$664 to $870 a month for job software and card fees on $20,000 of invoices. Card fees are $595 to $795 of that; the software is $29 to $235. Leads come on top.
- ServiceM8 Starter$664
- GorillaDesk Basic$774
- Housecall Pro Essentials$787
- Jobber Connect (5 users)$794
- Service Fusion Starter$820
- Kickserv Start$870
- Tradify Lite$870
The cheapest plan is not the cheapest month
On $20,000 a month paid by card, each percentage point of card rate costs $200 a month. That is more than the whole software bill at 5 of the 7 apps. Kickserv shows it: its Start plan is $75, the second cheapest here, but its 3.9% + 30¢ card rate puts its month at $870, tied for the highest. Compare the card rate before the plan price.
| App and plan | Software | Card fees | Total | Card fees vs software | Fees pass the software at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ServiceM8Starter. Plan covers 50 jobs a month | $29(source) | $6353.1% + 30¢ (source) | $664 | 21.9x | 5%of invoices paid by card |
| GorillaDeskBasic. Uses your own Stripe account, so the card rate is Stripe's. Priced by route: 4 routes | $179(source) | $5952.9% + 30¢ (source) | $774 | 3.3x | 31%of invoices paid by card |
| Housecall ProEssentials | $189(source) | $5982.99% (source) | $787 | 3.2x | 32%of invoices paid by card |
| JobberConnect (5 users) | $199(source) | $5952.9% + 30¢ (source) | $794 | 3.0x | 34%of invoices paid by card |
| Service FusionStarter | $225(source) | $595as low as 2.9% + 30¢ (source) | $820 | 2.6x | 38%of invoices paid by card |
| KickservStart | $75(source) | $7953.9% + 30¢ (source) | $870 | 10.6x | 10%of invoices paid by card |
| TradifyLite. 5 users at $47 each | $235(source) | $6353.1% + 30¢ (source) | $870 | 2.7x | 38%of invoices paid by card |
Left out (no complete published price): 12 apps
- Publishes a starting price only:Fergus
- Users per plan not published:Joist
- Online card rate not published:QuoteIQ, Service Autopilot
- Built for lawn businesses only:Yardbook
- Quote only, no published price:FieldEdge, FieldPulse, ServiceTitan, Simpro, Workiz, Zuper
- Not a job app (no quotes, invoices or customer payments):Connecteam
Card fees are most of the bill at every app
At all 7 apps that publish a full price for a 5-person crew, card fees are bigger than the subscription: from 2.6 times at Service Fusion to 21.9 times at ServiceM8. The plan is fixed; card fees grow with every invoice.
Card fees pass the software even if few customers pay by card
We assumed every customer pays by card. If some pay by check or bank transfer, the last column shows where the line sits: card fees pass the software once 5% to 38% of invoices are paid by card, depending on the app. Several apps charge less for bank (ACH) payments; see card fees by app.
Most lead platforms don’t publish what a lead costs
Of the 7 US platforms we track that sell leads, only Networx publishes a price: $10 to $100+ a shared lead, $15 to $120+ exclusive. At 20 leads a month that is at least $200 shared or $300 exclusive, before you win a job. The rest show it inside your pro account. Bark publishes what a credit costs, but not how many credits a lead takes. Turn a lead price into a cost per won job with the cost per job calculator.
| Platform | How it charges | Price it publishes |
|---|---|---|
| Angi | Per lead | No price |
| Bark | Per lead, paid in credits | Credit price only ($2.35 a credit), not credits per lead |
| Google Local Services Ads | Per lead | No price |
| Modernize | Per lead | No price |
| Networx | Per lead | $10 to $100+ a lead shared, $15 to $120+ exclusive |
| Porch | Per lead | No price |
| Thumbtack | Per lead | No price |
| Houzz Pro | Flat monthly fee | Ad package from $499 a month |
| Nextdoor Ads | Per view (ads) | No price |
| Yelp Ads | Per click (ads) | Minimum budget only ($5 a day on average) |
How we worked it out
The crew. 5 users: 4 in the field, each running a route, and 1 in the office. 50 invoices a month averaging $400, all paid online by standard US card through the app’s own payments.
The apps. Each app’s cheapest plan that covers 5 users, billed monthly, no extra features: the same model as our job software cost calculator.
Left out. Amex, business and keyed-in cards (they cost more at several apps), instant payouts, setup fees, add-ons, intro offers and tax. An app or platform that does not publish a price is named, never estimated.
Dates. Job software prices checked Oct 20, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026 (each app’s date is in the CSV), lead platforms Oct 20, 2026. Each number links to the provider’s own page in the table above; how we check is on how we verify prices.
Use this data
Cite this
Honest Fees, “What a 5-person trades business pays (2026)”, updated Oct 23, 2026. https://honestfees.com/what-a-trades-business-really-pays
Free to cite and reuse with a link.
Common questions
How much do card fees cost a small contractor?
On 50 invoices a month at $400, all paid by card through the job app, card fees are $595 to $795 a month at the 7 apps with published prices. That is 2.6 to 21.9 times what the software costs.
What does job management software cost for a 5-person crew?
$29 to $235 a month at the 7 apps that publish a full price for 5 users, billed monthly. The other 12 apps we track are named under the table, each with the reason it is left out.
How much do contractor leads cost?
Most platforms don't say. Of 7 US lead platforms we track, only Networx publishes a price: $10 to $100+ a shared lead and $15 to $120+ exclusive. The others show the price inside your pro account.