Finding the Right Dispatch Software When You're Running a Small Crew
If you're managing a team of five or fewer techs, you already know the problem: most dispatch software is built for companies with 50+ trucks. The pricing reflects that. The feature set reflects that. And the onboarding process — sometimes requiring weeks of implementation and thousands upfront — definitely reflects that.
But you still need to get the right tech to the right job at the right time. You need to know where your crew is, whether the work got done, and when to send the invoice. You just don't need to spend $1,000+ a month to do it.
We looked at the five most relevant dispatch platforms for small contracting teams in 2026 and compared them on price, features, and how well they actually serve a crew of five.
What to Look For in Dispatch Software
Before diving into the comparison, here's what actually matters when you're running a small operation:
- Predictable pricing — Per-user fees add up fast. A platform that costs "$49/month" but charges $35 per tech means you're really paying $224/month for a five-person team.
- A mobile app that works in the field — Your techs are in basements, crawl spaces, and rural areas. If the app doesn't work offline, it doesn't work.
- Drag-and-drop scheduling — You need to see your day at a glance and move jobs around quickly when things change.
- Job documentation — Photos, GPS check-ins, and customer signatures protect you and build trust.
- Invoicing — The fewer tools you have to juggle, the better.
- A trial long enough to actually test it — Seven days isn't enough to run a real workflow through any tool.
Dispatch Software Comparison: 5-Person Team Pricing
| Platform | Monthly Cost (5 techs) | Free Trial | Offline Mobile | Drag-and-Drop Dispatch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DispatchCore | $79 flat | 30 days | Yes (full) | Yes (day + week) |
| Housecall Pro | $149–189 + $35/user | 14 days | Limited | Yes |
| Jobber | $169–239 + $29/user | 14 days | Limited | Yes |
| Workiz | $225 | 7 days | No | Yes |
| ServiceTitan | ~$1,250+ | None | Limited | Yes |
Prices reflect published rates as of early 2026. ServiceTitan pricing is quote-based and varies significantly.
Individual Reviews
DispatchCore — Best Value for Small Teams
DispatchCore was built specifically for small contracting crews, and the pricing shows it: $79/month flat, unlimited users. No per-tech fees, no surprise add-ons for GPS. The dispatch board supports both day and week views with drag-and-drop scheduling, and the mobile app is fully offline-first — techs can view job details, update statuses, take photos, and capture signatures even without cell service. Everything syncs when they're back online.
The platform includes GPS check-ins on every status change, before/during/after photo documentation, multi-tech job assignment, and built-in invoicing. The 30-day free trial is the longest we've seen in this category, giving you enough time to run real jobs through it.
The honest trade-offs: DispatchCore is a newer product currently in beta, so it doesn't have the review history of established players. There's no QuickBooks integration yet (it's on their roadmap), no customer-facing portal or online booking, and no estimates or quoting feature. If you need AI-powered call answering or smart dispatch routing, you won't find it here. But if you need solid, reliable dispatch and job tracking at a price that makes sense for a small crew, it's hard to beat.
Housecall Pro — Feature-Rich but Costs Add Up
Housecall Pro is one of the most well-known names in the space, and for good reason. It offers a strong feature set including online booking, estimates, a customer portal, and QuickBooks integration. The dispatch board is solid, and the mobile app covers the basics well.
The challenge for small teams is pricing. The Essentials plan starts at $149–189/month, but each additional user costs $35. For a five-person team, you're looking at roughly $289–329/month — and if you want GPS tracking, that's an additional $20 per vehicle per month. The 14-day trial is adequate but can feel rushed if you're trying to test it alongside running your actual business.
Housecall Pro is a good platform, but the per-user model means small teams subsidize a pricing structure designed for larger operations.
Jobber — Polished Experience, Similar Pricing Problem
Jobber consistently earns high marks for user experience. The interface is clean, the onboarding is smooth, and features like client hub, quoting, and automated follow-ups are genuinely useful. It integrates well with QuickBooks and offers a solid mobile experience.
Pricing follows the same per-user pattern: the Connect Teams plan runs $169–239/month with an additional $29 per user. For a five-person crew, expect to pay in the $285–384/month range. The mobile app handles core tasks well but has limited offline functionality — a real concern if your techs work in areas with spotty service.
If budget isn't your primary concern and you value a polished interface with strong integrations, Jobber is worth a look. But for cost-conscious small teams, the math doesn't always work out.
Workiz — Mid-Range with a Useful Free Tier
Workiz offers something the others don't: a free Lite plan for up to 2 users and 20 jobs per month. If you're a solo operator or two-person crew just getting started, this can be a genuine way to test the waters with dispatch software before committing any budget.
The Standard plan at $225/month includes more robust features, and the pricing is at least straightforward — no per-user add-ons at that tier. Workiz has been investing in AI features like automated call handling, which could be appealing if you miss calls regularly. However, the mobile app requires an internet connection, which is a significant limitation for field work. The 7-day trial on paid plans is the shortest in this comparison.
ServiceTitan — Enterprise Power, Enterprise Price
ServiceTitan is the industry heavyweight, offering the deepest feature set of any platform on this list: advanced reporting, pricebook management, marketing attribution, AI-powered dispatch, and more. If you're running a 20+ truck operation, it's built for you.
For a five-person team, it's almost certainly overkill. Pricing is quote-based and typically starts around $1,250/month for small teams, with implementation fees ranging from $5,000 to $50,000. There's no free trial. The platform is powerful but complex — the learning curve alone can be a challenge for a small team without dedicated admin staff.
We include ServiceTitan here because contractors often ask about it, but if you're reading an article about software for small crews, this probably isn't the right fit.
The Verdict
For small contracting teams in 2026, the landscape breaks down like this:
- Best overall value: DispatchCore — $79/month flat with the features that matter most for field operations. The offline mobile app and simple pricing model are real differentiators, even with the gaps you'd expect from a newer product.
- Best free option: Workiz Lite — if you're a one- or two-person operation running fewer than 20 jobs a month, you can start here for free.
- Best for teams planning to scale past 10+ techs: Housecall Pro or Jobber — the per-user costs are easier to absorb at scale, and the broader feature sets (quoting, online booking, customer portals) matter more as you grow.
- Best for large operations: ServiceTitan — but only if your revenue justifies the investment.
The best dispatch software is the one your team will actually use. Prioritize the features that match how you work today, not a feature list you might need in two years.
Try DispatchCore Free for 30 Days
If you're running a small crew and want dispatch software that doesn't charge per tech, works offline in the field, and won't take weeks to set up, give DispatchCore a try. The 30-day free trial gives you enough time to run real jobs through it — no credit card required, no implementation fees, no sales calls unless you want one.