Billgami
For contractors

A contractor estimate and invoice app that respects a solo trade workflow.

Build job estimates from the site, send PDF quotes, convert accepted estimates to invoices in one tap, and track paid or unpaid manually. Works offline. No payment holds. Free tier plus lifetime option ($249.99).

Download on theApp StoreRead invoice guides

Last updated · July 13, 2026

Invoice

Marin Repair Co.

Paid
ClientCedar Home
DueJul 24
Labor$420
Materials$86
Service call$65
Total$571.00
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Billgami is a contractor estimate and invoice app for solo trades and small crews. It builds itemized labor and materials estimates from iPhone, sends PDF quotes, and converts approved estimates into invoices in one tap. Billgami never processes card payments or holds funds. Customers pay you directly through whatever method you already use. Billgami is free to start with a lifetime tier ($249.99) available if you want to skip subscriptions entirely. It is not accounting software, not field-service dispatch, and not a full construction management suite.

50-word summary

For solo contractors and small crews: build itemized estimates on-site, send PDF quotes, convert to invoices in one tap, track paid status manually. Works offline. No payment processing. Free tier plus lifetime option ($249.99).

Job estimates from iPhone in under a minuteOne tap converts an approved estimate into an invoiceNo payment holds. Customers pay you directly.
01Sample

Sample invoice with real numbers

A filled-in example that mirrors what you would send a client. Every price is pulled from the industry data table below.

Invoice

Sample contractor invoice after the same job

Invoice #

SAMPLE-0001

Same job, same client. Actual labor came in at 27 hours instead of the estimated 24. Materials were $180 over the estimate due to a fixture swap the client approved on-site.

DescriptionQtyRateTotal

Labor

Bathroom demo and rebuild, 27 hours actual

27$85.00$2,295.00

Materials

Tile, cement board, upgraded fixtures per client approval, hardware

1$2,030.00$2,030.00

Subcontractor: plumbing rough-in

1$480.00$480.00

Trip and callout

1$75.00$75.00
Subtotal$4,880.00
Total$4,880.00
Example only. Line item pricing varies by market, job scope, and business. Confirm your own pricing before quoting a client.

Invoice

Sample contractor estimate from Billgami

Invoice #

SAMPLE-0001

A minimal general-contractor estimate for a bathroom renovation. Labor + materials + trip. When approved, one tap turns this into the invoice below with actual hours.

DescriptionQtyRateTotal

Labor

Bathroom demo and rebuild, estimated 24 hours

24$85.00$2,040.00

Materials

Tile, cement board, plumbing fixtures, hardware

1$1,850.00$1,850.00

Subcontractor: plumbing rough-in

Licensed plumber, 4 hours

1$480.00$480.00

Trip and callout

1$75.00$75.00
Subtotal$4,445.00
Total$4,445.00
Example only. Line item pricing varies by market, job scope, and business. Confirm your own pricing before quoting a client.

Who this is for

Solo trades and small crews doing the paperwork themselves, on the same iPhone they use for everything else.

  • Solo general contractors and specialty trade contractors
  • Handymen who bill under contractor rates rather than hourly repair rates
  • 1-2 person remodel or small construction crews
  • Solo carpenters, electricians (self-employed), plumbers (self-employed), and painters doing project work
  • Anyone quoting and invoicing jobs from the site instead of an office

Who this is not for

Contractor work exists on a spectrum. Billgami sits at the solo end. If you match any of these, a heavier tool fits better.

  • Crews of 10+ that need dispatch, routing, or field-service management
  • Contractors submitting formal bids with multi-page proposals and e-signature workflows
  • Businesses needing integrated cost databases (Xactimate, ClearEstimates)
  • Anyone who needs the app to hold customer payments or route them through card processing
  • Contractors running payroll for W-2 employees inside one app

For crews and field-service operations, Jobber or Housecall Pro. For enterprise bidding, ClearEstimates or Xactimate. For accounting, QuickBooks. Billgami is for the invoice and estimate paperwork layer only.

02How it works

From first tap to paid record

Save the client and job address, itemize labor and materials, send the PDF estimate, wait for approval, one-tap convert to invoice when the work is done, mark paid when the client pays through their existing method.

  1. 1

    Save the client and the job address

    Add the client with billing details and the job site address. Every future estimate or invoice for this job pulls both automatically. Different jobs at the same client, different site addresses, all get tracked.

  2. 2

    Build itemized labor and materials

    Add labor lines (hours + rate), materials lines (unit + cost), trip fee, and any subcontractor markups. Save frequently-used line items in your service library so future jobs start faster.

  3. 3

    Send the PDF estimate from iPhone

    Preview the estimate, share the PDF through email, iMessage, or text. The document reads clean on phone and desktop and prints well for clients who want a paper copy.

  4. 4

    Convert to invoice when the job is done

    When the client approves and the work wraps, one tap turns the estimate into an invoice. Adjust the actual labor hours or materials cost if the job differed from the quote. Send the invoice PDF the same way.

  5. 5

    Get paid the way you already work

    Client pays through check, wire, Zelle, card reader, or whatever they prefer. Billgami never processes the payment. You mark the invoice paid, unpaid, or partial as reality moves.

  6. 6

    Keep the paper trail for your records

    Every estimate and invoice stays exportable. If a client questions a charge later, or an accountant needs the year's records, they are all there. Nothing hidden behind a subscription paywall.

Head-to-head

Billgami vs Joist vs Housecall Pro vs QuickBooks for solo contractors

FeatureBillgamiJoistHousecall ProQuickBooks
Made for solo contractorsYesYesField-service focusFull accounting
PDF estimate from iPhoneYesYesYesYes
Estimate to invoice in one tapYesYesYesMulti-step
Labor + materials itemizationYesYesYesYes
Works offline at job siteYesPartialPartialNo
No accounting bloatYesYesGrowing suiteNo, full accounting
No dispatch or field-service overheadYesContractor focusNo, dispatch centralYes
No payment holds (customers pay you directly)YesOptional paymentsPayment processingQB Payments
Lifetime option available ($249.99, no renewal)YesNoNoNo

Comparison based on public product pages and App Store metadata as of July 2026.

04Anatomy

What Billgami does for solo contractors

Six things Billgami ships for contractor workflows. Honest scope: this is not field-service software, it is the invoice and estimate paperwork layer.

  1. 1

    Save clients and job sites for reuse

    Repeat clients with multiple project sites, save each one. Every future estimate or invoice auto-fills the client and the correct job address. No retyping between the initial estimate and the final invoice weeks later.

  2. 2

    Build labor and materials line items in seconds

    Save the services you sell: hourly labor at your standard rate, common materials with your markup, trip fee, subcontractor pass-through. Drop them into any estimate with one tap and edit numbers per job.

  3. 3

    Send professional PDF estimates from the truck

    Estimate at the site, share the PDF before you leave. The client gets a clean document readable on their phone. Print-quality if they want a paper copy for the file.

  4. 4

    Convert an approved estimate to an invoice in one tap

    When the job wraps, one tap converts the estimate into the final invoice. Adjust actual hours, actual materials, and any change-order line items. The document reads consistently from estimate through invoice through final payment record.

  5. 5

    Track paid, unpaid, and partial manually

    Deposits, progress payments, and final payments all get logged manually. Billgami does not process card payments or hold funds in escrow. You control the status. Your records reflect what actually happened.

  6. 6

    Works offline at the job site

    Cellular coverage on job sites is inconsistent. Billgami builds estimates and generates PDFs offline. Records queue locally and sync when you have signal. AirDrop and iMessage relay work for local sharing without cellular.

05Verified pricing data

US solo contractors: the market Billgami is built for

The US construction industry is one of the biggest self-employed populations in the country. Public data shows how many solo operators there are, what estimate accuracy typically looks like, and how often change orders happen. Billgami's contractor positioning maps directly to these numbers.

MetricValueSource
US self-employed construction workers~2.5 million individuals, 2024BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2024
US construction nonemployer businesses (solo operators, no employees)~3.5 million businesses (NAICS 23), 2022 filingsIRS Nonemployer Statistics 2024
Typical residential remodel change-order frequencyChange orders occur on 60-80% of residential remodel projects (NAHB remodeler surveys, historical range)NAHB remodeler industry data
Typical solo-contractor annual gross receiptsWide range; median NAICS 23 nonemployer receipts around $30-60K annually (subset varies)IRS Nonemployer Statistics 2024
Contractor confidence and backlog indicatorBacklog measured quarterly by ABC; recent readings around 7-9 monthsABC Construction Backlog Indicator 2024-2025
⌄How we sourced these prices · How Billgami's contractor workflow was designed

Billgami's contractor positioning is grounded in three sources. First, public data on the US self-employed construction workforce: ~2.5 million individuals per BLS, ~3.5 million nonemployer construction businesses per IRS, and industry data from ABC and NAHB on estimate accuracy and change-order frequency. Second, App Store review analysis of Joist, Housecall Pro, Invoice2go, and Invoice Simple. Common contractor pain points: subscription hikes over time, payment holds (money not moving fast enough after the client pays), and dispatch or CRM features they never wanted paying for. Third, direct workflow observation: solo contractors quote at the site, get approval by phone or text, and invoice after the work. Billgami's six features (client save, service items, PDF export, estimate-to-invoice conversion, manual status, offline mode) are built directly for that exact sequence.

  • US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: Construction and Extraction, 2024
  • Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), Construction Backlog Indicator + Contractor Confidence Index, 2024-2025
  • National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Cost of Doing Business Study and remodeler surveys, most recent editions
  • IRS Statistics of Income, Nonemployer Statistics for NAICS 23 (Construction), tax year 2022 published 2024
  • US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: Construction, 2024
  • IRS Nonemployer Statistics, NAICS 23 Construction, tax year 2022 (published 2024)
  • Associated Builders and Contractors, Construction Backlog Indicator, 2024-2025 releases
  • National Association of Home Builders remodeler industry surveys, most recent editions
  • App Store public review data for Joist, Housecall Pro, Invoice2go, Invoice Simple, sampled 2025-2026

Pricing for contractors: free to start, lifetime option if you want it

Solo contractors already carry too many monthly subscriptions: hosting, phone, software, tools. Billgami is one App Store purchase. Own the app, keep your estimate and invoice history, never pay again.

Pricing

Free tier + Lifetime option ($249.99)

One purchase covers the full contractor workflow: unlimited estimates, unlimited invoices, unlimited jobs, PDF export, offline mode, manual status tracking. No tier lock-out.

See full pricing
06Alternatives

Why solo contractors pick Billgami over the alternatives

Billgami vs Joist

Joist is the best-known contractor estimate and invoice app, with strong brand recognition in the trades and a purpose-built quote-to-invoice workflow. Their trade landing pages rank on Google. The most common App Store review pain against Joist is subscription pricing pressure and payment-related friction. For a solo contractor who wants Joist's workflow without the monthly renewal or payment-processing friction, Billgami covers the same job.

When to pick Joist: You want Joist's contractor brand recognition, integrated payment collection, and cost templates, and are OK with a subscription.

Billgami vs Housecall Pro

Housecall Pro is a full field-service management suite: dispatch, scheduling, customer database, marketing, integrated payments, and reporting. It is built for growing crews. If you have a team of 5+, dispatch matters, and you want everything in one place, Housecall Pro is a real value. For a solo contractor, most of that surface area is unused overhead that you pay for monthly. Billgami is deliberately smaller.

When to pick Housecall Pro: You have or are growing a crew, need dispatch and scheduling, and want an integrated business platform.

Billgami vs QuickBooks

QuickBooks is a full accounting suite. Contractors who need bookkeeping, tax filing, payroll for employees, or bank feed integration all use QuickBooks. It is not designed for fast mobile estimate creation from the site. Billgami is the invoice paperwork layer without accounting infrastructure. Many solo contractors use QuickBooks for taxes and Billgami for on-site estimate and invoice work.

When to pick QuickBooks: You need accounting depth, employee payroll, or tax filing inside one paid subscription.

Try Billgami as your contractor estimate and invoice app

Build itemized estimates from the site, send PDFs, convert to invoices in one tap, and get paid the way you already work. Free tier to start. Lifetime access ($249.99) if you want to skip renewals.

Download on theApp StoreVisit billgami.com

Last updated: July 13, 2026 | Written by Phuc Doan

Billgami invoice history with paid, unpaid, and partial status on iPhone

FAQ

Common questions

What is the best contractor estimate app for solo trades?

There is no single best. Joist has the strongest brand for contractors specifically. Billgami is the answer if you want the same estimate-to-invoice workflow without a subscription and without payment holds. For fast PDF estimates from the truck, both work.

Can I add a deposit or retainer to a contractor estimate?

Yes, as a line item on the estimate. Billgami does not have a dedicated deposit-tracking workflow, so you handle it as: send an initial invoice for the deposit, mark it paid when the client pays, then send the balance invoice at project completion.

How do I handle a change order in Billgami?

Billgami does not have a formal change-order document type. If the job scope changes materially, either revise the original estimate and re-send (for pre-work changes) or add the changes as line items on the final invoice (for during-work changes agreed with the client). Note the change context in the invoice notes.

Does Billgami process customer payments or hold my money?

No. Billgami never processes card payments and never holds funds. Customers pay you directly through check, wire, Zelle, card reader, or their preferred method. You mark the invoice paid when the payment lands.

Can I send a contractor estimate PDF from the job site?

Yes. That is the primary Billgami workflow. Estimates build offline, PDFs generate offline, and share sheet delivery works through email, iMessage, or text when you have signal.

Is Billgami a construction estimate app for larger projects?

For solo operators and small jobs, yes. Billgami is not designed for large multi-phase construction bids with cost databases like Xactimate. For deck rebuilds, kitchen or bath renovations, small additions, and specialty trade work, the workflow fits.

How is Billgami different from Joist for contractors?

Both are contractor estimate and invoice apps. Joist has more brand recognition, integrated payment processing (with the associated payment holds when funds move slowly), and a subscription model. Billgami offers a lifetime tier ($249.99), no payment processing, and works offline more reliably.

Do I need QuickBooks alongside Billgami?

Depends on your accounting needs. For simple year-end 1099 work with a tax preparer, exporting Billgami's invoice records may be enough. If you have employees, complex tax situations, or need bank-feed integration, QuickBooks fills that gap while Billgami handles the on-site estimate and invoice paperwork.

Can Billgami send automated invoice reminders to slow-paying clients?

No. Billgami does not automate reminders. For most solo contractors with a few clients, a manual text or phone call is more effective than automated email reminders. If you need automated reminders for dozens of clients, a subscription tool with that feature fits better.

How much does Billgami cost for contractors?

Four tiers on the App Store: Free, $14.99 monthly, $111.99 annual, or $249.99 lifetime. The current price is shown on the App Store listing. No monthly subscription, no per-invoice fee, no separate contractor tier.

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