Housecall Pro vs Jobber vs Dispatch Core: Which Is Best for Your Crew?

Three Options, Three Pricing Models

If you run a small service crew — HVAC, plumbing, electrical, appliance repair — you have probably narrowed your dispatch software search down to three names: Housecall Pro, Jobber, and Dispatch Core. All three target small-to-mid-size service businesses, but they approach pricing and features differently enough that picking the wrong one can cost you thousands per year.

This comparison uses real 2026 pricing, includes the add-on costs most review sites leave out, and does not pretend every product is great for every team.

Pricing Comparison: What You Actually Pay

Most comparison articles show you the starting price and move on. That is not how real costs work. Here is what each platform actually costs at common team sizes:

Note: Housecall Pro's MAX plan pricing is custom/quote-based and starts at $299/mo. Extra users on MAX are $35/mo each. Jobber's extra users beyond plan limits cost $29/mo each. Dispatch Core is a flat $79/mo regardless of team size.

Feature Comparison

Housecall Pro: The Feature-Rich Option (With the Add-On Tax)

What it does well

• Deep feature set — estimating, invoicing, online booking, marketing automation, review management. If a feature exists in field service software, Housecall Pro probably has it.
• AI call answering — their CSR AI can handle incoming customer calls and book appointments. Useful if you miss a lot of calls during the workday.
• Strong iOS app — 4.5/5 on iOS. The mobile experience is polished on Apple devices.
• Large user community — 2,787 reviews on Capterra (4.7/5). Plenty of peers to compare notes with.

Where it falls short

• Add-on cost creep — this is the number one complaint in user reviews. GPS tracking is $20/vehicle/month. Dashcam integration is $49/vehicle/month. The price book feature is $149/month. Features that feel like they should be included require separate subscriptions.
• Android app is rough — 3.3/5 on Android versus 4.5 on iOS. If your techs use Android phones (most do), this matters.
• No offline editing — the mobile app can view jobs without signal, but techs cannot edit anything, add notes, or capture signatures offline. Basements, rural areas, and metal buildings become dead zones.
• Trustpilot ratings tell a different story — 3.2/5 on Trustpilot, which tends to capture more frustrated users than Capterra does.

Best for

Teams that need a full-suite platform with marketing tools, are primarily iOS-based, and have budget headroom for add-ons.

Jobber: The Easiest to Learn

What it does well

• Ease of use — G2 rates Jobber 9.0/10 for ease of use. The interface is clean and the learning curve is the gentlest of the three.
• Solid mobile apps on both platforms — 4.8/5 on iOS, 4.5/5 on Android. Consistently rated well across devices.
• Good for solo operators starting out — the $39/mo Core plan is the cheapest entry point and covers basic scheduling, invoicing, and CRM.
• Client hub — customers get a self-service portal to approve quotes, pay invoices, and request work.

Where it falls short

• Limited reporting — users frequently mention that built-in reports are too basic for real business analysis. If you want to know your revenue by service type or tech productivity, you will hit walls.
• QuickBooks sync is one-way and unreliable — data flows from Jobber to QuickBooks, but not back. Users report sync failures and duplicate entries. If your bookkeeper lives in QuickBooks, expect friction.
• Restricted customization — forms, workflows, and job templates offer limited flexibility. If your business has non-standard processes, Jobber may force you into its way of doing things.
• No offline editing — like Housecall Pro, the mobile app is view-only without connectivity. No offline signatures either.
• AI features are expensive — the AI Receptionist requires the Plus plan at $599/month. That prices out most small teams.

Best for

Solo operators or small teams that value simplicity over power, primarily need scheduling and invoicing, and always work in areas with good cell coverage.

Dispatch Core: The Flat-Rate Newcomer

What it does well

• Truly flat pricing — $79/month. Period. One user or twenty, the price does not change. No per-user fees, no add-on tiers, no "call for a quote" games.
• Full offline-first mobile — techs can create jobs, edit details, take photos, and capture customer signatures with zero connectivity. Everything syncs when signal returns. This is the only option of the three that supports real offline work.
• Built for dispatch — drag-and-drop dispatch board with day and week views, multi-tech job assignment, GPS tracking on status changes, and before/during/after photo documentation. The core workflow is tight.
• 30-day free trial — no credit card required. Enough time to actually test it with your real crew on real jobs.

Where it falls short

• No QuickBooks integration yet — if your accountant requires QuickBooks sync, this is a dealbreaker right now.
• No AI features — no AI call answering, no AI-generated estimates. If that matters to your workflow, look elsewhere.
• No customer portal — customers cannot self-serve to approve quotes or pay online. You handle that communication directly.
• New product in beta — Dispatch Core does not have thousands of reviews yet. You are adopting early, which means fewer community resources and the product is still evolving.

Best for

Small teams (3-15 techs) that want predictable costs, need real offline capability, and value a focused dispatch-and-scheduling tool over an all-in-one suite.

The Per-User Math: How Costs Scale

This is where the comparison gets interesting. Per-user pricing compounds fast as you grow. Here is the cost per user at different team sizes:

At one user, Dispatch Core is the most expensive. At five users, it is the cheapest by half. At ten users, the gap is enormous — and that is before factoring in Housecall Pro's GPS add-on ($20/vehicle/month), which would add another $200/month for a 10-truck fleet.

Over a full year with 10 users, the difference looks like this:

• Housecall Pro (MAX + 5 extra users): ~$5,700/year (before add-ons)
• Jobber (Grow): ~$4,188/year
• Dispatch Core: $948/year

That is a $3,000-$4,700 annual difference. Enough to cover a new tool, a truck payment, or simply stay in your pocket.

Which Should You Choose?

There is no single right answer, but the decision usually comes down to three questions:

Do you need a full business suite (marketing, online booking, customer portal)?
Go with Housecall Pro. Accept the add-on costs as part of the deal. Budget for the real number, not the advertised starting price.

Are you a solo operator or tiny team that values simplicity above all?
Go with Jobber. The learning curve is the flattest, the $39 entry point is real, and the mobile apps are excellent. Just know that reporting and customization will hit ceilings.

Do you run a 3-15 person crew, need offline reliability, and want predictable costs?
Go with Dispatch Core. The flat $79/month saves real money as you grow, and offline-first mobile means your techs can actually work in basements and rural sites. You are trading mature integrations for cost savings and field reliability.

The honest truth: all three are better than running your business off text messages and a whiteboard. The best choice depends on your team size, your budget reality, and whether your techs work in areas with consistent cell coverage.

Try Dispatch Core free for 30 days — no credit card, unlimited users, full offline support. See if it fits your crew.