ServiceTitan vs Housecall Pro: Which Is Better For You?

HVAC, plumbing, and the specialists who work with them have been around in some form or another for thousands of years. Just as the core elements of these trades have changed greatly – when was the last time you saw an aqueduct? – so have the ways HVAC, plumbing and electrical service providers go about managing their work.

Today’s shops have the benefit of powerful software tools designed to make the administrative side of work run more smoothly. These platforms can do things like track and analyze your monthly numbers, send and generate documents automatically, and manage communication with customers across many channels.

Two of the most popular software tools for HVAC contractors and similar technicians are ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro. Both claim to have everything needed to help contractors perform at the highest possible level. But which of these software platforms is best for your particular needs?

In this blog post, we’re going to compare ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro in a few major categories, then give you our big picture thoughts so you can make the decision yourself.

Our main takeaway

We know you’re busy, so we’ll give you the gist upfront: 

If you have a bigger budget and are looking for a more comprehensive software for contractors, ServiceTitan is probably right for you. On the other hand, if you want more value and flexibility, Housecall Pro is your best bet.

Keep reading for more on how we came to this conclusion.  Or, if you're the skimming type, this should give you a quick overview:

Housecall Pro

Pricing: Housecall Pro offers a pricing model starting at $49 per month. This flat-rate pricing is designed to provide flexibility for businesses of different sizes. They also provide a free trial for users to explore the platform's capabilities before committing. However, there is no free version available.

Best for: Housecall Pro is an ideal solution for small to medium-sized service businesses with 1-50 users. It caters to a wide range of home service professionals, including those in plumbing, electrical, carpet cleaning, HVAC, housekeeping, handyman services, window cleaning, locksmith, and various other industries.

Recognition: Housecall Pro has earned recognition on Capterra Shortlist™ in several categories, demonstrating its excellence in various areas of service management. These categories include Service Dispatch Software, Work Order Software, Plumbing Software, Electrical Contractor Software, and more.

Features: Housecall Pro boasts an extensive set of features, making it a comprehensive solution for service businesses. Some of its key features include billing & invoicing, calendar management, customer database, electronic payments, inventory control, job management, location tracking, maintenance scheduling, quotes/estimates, real-time updates, routing, service history, task scheduling, and technician management. It is highly regarded for its user-friendly platform and has received positive reviews for its functionality and ease of use.

ServiceTitan

Pricing: Pricing details for ServiceTitan are not provided in the table, indicating that they may offer customized pricing based on the specific needs and scale of the business. Potential users are encouraged to contact ServiceTitan for pricing information tailored to their requirements.

Best for: ServiceTitan is designed to accommodate larger service businesses, with support for teams ranging from 2 to 1000+ users. It serves a diverse range of industries, including irrigation, septic, water treatment, Audio/Visual, commercial locksmith, HVAC, plumbing, construction, electrical, garage door, chimney sweep, and water treatment companies.

Recognition: ServiceTitan has also received recognition on Capterra Shortlist™ across multiple categories, reflecting its excellence in the field of service management software. These categories include Field Service Management Software, Billing and Invoicing Software, Service Dispatch Software, and more.

Features: ServiceTitan offers a comprehensive suite of features that empower service businesses to streamline their operations efficiently. Some of its notable features include billing & invoicing, calendar management, customer database, electronic payments, maintenance scheduling, quotes/estimates, real-time updates, routing, service history, task scheduling, and technician management. ServiceTitan is renowned for its robust feature set and has garnered positive user reviews for its capabilities and versatility.

This detailed breakdown provides a comprehensive understanding of the pricing, target user base, recognition, and key features of both Housecall Pro and ServiceTitan, helping businesses make informed decisions when choosing the right field service management software.

ServiceTitan vs. Housecall Pro Features

Both software options offer some of the most common features you’d want from these kinds of tools: CRM-type functions like automated email reminders and pipeline analysis, invoicing and estimates, scheduling and team management.

But first, a disclaimer: while Levergy is a vendor partner with both ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro, we are receiving no commissions of any type from this article, nor are we trying to have a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we want to try to compare & contrast the two platforms to help you evaluate your options.

As you might expect based on their price discrepancy, ServiceTitan is slightly more robust than Housecall Pro. In certain areas, it offers more advanced functionality: for example, ServiceTitan allows capacity planning and customer-level notification settings that can be adjusted. And while both platforms offer booking options, ServiceTitan’s offering is a more dynamic online client portal, while Housecall Pro’s is a standalone booking tool. 

A few of the features of both software platforms:

• Recommendations for upsells based customer profiles
• Estimate tool with automated follow-up inquiries
• Timekeeping and payroll functionality
• Payments via multiple channels (credit card, ACH transfer, etc.)
• Integration with major search and social media advertising platforms (Google, Facebook, etc.)

As we mentioned earlier, even though they both offer the same core functionality, ServiceTitan’s features tend to be a bit more sophisticated or customizable than Housecall Pro. To learn why, keep reading.

ServiceTitan vs. Housecall Pro Pricing: The Major Difference

Here is where the rubber really meets the road in our comparison. Depending on the size of your shop, the cost of ServiceTitan vs. Housecall Pro for plumbers and other contractors could be the biggest factor determining which one you choose.

Housecall Pro Pricing for Contractors

Housecall Pro is more open about their pricing. Based on their latest pricing page, the smallest possible basic plan is $49 per month for a single user. The mid-tier essential plan offers support for up to five users and starts at $129 per month. These prices are for annual billing – if you want to go month-to-month, it’s $16 extra on the basic plan and $40 extra for the essential plan.

ServiceTitan Pricing for Contractors

ServiceTitan doesn’t publish its pricing packages as openly as Housecall Pro. They don’t have a pricing page or specific prices published anywhere on their own site. A button labeled “Request Pricing” prompts you to fill out a pop-up form on the website. 

Based on research from software review sites and online communities, we found ServiceTitan charges $125 per month per user for its basic plan and $398 per month per user for the higher-end plan, though recent chatter indicates that this might again be in flux. Additionally, ServiceTitan requires an annual agreement and doesn’t offer any month-to-month options. 

Other price points were shared online, and while none of this pricing data comes directly from ServiceTitan, it’s clearly the more expensive option.

ServiceTitan vs. Housecall Pro Setup and Support

Both software tools have a customized setup process based on an online portal system that provides access to most features. ServiceTitan appears to have a more regimented onboarding process divided into multiple weeks, a schedule “designed to maximize your time learning ServiceTitan.” With Housecall Pro, you can request a free 14-day trial by filling out a form with your name and contact information, as well as a few other details about your shop.

As far as support goes, Housecall Pro offers a community of users to ask questions of, a detailed knowledge base, and a number of resources like in-depth eBooks and videos. Their website shows a general support email address and 800-number on its tech support page.

ServiceTitan also offers a search-friendly knowledge base plus a dedicated Academy with lessons on how new users can get acclimated to the platform. Its support request form is more detailed, and ServiceTitan also has a dedicated “Customer Success” department in addition to its normal technical support department and similar community features as Housecall Pro.

Both ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro use AI-driven chat technology to help customers and prospects find exactly what they need.

Pricebooks, Mobile Functionality, and More

Choosing the right field service management software (FSM) can be a daunting task. Many FSM solutions seem to offer similar features such as job tracking, routing, dispatching, scheduling, customer management, and equipment tracking. However, the devil is in the details, and what may appear as a cost-effective solution upfront can turn into a costly mistake in the long run.

In previous posts, we've compared Housecall Pro with alternatives like Jobber and FieldEdge. In this article, we'll closely examine how ServiceTitan stacks up against Housecall Pro, breaking it down into six key categories:

1. Pricebook Functionality:

The pricebook is a critical tool for service contractors, whether they're plumbers, electricians, HVAC, or pest control specialists. It helps determine pricing, and here's where ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro differ significantly.

ServiceTitan seamlessly integrates variables like materials and equipment into pricing. Users can access updated equipment catalogs from top manufacturers, eliminating guesswork. Plus, ServiceTitan offers pre-built pricebooks for convenience.

2. Reporting Capabilities:

Understanding business data is crucial. ServiceTitan provides comprehensive scorecards for employees, real-time field reporting dashboards, and non-job time tracking. It gives owners clear insights into employee performance, sales tracking, and marketing ROI.

Housecall Pro's reporting features tend to be limited and may produce inaccuracies over time.

3. Tagging Features:

Both ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro offer tagging features, but ServiceTitan takes it a step further. "Smart tags" can automate tagging based on job types, techs, equipment, or customer history. These tags are versatile and can improve cross-selling, upselling, and marketing campaigns.

4. Facilitating Accountability Across Your Organization:

ServiceTitan provides tools like gated work sequences and customizable forms to ensure employees follow best practices. It promotes consistency and reduces errors.

Housecall Pro lacks such functionality for ensuring employee accountability.

5. Mobile Features and Accessibility:

ServiceTitan offers robust mobile capabilities, including texting from multiple devices and offline functionality. In contrast, Housecall Pro's texting feature is limited to mobile, causing inconveniences for office staff.

Housecall Pro lacks offline functionality, forcing users to rely on memory for estimates and other tasks when in areas without internet access.

6. Customer Portal:

ServiceTitan offers a user-friendly customer portal accessible to all customers, not just those with service agreements. Homeowners can book online, access past work, view proposals, and pay bills conveniently.

Housecall Pro's portal is primarily for membership customers and lacks the versatility of ServiceTitan's offering.

The Last Word on Housecall Pro vs. ServiceTitan

Both platforms are top in this category for a reason: they both offer some of the most cutting-edge features for every department, from accounting to sales to job scheduling and payroll. Housecall Pro has a slight edge when it comes to affordability and flexibility, while ServiceTitan’s platform seems to be more robust with a better system for learning and support. Recent announcements from ServiceTitan highlight further product development using cutting-edge AI technology. And as much as we'd like to do a feature-by-feature comparison, both platforms are extremely mature and robust with tons of features, capabilities, community resources, and more. Highlighting each of them may happen in the future, but would take far longer than our publishing deadlines allow.

Whether you want to use Housecall Pro or ServiceTitan, you’ll need the right kind of team supporting you. If you’re interested in getting started or expanding your use of one of these software tools for your shop, schedule a call with our team to learn about getting the most out of HVAC contractor software to make it well worth the ongoing investment.