Deck Building Estimating and Invoicing App (2026)
A deck is a multi-week job where you buy the lumber before anyone pays you. ShowTheReceipts ($15/mo) saves per-square-foot framing and decking rates plus railing, stairs, and footing lines, takes a materials deposit at contract signing, and bills progress draws at framing and completion so you're never funding someone else's backyard.
How we picked
Entry-plan prices as published in 2026, taken from each vendor's own pricing page or a recent third-party summary. Judged on the solo builder's real workflow — per-square-foot quoting with material tiers, materials deposits, progress draws, and change orders — not on 3D deck design rendering, structural engineering, or crew payroll.
| Software | Starting price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| ShowTheReceipts That's us | $15/mo | Solo builders: per-square-foot rates, materials deposits, progress draws, change orders, tax-ready books |
| Joist | Free / $8/mo | Cheapest estimate-and-invoice pair with financing offers |
| Invoice2go | $9.99/mo+ | Basic mobile invoicing |
| Hearth | $99/mo+ | Contractors leaning heavily on consumer financing |
| Jobber | $29/mo (Core) | Builders scheduling several crews |
You buy the lumber first
A 400-square-foot composite deck is thousands of dollars of material purchased weeks before the customer sees anything finished. Without a deposit and a mid-build draw, you’re a lender with a nail gun.
1. ShowTheReceipts — $15/mo
Per-square-foot framing and decking rates, railing and stair lines, materials deposit at signing, progress draws, and change orders approved by text.
2. Joist — Free / $8/mo
Cheap estimate-and-invoice pair with consumer financing built in.
3. Invoice2go — $9.99/mo+
Basic mobile invoicing with no progress billing.
4. Hearth — $99/mo+
Aimed at contractors selling through consumer financing, priced accordingly.
5. Jobber — $29/mo (Core)
Scheduling and dispatch for a builder running crews.
The lines a deck estimate needs
- Framing — per square foot, by joist spacing and span
- Decking — per square foot, by material tier
- Railing — per linear foot, by style
- Stairs — per riser, plus landing
- Footings — per unit, by depth and frost line
- Demo and disposal of the existing deck
- Permit and inspection — at cost, jurisdiction named
- Extras — benches, skirting, lighting, privacy screens
The material tier is the whole conversation
Pressure-treated, cedar, and composite are three different projects at three different prices. Quoting good-better-best on the same layout is what turns a price objection into a choice — and a surprising share of customers move up a tier once they can see it.
Photograph the grade and the ledger
Sloped yards, poor drainage, and questionable existing ledger attachment are all things that become your problem later. Photos before you start cost nothing and settle every one of those conversations.
Frequently asked questions
How should a deck be quoted?
Per square foot for framing and decking, with railing per linear foot, stairs per riser, and footings per unit as separate lines. A single square-foot number can't distinguish a ground-level rectangle from a second-story deck with three sets of stairs.
How do progress payments work on a deck?
Typically a materials deposit at signing, a draw when framing is complete and inspected, and the balance at final walkthrough. Never fund the whole build yourself — composite decking for a 400-square-foot deck is thousands of dollars spent weeks before completion.
How do I handle change orders?
A written change order approved by text before you build it, with the price attached. Deck projects grow — a bench here, wider stairs there — and verbal additions are how a profitable job ends at break-even.
Should permits and inspections be billed separately?
Yes, passed through at cost with the jurisdiction named. Permit fees vary widely and inspection scheduling is real time. Both belong visible on the estimate rather than absorbed into a square-foot rate.