Honest Comparison

ValLedger vs Housecall Pro

The short version: Housecall Pro Basic is $59/month for 1 user, which is the same as ValLedger. But job costing and route optimization require Housecall Pro Max at $299/month. ValLedger includes every feature at $59/month for 1–5 users: job costing, expenses, routing, GPS clock-in, 1099 tracking and QuickBooks sync. At matching capability that is $240/month less.

Housecall Pro pricing and features verified against their own pricing page and help centre on July 27, 2026. Annual-billing list rates.

FeatureValLedgerHousecall Pro
Entry price$59/mo — 1–5 users$59/mo — 1 user
Price with job costing + route optimization$59/mo$299/mo — Max
Per-user feesNone up to 5 users$35/user/month on Max
Job costing & profitabilityIncludedEssentials $149+
Route optimizationIncludedMax $299+
1099 subcontractor trackingIncludedPayroll add-on
Spanish across the whole productOffice + fieldMobile app
Every feature on every planYesTiered
Free trial14 days14 days

Choose Housecall Pro if…

They are a good product. Here is where they genuinely win.

  • You want built-in consumer marketing: postcards, email campaigns and their booking network
  • You are an HVAC or plumbing shop that wants their trade-specific templates and price books
  • You need their vehicle GPS and dashcam add-ons

Choose ValLedger if…

Mostly a question of crew size and whether you need costing.

  • You want job costing without paying $149/month for Essentials
  • You need route optimization, which Housecall Pro reserves for Max at $299/month
  • You want more than one user on the entry plan, since Basic is single-user at $59
  • You pay subcontractors and don't want to buy their Payroll add-on to handle 1099s

What Housecall Pro gates behind higher plans

These features exist in Housecall Pro — the difference is what you pay to reach them.

Route optimization

Reserved for the Max plan at $299/month. Basic routes and employee GPS start at Essentials ($149/month).

Job costing

Real and thorough, but on Essentials ($149/month) and above, not on Basic.

1099 subcontractor tracking

Only through HCP Payroll, a paid add-on whose price isn't published. There is no subcontractor job-margin view.

Seats on the entry plan

Basic is a single user at $59/month. Five users means Essentials at $149/month.

QuickBooks sync

Requires Essentials at $149/month.

Recurring service plans

Recurring Service Plans are a Max-tier feature.

Housecall Pro comparison FAQ

Is ValLedger cheaper than Housecall Pro?

Not at the entry tier — Housecall Pro Basic starts at $59/month for 1 user, and ValLedger starts at $59/month. The difference appears once you need job costing and route optimization: those require Housecall Pro Max at $299/month, while ValLedger includes them at $59/month for up to 5 users — a difference of $240/month.

Does Housecall Pro charge per user?

Yes — $35/user/month on Max. ValLedger's $59/month Starter plan covers 1–5 users with no per-seat charge.

Does Housecall Pro track 1099 subcontractor payments?

Only through HCP Payroll, a paid add-on whose price isn't published. There is no subcontractor job-margin view.

When is Housecall Pro the better choice?

You want built-in consumer marketing: postcards, email campaigns and their booking network You are an HVAC or plumbing shop that wants their trade-specific templates and price books You need their vehicle GPS and dashcam add-ons

Try ValLedger free for 14 days

Every feature on every plan. No credit card required, no per-user fees up to 5 users.