Painter's Log vs PaintScout
Both products are built for painting contractors. Compare how each connects estimating, production and the cost records you need to understand job profit.
Free forever — 1% on payments while you're free, 0% on Pro.
PaintScout documents painting-specific sales and production workflows:
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.
| PaintScout | Painter's Log | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Painting contractors — Sales and Operations products | Painting contractors — the whole job lifecycle |
| Pricing model | Sales and Operations subscriptions; confirm the package, billing term and users on the linked pricing page | Free forever (usage-limited), or one Pro plan: $179/mo including 4 users (owner + 3), + $29/mo per additional active worker |
| Free tier | 14-day trial | 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) | Documents estimated production hours and Operations for running jobs; ask for a demonstration of actual labor, material costs and margin in your chosen package | The core of the product — estimate vs. actual, per job, as the hours and receipts come in |
| Online payments | Supports invoicing, progress payments and payment collection; confirm processing terms | 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.
Take one accepted painting estimate through scheduling, crew time, a material purchase and final margin in both tools. Confirm which package, integrations and settings each step requires. 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 serve painting contractors. PaintScout documents production-rate estimating, proposals and Operations for scheduling and managing jobs. Painter's Log connects estimates to recorded crew time, configured labor burden, weekly overtime and job materials. Test the complete costing workflow in both products 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 PaintScout 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%. PaintScout offers Sales and Operations subscriptions; check its linked pricing page for the current package, included users and features your team needs.
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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