Not every shop has the budget for ServiceTitan. Most don’t, honestly. If you’re a 1-5 person operation and $100/month is your ceiling for software, here’s what’s worth your money.
The Under-$100 Lineup
Jobber Core — $39/month
The best value in the industry. Period.
For thirty-nine bucks a month you get scheduling, customer management, estimates, invoicing, and a client portal. On your phone. That’s everything a solo tech needs to run a legitimate business.
The limitation: one user. But for a solo operator, that’s fine. You’re the tech, the dispatcher, the bookkeeper, and the boss. One login covers all of it.
What $39 gets you:
- Schedule jobs and see your day
- Create professional estimates
- Invoice customers and collect card payments
- Customer database with notes and history
- Job forms for documentation
- Basic email marketing
I’ve talked to solo HVAC techs who went from notebook-and-phone to Jobber Core and saw their monthly revenue increase 15-20% just from faster invoicing and fewer missed appointments. At $39/month, that ROI is absurd.
Housecall Pro Basic — $49/month
Best for solo techs who want online booking
Ten bucks more than Jobber Core, and you get the online booking widget. If getting customers to book through your website matters to you (it should), that extra $10/month is worth it.
What $49 gets you:
- Everything in Jobber Core, essentially
- Online booking for your website
- Automated review requests
- On-my-way texts with tech photo
- Cleaner customer communication
Jobber Connect — $119/month (slightly over budget, but worth mentioning)
For 2-5 person crews
If you have even one employee, you need multi-user access. Jobber Connect supports up to 5 users for $119/month — that’s $24 per user. You get QuickBooks sync, GPS tracking, and automated follow-ups added to the Core features.
Yes, it’s over $100. But for a 3-person crew, it’s $40 per person per month. Find me a better deal at that per-user cost. You can’t.
What About Actually-Free Options?
People ask about free HVAC software. Here’s the reality:
Google Workspace (Free): Google Calendar + Google Contacts + Google Sheets. You can technically run a business on this. Schedule in Calendar, track customers in Contacts, invoice with Sheets. It’s free. But there’s no automation, no professional invoicing, no payment processing, no GPS tracking. You’ll spend hours on manual work that $39/month software does automatically.
Wave (Free invoicing): Wave offers free invoicing and accounting. It’s actually decent for invoicing. But it doesn’t do scheduling, dispatch, or job management. So you’d need it alongside something else.
Square Appointments (Free for solo): Free appointment scheduling with a booking page. Decent for solo operators who just need scheduling. But it’s built for salons and coaches, not field service. No job management, no customer history per property.
The verdict: Free tools work for the first few months when you’re side-hustling. The moment this is your full-time income, invest the $39-$49/month. The time savings alone pay for it in the first week.
The Budget Stack: Building a System Under $100
If you want the most capability for under $100/month, here’s what I’d build:
Core system: Jobber Core ($39/month)
- Scheduling, CRM, estimates, invoicing
Accounting: Wave (Free)
- Bookkeeping, financial reports, tax prep
Reviews: Manually ask for Google reviews (Free)
- Until you can afford automated review tools
Marketing: Google Business Profile (Free)
- Your most important online presence, costs nothing
Total: $39/month
This gives you a professional, functional business system that handles 90% of what you need. As you grow, upgrade to Jobber Connect ($119) or Housecall Pro Essentials ($129) for multi-user access and QuickBooks integration.
Comparison Table: Under $100 Options
| Feature | Jobber Core ($39) | HCP Basic ($49) | Square Appointments (Free) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduling | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ (basic) |
| Invoicing | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Customer CRM | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ (limited) |
| Mobile App | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Online Booking | ⚠️ (via client hub) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Card Payments | ✅ (2.9%) | ✅ (2.9%) | ✅ (2.6%) |
| Estimates | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| GPS Tracking | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| QuickBooks Sync | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Multi-User | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Review Requests | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
Real Talk: $39/Month vs. No Software
Let me make the case with numbers a solo HVAC tech can relate to.
Without software (typical month):
- 2 missed appointments because you forgot to confirm: -$600 in lost revenue
- 1 estimate you forgot to follow up on: -$1,200 in lost work
- Average 25-day payment collection: ~$4,000 tied up in receivables
- 4 hours/week on manual invoicing and scheduling: 16 hours/month of unbillable time
- No Google reviews because you never ask: unknown but significant lost future business
With $39/month Jobber:
- Automated confirmations: 0 missed appointments
- Quote follow-up reminders: 0 forgotten estimates
- Same-day payment: $0 in receivables from current work
- 1 hour/week on admin instead of 4: 12 hours/month reclaimed
- Professional presentation: customers take you seriously
Conservative estimate: $39/month in software generates $2,000+/month in recovered revenue and saved time. That’s a 50:1 return.
Stop Being Cheap About the Wrong Things
I say this with love: some contractors will spend $60,000 on a van, $15,000 on tools, and $3,000 on a gauges and recovery machine — then balk at $39/month for business software. If you’re exploring this area, our HVAC Software Cost Breakdown guide covers it in detail.
Your tools help you do the work. Your software helps you get the work, manage the work, and get paid for the work. Both are essential. And the software costs less per month than your daily coffee habit.
Pick Jobber Core or Housecall Pro Basic. Set it up tonight. Start using it tomorrow. Thank me next month when your invoices are going out same-day and your schedule is organized for the first time ever.