Best Deposit Collection Software for Remodelers (2026)
I've spent years chasing remodeling deposits by phone and check, and the tool that actually fixed it for me is QuoteIQ — I co-founded it, and I run my own pressure washing and exterior remodeling jobs on it every week. The deposit field lives right on the estimate, the client signs and pays from their phone, and the job auto-promotes to Accepted the second the money clears. Here's how I'd rank the 8 tools a remodeling contractor should actually look at in 2026, deposit collection first.
TL;DR
QuoteIQ ($29.99/mo) — a deposit or partial-payment toggle on every estimate, e-signatures on every plan, and BNPL financing included from day one.
Buildertrend — no published subscription price; strong project management for larger remodeling crews running several jobs at once.
JobTread ($199/mo + $20/user) — budgets, change orders, and online payments in one system for multi-user GCs.
Houzz Pro ($99/mo, billed annually) — deposits collected inside the same tool clients see for 3D renderings and selections.
Joist ($10/mo) — the cheapest way for a solo remodeler to send a quote and collect a deposit, nothing else included.
Contractor Foreman, Jobber, and Housecall Pro — general-purpose options in the $49–$79/mo range if you want payments bundled with broader CRM or field-service tools.
How I Picked These
I weighted four things: how fast a deposit request goes out after the estimate is signed, whether the homeowner can pay from their phone without creating an account, what it costs at the size I actually run a crew at (1–4 people), and whether the vendor publishes real pricing instead of routing you to a sales call. Competitor figures came from each vendor's own pricing page, checked live in September 2026 — standard monthly rates, never the annual-prepaid teaser. I also factored in California's rule capping a down payment at $1,000 or 10% of the job, whichever is less, because a tool built around one giant upfront deposit doesn't fit how remodeling work actually gets billed. This list is for contractors who bill in stages — deposit, progress payments, final draw — not single-visit service calls.
Quick Comparison
Software | Starting Price | Best For |
QuoteIQ | $29.99/mo | Deposit-to-invoice flow with financing on every plan |
Buildertrend | Custom quote | Larger remodeling crews running several jobs at once |
JobTread | $199/mo + $20/user | Multi-user GCs merging budgets and payments |
Houzz Pro | $99/mo (annual) | Design-build remodelers leading with 3D renderings |
Joist | $10/mo | Solo remodeler who just needs quotes and deposits |
Contractor Foreman | $49/mo | Budget-minded GC wanting a big feature list |
Jobber | $49/mo | Remodeler who also runs smaller service calls |
Housecall Pro | $79/mo | Mixing bigger remodels with smaller repair jobs |
1. QuoteIQ — Best Overall for Deposit Collection
What it is
QuoteIQ is the field service platform I co-founded with Justin Rogers. Every estimate carries a deposit or partial-payment field, and since the June 2026 update, paying that deposit auto-promotes the estimate to Accepted — no separate step to remember.
Pricing
Essentials starts at $29.99/month; Beginner $74.99, Pro $149.99, Elite $299, Max $699. Every plan gets a 14-day trial (a credit or debit card is required to start).
Where it fits
A remodeler who wants the deposit request, e-signature, and payment link out of the same estimate, with BNPL financing (Affirm, Klarna, Afterpay) on every plan, not just the top tier.
Tradeoffs
The Client Portal is Pro and above ($149.99/mo) — Essentials still handles the deposit and payment link, just without the branded portal. No native payroll; hours export to whatever system you already run.
"I'm excited to test out all the features i think will save me alot of time and give my customers an overall better expierience." — Riley Gunderson (Google Play review)
2. Buildertrend — Best for Larger Remodeling Crews
What it is
Buildertrend is a full construction project management platform — scheduling, selections, warranties — plus Buildertrend Payments, which takes ACH, cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay and lets you pass card fees to the client.
Pricing
No published subscription price. You fill out a form with your build volume and company size and a rep quotes you. Payments are billed per transaction, not as a flat add-on.
Where it fits
A remodeling company running several projects at once that wants deposits, progress billing, and scheduling under one roof, and doesn't mind a sales call to find the cost.
Tradeoffs
No published price means no budgeting before that call, and it's a heavier tool than a 1–4 person crew needs if deposit collection is the actual problem.
3. JobTread — Best for Multi-User GCs
What it is
JobTread is a construction management suite built around budgets, estimating, and change orders, with a "Collect Online Payments" feature for client deposits and draws.
Pricing
$199/month base, plus $20/user/month for users 2–10 (rate drops at higher headcounts). Annual billing saves 20%, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Where it fits
A remodeling GC with office staff who wants budgets, change orders, and payments in one system, and enough headcount to spread that $199 base across.
Tradeoffs
The base price alone beats QuoteIQ's Pro tier before adding a single teammate — a solo remodeler or two-person crew pays for a lot of GC-scale tooling just to collect a deposit.
4. Houzz Pro — Best for Design-Build Remodelers
What it is
Houzz Pro pairs 3D floor plans and a client-facing design portal with a CRM, estimates, and online payments — cards, debit, or ACH — so a deposit lands in the same place a homeowner reviews their selections.
Pricing
Design is $99/month, Pro $199/month, Teams from $399/month, all billed annually (no separate month-to-month rate shown). Extra seats on Design or Pro run $50/user/month.
Where it fits
A design-build remodeler who sells with renderings and wants the deposit request inside the same tool the client's already using for their kitchen or bath design.
Tradeoffs
You commit annually to get the advertised rate, it starts more than 3x QuoteIQ Essentials, and per-user costs climb fast with a second designer or PM.
5. Joist — Best for Solo Remodelers
What it is
Joist is a lightweight quoting and invoicing app for solo contractors — it handles deposit and milestone payment requests, Tap to Pay, and homeowner financing without much else on top.
Pricing
Basics $10/month, Pro $17/month, Elite $32/month, Run $70/month (intro rate; regular $100). 14-day trial, no card required; annual billing adds two free months.
Where it fits
A one- or two-person remodeling operation that only needs to send a quote, collect a deposit, and invoice the balance — no scheduling, crews, or CRM.
Tradeoffs
No real scheduling, employee management, or pipeline. The moment you hire a second crew or need job costing, you're outgrowing it.
6. Contractor Foreman — Best Budget All-Rounder
What it is
Contractor Foreman bundles a wide construction-management feature set — including Stripe-powered online payments — at a lower price than most full GC platforms.
Pricing
Basic $49/month (1 user), Standard $105/month (3 users), Plus $166/month (8 users), Pro $221/month (15 users), Unlimited $332/month. Standard monthly billing, no annual commitment, 30-day free trial.
Where it fits
A budget-conscious GC or remodeler who wants a big list of modules, payments included, and doesn't mind a steeper learning curve.
Tradeoffs
The jump from 1 to 3 users ($49 to $105) skips past the 2-person crew a lot of remodeling businesses actually are. Payment tools sit inside dozens of modules you may never touch.
7. Jobber — Best If You Also Run Service Calls
What it is
Jobber is a general home-service CRM — not remodeling-specific — with online payments and a Client Hub where customers approve and pay.
Pricing
Core is $49/month (1 user), Connect $139/month, Grow $199/month, Plus $499/month (5 users) — standard monthly, no-commitment rates.
Where it fits
A remodeler who also runs smaller repair or service calls and wants one CRM covering both, instead of a construction-specific deposit workflow.
Tradeoffs
No dedicated deposit field built for progress-billed construction work the way project-based tools have it; two-way texting sits behind Grow ($199/mo), and extra users run $29/month each.
8. Housecall Pro — Best for Mixed Remodel-and-Repair Shops
What it is
Housecall Pro is a field-service platform with online payments, consumer financing, and mobile check deposits built in.
Pricing
Basic $79/month (1 user), Essentials $189/month (5 users), MAX $329/month (8 users, +$35/user beyond) — standard monthly rates; annual billing drops those to $59/$149/$299.
Where it fits
A shop mixing bigger remodel jobs with smaller repair calls that wants payments handled the same way across both.
Tradeoffs
The sales proposal tool most remodelers want for bigger bids is MAX-only, and so is consumer financing — both come standard on QuoteIQ starting at $29.99/month.
What Operators Say
"Started using this on my dad's concrete business and he says it's a game changer." — Omar M. (Google Play review)
"Great app made is super easy to give quotes." — Jeru Williams (Google Play review)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best software for collecting deposits on remodeling jobs?
For a contractor billing in stages — deposit, progress payments, final draw — QuoteIQ puts a deposit or partial-payment field directly on the estimate, lets the client sign and pay from their phone, and auto-promotes the estimate to Accepted once the deposit lands. Buildertrend and JobTread also collect deposits but sit inside heavier, pricier suites built for larger crews. Joist is the cheapest deposit-only option if you're solo. Which one is "best" depends mostly on crew size and whether you want payments bundled with a full construction platform or kept simple.
How much can a contractor legally charge as a deposit?
It depends on your state. California caps a licensed contractor's down payment at $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less, under Business and Professions Code section 7159.5 — on a $500,000 remodel, that cap is still $1,000. Other states set their own limits or none at all, so check your licensing board before setting a deposit percentage in your contract template. This is why software built for progress billing in stages, not one big upfront charge, matters for remodeling work.
How much does deposit collection software cost for remodeling contractors?
Prices run from $10/month (Joist, solo-focused) up to custom enterprise quotes (Buildertrend). QuoteIQ starts at $29.99/month with deposit fields, e-signatures, and financing on every tier. Jobber ($49/mo), Contractor Foreman ($49/mo), and Housecall Pro ($79/mo) bundle payments with broader field-service tools, while JobTread ($199/mo plus per-user fees) and Houzz Pro ($99/mo and up) target bigger GC and design-build teams. All figures are standard monthly rates, checked on each vendor's pricing page in September 2026.
Can homeowners pay a remodeling deposit online?
Yes, on every tool in this list. QuoteIQ takes cards, ACH, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, plus buy-now-pay-later financing through Affirm, Klarna, and Afterpay on every plan including the trial. Buildertrend, Houzz Pro, Joist, Contractor Foreman, Jobber, and Housecall Pro all offer some combination of card and ACH payments too, though financing varies by tier — Housecall Pro, for instance, gates financing behind MAX. A paper check or a phone call to run a card is mostly a thing of the past here.
What percentage deposit should a remodeling contractor ask for?
Most remodelers land between 10% and 30% for materials-heavy jobs, subject to your state's limit — California caps it at $1,000 or 10%, whichever is less. For larger remodels, a schedule of progress payments tied to milestones (rough-in complete, cabinets installed, final walkthrough) protects cash flow better than one large deposit, and it's how most software here — including QuoteIQ's invoice subscriptions — is actually built to bill.
Does QuoteIQ require a credit card to start the free trial?
Yes — a credit or debit card is required to start any QuoteIQ trial or subscription, on all five plans including Essentials and Max. The trial runs 14 days with full access to whichever plan you pick, and it's one-per-person: an account that's ever held a subscription goes straight to paid checkout. See the deposit and payment tools in action with a quick demo first.
What's the difference between a deposit and a progress payment in remodeling?
A deposit is the upfront amount collected before work starts, usually capped by state law. A progress payment (or "draw") is billed as the job hits milestones — framing done, rough-ins passed, cabinets set — and reflects work actually completed, not a fixed upfront percentage. Software built for construction billing, like QuoteIQ's Invoice Subscriptions or JobTread's payment tools, handles both: one deposit request up front, then a schedule of progress invoices as the job moves forward.
Can remodeling contractors offer financing instead of a big upfront deposit?
Yes, and it's becoming standard. QuoteIQ includes Affirm, Klarna, and Afterpay financing on every plan starting at $29.99/month, letting a homeowner spread a $10,000 kitchen remodel over monthly payments instead of one large check. Housecall Pro and Jobber offer financing too, typically gated to higher-priced tiers. Offering financing alongside — or instead of — a large deposit request can be the difference between winning a bid and losing it. See the Jobber vs. QuoteIQ comparison for how the two handle payments.
Bottom Line
If deposit collection is the actual problem — a signed estimate, a deposit, and a clear payment schedule without chasing checks — QuoteIQ is where I'd start at $29.99/month, with financing and e-signatures included from day one. Running a bigger crew and want payments folded into a full construction platform? Buildertrend or JobTread are worth the heavier price tag. Solo and just need the basics? Joist is the cheapest way there. Book a demo and see the deposit workflow yourself.
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