Fast Estimate vs. Jobber

Built by Scott Herberg, 28 years in HVAC.

A Jobber alternative for HVAC contractors who just need estimates

Jobber is solid scheduling and invoicing software for many trades — but it won't draft your HVAC estimate from a photo. If quoting is the bottleneck in your day, Fast Estimate removes it without making you adopt a whole CRM.

Quoting engine versus field-service CRM

Jobber's core competency is running the schedule: recurring visits, route optimization, timesheets and client reminders. Its quotes are clean, but every line item is manual work — nothing looks at your job photos or your price book and drafts the estimate for you. Fast Estimate flips the emphasis: the AI drafts the quote in about two minutes, and the calendar, invoicing and review-request follow-ups exist to serve the jobs those quotes win.

There is also a difference in what the homeowner experiences. A Fast Estimate quote arrives as a branded, line-itemized PDF with Good/Better/Best options and a signing link that works straight from a text message; after the install, the customer gets a portal with job photos, the final invoice and a payment link. Neither tool is a subset of the other — the honest question is whether scheduling logistics or estimate quality is costing you more jobs this month.

Feature	Fast Estimate	Jobber
Built specifically for HVAC	Yes	No (generalist FSM)
AI estimate from job photos	Yes	No
AI vision flags unit condition on the estimate (rust, sizing, access, code)	Yes	No
Job photos shown on the customer's estimate & PDF	Yes	No
Built-in e-signature	Yes	Add-on tiers
Deposit / down payment collection	Yes	Add-on tiers
Designed for solo operators & small crews	Yes	Yes
Full FSM suite (dispatch, scheduling, invoicing)	No (estimating-first)	Yes
Setup time	Minutes	Minutes–hours

Comparison reflects publicly available product information as of June 2026. Always confirm current features directly with each vendor.

Fast Estimate

Snap a photo of the unit, describe the job, and get a branded, line-itemized PDF estimate with e-signature and deposit collection — in under two minutes, built by Scott Herberg, 28 years in HVAC.

Pros

Purpose-built for HVAC replacement and service work — not a side category in a 50-trade platform
AI reads the photos and proposes equipment, labor, and parts pricing automatically
AI vision actually inspects your photos — flagging rust, corrosion, sizing, access, and electrical issues — and writes a customer-facing site assessment right onto the estimate
The customer sees their own unit: job photos are attached to the estimate and the branded PDF, right next to the AI assessment — a powerful trust and close booster
E-signature, deposits, and branded PDF export included on every account
Mobile-first — designed to be used standing in the driveway, not at a desk
No bloated FSM you don't need if all you want is fast, accurate estimates

Cons

Not a full field service management platform — no dispatch, scheduling, or job costing module (by design)
Newer platform without the years of reviews larger competitors have

Jobber

A popular generalist field service platform across many trades, strong on scheduling and invoicing.

Pros

Clean, well-reviewed scheduling and dispatch tools
Strong QuickBooks integration
Familiar, polished interface

Cons

No AI photo-based estimating
No HVAC-specific flat-rate pricebook
Property measurement, photo documentation, and other features often require separate paid tools layered on top

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Which one fits your shop?

Choose Jobber if…

You want general field-service management across several trades
Recurring visit scheduling and route planning are your daily headache
You already have an estimating process you're happy with and just need invoicing

Choose Fast Estimate if…

Writing quotes at the kitchen table at 9pm is the part of the job you hate
You want photo-to-estimate AI plus e-signature and deposit collection in one flow
You want customers to get a portal with job status, photos and invoices without extra work from you

Switching takes an afternoon, not a quarter

Bring your customers over with a CSV import — names, phones, emails and addresses map automatically
Set your deposit percentage and terms once; every estimate applies them
Keep Jobber for invoicing if you like it — many contractors run Fast Estimate purely as their quoting engine

Fast Estimate vs. Jobber — common questions

Does Fast Estimate replace Jobber's invoicing?

For most small shops, yes: when you mark a job complete, Fast Estimate automatically generates a numbered final invoice with the balance due (deposit already subtracted) and a payment link your customer can pay online.

Is there a per-user fee like Jobber's plans?

No. Fast Estimate is a flat $99.99/month for the whole company with unlimited technician seats and unlimited estimates, after a 7-day free trial with no credit card.

What does the AI actually do?

You enter the job type, square footage and notes, and optionally snap photos of the equipment. The AI drafts realistic installed-cost line items — using your own price book when items match — and can produce Good/Better/Best options for the homeowner to choose from.