Comparisons
Nakelo or Joist?
Joist is a Canadian app, made in Toronto, well known for writing estimates and invoices in minutes from the phone, with the client’s signature and card payment. It’s in English, and a Joist account is made for one person: one user, one login. Scheduling is only on its top plan. Nakelo goes further as soon as you have a team: crew calendar, recurring jobs, hours and payroll, snow removal, in French. If you work alone and only want quick estimates and invoices, Joist remains a simple choice.
Comparison made in October 2026; check each provider’s current offer.
In short
Nakelo fits best for…
Quebec contractors who have a team, or will, and want everything in one place: estimates, schedule, hours, payroll, invoices and client follow-up, in French.
Joist fits best for…
Self-employed contractors who mostly want to make estimates and invoices fast, from the phone, in English.
Side by side
| Criterion | Nakelo | Joist |
|---|---|---|
| French interface | NakeloYes, French first, English if you prefer | JoistNo, App in English; help also in French |
| Several people | NakeloYes, The whole team, at the same price | JoistNo, One user per account |
| Estimates and invoices | NakeloYes, Signed and paid online, with GST and QST | JoistYes, Signed and paid by card; AI drafts |
| Schedule and crews | NakeloYes, Crew calendar, recurring jobs, the day’s order | JoistIn part, Visits one at a time, on the top plan |
| Hours and payroll | NakeloYes, Time clock and payroll: time and a half after 40 h, week by week | JoistNo, No timesheets found |
| Snow removal | NakeloYes, Per-push or seasonal contracts, storms, lots cleared with a dated photo | JoistNo, Nothing for it that we know of |
| Accounting | NakeloYes, QuickBooks both ways, export for Acomba and Sage 50 | JoistIn part, QuickBooks Online one way, nightly |
| Working offline | NakeloNo, Needs a connection | JoistNo, Needs a connection |
| Email, chat, signature, files | NakeloYes, Included in the same app | JoistIn part, Focused on estimates and invoices |
| Data hosting | NakeloYes, In Canada (Montreal), tools for Law 25 | JoistCountry not stated; transfers to the United States possible |
| Price | Nakelo$99 a month plus taxes; AI by usage | JoistMonthly plans per account; the first one caps documents |
Comparison made in October 2026; check each provider’s current offer.
Choose Joist if…
- You work alone and plan to stay that way.
- You mostly need estimates and invoices, made fast on the phone.
- You work in English with your clients.
Choose Nakelo if…
- You have a team, or will, and everyone needs to see their schedule.
- You want a time clock and payroll that counts Quebec overtime.
- You do recurring jobs or snow removal.
- You want your estimates and invoices to go out in French, with GST and QST.
- You want email, team chat, files and an AI assistant in the same app.
Switching to Nakelo
The guided import takes the client file exported from Joist and matches its columns for you. You see what will be created before confirming, and the whole import undoes in one click if something looks wrong.
- Clients (in Joist’s web app: Clients → ⋮ → Export, a CSV file).
- Your past estimates and invoices stay in Joist: keep their PDFs for your records.
- Saved cards don’t follow: your clients enter their card again the first time they pay.
Frequently asked questions
Is Joist available in French?
Joist’s app is listed in English only on the App Store, even if its help centre also exists in French. Nakelo is French first, and each person on the team can choose English.
Can I add my employees in Joist?
According to Joist’s help centre, an account is made for one person, with a single login. In Nakelo, the whole team gets access at the same price, with roles that decide what each person sees.
Can I import my clients from Joist?
Yes. Your clients exported from Joist as CSV import with a preview before confirming and a one-click undo. Your past estimates and invoices stay in Joist.
Joist or Nakelo: which costs less?
If you work alone and only make estimates and invoices, Joist’s first plan may cost less. Nakelo costs $99 a month for the whole team, plus taxes, with the schedule, hours, payroll and the rest included, and a 14-day free trial.
Try Nakelo with your real data
Your app is ready in under a minute. 14 days free, no credit card, then $99 a month plus taxes.
See the app for service contractors