techsbox vs Housecall Pro
Housecall Pro is field service software for HVAC, plumbing, and electricians. techsbox is purpose-built for walk-in repair shops. Different businesses, different tools.
| Feature | techsbox | Housecall Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $15/mo | $59/mo |
| Per-user fees | No | $35/user on MAX |
| Job/invoice cap | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Job tracking | ||
| Customer management | ||
| Invoicing & estimates | ||
| Bench/kanban workflow | ||
| Built-in scheduling | ||
| Dispatching | ||
| Customer portal | ||
| Public shop page | ||
| Online booking | ||
| SMS notifications | Team+ plans | |
| Custom subdomain | ||
| AI assistant | Pro plan | Add-on (CSR AI) |
| GPS tracking | Add-on ($20/vehicle) | |
| QuickBooks integration | Coming soon | Essentials+ ($149/mo) |
| Email/SMS marketing | Essentials+ plan | |
| Dark mode | ||
| Free trial | 14 days | 14 days |
| Contract required | No | No |
| Payment processing | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.59%+ |
Pricing Breakdown
| Shop Size | techsbox | Housecall Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Solo tech | $15/mo | $59/mo (annual) |
| Small team (3-5) | $49/mo | $149/mo (annual) |
| Growing shop (5+) | $99/mo | $299/mo + $35/user |
The Core Difference: Field Service vs. Walk-In Repair
You don't dispatch techs — you receive customers
Housecall Pro is built around dispatching: sending technicians to customer homes, GPS tracking vans, routing jobs across a metro area. If you run a walk-in repair shop, none of that applies. techsbox is built around the bench — devices come in, get triaged, get fixed, and go out.
Bench workflow > dispatch workflow
Repair shops need a kanban-style bench view: which devices are checked in, which are being diagnosed, which are waiting on parts, which are ready for pickup. Housecall Pro has nothing like this. techsbox puts the bench at the center of your workflow.
Add-on fatigue is real
Housecall Pro offers 13+ paid add-ons: pipeline ($59/mo), websites, campaigns, CSR AI, payroll, GPS tracking ($20/vehicle), voice solutions, accounting services. The base price is just the start. techsbox includes core features on every plan — no a-la-carte maze.
Customers should be able to check repair status
Walk-in customers want to check if their device is ready. techsbox includes a customer portal on every plan — look up repairs by email or phone, see status updates, view invoices. Housecall Pro doesn't offer this because home service customers don't need it. Repair shop customers do.
When Housecall Pro Is the Right Choice
If you run a home service business — HVAC, plumbing, electrical, cleaning, landscaping — Housecall Pro is genuinely excellent. Dispatching, route optimization, GPS tracking, and field invoicing are core to that workflow. But if customers walk into your shop with a broken phone or laptop, you need a tool that was built for that reality. That's techsbox.
Built for repair shops. Not remodeled from field service.
14-day free trial. No credit card required. Purpose-built for walk-in repair businesses.
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