14 Best handyman apps to grow your business

The following four handyman apps meet the requirements of handymen from across the country and were top of the list when asked “Which handyman app(s) could you not live without?”

Handy (Pro)

Perhaps best thought of as “Uber for a handyman,” registering with this app will help you find more jobs.

Something of a clearinghouse, Handy Pro is more like an agent than an employer. This is because you still work for yourself; Handy just directs you to job opportunities. You’ll be screened to ensure you’re

• Experienced
• Licenced
• Bonded
• Insured

With Handy, you can make up to $45 per hour per job as a handyman or $62 per hour as a lawn care pro. In exchange for directing you to jobs, Handy takes a percentage of the fee. Payment for your services is directly deposited into your account upon completion of a job.

Pro tip: Handy lets you choose when to work. Build a full schedule, or just have a few gigs on the side—it’s up to you.

Joist

A professional tool built by and for contractors, with Joist, you can send invoices and payment requests on the go. It works on your mobile device, tablet, or on the web.

Joist allows you to create estimates in a flash, using a line item list for on-site calculations. The app takes in square footage, cost of materials, and various other factors that go into pricing. Once you’ve itemized the job, the app creates a professional estimate that can be emailed to the client or shown in person. From there, clients have the option to pay the invoice directly to you.

With Joist, you can save time and create more job opportunities.

Fun fact: Joist’s 900,000 contractors have invoiced more than $29 billion dollars of transactions with happy customers.¹

Thumbtack

Thumbtack understands that handymen want to fix things, not get bogged down with all of the new technologies and online marketing strategies. That’s why they created an app that introduces you to customers.

Simply tell them a little bit about your business, including:

• The type of jobs you want
• Where you want to work
• When you want to work

Once you’re listed, customers will be able to find you. Like a dating site, the app then asks customers specific questions about the job they want done and then matches them with the right handyman. There’s no need for digital ads, door knocking, or cold calling—just sign up to get started.

Heads up: Like Yelp, your business can be rated and reviewed. There are a variety of things that impact rankings, including reviews, whether or not you’ve fully filled out pricing, having a complete profile, being responsive and proactively promoting your services.

Quickbooks

Quickbooks is a hassle-free way you can run your handyman business while you’re on the go. As one of the premier mobile accounting apps, it gives you total visibility over your small business’s finances. Use it on your phone, tablet, or laptop to:

Track your jobs and expenses Accept payments for gigs Pay employees (if you have a team) Create professional invoices

Pro tip: Quickbooks lets you scan receipts so you can be prepared for tax time. Be sure to use this feature to save time and reduce your tax burden.

TaskRabbit

TaskRabbit is the easiest way you can knock out your daily to-do list. It connects people with talented “taskers” to handle anything from errands to handiwork.

Sign up to be a tasker and get started in minutes. Search for gigs, choose your rate, and build a schedule that fits you. It’s that simple.

Pro tip: Handymen have the “highest earning potential” of any taskers on the app. On top of a base hourly rate, you can also receive tips.

Thimble

If you’re a handyman regularly working on gigs in clients’ homes, it’s vital that you’re protected with general liability insurance. Even if insurance isn’t required by your state, it’s the best way you can safeguard your small business from risk.

Enter Thimble: on-demand insurance for businesses on the go. It’s flexible insurance for the modern-day handyman—you can purchase a policy by the hour, day, or month.

With Thimble, you can get coverage only for when you’re working. Say goodbye to the annual policy that eats into your margins. Instead, get the handyman insurance your business needs in less than 60 seconds. Answer a few brief questions, review your quote, and click to purchase. Once that’s done, a Certificate of Insurance (COI) will be instantly sent to your email inbox. Need to update your COI with Additional Insureds? Easy. Need handyman insurance for a last minute job? No problem!

The key to growing any business is finding more clients. From word of mouth to social media and apps, there are countless ways to grow your client list. Check out the best handyman apps to find work, according to handymen in your shoes.

Home Advisor

Home Advisor is the most popular home improvement app on the market. Every day, thousands of people use it to hire an expert to help with their home improvement project(s), whether it’s for remodeling, landscaping services, or plumbing.

Signing up is free. However, you will have to pay a slight fee for leads. Once you’re on, you can list your services, bid on projects, and instantly connect with customers.

Heads up: Home Advisor conducts criminal background checks and licensing verification as a part of their screening process. Be sure that you have the proper licenses as required by your state in order to operate legally.

NextDoor

Nextdoor—the neighborhood hub—helps connect local small businesses with people in their area. Users can ask questions, find businesses, and have conversations with their neighbors.

According to a Nextdoor survey, 70% of people turn to word of mouth from family, friends, and neighbors as their most trusted source to discover new businesses in their area.² When you sign up and list your business, you can immediately:

• Build a local presence
• Find people looking for home improvement jobs
• Save time and money on marketing
• Form relationships with locals
• Post promotions or deals

Fun fact: More than 67% of Nextdoor users have shared recommendations with their neighbors. Every recommendation you get could mean dozens of new gigs.

Notable mentions: Handyman apps for finding work

One of the winner’s circle apps, Thumbtack, comes in as the #3 app handymen use to find work.

Additionally, handymen are turning more and more to social media, with Facebook noted as a top source for finding work. Other notable handyman apps for finding work include:

• Google
• Homewyse
• Indeed
• Instagram
• Linkedin
• Property Pres Wizard

Building your client list is only one piece of growing your handyman business. Next, you’ll need the right tools to manage and run your business from invoicing to time tracking and more. See which apps made the cut for the best handyman apps to streamline business operations.

Two of the must-have handyman apps, Joist and Quickbooks, are among the top apps for business operations.

GasBuddy

Traveling to job sites means you’re going to burn fuel, and when you do that, you’ll inevitably have to buy more. The lower you can keep fuel costs, the more profit you’ll earn.

GasBuddy helps you find the gas stations nearby with the lowest prices. The app even has a rewards program through which you can earn free fuel. Updated in real time, GasBuddy is both reliable and accurate.

Fun fact: You can pay for gas using the app and save up to 25¢ a gallon. Drivers have saved over $13 million at the pump paying with GasBuddy.

MileIQ

MileIQ is a handy app that tracks your business mileage so you don’t have to do it manually. It automatically logs mileage and estimates the cost of drives for tax reimbursements.

The app automatically tracks mileage without you needing to press a button. Simply download and drive—no paperwork required.

Pro tip: Categorizing a drive can be done with just a swipe—right for business, left for personal.

Notable mentions: Handyman apps for managing a business

Freshbooks comes in as the #3 app handymen use to run and manage their businesses, followed by other common and lesser-known apps, including:

• Wave
• Excel/Google Sheets
• Evernote
• Xero
• Zoho Projects
• Bluebeam Revu
• Office Works
• Square

It’s all about having the right tools for the job. Thanks to technology, a few of those tools fit in the palm of your hand and make various tasks on the job easier.

DeWalt Mobile Pro

“Measure twice and cut once” is sound advice for anyone in the building trades.

With that thought in mind, DeWalt Mobile Pro gives you the ability to make all sorts of on-site calculations. The app also provides educational resources and construction information to help you find the perfect solution to any job site problem. Its calculator function computes area, length, and volume conversions. It also does foot-inch calculations to make estimating studs, drywall, and concrete slabs as simple as tapping the screen. Frequently used calculations can also be stored for future use.

Pro tip: There are hundreds of available add-ons you can use to customize Mobile Pro and make it feel like your own. Take some time to check out all the possibilities.

Bubble Level

Forgot your leveler? No problem.

Bubble Level is a simple handy tool you can use on the job. Hold any of the phone’s sides against an object to get an accurate measurement of its level or plumb.

Amongst other things, you can use it to:

• Check surface level
• Measure any angle with Bubble Level
• Detect wires inside the wall with its metal detector
• Measure distance with the AR ruler

Fun fact: Bubble Level is one of the most highly rated apps in the app store, with more than 47,300 reviews and a 4.7 star rating. It’s simple, but it does the trick.

Download Bubble Level for Android and Apple.

Notable mentions: Handyman tool apps

A few other tool-based apps made the list, including:

• i-Ruler
• Surface Level
• Tape Measure™ (iOS only)
• Pitch finder
• Tapeulator
• Voltage drop/ conduit fill
• Wallbot

When you’re on a job site and need supplies, easily ordering what you need can speed up the job and save you time going back and forth. In terms of big box home improvement stores, Home Depot came in #1 for ease of ordering.

Home Depot

Home Depot has made shopping for the supplies you need easier. With its mobile app, you can find products through image or voice search. Use the bar scanner to see what other customers have said about a product. If you become a Pro user, you can save money and stretch your project budget with: Bulk purchasing options Pro-exclusive offers Lower prices

Pro tip: Need to paint a room? The ProjectColor app, allows you and your client to see exactly what the paint will look like on the walls. Take a picture of the room, then select a paint color to see whether it’s right.

Lowe’s

Most jobs will require you to purchase materials and supplies.

The free Lowe’s mobile app lets you create a shopping list in collaboration with store personnel to ensure the products you need are in stock. This saves you the trouble of driving to a store only to learn the item you need isn’t available (which often happens when you visit the closest location to the job site). The app allows you to scan barcodes to get more information about products. With it, you can keep track of your purchase history and assign expenses to jobs, or even use the application to pay for items and speed up checkout times.

Money saver: When you sign up, if you opt for mobile alerts, you can get a $10-off-$50 coupon. After you’ve received the coupon, just turn off the mobile alerts.

Technology should make your life simpler, not more complicated.

Whether it’s finding work, ordering supplies, or managing invoices, be sure to take advantage of the various handyman apps discussed above. Leverage them daily to automate tasks, create efficiencies, save money, and win over customers.

Get to work with all the tools at your disposal, and in no time, you’ll be wondering how you ever got by without them.