The short answer
Clevra is the Joist alternative for contractors who are ready to add a crew
Joist is a simple, well-loved app for sending estimates and invoices from your phone, with US payments, Tap to Pay and homeowner financing. Joist accounts are built for one user, scheduling only comes on its Run plan, and its AI Receptionist is an add-on from $49 a month. Clevra's Free plan gives one user unlimited estimates and invoices. Pro is $49 a month for up to 5 people with scheduling, inspection checklists, AI-written reports and the AI Receptionist included.
Choose Clevra if
- You have, or plan to have, more than one person on the account
- You want scheduling and dispatch, not just estimates and invoices
- You want AI call answering included, not added on
- Your jobs end in an inspection or condition report
Choose Joist if
- You work alone and mostly need estimates and invoices on your phone
- You want Tap to Pay, ACH and homeowner financing in the US
- You want native iPhone and Android apps today
- You want estimates and invoices in a native phone app you already know
Billed monthly. Joist Run is shown at its $70 introductory price ($100 list), and Joist accounts are for a single user. Clevra Pro is $39 a month billed yearly.
What makes Clevra different
From the first call to the paid invoice, in one app
Joist is built around the estimate and the invoice. Clevra covers the whole visit: the call, the estimate, the booking, the checklist on site, the report and the payment, for you and your crew.
- 1CallThe AI Receptionist picks up when you can't, asks what the client needs and drops the request in your inbox.
- 2EstimatePrice the work from your price book and send it. The client approves online with a typed name or a drawn signature.
- 3BookPut the job on the calendar. Clevra sends the confirmation and the day-before reminder for you.
- 4InspectFill your checklist on site: readings, yes/no answers, photos and the client signature.
- 5ReportClevra drafts the inspection report from what you recorded. Read it, adjust it, send the PDF.
- 6Get paidTap Generate Invoice on the job. The client pays by card from the link or the portal.
One price for the whole crew
Clevra charges per company, not per user. Pro is $49 a month for up to 5 people and Business is $99 for up to 15. Adding a tech never changes the bill.
Inspection checklists and PDF reports
Number, dropdown, yes/no, date, photo and signature fields with required answers. The client gets the PDF by email and in their portal. Pro and up.
A free plan you can actually run
One user, unlimited clients, estimates, scheduling, invoices and online card payments. No card, no time limit.
AI that takes the office work off your plate
Joist offers AI help writing estimates and notes, plus an AI Receptionist add-on from $49 a month. Clevra includes its AI Receptionist on Pro and adds AI-written inspection reports and an assistant that answers questions about your business.
AI Receptionist
Answers calls while you're on a job, asks what the caller needs and puts the request in your inbox. Pro and up.
AI-written inspection reports
Clevra drafts the report from your checklist answers, readings, photos and notes. Read it over and send the PDF. Pro and up.
AI Business Assistant
Ask "who still owes us from September?" or "what did we make on the Hillside job?" and get the answer from your live Clevra data. Pro and up.
Clevra connector for Claude and ChatGPT
Look up jobs, find an open slot, draft an estimate or book a visit from your AI assistant. It asks before every change. Pro and up.
Clevra vs Joist pricing
What a contractor pays per month, billed monthly.
| What you get | Clevra | Joist |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, unlimited estimates and invoices | |
| Lowest paid plan | Pro $49/mo, 5 users | Basics $10/mo, 5 documents a month |
| Unlimited estimates | Every plan, including Free | Pro $17/mo and up |
| Scheduling | Every plan | Run, $70 intro ($100 list) |
| Team accounts | Up to 5 users on Pro, 15 on Business | Single user |
| AI receptionist | Included on Pro and up | Add-on from $49/mo |
| Billed yearly | Pro $39/mo, Business $79/mo | 2 months free |
| Free trial | 14 days, no card | 14 days of Run, no card |
Joist prices from joist.com/pricing on October 24, 2026. Single-user accounts per the Joist help center.
Clevra vs Joist features
Only features we could confirm on each company's own website.
| Feature | Clevra | Joist |
|---|---|---|
| Running the job | ||
| Estimates signed online | Every plan | |
| Scheduling and dispatch | Every plan, with a map | Run plan, calendar |
| Recurring visits | Not listed | |
| Multiple users with roles | No, single user | |
| Client portal | Not listed | |
| Two-way texting | Pro and up | Not listed |
| Inspections and reports | ||
| Checklists with photos and signatures | Pro and up | Not listed |
| PDF inspection report | Not listed | |
| Timesheets | Not listed | |
| Money | ||
| Invoices and card payments | Every plan | |
| Tap to Pay, ACH, financing | Yes, US | |
| QuickBooks Online | Pro and up | |
| AI | ||
| AI call answering | Included on Pro and up | Add-on from $49/mo |
| AI-written inspection reports | Pro and up | Not listed |
| AI help writing estimates | ||
| AI assistant on your data | Pro and up | Not listed |
| Mobile | ||
| Native apps | Technician app, iOS beta | iOS and Android |
“Not listed” means we did not find it on joist.com on October 24, 2026, not that Joist can't do it.
Where each one is stronger
Clevra is stronger on
- A free plan with unlimited estimates and invoices
- Accounts for a whole crew, with roles and permissions
- Scheduling, dispatch and recurring visits on every plan
- AI Receptionist included, plus AI-written inspection reports
- Checklists, timesheets and a client portal
Joist is stronger on
- Fast estimate and invoice sending from a native phone app
- Tap to Pay, ACH and homeowner financing in the US
- AI help drafting estimates
- Change orders and licence and insurance fields on estimates (Elite)
- A large user base and long track record
Switching from Joist to Clevra
Most crews are set up in an afternoon. Keep Joist until you no longer need your old job history.
- 1
Export your clients
Download your client list from Joist as a CSV or spreadsheet.
- 2
Import into Clevra
CSV or XLSX, up to 5,000 rows, with more than one property per client.
- 3
Set up your price book and checklists
Add your services and rates, then build the inspection checklists your crew fills on site.
- 4
Turn on the AI Receptionist
Let it answer the calls you miss while you work, so new requests land in your inbox.
Clevra vs Joist FAQ
Is Clevra cheaper than Joist?
For a solo contractor who needs unlimited estimates and invoices, Clevra Free is $0 and Joist Pro is $17 a month. Once you want scheduling and AI call answering, Clevra Pro is $49 for up to 5 users, while Joist Run plus its AI Receptionist add-on is about $119 for one user.
Can more than one person use Joist?
Joist accounts are set up for a single user, according to its help center. Clevra Pro includes up to 5 users and Business up to 15, each with their own login and role.
Does Clevra have an AI Receptionist?
Yes, included on Pro and up. It answers calls you miss and puts the request in your inbox next to your estimates and jobs.
Does Clevra offer financing or Tap to Pay?
Not yet. Clevra takes card payments online through Stripe in US dollars. Joist offers Tap to Pay, ACH and homeowner financing in the US.
Can Clevra write inspection reports?
Yes. Fill a checklist on site with readings, photos and a signature, and Clevra drafts the report with AI. Pro and up.
Can I switch from Joist to Clevra?
Yes. Export your clients from Joist and import them into Clevra as a CSV or XLSX file, then add your services to the price book.
Joist details checked on joist.com on October 24, 2026. Plans change, so confirm with Joist before you buy. See all comparisons.
All-in-one operations platform for trades.
You run a crew, not a tech company. Clevra handles the office stuff so you can stay on the tools.