Invoice Fly vs Contractor+: Which Is Better for Contractors?

The Invoice Fly vs Contractor Plus (Contractor+) choice comes down to how much of your business you want a single app to run. Both can take over the paperwork waiting for you after a long day, but they go about it differently. Invoice Fly sticks to the money side, while Contractor+ goes wider with a CRM, scheduling, contracts, and job costing.

Either one beats handwritten estimates. In this article, we compare features, plan limits, pricing, and everyday workflows so you can pick the one that fits your business.

Invoice Fly vs Contractor+ at a Glance

Invoice FlyContractor+
Best forSolo contractors who want focused billing and expense toolsContractors who also need a CRM, scheduling, and job management
Estimates and invoicesUnlimited on either paid billing option5 per month on Freedom; unlimited on paid plans
Estimating helpSaved items and custom estimatesLive local cost data and Estimatic AI on paid plans
SchedulingNo scheduling calendarScheduling and calendar sync on Pro
CRMClient and billing recordsLeads, clients, and job history
Time and expensesTimer, receipt scanning, expense tracking, and reportsTime and expense tracking; job costing on Pro Team
ContractsEstimate signatures and depositsAutomated contracts and e-signatures on Pro
Team featuresBuilt mainly for individualsTeam and client chat, collaboration on Pro Team
IntegrationsPayment providers such as Strip and PaypallQuickBooks Online, Zapier, and API on Pro Team
Starting paid price$8.99/week or $98.99/yearPro: $49/month or $348/year
Free optionFree online tools for single documents, no account needed; the full app requires a subscriptionFreedom plan: 5 estimates or invoices per month

In short, Invoice Fly makes sense when billing and cost tracking are your main headaches. Contractor+ offers more depth when leads, schedules, crews, and job margins also need a home.

Create and Send Invoices with Invoice Fly

Whether you’re billing clients weekly, monthly, or per project, Invoice Fly helps you create professional invoices, track payments, and stay organized from anywhere.

invoice fly mobile dashboard

What Is Invoice Fly?

Invoice Fly gives independent pros a simple path from quote to payment. You send an estimate, collect approval or a deposit, and turn it into an invoice without retyping the job. Hours, receipts, recurring invoices, reminders, and reports sit right next to your billing, and status labels show whether each invoice is sent, viewed, paid, or overdue.

Paid access costs $8.99 a week or $98.99 a year, and both options include unlimited estimates and invoices. If you only need the occasional document, Invoice Fly also offers seven free browser-based tools, no subscription required.

What Is Contractor Plus?

Contractor Plus is web and mobile software for general contractors, remodelers, handymen, HVAC companies, and other trades.It brings leads, estimates, invoices, scheduling, contracts, payments, team chat, and job costing into one platform, with live cost data and an AI estimating tool called Estimatic on paid plans.

There are four plans: Freedom (free), Pro for one user, Pro Team for growing crews, and Max for large companies. For a wider look at Contractor Plus features and common use cases, see this Capterra overview.

contractor reviewing construction plans

Invoice Fly vs Contractor Plus: Key Differences

Invoicing and Estimates

Both apps build itemized estimates and invoices you can send digitally. Invoice Fly adds signatures, deposits, and unlimited documents on either billing option.Contractor+ leans into construction estimating. Pro adds optional line items, add-ons, live local cost data, and Estimatic AI to help you price jobs faster.

Cost data is a starting point, though. Supplier prices, delivery, and site conditions can change the real number, so double-check before you lock in a fixed quote.

Tip: Whichever app you use, use invoice automation with care and make sure to set up.clear invoice line items to help customers see how labor, materials, and other charges add up.

Estimate-to-Invoice Workflow

Both apps carry estimate details straight into the invoice, so there’s no retyping and no mismatched totals. Invoice Fly keeps the path short: estimate, approval, invoice, payment. Contractor+ places the estimate inside a longer journey, from lead to contract, scheduled job, invoice, and cost report. That suits a remodel but may be overkill for a one-visit repair.

Scheduling and Job Management

Contractor+ Pro includes scheduling and calendar sync, so appointments, notes, and costs live together in each job record.Invoice Fly doesn’t offer a scheduling calendar, which may not matter if yours already works.Contractor+ earns its keep when double bookings keep causing problems.

As the SBA’s guide to managing your business suggests, the goal is clearer operations, not one more place to copy information.

CRM and Customer Management

Invoice Fly saves each client with their estimates, invoices, payments, and expenses, which is usually enough for solo repeat work. Contractor+ has a fuller CRM. You can track leads before they become clients, follow each estimate, and keep a full job history. The free plan caps you at 250 leads and clients. If most of your work comes from referrals and you reply quickly anyway, a lead pipeline might feel like extra overhead.

Time, Mileage, and Expense Tracking

Invoice Fly tracks your hours by client or project, scans receipts, sorts spending into categories, and creates expense reports. Contractor+ also logs hours and expenses, and Pro Team ties them to each job’s profit. Mileage tracking isn’t listed on its current pricing page, so confirm it during a trial.

If you do log miles, the IRS publishes the current standard mileage rates, though what you can claim depends on your situation.

contractor reviewing forms beside laptop

Online Payments

Invoice Fly accepts online payments through providers like Stripe and PayPal, and each payment is tied to its invoice. Contractor+ supports card and ACH payments on Pro, works with processors like Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net, and offers client financing to help you win bigger jobs.

Compare subscription costs and transaction fees separately, including card, ACH, and refund rates.

Tip: Clear invoice payment terms should spell out due dates, accepted payment methods, deposits, and any invoice late fees before the work starts.

Contracts and E-Signatures

Invoice Fly lets customers sign estimates and pay deposits, giving you a record of approval. Contractor+ Pro goes further with automated contracts and e-signatures, so scope, payment terms, and approval sit next to your estimates and invoices.

A template won’t cover every state’s rules, since home-improvement contracts may need license details, notices, or cancellation language. The FTC’s Cooling-Off Rule explains a federal rule for some sales made at a customer’s home, and your state may have its own requirements.

Team and Employee Management

Invoice Fly is built mainly for individuals and doesn’t offer team management tools. Contractor+ Pro Team includes two users, with more at $20 a month each on annual billing. It adds team and client chats, a client portal, and a business phone system.

Set access thoughtfully: a field worker may need the job address but not your financial details. 

Job Costing and Profitability Tracking

Contractor+ has the edge here. Pro Team includes automated job costing and profit tracking, so you can compare what a job earned with what it cost. Invoice Fly reports invoices and expenses but isn’t a full job-costing system, so detailed margins may need a spreadsheet.

Callbacks and rising material prices can quietly eat into a big invoice. The IRS explains in Publication 583 that your records should support the income and expenses you report.

Integrations and Business Tools

Contractor+ Pro Team connects with QuickBooks Online and Zapier and includes developer API access, so Contractor+ can run your operations while QuickBooks handles the books. After setup, check that taxes, refunds, and deposits sync correctly. Invoice Fly is more self-contained, which suits anyone who doesn’t want to manage several integrations.

Ease of Use and Mobile Access

Both platforms work on mobile and the web. Invoice Fly has fewer settings, so once your business details and clients are saved, you can start quoting and invoicing right away. Contractor+ does more, so setup takes longer. That pays off for a growing company but can overwhelm someone who just wants to invoice faster.

For real user experiences, compare recent reviews on G2, Capterra, and Software Advice. Focus on reviewers with a similar trade and team size.

team reviewing construction blueprints and plans

Invoice Fly vs Contractor Plus Pricing

Pricing detailInvoice FlyContractor+ FreedomContractor+ ProContractor+ Pro Team
Monthly billingNot offeredFree$49/month$98/month
Annual billing$98.99/yearFree$348/year$696/year
Weekly billing$8.99/weekNot offeredNot offeredNot offered
Users1112 included, extra users available
Estimates and invoicesUnlimited5 per monthUnlimitedUnlimited

Contractor+ also offers a Max plan at $500 a month with unlimited users, aimed at companies doing over $1 million a year. For another reference point, see the Capterra pricing page.

For a solo contractor paying yearly, Invoice Fly costs $98.99 compared with $348 for Contractor+ Pro. Contractor+ justifies the higher price if you’ll use its CRM, scheduling, or team tools, and its free plan works if you send only a few documents a month.

Invoice Fly vs Contractor+ for Contractors and Tradespeople

Invoice Fly usually suits independent contractors who need solid billing, time tracking, and expense reports and already have a calendar that works. It’s a strong Contractor Plus alternative if you want a lower yearly cost and less setup. Contractor+ usually suits businesses juggling leads, longer projects, contracts, crews, or detailed job costing.

contractor reviewing printed invoice documents

The best test is a real one: run a recent job from inquiry to payment in each app and count the workarounds. And make sure the final document follows the basics of how to write an invoice.

Invoice Fly vs Contractor+: Which Should You Choose?

The right choice depends on how much of your business you want the app to manage. Invoice Fly is the stronger fit if you need an affordable, focused way to create estimates, send invoices, collect payments, track time, and record expenses. Contractor+ makes more sense if billing is part of a larger workflow involving leads, schedules, contracts, job costing, and crews.

In the end, Invoice Fly keeps the financial side of each job simple, while Contractor+ helps coordinate the wider operation. Choose the platform that solves your biggest daily challenge without adding tools, setup, or costs you do not need.

Create and Send Invoices with Invoice Fly

Whether you’re billing clients weekly, monthly, or per project, Invoice Fly helps you create professional invoices, track payments, and stay organized from anywhere.

invoice fly mobile dashboard

FAQs​

Invoice Fly is often better for solo contractors who want simple billing, time tracking, and expense reports. Contractor+ is often better for businesses that need a CRM, scheduling, contracts, team tools, and job costing.

For paid plans, yes. Invoice Fly costs $98.99 a year, while Contractor+ Pro costs $49 a month or $348 a year. Contractor+ also has a free Freedom plan, but it's limited to five estimates or invoices a month.

Contractor+ has a free-forever Freedom plan. It includes a basic CRM with up to 250 leads and clients and up to five estimates or invoices a month. Scheduling, contracts, and unlimited documents require a paid plan.

Yes. Both create estimates and invoices and accept online payments. Contractor+ adds cost data, client financing, and more integrations, while Invoice Fly connects billing with time tracking, expenses, and receipt scanning.

Invoice Fly is generally better for independent contractors who want focused, low-cost billing. Contractor+ is generally better for growing businesses managing leads, schedules, crews, contracts, and job profitability.

Jennifer Allerson is a Senior Copywriter specialising in business, finance and UX content, and the writer behind Invoice Fly Academy's guides on contracts, invoicing, estimates and pricing for contractors. She has spent more than ten years turning complex business and financial topics into clear, practical advice for small business owners.

  • Copywriter for global brands including Nespresso, San Pellegrino and SEAT, through Ogilvy
  • Former VP of Brand & Communications at Qustodio and Head of Communications at Fon
  • Fintech experience as UX writer for Juni, a B2B financial platform
  • Taught UX Writing at the Barcelona Technology School (University of Barcelona)
  • Former Accenture programmer · MBA, Stockholm School of Economics

Every guide Jennifer writes is researched from primary sources and reviewed under the Invoice Fly editorial policy. Connect with her on LinkedIn or at jenallerson.com.