracking Software for Contractors
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Michael is the founder of Augmented Trades, an independent site that tests and reviews AI tools for trade contractors. Tools are recommended on fit for your shop — affiliate partnerships never decide coverage.