Aggregated from Reddit threads, contractor forums, review sites, and public user reports. Not vendor-provided. Real numbers from real users. Updated June 2026.
Why this page exists: Software vendors advertise low starting prices. Users on Reddit, forums, and review sites consistently report paying far more. This page aggregates what real contractors say they actually pay, not what the pricing page says. Every figure below is sourced from a public user report.
| Software | Advertised Starting Price | User-Reported Range (1-5 users) | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| ServiceM8 | $9/mo | $9-45/mo | 1-5x |
| Jobber | $39/mo | $39-250/mo | 1-6x |
| Housecall Pro | $49/mo | $50-350/mo | 1-7x |
| Workiz | $65/mo | $130-400/mo | 2-6x |
| ServiceTitan | ~$200/tech | $800-2,000+/mo | 4-10x |
$50-180/month (single user), $180-350/month (multi-tech)
Multiple Reddit users in r/HVAC and r/Contractor report paying $50/month per license as the base rate. One HVAC contractor reported $180/month "all in" for a single-user setup with add-ons. A pressure washing business on r/WhichCRM reported $328/month for their multi-person shop. The advertised $49/month typically covers one user with no add-ons.
Biggest gap driver: GPS tracking add-on ($15-45/user/month) and payment processing fees (2.9% + $0.30/transaction).
Sources: r/HVAC, r/Contractor, r/WhichCRM, r/PressureWashingGrowth. Multiple threads from 2024-2026.
$39-250/month (1-5 users)
Jobber's $39/month Connect plan is the most commonly reported starting point. Users report the price scales quickly with additional users. A handyman on r/handyman reported the price "keeps going up" with recent increases making it harder to justify. For a 5-person shop with add-ons, users report $150-250/month total.
Biggest gap driver: Per-user pricing on higher tiers and QuickBooks sync ($10-30/month).
Sources: r/handyman, r/Contractor, r/smallbusiness. Multiple threads from 2025-2026.
$800-2,000+/month
The most expensive option by far. One HVAC contractor with 4 techs on r/HVAC reported "about $1,000/month." Other users describe pricing as "call them and find out" because ServiceTitan requires a custom quote. The $200/tech advertised figure does not include onboarding ($1,000-3,000 one-time), add-ons, or minimum commitments.
Biggest gap driver: Custom pricing, mandatory onboarding fees, per-tech pricing that multiplies fast.
Sources: r/HVAC, r/ProHVACR, r/Contractor. Multiple threads from 2024-2026.
$130-400/month
Workiz enforces a 2-user minimum at $65/user, making the effective starting price $130/month. Users report that the built-in phone system is the main value add, but per-user pricing and add-ons push the total to $200-400/month for small teams.
Biggest gap driver: Mandatory 2-user minimum, phone system add-on pricing.
Sources: r/smallbusiness, contractor forums, review site comments. 2025-2026.
| Software | Advertised Starting Price | User-Reported Range | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buildium | $55/mo | $150-300/mo | 3-5x |
| AppFolio | $280/mo min | $350-600+/mo | 1.3-2x |
| TenantCloud | $15/mo | $15-50/mo | 1-3x |
$150-300/month for most small landlords
The $55/month Essential plan is limited. Most users upgrade to Growth ($174/month) or Premium ($375/month) for features like tenant screening, online payments, and maintenance tracking. A landlord on r/realestateinvesting reported paying ~$200/month for 50 units after add-ons.
Sources: r/realestateinvesting, r/PropertyManagement, review sites. 2025-2026.
$350-600+/month for 200+ unit portfolios
AppFolio's $1.40/unit pricing with a 200-unit minimum means the floor is $280/month. Users with larger portfolios report paying $500-1,000+/month. The platform is designed for professional property managers, not DIY landlords.
Sources: r/PropertyManagement, NARPM forums, review sites. 2025-2026.
| Software | Advertised Starting Price | User-Reported Range | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| FreshBooks | $17/mo | $30-55/mo | 2-3x |
| QuickBooks Online | $30/mo | $55-90/mo | 2-3x |
| Invoice Simple | Free | $6-20/mo | — |
User reports were collected from public Reddit threads (r/HVAC, r/Contractor, r/ProHVACR, r/smallbusiness, r/realestateinvesting, r/PropertyManagement, r/handyman, r/WhichCRM, r/PressureWashingGrowth), contractor forums, and software review sites (G2, Capterra, Trustpilot). Only reports from 2024-2026 were included. Reports that appeared to be vendor employees or promotional were excluded. This is not a scientific survey. It is an aggregation of what real users voluntarily reported in public forums.
See our vendor pricing research for the advertised side: State of Service Software Pricing 2026 — 10 tools compared with real pricing tables, hidden costs breakdown, and year-one cost calculator.