Housecall Pro vs Jobber: Which Is Right for Your Service Business? (2025)

You're comparing Housecall Pro and Jobber. Smart move - they're two of the biggest names in field service software, and picking the wrong one means months of headaches, data migration nightmares, and money down the drain.

Here's the thing: both are legitimately good platforms. This isn't a situation where one is clearly superior. It's about which one fits your business better.

We'll break down the real differences - not the marketing fluff - so you can make an informed decision. And yes, we'll mention where our own product (WorkZen) might be worth considering too. We're biased, but we'll be upfront about it.

The Quick Verdict

Choose Jobber if:

• You're in Canada (better local support and payment options)
• You want simpler, cleaner workflows
• QuickBooks Desktop integration matters
• You prefer straightforward pricing

Choose Housecall Pro if:

• Marketing automation is a priority
• You want built-in postcard campaigns and review management
• You're US-based and want same-day payment deposits
• Consumer financing options matter to your clients

Consider WorkZen if:

• Budget is tight (free plan available)
• You want AI-powered call handling
• You're Canadian and want local-first software
• You don't want to pay for features you won't use

Head-to-Head Comparison

Pricing: The Real Numbers

Both companies love to advertise their starting prices, but let's talk about what you'll actually pay.

Housecall Pro Pricing

The catch: Basic plan is genuinely basic. No QuickBooks integration, no online booking, limited reporting. Most businesses end up on Essentials or higher.

Additional costs:

• Extra users: $35/month each (Essentials), $35/month each (MAX)
• Instapay (same-day deposits): Small fee per transaction
• Phone features: Separate pricing

Jobber Pricing

The catch: The jump from Connect to Grow is steep ($120/month difference). If you have 6-15 users, you're forced into the top tier.

Additional costs:

• Extra users beyond plan limits
• GPS tracking (via third-party integration)
• Payment processing fees

The Real Comparison

For a 5-person team:

• Housecall Pro Essentials: $129 + (4 extra users × $35) = $269/month
• Jobber Connect: $129 (includes up to 5 users) = $129/month

Jobber wins on pure pricing for small teams. But if marketing automation matters, Housecall Pro's included features might justify the premium.

Feature Deep Dive

Scheduling & Dispatching

Housecall Pro: Clean drag-and-drop calendar with color-coded job statuses. Their dispatch board gives you a quick view of who's where and what's next. The recent updates have made the interface more intuitive.

Jobber: Arguably the cleaner interface for scheduling. The calendar view is straightforward, and recurring job scheduling is particularly well-implemented. Route optimization is available but basic.

Winner: Tie - both handle scheduling well. Jobber edges ahead for recurring jobs; Housecall Pro for visual dispatch boards.

Invoicing & Payments

Housecall Pro: Strong invoicing with Instapay for same-day deposits (small fee applies). Their integration with Wisetack lets you offer financing to clients - helpful for big-ticket jobs like HVAC replacements.

Jobber: Solid invoicing with batch invoice creation. Payment processing through Jobber Payments. No same-day deposit option, but competitive processing rates.

Winner: Housecall Pro - Instapay is a genuine differentiator if cash flow matters to you.

Estimates & Proposals

Housecall Pro: Good and bad option estimates. The MAX plan adds proposal templates with images and multiple options. Integration with price books works smoothly.

Jobber: Clean estimate creation with the ability to convert to jobs with one click. The estimate follow-up automation on higher tiers is helpful for closing more jobs.

Winner: Jobber for simplicity, Housecall Pro for fancy proposals.

Marketing Tools

This is where the two platforms diverge significantly.

Housecall Pro: This is their specialty. Built-in postcard campaigns (yes, physical mail), automated review requests, "Comeback Campaign" for re-engaging past clients, and email marketing. If marketing is a weak point in your business, these tools can be valuable.

Jobber: Basic automated review requests. That's about it. They focus on operations, not marketing.

Winner: Housecall Pro by a mile. If marketing automation matters, this is the deciding factor.

Mobile App

Housecall Pro: Polished app with strong payment collection features. Technicians can capture photos, collect signatures, and process payments easily. Some users report occasional sync delays.

Jobber: Reliable workhorse of an app. Good offline functionality for those jobs in basements with no signal. The interface is clean and fast.

Winner: Tie - both are solid. Housecall Pro for payment features, Jobber for offline reliability.

Integrations

Housecall Pro: QuickBooks Online, Google Local Services, Mailchimp, Zapier, and various marketing tools. No QuickBooks Desktop.

Jobber: QuickBooks Online AND Desktop, Xero, Stripe, Zapier, and others. Broader accounting integrations.

Winner: Jobber - the QuickBooks Desktop support alone wins this for many businesses.

Who Uses What?

Housecall Pro is popular with:

• HVAC companies wanting marketing help
• Cleaning services focused on repeat clients
• Plumbers and electricians in competitive urban markets
• Businesses that want to generate more Google reviews

Jobber is popular with:

• Canadian service businesses (strong local presence)
• Landscaping and lawn care companies
• Pool service companies
• Businesses that value simple, reliable workflows

The Downsides Nobody Talks About

Housecall Pro's Issues:

• Price creep - Long-time users complain about steady price increases
• Feature gating - Important features locked behind higher tiers
• Customer support variability - Quality depends on who you get
• Complexity - More features means more to learn and manage

Jobber's Issues:

• Limited marketing tools - If you need help generating leads, look elsewhere
• Pricing tier jumps - The jump from Connect to Grow is brutal
• US features lag - Canadian company means US payment features sometimes arrive late
• Basic reporting - You'll want better analytics as you grow

What About WorkZen?

We'd be doing you a disservice if we didn't mention the third option: starting with something free while you figure out what you actually need.

WorkZen offers a free-forever plan with:

• Scheduling and dispatching
• Professional invoicing
• Client management
• Lead collection tools
• Mobile app

No 14-day trial that pressures you into a decision. Actually free.

When you're ready to grow, paid plans add:

• AI Receptionist (answers calls 24/7, books appointments)
• Advanced automation
• GPS fleet tracking
• Priority support

Starting price: Free (seriously) Paid plans: From $65/month

It's newer than Housecall Pro and Jobber, which means fewer integrations but also means it's built on modern technology without legacy baggage.

Try WorkZen Free →

Making Your Decision

Here's a simple framework:

Choose Housecall Pro if:

1. Marketing and client re-engagement are priorities
2. You want same-day payment deposits
3. You're willing to pay more for built-in marketing automation
4. You're primarily US-based

Choose Jobber if:

1. You value simplicity and clean workflows
2. You need QuickBooks Desktop integration
3. You're Canadian or want strong Canadian support
4. You have a team of 2-5 and want predictable pricing

Choose WorkZen if:

1. You want to start free and upgrade when ready
2. AI-powered call handling interests you
3. You're budget-conscious but don't want to sacrifice features
4. You prefer Canadian-built software with local support

The Bottom Line

Housecall Pro and Jobber are both solid choices - you won't go catastrophically wrong with either. The decision comes down to:

Marketing vs. Operations. Housecall Pro helps you get more clients through marketing tools. Jobber helps you serve clients efficiently with clean workflows. Which is your bigger pain point?

Budget. For small teams, Jobber's pricing is more straightforward. For larger teams investing in growth, Housecall Pro's marketing ROI might justify the premium.

Location. Canadians generally prefer Jobber. Americans generally prefer Housecall Pro. It's not just patriotism - payment options, support hours, and feature availability vary by market.

Our suggestion? Take advantage of both free trials. Actually use them for real work, not just clicking around. You'll know within a week which interface feels right.

And if you want to start with something free while you figure things out, we've got you covered.

Try WorkZen Free - No Credit Card Required →

WorkZen is field service management software built for trades that want to grow without the growing pains. Start free, scale when ready.