Dock and Boat Lift Repair Invoicing App (2026)
Dock and lift work mixes materials, water access, and multi-day labor, so the invoice has to show all three. ShowTheReceipts ($15/mo) quotes materials, labor, and barge or mobilization as separate lines, takes a deposit before material goes on the truck, and bills the balance on completion.
How we picked
Entry-plan prices as published in 2026, checked against each vendor's own pricing page or a recent third-party summary. Judged on the waterfront contractor's real workflow — itemized material and labor quoting, deposits on material, and progress or completion billing — not on multi-crew dispatch.
| Software | Starting price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| ShowTheReceipts That's us | $15/mo | Solo and small-crew dock contractors: itemized quotes, deposits, progress billing, tax-ready books |
| Joist | Free / $8/mo | Simple contractor estimates and invoices |
| Invoice2go | $9.99/mo+ | Basic mobile invoicing |
| Kickserv Flex | $19/mo | Budget scheduling and invoicing |
| Jobber | $29/mo (Core) | Offices dispatching several crews at once |
Three costs, one invoice
Waterfront repair is materials, labor, and the cost of getting to a place with no road. An invoice that shows one number for all three invites an argument.
Split them and the price defends itself.
1. ShowTheReceipts — $15/mo
Materials, labor, and mobilization as separate lines, a deposit collected the moment the quote is accepted, and progress invoices against the same job.
2. Joist — Free / $8/mo
Basic estimate and invoice pads; thin on deposits and progress draws.
3. Invoice2go — $9.99/mo+
Simple mobile invoicing with standard templates.
4. Kickserv Flex — $19/mo
Budget scheduling with invoicing for a general service business.
5. Jobber — $29/mo (Core)
Real crew dispatch — more machine than a two-person dock outfit needs.
Where dock jobs go wrong
- No deposit — you finance the customer’s lumber.
- One-line quotes — every change becomes a negotiation.
- Free mobilization — the barge day nobody billed for.
Fixing those three is worth more than any feature list.
Frequently asked questions
Should I take a deposit on a dock rebuild?
Yes — material on a dock job is a real outlay before you've earned anything, and a deposit at quote acceptance covers it. Collecting it by card when the customer accepts means work starts without you fronting the lumber.
How do I bill a job that spans several weeks?
Progress billing: a deposit at signing, a draw when the structure is set, and the balance at completion. Each stage is its own invoice tied to the same job, so the customer always knows what they're paying for.
How do I charge for barge or water access?
As a separate mobilization line. Getting equipment to a site you can't drive to is a real cost, and burying it in the labor rate makes your hourly look inflated for no reason.
What if the scope changes once the old dock comes apart?
Add the extra work as new line items and re-send the invoice or a change order before you build it. Written and visible beats a conversation nobody remembers at payment time.