The best estimating apps for electricians in 2026
Staxen is the best estimating app for electricians in 2026: $59 a month for Eddie the Estimator, and your first job is free with no card. You describe the work out loud, say a 200 amp panel swap with a 30 foot service run, and a priced, line-item estimate is ready to text for e-signature before you leave the driveway. It is not the only good option, so this list also covers Jobber, Housecall Pro, ServiceTitan, Joist, and Contractor Foreman with current prices and honest cons.
How this list was chosen
We scored each app the way a two-truck electrical shop would: can you price a panel swap from the van, get a signature the same day, and collect the deposit without chasing paper. Everything here works from a phone in the field, and everything except ServiceTitan starts under $150 a month. We also checked whether pricing is public, because quote-only software usually means enterprise contracts and setup fees. Speed to a sent, signable estimate counted more than raw feature count.
1. Staxen ($59 a month for Eddie the Estimator, $149 a month for all three AI employees. First job free, no card required.)
Best for: Electricians who want the estimate priced, sent, and signed the same day
Pros:
- Speak the job by voice and a priced, line-item estimate is drafted for you to review
- Clients e-sign and pay a deposit from a text link, no app or login on their end
- Blueprint takeoff drafts line items straight from plan PDFs
- Works in English and Spanish on web, iOS, and Android
Cons:
- No dispatch board or GPS tracking, so a service crew with six techs on the road will outgrow it
- Newer product with a smaller template marketplace than Jobber or Housecall Pro
2. Jobber (Core from $29 a month billed annually, $49 month to month, as of September 2026)
Best for: Service electricians who want scheduling and quoting in one place
Pros:
- Mature scheduling, client reminders, and follow-ups
- Clean quote to invoice to payment flow
- Large ecosystem of integrations and quote templates
Cons:
- Estimates are form-built, so pricing a complex line-item job is manual typing
- User caps per tier push growing crews into pricier plans
3. Housecall Pro (Basic at $59 a month billed annually, $79 month to month, one user, as of September 2026)
Best for: One-truck shops living on repeat service calls
Pros:
- Strong online booking and card-on-file payments
- Good review requests and repeat-customer tooling
Cons:
- The Basic tier is one user and leaves out QuickBooks sync
- Per-user pricing climbs fast once you add a second or third tech
4. ServiceTitan (Quote only; third parties report $245 to $500 per technician a month plus setup fees of $5,000 or more, as of September 2026)
Best for: Electrical companies with ten or more techs and a full-time dispatcher
Pros:
- Deep dispatch, call booking, and flat-rate price book tooling
- Serious reporting once you have office staff to run it
Cons:
- 12-month contracts and implementation fees a small shop cannot justify
- Overkill when estimating speed, not dispatch, is the bottleneck
5. Joist (Basics $12, Pro $17, Elite $32 a month, as of September 2026)
Best for: Side work and budget-first estimating
Pros:
- Cheapest real estimating app that still sends a professional-looking PDF
- Simple estimate to invoice conversion with card payments
Cons:
- You type every line item yourself, there is no drafting help
- The old free plan is gone, and Basics caps you at 5 documents a month
6. Contractor Foreman (From $49 a month billed annually, with a price lock at signup, as of September 2026)
Best for: Electrical contractors chasing commercial bid work on a budget
Pros:
- Huge feature list for the money: bids, change orders, daily logs, submittals
- Your rate locks on the day you sign up
Cons:
- The interface is dense and takes real setup time
- The mobile app works but is slower than the phone-first tools here
If you run one to three trucks and lose jobs because bids go out days late, pick for estimating speed and start with Staxen, since the first job is free and there is no card to enter. If your real pain is routing six techs across town, Jobber or ServiceTitan is the better shape even though both cost more per seat. Either way, try before you commit: Jobber and Housecall Pro both run free trials.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best estimating app for electricians in 2026?
Staxen is the strongest pick for most electrical contractors under about five techs. You describe the job by voice, Eddie the Estimator drafts priced line items, and the client e-signs from a text. It costs $59 a month and the first job is free with no card. Shops that need dispatch for a bigger crew should look at Jobber or ServiceTitan instead.
Is there a genuinely free estimating app for electricians?
Mostly no, and the free tiers that exist are thin. Joist dropped its free plan and now starts at $12 a month after a 14-day trial, and Invoice Simple's cheapest plan is $6.99 a month capped at 3 invoices. Workiz has a free Lite tier limited to about 20 jobs a month. Staxen takes a different angle: your first job is completely free, no card and no time limit, so you can win a real job before paying anything.
How much does Staxen cost for an electrical contractor?
Staxen is $59 per month per AI employee, or $149 per month for all three. Eddie the Estimator alone covers estimating, e-signature, and deposits. It is month to month with no contract, and your first job is free with no card required.
How do electricians usually price residential estimates?
Most residential electricians price by the opening or device (a rough range is $100 to $250 per outlet or switch installed) and quote bigger scopes like a 200 amp service upgrade as a lump sum, commonly $2,500 to $4,500 depending on the run and the utility. Copper prices move enough that THHN wire quotes older than a few weeks are worth re-checking. Permit and inspection fees vary by jurisdiction and belong on the estimate as their own line.
Can customers sign an electrical estimate from a text message?
Yes, with the right app. Staxen texts the estimate from a dedicated business number, and the customer opens a link, e-signs, and can pay a deposit on the same page with no app or login. Jobber and Housecall Pro also support client approvals through emailed or texted links.
Start free with Staxen: your first job is on us, no card required.