Crew Rivet vs Joist: the upgrade path when you become a crew
Joist is a low-cost estimating and invoicing app that's great for a solo contractor. Crew Rivet is a full platform — scheduling, dispatch, a customer portal, and an AI receptionist — for when you grow into a crew, with a flat $129/mo Crew plan for up to 5 users.
How the plans are structured
| Feature | Crew Rivet | Joist |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Full field-service platform | Estimate & invoice app |
| Entry plan | $49/mo (Solo, 1 user) | ~$10/mo (Basics) |
| Top plan | $249/mo (Boss) | ~$32/mo (Elite) |
| Scheduling & dispatch | Included | Not the focus |
| AI receptionist | Included (Crew plan) | Not advertised |
| Free trial | 60 days | 14 days |
Competitor pricing and features are approximate, based on Joist's public pricing and product pages , last verified August 2026. Plans and features change — check the source for current details.
Why contractors pick Crew Rivet
A full platform, not just quoting & invoicing
Joist is built around estimates, invoices, and payments — a great, inexpensive fit for a solo op. Crew Rivet adds scheduling, dispatch, a customer portal, and an AI receptionist, so it's the platform to grow into when you add a crew.
AI receptionist and bilingual EN/ES
As of July 2026, Joist does not advertise an AI phone receptionist. Crew Rivet includes one on the Crew plan — it answers calls 24/7, books jobs, and speaks English and Spanish — plus 29 trade-specific bilingual experiences.
60-day free trial
Joist gives you 14 days; Crew Rivet gives you 60 — no credit card required. Enough time to run real jobs, schedules, invoices, and payments before you commit.
When Joist is the better choice
Choose Joist if you are a solo contractor who only needs estimates, invoices, and payments, and you want the lowest possible monthly cost without scheduling, dispatch, or a receptionist.
Common questions
Is Crew Rivet more expensive than Joist?
Yes — Joist is a low-cost estimate-and-invoice app at roughly $10/mo (Basics) to $32/mo (Elite), while Crew Rivet starts at $49/mo (Solo) and is $129/mo for up to 5 users on the Crew plan. The difference is scope: Crew Rivet is a full platform with scheduling, dispatch, a customer portal, and an AI receptionist, not just quoting and invoicing.
What does Crew Rivet do that Joist does not?
Joist focuses on estimates, invoices, and payments. Crew Rivet adds scheduling and dispatch, a customer portal, 29 trade-specific bilingual experiences, and an AI receptionist on the Crew plan — the tools you need once a solo op grows into a crew.
When should I move from Joist to Crew Rivet?
Joist is a great fit while you're solo and mostly need to quote and invoice. Crew Rivet is the upgrade path once you're scheduling a team, dispatching jobs, and want an AI receptionist answering the phone — you can try it free for 60 days with no credit card.
One platform. Every size. No per-seat penalty.
Add crews, dispatchers, and office staff without adding to your bill. Every plan includes a 60-day free trial. No credit card required. Cancel anytime.
Solo
Start solo today — upgrade when you bring on crew
- Unlimited contacts
- Invoicing + auto-reminders
- Good/Better/Best quoting
- Recurring invoices
- QuickQuote (voice-to-estimate)
- Review Machine (autopilot reviews)
- Lead Catcher (missed call auto-text)
- Online booking + customer portal
- Schedule + dispatch
- Basic reports (revenue, jobs)
- Custom branding (logo, colors)
- Autopilot mode
- Milestone invoicing
- Job stage tracking
- Professional proposals
- 1 user
Crew
Built for growing teams
- Everything in Solo, plus:
- AI Voice Receptionist (included free)
- Up to 5 team members
- Payment plans
- Full reports (P&L, cash flow, tax)
- Receipt OCR (photo → expense)
- Route optimization
- Time tracking + GPS
- Job costing & profitability
- AI Photo-to-Quote
- Profitability scoring
- Tax intelligence (Schedule C)
- Neighborhood marketing
- Deposit collection
- Profit margin alerts
- AI review reply drafts
Boss
Unlimited scale + integrations
- Everything in Crew, plus:
- Unlimited team members
- AI revenue forecasting
- Team leaderboards & gamification
- White-label (your brand only)
- QuickBooks / Xero sync
- Google Calendar sync
- Zapier & Make (via webhooks)
- Priority support
Grow your team, not your bill.
Per-seat tools charge for every login. CrewRivet doesn't — Boss includes unlimited team members at one flat price. The math on the pricing model:
- 60-day free trial
- No credit card
- Cancel anytime
- No contracts
- Your data stays yours
Does "unlimited team members" really mean no per-user fees, ever?
Yes — on Boss, add your whole crew, office staff, and seasonal hires at no extra cost.
What happens after the 60-day trial if I don't pick a plan?
Nothing's charged — there's no card on file. You pick a plan when you're ready.
Can I cancel anytime? Any contract?
No contracts — cancel anytime, and your data is yours to export.
Which plans include the AI receptionist?
Crew and Boss — included free, not a paid add-on.
Is there a setup or onboarding fee?
No setup fee — you're up and running in a day.
Ready to grow from solo to a crew?
Start your 60-day free trial. No credit card, no contracts, cancel anytime.
Start Your Free Trial