Being a handyman is a great way to work on your own terms, and setting up a self-employed business where you decide where and when you work is something to aspire to. For many people, the opportunity to create things and bring projects to life without being confined to an office is the ideal job—not everyone wants to stare at a computer screen every day. That’s why, to those not in the know, handyman business apps may seem like an odd idea. More fool them.
Not too long ago, handymen, contractors, and other self-employed professionals had to rely on paper ledgers and mail to manage their businesses. Thankfully, times have changed. There’s a lot to handle as a self-employed handyman, and it’s nearly impossible to manage it all without help. That’s where handyman software and apps come in, they’re a real necessity for anyone working independently in a manual job.
At Calday, we understand the importance of efficient scheduling and it’s one of the most critical aspects of running a handyman business. That’s why we’ve researched some of the best apps for handyman businesses that can help take your work to the next level.
Software for handyman businesses isn’t being used enough
According to a survey of handyman businesses in the United States, 16% didn’t use any handyman business software at all, and only 32% utilized handyman-specific accounting software. Many respondents reported using general-purpose software like Excel, Google Calendar, Pages, and Word—programs that often come preloaded on most computers.
The individual who commissioned the study runs a website (one amongst the best handyman websites around) encouraging handymen to adopt a startup mindset toward their business and organize it accordingly. While expressing surprise that dedicated handyman software solutions weren’t more popular, he identified two key factors limiting their adoption:
- Resistance to Change: Some handymen have been operating the same way for years, even decades, and see little reason to change what has worked for them over time.
- Lack of Awareness: Others recognize the potential benefits of using handyman software solutions but are unaware of the options available to them.
You’ve got enough to juggle as a handyman so why stress about the organizational stuff?
The best handyman software makes your work easier
The flipside of the study outlined above is that while there’s still a gap in adoption, things are changing. According to market research, the online segment of the handyman services market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 12% from 2022 to 2027. It’s not hard to see why.
Handyman software, free to use or otherwise, works so well because it helps facilitate the following factors. Every handyman will have to juggle these issues in their professional lives and doing so while relying on outdated software, generic tools, or even pen and paper, is no way to run a business.
- Scheduling and Calendar Integration: Handyman apps help organize appointments, reducing double bookings or missed jobs.
- Instant Customer Contact: Apps should help you communicate easily with clients via chat or in-app messaging.
- Invoicing and Payments: You can generate invoices and accept payments directly through the app.
- Estimates and Quotes: Create professional-looking estimates on the spot, improving customer trust, via dedicated software.
- Appointment Reminders: Automatically notify clients of upcoming appointments, reducing no-shows.
- Customer Management: You can keep a database of clients for repeat business or targeted promotions.
- Online Presence: Many apps integrate with platforms that boost visibility to potential customers across devices and platforms.
- Tax Preparation: Simplifying tax filing with organized financial data is a core competency of a handyman app.
- Customization: Apps can be often tailored to the unique needs of handymen, making them more useful than generic tools.
Top 5 apps for handyman businesses
Calday
Every handyman needs scheduling software that simplifies meetings organization, one that works with a high degree of reliability. It’s best to use a dedicated app rather than a generic, one-size-fits-all solution. Enter Calday: not only is it an excellent scheduling tool, but it’s also among the best free software for handyman businesses today. All you need to do is sign up by creating your account, download the app, and you’ll be able to schedule your various meetings, projects and appointments better than ever before.
Calday comes equipped with everything you need to schedule meetings consistently and reliably—no extra add-ons required. Its calendar integrates seamlessly with apps like Google Calendar, making it easy to view and manage all your appointments in one place. This ensures nothing gets overlooked, especially when your professional and personal lives often overlap as a self-employed individual.
Calday’s handyman scheduling software also features customizable, automated reminders to reduce the risk of costly missed appointments. These reminders are automatically updated if there are changes to the time, location, or other details of an appointment, and can include critical information for attendees to review in advance.
If you’re searching for a handyman scheduling app that’s tailored to your needs, customizable for each project and client, and integrates effortlessly with the apps you already use, then Calday is the solution for you. By creating an account now you’ll be saying goodbye to missed meetings, follow-ups, and unnecessary costs.
Quickbooks
QuickBooks is a well-known app that, while suited for professionals across various industries, is also ideal as handyman accounting software. Created by Intuit, a company well known for its range of financial management apps, QuickBooks has become increasingly popular am ong the self-employed as well as small to medium-sized businesses and freelancers.
The QuickBooks app functions as an all-in-one accounting system, covering essential tasks like invoicing, expense tracking, bank account syncing, and payroll management. It’s easy to use and can simplify managing your handyman business by automating key processes. Some of these include categorizing transactions, storing receipts, and generating financial reports based on your own requirements. Plus, it takes care of your taxes, significantly reducing your stress when tax season rolls around.
An app that takes the stress out of your accounting processes is always going to be beneficial to handymen and Quickbooks is excellent at doing this. Its expense tracking and financial reporting features give you complete control over your budget, with options to set custom categories for items like supplies and labor costs. Altogether, this makes QuickBooks the ideal handyman invoicing software app.
Joist
Personal management is a critical skill for any handyman, and one of the best handyman management software options available to help with this is Joist. It was designed specifically for contractors and tradespeople, to help them better organize their business operations and project management. Instead of focusing on a single area like accounting or scheduling, Joist works as an all-rounder app.
This is apparent in the way Joist builds detailed estimates and invoices on your smartphone, tablet, or computer, complete with itemized lists, costs, and payment terms. This cross-device functionality should prove particularly beneficial if you want to work on a project site with your phone or from an office computer—the choice is yours. It’s also among the best software for handyman businesses that handle a lot of paperwork, as it can send documents directly to clients via email or text, speeding up the approval and payment processes.
Joist is a jack of all trades, which means it might not master everything, but it will do a solid job on the essentials. If your requirements are more niche, you might want to look elsewhere, for example, if you need estimating software for handymen with multi-currency functions. Still, it’s a solid choice that will cover the core needs of most, if not all, handymen.
A good handyman often needs to be a jack of all trades. Sometimes your app has to be too.
Jobber
For those looking for a personal management app that also includes a customer relationship manager (CRM) as standard, your best option may be to go with Jobber. The app offers an impressively wide range of features, including scheduling, invoicing and other financial components. The handyman CRM software that Jobber uses organizes client details, job history, and has a particularly impressive record when it comes to client profiles, including contact information, addresses, and notes about specific preferences or requirements.
Another key CRM feature worth highlighting is that Jobber provides insights into customer trends and behavior through its reporting tools. This helps you identify your most valuable clients and tailor your services to their needs. This feature is particularly impressive, allowing you to make decisions about who you work with based on data-driven analysis. You could save time and money by weeding out problematic clients this way.
Jobber is also a great choice because it’s among that rarest of categories—a free app for self-employed handyman that you can start using as soon as you download it. Granted, you do have to pay after the initial trial period, but the rate starts from as little as $29 a month. Given the features it includes, it’s a pretty good deal, especially if you work with a lot of clients who need hands-on management.
Housecall
The last app on our list is designed for those wanting to take the extra step with their handyman business software, and that’s Housecall. The app offers a good all-around service as standard while also going the extra mile with its premium versions.
For starters, Housecall is a great choice for those who need a general management app that also includes handyman pricing software with payment included. This means you can actually use this app to get paid online, in the field, or over the phone.
Housecall makes it easy to integrate whatever services you’re currently using, and you can sync your contacts, client information, and employee profiles easily. If you need to pay a supplier, you can use the handyman billing software to automatically generate invoices and also access reports on how much you’re spending with that supplier. You can even use real-time alerts to communicate with said suppliers, as well as clients and employees.
The pro versions of Housecall can be suited to specific job roles, like electricians, and come with some formidable handyman CRM software functionalities, allowing you to track new leads, jobs, and estimates. You’ll be hard-pressed to find an all-in-one app that offers as many features as Housecall, especially when it comes to its pricing and handyman estimate app features. The only note of caution here is that these don’t come free and in some cases can be expensive, so make sure you consider whether you absolutely need them.
Sign up with Calday to get better scheduling today
Could you use software that is adaptable and customizable to your needs to improve your scheduling and better organize your handyman business? Simply sign up for and activate your Calday account by clicking the link and creating a free account today.
It won’t take long for you to experience stress-free scheduling that works seamlessly across all your devices and time zones. Before you know it, you’ll be wondering how you ever managed without Calday, so don’t wait—sign up now!