Jobber vs ServiceTitan: which is better for small contractors?

I've used both of these platforms across different shops, and here's the thing nobody in the Facebook groups wants to admit: they're not really competing for the same customer. Comparing Jobber to ServiceTitan is like comparing a reliable pickup truck to a semi. Both move stuff — but one will bankrupt you if you don't have the loads to fill it.

Let me break down the honest differences so you can pick the right one without wasting three months on a platform that doesn't fit.

The pricing reality

This is where the conversation should start, because pricing alone eliminates one of these for most small shops.

ServiceTitan doesn't publish pricing on their website. You have to go through a sales call, which already tells you something about who they're targeting. The numbers above come from what contractors have reported in forums and reviews — your quote will vary based on technician count and modules.

If you're a one-truck operation doing $200K a year, spending $500/month on software is insane. That's $6,000 a year before you've generated a single invoice. Jobber at $39/month makes way more sense for that scenario.

What Jobber does well

Jobber is built for small to mid-size service companies. One to about 20 employees. It does the basics really well:

• Scheduling and dispatching — drag and drop, easy enough that you'll actually use it instead of a whiteboard
• Quoting and invoicing — professional-looking quotes you can send from the truck. Clients approve online
• Client hub — customers can approve quotes, pay invoices, and request work online
• GPS tracking — see where your trucks are without calling everyone
• Batch invoicing — if you do recurring work (lawn care, pest control), this saves hours every month

Where Jobber shines is simplicity. Your techs will actually use it because the learning curve takes about a day. I've seen shops running Jobber on day one with zero training. Try that with ServiceTitan.

What ServiceTitan does well

ServiceTitan is an enterprise tool for companies doing $1M+ in annual revenue. It's built for shops with dispatchers, CSRs, multiple crews, and managers who need reporting dashboards:

• Pricebook management — maintain thousands of flat-rate prices across your whole team
• Marketing attribution — track which ads generate actual booked jobs, not just leads
• Membership billing — manage maintenance agreements at scale
• Payroll integration — commission tracking, spiffs, performance pay
• Advanced reporting — revenue per tech, close rates, average ticket, CSR booking rates

If you have 10+ techs and a front office team, ServiceTitan gives you visibility that Jobber simply can't match. The KPI dashboards alone have helped shops identify underperforming techs and fix it with training instead of guesswork.

The honest downsides

Jobber's weak spots

• Reporting is basic. If you need deep financial analytics, you'll outgrow it
• No built-in pricebook. You're building quotes from scratch or using templates
• Limited marketing tools. No call tracking, no ad attribution
• QuickBooks sync can be glitchy. Not a dealbreaker, but it needs babysitting

ServiceTitan's weak spots

• The price. Period. It's expensive for what many small shops actually need
• Steep learning curve. Expect 2-4 weeks of painful onboarding
• Annual contracts. If it's not working out, you're stuck
• Overkill for small teams. Half the features go unused if you're under 5 techs
• Customer support has declined. Multiple reviews mention slower response times since they went public

Best for: who should use what

My actual recommendation

Start with Jobber. Seriously. Even if you think you need ServiceTitan. Here's why:

Jobber costs nothing to try, has no contract, and you can be running in a day. If you're doing under $1M in revenue, Jobber handles everything you need. Put the $400/month difference into marketing or hiring.

When your shop hits 8-10 techs and you're struggling with pricebook management, marketing attribution, or membership billing at scale — that's when ServiceTitan starts to make financial sense. Not before.

The worst thing you can do is sign an annual ServiceTitan contract when you're a 3-person shop because some guy at a trade show convinced you it'll "grow your business." The software doesn't grow the business. You do. The software just needs to stay out of your way.