FieldRate vs Joist: Which Estimating App Is Best for Deck Builders?

Joist (now part of GoDaddy) is one of the most popular free estimating apps for contractors. It's simple, it works on your phone, and you can create basic estimates and invoices without spending a dime.

For contractors just starting out, Joist is a great first step up from pen and paper. But as your deck business grows and you need faster, more accurate estimates, is Joist enough?

What Each Tool Does

Joist is a basic estimating and invoicing app. You create estimates by adding line items—type a description, enter a quantity and price, and Joist totals it up. It also handles invoicing and basic payment processing. It's general-purpose, working for any trade.

FieldRate is deck-specific estimating software. Enter your deck dimensions and material choices, and it calculates every board, joist, fastener, and footing automatically. It generates professional proposals with markup, overhead, and profit built in.

The difference is depth. Joist is a digital version of writing line items on paper. FieldRate is a deck estimating engine that does the material math for you.

Feature Comparison

Estimating Process

Joist: Add line items manually. Type "Trex Transcend decking - 320 sq ft" and enter a price. Type "2×10 joists" and enter a price. Every item is manual entry. You need to know the quantities before you open the app.

FieldRate: Enter deck dimensions (16×20), select material (Trex Transcend), add options (stairs, railing). FieldRate calculates: 44 rows of decking, 16 joists at 16" OC, 288 hidden clips, 6 footings, 56 LF of railing with posts and balusters. Total price in 5 minutes.

Winner: FieldRate. Auto-calculation eliminates the most time-consuming part of estimating.

Material Databases

Joist: No built-in material databases. You create your own item list with prices. This means looking up prices from your supplier and manually entering them. If Trex raises prices, you need to update every item.

FieldRate: Built-in databases for Trex (Enhance, Select, Transcend), TimberTech, AZEK, and pressure-treated lumber. Railing systems, fasteners, and hardware included. Update once, every estimate uses current pricing.

Winner: FieldRate.

Invoicing and Payments

Joist: This is Joist's strength beyond basic estimating. Convert estimates to invoices, accept online payments, track payment status. Simple and functional.

FieldRate: No invoicing or payment processing. FieldRate focuses on estimating. Pair with QuickBooks or a tool like Jobber for invoicing.

Winner: Joist for invoicing.

Professional Output

Joist: Basic but clean estimates and invoices. Good enough for a small operation but nothing that wows a homeowner.

FieldRate: Professional branded proposals with detailed material breakdowns. Show on iPad during the visit, email polished PDFs instantly. Designed to impress homeowners and build trust.

Winner: FieldRate for proposal quality.

Price

Joist: Free tier available. Pro plans ~$17-$25/month. Hard to beat free.

FieldRate: $49/month. More expensive on paper, but the time savings and accuracy gains have clear ROI.

Winner: Joist on sticker price. See our analysis of free vs paid deck estimating tools for the true cost comparison.

Comparison Table

Feature	Joist	FieldRate
Monthly cost	Free-$25	$49
Estimating type	Manual line items	Auto-calculated from dimensions
Deck templates	No	Yes (pre-built)
Material databases	No	Trex, TimberTech, AZEK, PT
Material auto-calculation	No	Yes
Waste factors	Manual	Built-in
Invoicing	Yes	No
Payment processing	Yes	No
iPad-optimized	Basic	Yes (built for iPad)
On-site quoting speed	15-25 min	5-10 min
Professional proposals	Basic	Branded, detailed

When to Upgrade from Joist to FieldRate

You've outgrown Joist when:

• You're doing 5+ deck estimates per month — Manual line items become a bottleneck
• You're losing bids to faster competitors — 15-25 minutes vs 5 minutes matters
• You're making material calculation errors — Forgetting items, wrong quantities, outdated prices
• You want to quote on-site — Joist's manual process is too slow for kitchen-table quoting
• You want to present good/better/best options — Creating three estimates manually takes 3× the time

Who Should Use Which?

Stay with Joist if:

• You're just starting out and doing fewer than 5 estimates/month
• Budget is extremely tight (free is hard to beat)
• You need basic invoicing more than detailed estimating
• Decks are a small part of a general handyman business

Switch to FieldRate if:

• Decks are your primary trade
• You do 5+ estimates per month
• You want to quote on-site from an iPad
• Accurate material takeoffs matter to your profitability
• You're ready to invest $49/month to save 15+ hours/month

For a complete overview of options, see our best deck estimating software ranking. For tips on the estimating process itself, we also compare FieldRate to the spreadsheet approach.

FAQ

Is Joist really free? Joist offers a free tier with basic estimating and invoicing. Pro features (custom branding, payment processing, etc.) require a paid plan at ~$17-$25/month.

Can Joist calculate deck materials automatically? No. Joist is a line-item entry tool. You need to know how many boards, joists, and fasteners you need before entering them. The material calculation happens in your head, on paper, or in another tool.

Is FieldRate worth $49/month if I already use Joist? If you do 5+ deck estimates per month, yes. FieldRate saves 10-20 minutes per estimate through auto-calculation and templates. At 10 estimates/month, that's 2-3 hours saved—worth far more than $49.

Can I use Joist for invoicing and FieldRate for estimating? Yes, and many contractors do exactly this. Use FieldRate to generate the accurate estimate, then create the invoice in Joist (or QuickBooks) when the job is won.

What happened to Joist after GoDaddy acquired it? GoDaddy acquired Joist in 2021. Development has continued but the future direction is unclear. Some contractors are looking for alternatives in case the product changes significantly.

Ready to graduate from basic estimates? Try FieldRate free for 30 days—deck-specific templates, accurate material takeoffs, and professional proposals in 5 minutes.