Painter's Log vs JobTread
JobTread is a construction management platform with budget-based job costing and a page for painting contractors. Compare how each product records crew time, materials and labor cost on a painting job, and what each plan includes.
Free forever — 1% on payments while you're free, 0% on Pro.
JobTread documents a budget-centred workflow for builders and specialty contractors:
Painter's Log connects estimates, crew time and materials so painting contractors can review what each job actually costs.
Recorded job time and materials contribute to actual costs alongside the estimate, so you can review the job while work is in progress.
Job-site geofences can help associate time with jobs when location tracking is enabled. Shift segments split a worker's time between jobs; review those assignments and keep wage rates current for usable job costs.
Run a small operation on the free plan indefinitely: 2 users (owner + 1), 5 jobs, 20 documents and 25 receipts a month, every feature included. We make money when you do — 1% on payments while you're free, 0% on Pro.
Each user runs Painter's Log in English or Spanish — crew screens, the office, and the estimate and invoice editor. What you write on an estimate reaches the customer as written; the document's own labels are in English.
Painter's Log runs the operational back office — estimates, scheduling, the jobs, invoicing, job costing. QuickBooks stays for accounting. Confirm the accounting workflow and any required exports separately.
| JobTread | Painter's Log | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Builders, remodelers and specialty contractors, with a page for painters and drywallers | Painting contractors only |
| Pricing model | One plan with every feature: a monthly base price plus a fee per internal user (including anyone who tracks time), lower per user at higher counts and on annual billing; customer and vendor portal users are free. Check current prices using the source below | Free forever (usage-limited), or one Pro plan: $179/mo including 4 users (owner + 3), + $29/mo per additional active worker |
| Free tier | No free trial; a 30-day money-back guarantee on monthly subscriptions | Free forever — 2 users (owner + 1), 5 jobs/mo, 20 documents/mo, 25 receipts/mo, 1% on payments collected through the app (0% on Pro). No credit card. |
| Job costing (estimate → actual) | Costs tracked against the budget in real time, by category, phase or line item, with tracked hours shown on budget line items | The core of the product — estimate vs. actual, per job, as the hours and receipts come in |
| Online payments | ACH, cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay through Stripe, synced to the job budget | Yes — deposits, schedules, and online payment; 1% fee on free, 0% on Pro (Stripe's standard processing rates apply either way) |
Sources checked . Features and plans can change.
Build one painting job in both tools from estimate to final cost: crew time across two jobs in one day, a paint receipt, and the margin. Check how each tool sets the labor rate and which crew members count as paid users. This comparison is published by Painter's Log, not an independent review.
See how job costing works in Painter's LogEnter what you quoted, your hours, and your spend — and see your real cost and true margin. Free, no signup.
Try the free “Did I make money?” calculatorYes. Both track job costs against the estimate or budget. JobTread is built around construction budgets, purchase orders and bills for builders, remodelers and specialty contractors. Painter's Log is built for painting contractors and costs crew time from clock-in with a configured labor burden, weekly overtime and job-segment allocation, with a free plan. Test both against one of your own jobs.
Yes — and you don't have to switch all at once. Start on the free plan (no credit card), upload estimate PDFs from JobTread to convert them into job records, and run a job or two side by side before you commit.
Keep it. Painter's Log runs the operational back office around your painting jobs — estimating, scheduling, running the work, invoicing, and job costing. QuickBooks stays for accounting. Confirm the accounting workflow and any required exports separately.
Painter's Log is free forever for small operations — 2 users (owner + 1), 5 jobs, 20 documents and 25 receipts a month, with a 1% fee on payments you collect through it. Pro is $179/month including 4 users (owner + 3), plus $29/month per additional active worker, and the payment fee drops to 0%. JobTread offers one plan with a monthly base price plus a fee per internal user; check its linked pricing page for current prices.
Run your whole business on it. We only make money when you do: 1% on payments you collect through Painter's Log while you're free, 0% on Pro.
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