When my spouse and I began our handyman business, I initially tracked various data in an Excel spreadsheet. However, as our business grew, I realized I needed more comprehensive handyman business software that offered features that helped me juggle appointments, create professional quotes and invoices, let clients pay their bills online, and other vital tasks. 

I tried various software to streamline our business while enhancing customer satisfaction. In this guide, I’ll offer some personal insights into what handyman business software to consider and why.

Related: How to start a handyman business

Understanding Handyman Business Needs

Understanding the core requirements of a handyman business helps you choose the right software for your business. Scheduling appointments, managing client information, and tracking finances are crucial to your business’ success. I quickly learned that manually managing these tasks using a simple calendar and spreadsheet wasn’t enough. It was inefficient and led to errors and significant stress.

Handyman business software automates processes, which helped me reduce errors while saving time. It simplified scheduling and tracking our appointments, ensuring we arrived on time, and enhanced our customer service. 

Having software geared to field service and customer relationship management that integrated with QuickBooks eliminated my struggle to stay organized using manual processes.

Key Features to Look for in Handyman Business Software

Comparing handyman business software, I discovered numerous choices, and it was difficult to narrow my options. I suggest prioritizing key features based on your business’s current and future needs. Some features I feel are important include: 

• Scheduling and Calendar Management: Managing appointments and staying organized with scheduling tools that sync seamlessly with my calendar ensures we never miss an appointment.
• Job Management and Tracking: Because our company frequently had multiple projects scheduled simultaneously, software with job management tools allowed me to assign tasks, track progress, and ensure every job stayed on schedule to ensure client satisfaction.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM): CRM that centralizes client information, tracks interactions, and enables personalized communication helps me stay connected with our customers and build strong, long-lasting relationships.
• Invoicing and Payment Processing: Billing took up an enormous amount of my time, and chasing down payments was a hassle. Handyman business software simplifies billing processes with automated invoicing and secure credit card payment processing to ensure prompt payments.
• Inventory Management: Tracking the materials you have on hand to complete common maintenance and repair tasks requires inventory management that lets me monitor frequently used supplies to ensure we reorder them before running out and potentially causing a delay.
• Mobile Accessibility: I remember the early days when my spouse constantly called me to get a client’s contact information or confirm an aspect of a job because he didn’t have the pertinent information on site. Software that lets workers in the field access client and job information through mobile-friendly applications saves time.
• Reporting and Analytics: Data-driven insights empower informed decision-making. I recommend software that provides detailed reports and analytics on key metrics such as revenue, job performance, and customer satisfaction to gain valuable insights into your business performance.
• Integration Capabilities: Many handyman software options offer integrations with popular programs, but some integrate better than others. Watch for negative reviews about software requiring you to manually input information into multiple programs because it doesn’t sync correctly.

Expert Recommended Handyman Business Software Options

Based on my personal experience and understanding of the unique needs of the handyman industry, here are five handyman business software options I recommend.

1. Jobber

Overview: Jobber is a comprehensive business management software designed specifically for field service professionals, including handymen. I found Jobber user-friendly and streamlined scheduling, invoicing, and client management. It integrates with QuickBooks and offers a lot of flexibility in scheduling work orders.

Key Features: 

• Scheduling and dispatching
• Invoicing and payment processing
• Client management
• Quoting and estimating
• Integrates with accounting software and third-party payment processors

Pros:

• User-friendly interface
• Strong scheduling and dispatching capabilities
• Good options for customizing invoices and quotes

Cons:

• Pricing is higher for advanced features
• Limited customization options for the mobile app

Related: How to set prices for a handyman service

2. Housecall Pro

Overview: Housecall Pro is an all-in-one field service management platform tailored for small to medium-sized handyman businesses. I initially tried Housecall Pro for its online booking and scheduling features. I also like its appointment reminders and automatic communication with clients, ensuring clear, consistent communication.

Key Features: 

• Online booking and scheduling
• Job tracking and dispatching
• Invoicing and payment processing
• Customer communication tools
• Marketing automation features

Pros:

• Relatively easy interface
• Integrates with third-party tools
• Automatic appointment reminders

Cons:

• Lacked inventory tracking for materials
• Limitations in employee time tracking and payroll

3. ServiceTitan

Overview: ServiceTitan is a comprehensive software solution meant for larger handyman businesses. It caught my attention because it had such an extensive suite of features, but it may be too robust for smaller businesses that can get by with lower-cost products with fewer features.

Key Features: 

• Advanced scheduling and dispatching
• CRM tools for client management
• In-depth reporting and analytics
• Inventory management
• Marketing automation features

Pros: 

• Scalable solution suitable for growing businesses
• Extensive customization options
• Integrates with accounting and other software

Cons: 

• Costs more compared to other options
• Higher learning curve to begin using it

4. JobNimbus

Overview: JobNimbus is a versatile project management and CRM software for small to mid-sized handyman businesses. It stood out to me for its affordability, versatility, and reliability in managing projects, communicating with clients, and staying organized on the go.

Key Features:

• Project management tools
• Client communication tools
• Task management and scheduling
• Document management

Pros: 

• Relatively affordable pricing plans
• User-friendly interface once setup
• Customizable workflows

Cons: 

• Mobile app could be better
• Fewer integration options compared to other platforms 

5. FieldEdge

Overview: FieldEdge is a field service management software tailored for handyman businesses of all sizes. This program has been around longer than many other software options, meaning the company has had longer to work out bugs in its product. On the flip side, some features feel a bit dated.

Key Features: 

• Scheduling and dispatching
• Invoicing and payment processing
• Inventory management
• Client management
• Mobile app for technicians 

Pros: 

• Extensive customization capabilities
• Real-time integration with QuickBooks and other accounting software
• iPad compatibility improves use in the field

Cons: 

• Some features seem a bit dated
• The interface can be overwhelming for some users 

Choosing the Right Software for Your Handyman Business

When my spouse and I started our business, we were essentially a solo handyman operation before adding employees as we grew. Solo operations can often get by with fewer features. More advanced handyman business software typically has a higher cost with features you won’t use if you don’t have employees. 

Make sure you only pay for the features you need, but choose software that scales with your business to meet your future needs. Some suggestions for selecting the right software for your business include: 

• Assessing Your Business Needs: Identify the specific requirements of your handyman business, including the size of your business, the number of technicians you employ, and the number and complexity of the jobs you normally complete to determine how comprehensive you need your software solution to be.
• Budget Considerations: Set a realistic budget for your software investment and prioritize features based on their importance to your business. Although you shouldn’t decide based solely on cost, don’t overspend for features you may never use. I chose to invest in software with advanced scheduling capabilities because I knew it would save me time and money in the long run by reducing scheduling conflicts and making the best use of each technician’s time each day.
• Trial and Demo Evaluations: Take advantage of free trials and demos to test options before committing to prevent wasting money on software that doesn’t fit your needs or that you simply hate using. Choose software with lengthy trial periods and access to all the key features to make the most informed decision.
• Scalability and Growth Potential: Choose a software solution that grows with your business by allowing you to upgrade your plan and add more users as needed.
• User-Friendly Interface and Support: Opt for software that’s intuitive and easy to use, with numerous customer support options. A program that’s hard to use can disrupt your business and be underutilized. Prioritize software providers with responsive customer support and multiple modes of assistance, including phone, email, and live chat. 

Implementation and Best Practices

Enhance the implementation of your new handyman business software through best practices that help smooth the transition and maximize the software’s effectiveness, such as: 

• Onboarding and Training: I invested time in comprehensive onboarding and hands-on training to ensure my team understood how to use new software before sending them into the field with it. Many software providers offer online and/or in-person training.
• Customization and Configuration: I tailor the software to suit my business needs by customizing and configuring settings during implementation. Setting up customized fields and templates from the start saves time later and ensures consistency.
• Data Migration Strategies: I clean up and organize my existing data to prevent duplicate entries and ensure data integrity. Then, I carefully plan my data migration to smoothly transfer existing data from the old system to the new software.
• Establishing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Consistency is key, so I define clear SOPs for using new software and provide my technicians with written workflows, best practices, and troubleshooting steps they can use as references. 

Embrace Technology for Business Growth

While learning a new software program can be frustrating, utilizing technology to streamline your business supports growth and ultimately saves you time. To ensure you find the best handyman business software to fit your needs and budget, create a list of the features you need, research your options, and take advantage of free trials and demos before purchasing. 

During implementation, train your team to ensure consistency, monitor usage, and adapt or upgrade your software as needed. Embracing the power of technology may be what your handyman business needs to propel its growth to the next level.