You should pick between Joist and Truly Small based on the type of business you have, how much money you can spend and what features you need every day. Both platforms are aimed at freelancers and small businesses but they serve different needs.
The way Joist and Truly Small set their prices is very different. Joist has plans that start at $8 a month and come with a 14-day free trial but there is no free plan. Truly Small offers a free plan with paid features that can be added on, so users can pay for only what they need. For example, they can pay $8.99 a month for invoicing or expense tracking or $20 a month for full accounting. Joist charges 3.49% + $0.49 for transaction fees while Truly Small charges 2.9% + $0.30 which is better for businesses that send a lot of invoices.
Both platforms have important features like recurring billing, expense tracking, automated payment reminders, project-based billing, tax handling and sending estimates but they don’t have time and mileage tracking. Truly Small is great for managing users and files because it lets you set user permissions and upload files. This makes it perfect for small teams. Joist focuses on managing an unlimited number of clients which is appealing to contractors with a lot of clients.
Compared to Truly Small which only supports PayPal and Stripe, Joist supports a wider range of payment gateways such as PayPal, Stripe, Venmo, Apple Pay, Google Pay and ACH. To use Joist with QuickBooks Online, you need a Pro or Elite plan. Truly Small uses CSV/Excel for accounting. Truly Small makes it clear that it doesn’t have a public API but both do. It has confirmed bank connections in its reports but Joist’s bank connections are limited.
Truly Small is better than other options because it follows the GDPR and supports multiple currencies, making it perfect for businesses that operate in more than one country. Joist doesn’t make its GDPR status clear, only offers service in English and doesn’t support multiple currencies. Joist offers both email and live chat support but Truly Small only offers email support.
Contractors and small to medium-sized trade businesses like Joist because it gives clients a smooth experience, a lot of payment options and unlimited client management. Truly Small is a good choice for solo freelancers and very small businesses because it is flexible, affordable and has a free plan, modular pricing, support for multiple currencies, file uploads and role management to make it even more useful.
Joist is great for contractors and service businesses. They want to grow their client base. Truly Small is good for freelancers and small businesses. They want to work and have a team. These tools help them do their jobs easily. Joist makes it easy for contractors to find clients. Truly Small helps freelancers work with teams from, around the world.
| Joist | Truly Small | |
|---|---|---|
| Core Features | ||
| Custom Templates | Multiple invoice & estimate templates available | Yes |
| Send Estimates / Quotations | Yes | Yes |
| Recurring Billing Automation | Yes | Yes |
| Expense Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Time Tracking | No | No |
| Mileage Tracking | No | No |
| Automated Payment Reminders | Yes | Yes |
| Project-Based Billing | Yes | Yes |
| Tax Handling | Yes | Yes |
| User Permissions / Role Management | No | Yes |
| File Uploads | No | Yes |
| Pricing and Plans | ||
| Free Plan Availability | No | Yes |
| Pricing Range | Basics: $8/month Pro: $15/month Elite: $32/month |
trulysmall.Invoice: $8.99/month trulysmall.Expense: $8.99/month trulysmall.Accounting: $20/month |
| Trial Period | 14 days | 14 days |
| User Limits | Not specified | Not specified |
| Client Limits | Unlimited clients | Not specified |
| Storage Limits | Not specified | Not specified |
| Payment Processing Fees | Cards: 3.49% + $0.49 ACH: 1% (max $15) Tap to Pay: 2.79% + $0.49 PayPal Pay Later: 4.99% + $0.49 |
Cards: 2.9% + $0.30 ACH: 1% per transaction |
| Ease of Use | ||
| User Interface | Simple | Simple |
| Onboarding Experience | Yes | Basic guides |
| Mobile App Availability | iOS and Android | Yes |
| Mobile App Functionality | Yes | Core invoicing features |
| Integration | ||
| Payment Gateways Supported | PayPal, Stripe, Venmo, Apple Pay, Google Pay, ACH | PayPal, Stripe |
| Accounting Software Compatibility | QuickBooks Online (Pro & Elite) | CSV/Excel export |
| CRM Integration | Not specified | DocHub, Stripe |
| API Availability | Not specified | No |
| Reporting & Analytics | ||
| Bank Connections | Limited | Yes |
| Pre-Built Financial Reports | Yes | Yes |
| Custom Report Creation | Not specified | No |
| Security & Compliance | ||
| Dashboard Metrics | Yes | Yes |
| Data Encryption | PCI-compliant, SSL encryption | Yes |
| GDPR Compliance | Not stated | Yes |
| Backup Options | Automatic | Automatic |
| Customer Support | ||
| Support Channels | Email & live chat | |
| Help Center / Knowledge Base | Yes | Yes |
| 24/7 Support | No | No |
| Adaptability | ||
| Multi-Currency Support | No | Yes |
| Localization | English only | English primarily |
| Industry-Specific Customization | Yes | Yes |
| Scalability | Freelancers & contractors | Freelancers & very small businesses |
| Read Joist Review | Read Truly Small Review |
