16 Best Apps for Painting Contractors (2026)
No single app runs a painting business. Below: 16 apps grouped by the job they actually do, quoting, CRM, takeoff, crew time, photos and color, and invoicing, with the published price and platform for each one.
Apps, 6 job categories
With a published free tier for quoting
Per quote with a paint-specific app
The short version
- This isn’t one list, it’s six. Estimating, running the business, takeoff, crew time, photos and color, and invoicing are different jobs with different apps.
- Most painters stack two or three apps, not one platform. An estimating app plus a time clock plus a photo app is a normal, cheap setup.
- Only PaintQuote Pro publishes a permanent free tier for quoting: 2 free quotes, no credit card. The color apps (ColorSnap, Color Portfolio) are free too, but they only match paint color.
- Time-tracking apps don’t quote, and estimating apps don’t track GPS hours. Timeero, Workyard and ClockShark are purpose-built time clocks, nothing more.
- Lead-gen apps aren’t on this list. Houzz Pro and Thumbtack sell homeowner leads; that’s a different category from running jobs you already booked.
Painting contractor app comparison table
Prices and platforms are read from each vendor’s own page. Where a vendor doesn’t publish a number, the table says so instead of guessing. We make PaintQuote Pro, and it sits in the table on the same terms as everyone else.
| App | Job it does | Painting-specific | Runs on | Free tier or trial | Entry price (published) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PaintQuote Pro that’s us | Estimating & quoting | Yes | iOS app + web app | 2 free quotes, no credit card | $239.99/yr (5 quotes/mo) |
| PaintScout | Estimating & quoting | Yes | Cloud / web app | 14-day trial | $99-119/mo (1 user) |
| PaintBox | Estimating & quoting | Yes | iOS & Android | Not published | $29.99/mo (Pro) |
| The Paint Estimator | Estimating & quoting | Yes | Windows desktop | 5-day trial | $129 one-time |
| Jobber | Running the business and CRM | No | iOS & Android | 14-day trial | From $29/mo (Core, annual) |
| Housecall Pro | Running the business and CRM | No | iOS, Android & web | 14-day trial | From $59/mo (Basic, annual) |
| QuoteIQ | Running the business and CRM | No | iOS, Android & web | 14-day trial (card) | From $29.99/mo (Essentials) |
| DripJobs | Running the business and CRM | Yes | iOS & Android | No trial | $97-147/mo (1 user) |
| PlanSwift (painting) | Takeoff and measuring | Via plugin | Windows desktop | 14-day trial | From $2,000/yr (1 seat) |
| STACK | Takeoff and measuring | No | Web (cloud), works in a browser on Windows or Mac | See vendor | See vendor (stackct.com/pricing) |
| Timeero | Time and crew tracking | No | iOS and Android apps, plus a web dashboard | 14-day free trial (vendor homepage) | See vendor (timeero.com/pricing) |
| Workyard | Time and crew tracking | No | Mobile time clock app (iOS/Android) plus a web dashboard | 14-day free trial, no credit card required | Starter from $6/user/month, billed annually |
| ClockShark | Time and crew tracking | No | Android and iOS apps, plus a website | 14-day free trial, no credit card required | Standard $42/month + $9.50/month per user |
| CompanyCam | Photos and colour | No | iOS and Android apps, plus a web dashboard | See vendor | See vendor (companycam.com/pricing) |
| Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap | Photos and colour | Yes (color only) | iOS and Android apps, plus a web visualizer | Free app (vendor) | Free (brand tool; sells Sherwin-Williams paint, not a business app) |
| Benjamin Moore Color Portfolio | Photos and colour | Yes (color only) | iOS and Android apps | Free app (vendor) | Free (brand tool; sells Benjamin Moore paint, not a business app) |
| Joist | Invoicing and payments | No | iOS & Android | 14-day trial | From $10/mo |
Plans change. If a vendor’s page says something different today, the vendor’s page wins.
How we picked this painting business software list
We grouped apps by the job a painting contractor hires them for, not by a single ranking, because no app here does all six jobs. Every price, trial term and platform claim is read from the vendor’s own page, with the date we checked. Where a vendor doesn’t publish a number, we say “see vendor” instead of guessing. No star ratings, no review counts, no opinions about support we can’t verify.
We make PaintQuote Pro, and it carries the same “that’s us” badge and the same sourcing rules as every other app in this list.
All 16 apps for painters, by the job they do
Numbers are reading order inside each group, not a ranking across the whole list.
Estimating & quoting
1. PaintQuote Pro that’s us
Painting-specific estimating on your phone or in the browser. Describe the rooms and surfaces, confirm the quantities the app works out, and send a branded quote in 10 to 15 minutes. Flat pricing, every seat included.
- Free to try
- 2 free quotes, no credit card
- Runs on
- iOS app + web app (Android via the web app)
- Honest limitation
- No Google Play app yet, and fewer integrations than Jobber.
- Best for
- Painters who quote on site and want one flat price
2. PaintScout
The long-standing painting-industry platform for production-rate estimating and polished, interactive sales proposals.
- Published price
- $99/mo billed annually ($119/mo monthly) for the Sales core platform, 1 user
- Free to try
- 14-day free trial, no credit card
- Runs on
- Cloud / web app
- Best for
- Established painting companies with dedicated sales staff
- Worth knowing
- Core Sales plan is $99/mo billed annually, or $119/mo month-to-month, for a single user
Vendor pricing page (checked August 7, 2026).
3. PaintBox
Mobile-first estimating, invoicing and scheduling app aimed at solo professional painters.
- Published price
- Pro $29.99/mo; Pro + Web $39.99/mo
- Free to try
- Not published on the vendor pricing page
- Runs on
- iOS and Android apps, plus a web contractor portal on the Pro + Web plan
- Best for
- Solo painters who want estimates, invoices and a calendar in one phone app
- Worth knowing
- Web access is a separate, higher tier ($39.99/mo)
Vendor pricing page (checked October 19, 2026).
4. The Paint Estimator
Windows desktop program for painting estimates, proposals, invoices and work orders, sold as a one-time purchase.
- Published price
- $129 one-time purchase, no subscription, lifetime free updates
- Free to try
- 5-day free trial
- Runs on
- Windows desktop only (the vendor states: For Microsoft Windows Only)
- Best for
- Painters on a Windows PC who want to buy once and never pay monthly
- Worth knowing
- Windows desktop only, no iOS, Android or web app
Vendor pricing page (checked October 19, 2026).
Running the business and CRM
1. Jobber
Mature all-in-one field-service platform: scheduling, dispatch, invoicing and payments across home-service trades.
- Published price
- Core from $29/mo billed annually ($49/mo monthly), 1 user
- Free to try
- 14-day free trial, no credit card
- Runs on
- Native iOS and Android apps
- Best for
- Multi-trade or field-service operations that need scheduling and dispatch first
- Worth knowing
- Not painting-specific: no built-in paint coverage, coats or production-rate math
Vendor pricing page (checked August 7, 2026).
2. Housecall Pro
Home-services business management platform: booking, scheduling, dispatch, invoicing and payments across trades.
- Published price
- Basic $59/mo billed annually ($79/mo monthly), 1 user
- Free to try
- 14-day free trial, no credit card
- Runs on
- iOS, Android and web
- Best for
- Home-service companies that need booking, dispatch and payments more than paint math
- Worth knowing
- Not painting-specific; painting is one of many listed industries
Vendor pricing page (checked October 19, 2026).
3. QuoteIQ
General field-service CRM with estimating, invoicing, scheduling and an AI estimator, built for many trades.
- Published price
- Essentials $29.99/mo for 1 user with 500 IQ credits; Max $699.99/mo for 20 users
- Free to try
- 14-day free trial on every plan; a card is required to start
- Runs on
- iOS, Android and web
- Best for
- Multi-trade service businesses that want a CRM with AI estimating
- Worth knowing
- Not painting-specific; vendor examples span HVAC, pressure washing and other trades
Vendor pricing page (checked October 19, 2026).
4. DripJobs
Painting-rooted CRM built around automated follow-up: 40+ pre-built drip sequences that chase estimates for you.
- Published price
- Pro $97/month; Advanced $147/month; 1 admin user
- Free to try
- No free trial (stated in their pricing FAQ)
- Runs on
- iOS & Android
- Best for
- Crews losing jobs because estimate follow-up slips through the cracks
- Worth knowing
- No free trial: stated in their pricing FAQ
Vendor pricing page (checked August 7, 2026).
Takeoff and measuring
1. PlanSwift (painting)
Desktop takeoff and estimating software for measuring plans; painting templates come from a separate paid plugin.
- Published price
- Essential $2,000/yr for 1 seat, billed annually; Core $3,000/yr adds the AI takeoff suite
- Free to try
- 14-day free trial, no credit card
- Runs on
- Windows desktop only; the vendor states it does not run natively on Mac
- Best for
- Commercial painters bidding from drawings who need measured takeoffs
- Worth knowing
- Windows desktop only, not a mobile or web app
Vendor pricing page (checked October 19, 2026).
2. STACK
Cloud-based takeoff and estimating software that measures digital plans and turns quantities into a bid, used across commercial trades.
- Published price
- See vendor (stackct.com/pricing)
- Free to try
- See vendor
- Runs on
- Web (cloud), works in a browser on Windows or Mac
- Best for
- Commercial bids measured from digital plan sets
- Worth knowing
- Not painting-specific: a general trades takeoff tool, not a paint-coverage calculator.
Official site (checked August 7, 2026).
Time and crew tracking
1. Timeero
GPS time tracking app built for mobile teams: clock in and out, mileage tracking, and job-site location history from the vendor's own homepage.
- Published price
- See vendor (timeero.com/pricing)
- Free to try
- 14-day free trial (vendor homepage)
- Runs on
- iOS and Android apps, plus a web dashboard
- Best for
- Crews that drive between job sites and need GPS-verified hours
- Worth knowing
- Not painting-specific and does no estimating math at all.
Official site (checked August 7, 2026).
2. Workyard
GPS time tracking and workforce management built for construction crews: time clock, scheduling, and labor cost reporting by project.
- Published price
- Starter from $6/user/month, billed annually
- Free to try
- 14-day free trial, no credit card required
- Runs on
- Mobile time clock app (iOS/Android) plus a web dashboard
- Best for
- Painting companies that run payroll off GPS-verified hours
- Worth knowing
- No estimating or quoting features; it only tracks time, location and labor cost.
Official site (checked August 7, 2026).
3. ClockShark
Time tracking and scheduling app for field service teams, with GPS tracking, job costing, and drag-and-drop crew scheduling.
- Published price
- Standard $42/month + $9.50/month per user
- Free to try
- 14-day free trial, no credit card required
- Runs on
- Android and iOS apps, plus a website
- Best for
- Multi-crew shops that want scheduling and job costing with their time clock
- Worth knowing
- Time tracking only; it has no quoting or estimating tools.
Official site (checked August 7, 2026).
Photos and colour
1. CompanyCam
Photo documentation app for contractors: every photo is time-stamped, geo-tagged and organized by project, with before/after and annotation tools.
- Published price
- See vendor (companycam.com/pricing)
- Free to try
- See vendor
- Runs on
- iOS and Android apps, plus a web dashboard
- Best for
- Documenting job progress and protecting against damage disputes
- Worth knowing
- Not painting-specific and has no estimating, quoting or invoicing features.
Official site (checked August 7, 2026).
2. Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap
Sherwin-Williams’ color-matching and visualization tool: snap a photo and match it to a Sherwin-Williams paint color, or preview colors on a room.
- Published price
- Free (brand tool; sells Sherwin-Williams paint, not a business app)
- Free to try
- Free app (vendor)
- Runs on
- iOS and Android apps, plus a web visualizer
- Best for
- Showing a customer a color before you buy the paint
- Worth knowing
- Matches and visualizes Sherwin-Williams colors only. No quoting, invoicing or job tracking.
Official site (checked August 7, 2026).
3. Benjamin Moore Color Portfolio
Benjamin Moore’s color visualization app for professionals: upload a room photo and preview Benjamin Moore colors on the walls before you buy.
- Published price
- Free (brand tool; sells Benjamin Moore paint, not a business app)
- Free to try
- Free app (vendor)
- Runs on
- iOS and Android apps
- Best for
- Previewing Benjamin Moore colors with a customer on site
- Worth knowing
- Benjamin Moore colors only. No quoting, invoicing or crew features.
Official site (checked August 7, 2026).
Invoicing and payments
1. Joist
Simple estimates-and-invoices app for general contractors: the budget pick in this comparison.
- Published price
- Basics $10/mo ($100/yr); Pro $17/mo ($170/yr); Elite $32/mo ($320/yr)
- Free to try
- 14-day free trial, no credit card (free plan no longer available)
- Runs on
- iOS and Android apps
- Best for
- Budget-first contractors who just need estimates and invoices
- Worth knowing
- Not painting-specific: you enter paint quantities and coats manually
Vendor pricing page (checked August 7, 2026).
A painting estimate app head-to-head
If your shortlist for the quoting job is down to two, these pages put every published number side by side.
Finding the best app for painting contractors by situation
Match the row to your actual setup. A solo painter and a 6-person crew with office staff need different stacks, not the same app at different tiers.
| Your situation | Go with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Solo painter on a phone | PaintQuote Pro for quotes, CompanyCam for job photos | Both run from the phone you already carry. No office, no desktop login. |
| Crew of 2 to 5 | PaintQuote Pro, plus Workyard or Timeero for hours | Flat-priced quoting and GPS time tracking cover the two things that eat an owner-operator’s evening. |
| 6+ with office staff | Jobber or Housecall Pro for the whole operation | Scheduling, dispatch and payroll across a bigger crew justify a per-user field-service platform. |
| Commercial bidding from drawings | PlanSwift or STACK for takeoff, then an estimating tool for the price | Measuring a blueprint and pricing a job are two different jobs; nothing here does both well. |
| I only need to track hours and GPS | Timeero, Workyard or ClockShark | Purpose-built time clocks with location history. None of them quote a job. |
| I only need photos for the customer | CompanyCam for job documentation, ColorSnap or Color Portfolio for color | CompanyCam organizes before/after shots by project; the paint-brand apps are free and color-specific. |
What the best software for painting contractors has in common
Four things worth knowing before you add a 17th app to the pile.
One job, one tool
Nothing on this list does quoting, scheduling, GPS time and color matching equally well. Pick the app for the job that costs you money today, not the one with the longest feature list.
Check the platform before you buy
Several tools here are Windows desktop only (PlanSwift, The Paint Estimator) or web-only (PaintScout). If you quote from the driveway, that rules them out fast.
Read the trial terms, not just the word "free"
A 14-day trial, a free app, and a permanent free tier are three different things. QuoteIQ’s trial needs a card; PaintQuote Pro’s 2 free quotes don’t.
Stacking apps is normal
Most painting businesses run two or three of these at once: an estimating app, a time clock, and a photo app. That’s cheaper than one platform trying to do everything badly.
Why this list skews beyond painting estimate software
Search for “apps for painting contractors” and most of what ranks isn’t estimating software at all. It’s GPS time tracking (Timeero, Workyard, ClockShark), general field-service platforms (Jobber, Housecall Pro), and photo or color apps (CompanyCam, ColorSnap, Color Portfolio). That matches how most painting businesses actually work: the estimate is one job among several, and a different app usually wins each one.
PaintQuote Pro only plays in one lane on this list: estimating and quoting. We’re upfront about that. If you need GPS time clocks or photo documentation, the apps above do those jobs; we don’t pretend to.
Rule of thumb
Pick one app per job, not one app for every job. A painting-specific estimator, a time clock, and a photo app together usually cost less than one do-everything platform.
The software for painting contractors stack, in order
- 1
Start with the estimate. If quotes are slow or inconsistent, fix that first with a painting-specific tool. It’s the step that decides whether you win the job at all.
- 2
Add crew time once you have a crew. A solo painter doesn’t need GPS time tracking. Two or more employees on the clock usually do.
- 3
Layer in photos and color last. CompanyCam and the brand color apps are free or cheap add-ons, not core infrastructure. Add them once the quoting and crew-time pieces are solid.
Want the full estimating-software comparison first? The painting estimating software comparison goes deeper on the 12 tools built for the quote itself, and the free painting estimating software roundup covers what’s actually free.
Common questions about apps for painting contractors
What is the best app for painting contractors?
It depends which job you mean. For quoting, PaintQuote Pro, PaintScout and PaintBox are the painting-specific picks. For running the whole business (scheduling, dispatch, invoicing), painters most often land on Jobber or Housecall Pro. For GPS time tracking, Timeero, Workyard and ClockShark are the names that show up. There is no single app that wins every job on this list.
Is there a free painting estimate app?
Mostly no. Of the apps in this list, only PaintQuote Pro publishes a permanent free tier (2 free quotes, no credit card). The rest offer a trial, a money-back window or a demo. Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap and Benjamin Moore Color Portfolio are free, but they only match and preview paint color, they don’t build a quote. Our free painting estimating software roundup covers what’s actually free in more depth.
What apps do painters use to find painting jobs?
This list is operations apps, the tools that quote, schedule and run jobs once you have them. Finding jobs is a different category: lead-gen marketplaces like Houzz Pro and Thumbtack sell you homeowner leads for a fee. We don’t rank those here because they’re not operations software, and most of the painters we talk to treat them as a paid-marketing line item, not a business tool.
What is the best app for painting quotes on iPhone?
PaintQuote Pro is a native iOS app built around the quote itself. PaintBox and Jobber also run as native iOS apps. PaintScout and QuoteIQ are web apps that work in an iPhone browser but don’t have an app-store listing. The Paint Estimator and PlanSwift are Windows desktop programs with no iPhone version at all.
Do I need painting-specific software or a general contractor app?
If the estimate is where you lose time, go painting-specific: coverage, coats and production-rate math are the whole point of PaintQuote Pro, PaintScout and PaintBox. If scheduling, dispatch and payroll across a bigger crew are the bottleneck, a general platform like Jobber or Housecall Pro earns its price, and plenty of painters run one of those alongside a paint-specific estimator.
What is the difference between a painting CRM and a time-tracking app?
A CRM like DripJobs or Jobber tracks customers, deals and follow-up so an estimate turns into a booked job. A time-tracking app like Timeero, Workyard or ClockShark clocks your crew in and out with GPS so payroll and job costing are accurate. They solve different problems and most businesses eventually run both.
Can one app really replace a painting office?
Not on this list. Even Jobber and Housecall Pro, the broadest platforms here, don’t do paint-specific coverage math, blueprint takeoff or color matching. Expect to run an estimating app plus at least one more tool from a different group above.
Free painting tools before you add another app
Run a real job through these first. If the numbers feel right, you’ll know exactly what you’re paying for when you upgrade.
Painting cost calculator
Interior and exterior, by the room or the square foot
Painting estimate templates
Word, PDF and Sheets versions you can send today
How to price painting jobs
Production rates, markup and the bids that lose money
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Related guides
- Painting estimating software compared
- Free painting estimating software
- Paint contractor app for iPhone and web
- Commercial painting estimating
- Painting labor cost estimation
- Painting cost calculator
- Painting estimate templates
- How to price painting jobs
- PaintQuote Pro vs PaintScout
- PaintQuote Pro vs Jobber
- PaintQuote Pro pricing
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