BidCraft vs Joist
Which is better, BidCraft or Joist?
Choose Joist if you want the best-known mobile estimating app with clean branded documents and broad platform support; choose BidCraft if you work on an iPhone and want estimates built from rooms, measurements, labor and materials with simple invoice tracking. Reviewers praise Joist for working on job sites with quick setup, but report a document limit on the basic tier, features locked to higher tiers and unsaved estimates lost when switching apps. BidCraft builds detailed estimates with quantities, taxes and discounts, reuses templates for similar jobs, creates invoice PDFs with payment status and due dates, and exports CSV. BidCraft stores work on the device, so you need your own backups. Premium is $9.99 monthly, $29.99 yearly or $249.99 lifetime (US App Store, Nov 2026).
BidCraft and Joist side by side
| BidCraft | Joist | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iOS | iOS, Android |
| Price to download | Free to download | Free to download |
| Store rating | n/a | 4.7 (14,471 ratings, 2026-11-02) |
| Estimate detail | Rooms, measurements, labor, materials, quantities, taxes, discounts | Clean, branded estimates built on the job site [source] |
| Invoice tracking | Invoice PDFs, payment status, due dates, outstanding work | Invoices included; reviewers mention no automatic invoice numbering [source] |
| Free tier | Free download; Premium subscription or lifetime purchase | Basic tier limited to a set number of documents per month, per reviewers [source] |
| Pricing history | Monthly $9.99, Yearly $29.99, Lifetime $249.99 (US App Store, Nov 2026) | Was free, then moved to a monthly charge, per InvoiceOwl [source] |
| Data storage | Stored locally on the device; CSV and PDF export | See the developer's site |
Choose BidCraft if
- You want measurements and room-by-room detail in every estimate
- You want a lifetime purchase option instead of only a subscription
- You prefer your records stored on your own device with CSV export
Choose Joist if
- You want a well-known app with polished branded documents
- You need Android or a small team on the same account
- You want cloud-hosted records rather than files you back up yourself
Questions
Is BidCraft cheaper than Joist?
BidCraft Premium is $9.99 monthly, $29.99 yearly or $249.99 lifetime (US App Store, Nov 2026). Joist's pricing is shown on its own site; reviewers note its basic tier limits documents per month.
Does BidCraft work on Android like Joist?
No. BidCraft is iPhone only.
Can I export my BidCraft data?
Yes. BidCraft shares PDF documents and exports records as CSV files.
Sources: getonecrew.com, invoiceowl.com, dupple.com, apps.apple.com