Housecall Pro vs Helix
The Real Comparison for Painters

Housecall Pro
$99/mo ($1,188/yr)
VS
Helix
$279 once — own forever
or 3 payments of $99
Break even: 2.8 months. Save $3,707 over 3 years.
"I compared Housecall Pro and Helix side by side. The math wasn't even close. $3,986 over 3 years vs $279 once. Switched and never looked back."
— Painter, Helix customer

The verdict for painters: Housecall Pro is solid software, but at $99/month it costs $3,986 over 3 years. Helix does most of what Housecall Pro does for $279 once. For solo painters and small teams, Helix is the better deal.

Choose Helix if:

  • You're done paying monthly forever
  • You're a solo operator or small team (1-5)
  • You need Invoicing, scheduler, task-manager in one purchase in one tool
  • You're tired of price increases
  • You want to own your tools like you own your equipment

Choose Housecall Pro if:

  • You have a large team (10+) needing enterprise features
  • You're deeply invested in Housecall Pro's specific workflow
  • You need a feature Helix doesn't have yet

What Housecall Pro Actually Costs Painters

The 3-Year Damage

Year 1$1,188
Year 2 (+11.4% inflation)$1,323
Year 3$1,474
Total lost to Housecall Pro$3,986

Helix: $279. Once. You keep $3,707. And you own it — no more "we're updating our pricing" emails.

Your Housecall Pro subscription has cost you $0.00 since you opened this page.

Feature-by-Feature

FeatureHousecall ProHelix
Invoicing✓✓
Scheduling✗✓
CRM✗✓
Time Tracking✗✓
Full Accounting✗✓ (SIMPL)
Task Management✗✓
Price$99/mo$279 once
or 3 × $99
3-Year Total$3,986$279
You own it?No — stop paying, lose accessYes — forever
"The feature comparison convinced me. Helix does 90% of what Housecall Pro does — for 10% of the 3-year cost. And I actually own it."
— Painter

Calculate Your Full Stack

Housecall Pro plus whatever else you're paying for:

Email yourself this comparison?

Switching from Housecall Pro

1
Export your data — Go to Settings → export customers, job history, and invoices as CSV files.
2
Set up Helix — 15-minute setup. Import your customer list and service categories.
3
Parallel run — Run both for 2 weeks. Transition dispatching and booking to Helix.
4
Cancel Housecall Pro — Cancel subscription (check for early termination fees). Download all records.
✓ 30-day money-back guarantee. Zero risk.
Painters are switching from Housecall Pro every week.

The math doesn't lie.

What This Means for Painters

You're on day two of a three-day exterior job. The homeowner wants to change the trim color — that's another gallon of paint and two more hours you didn't quote. Your next job starts Monday but the client hasn't confirmed. You've got $600 in paint receipts stuffed in your glovebox and no idea what your actual margin is on this job. By Sunday night you're writing three estimates on the kitchen table instead of resting.

Painters deal with unique challenges that generic software was not built for: Estimating square footage and paint quantities remotely. Multi-day jobs throwing off the rest of the week's schedule. Tracking paint and supply costs per job for accurate bidding. Clients wanting color consultations that eat unpaid hours. Housecall Pro charges $99/month on top of these daily realities. The median painter earns $42,000/year — $1,188/year in software subscriptions is a significant percentage of that income, paid every year, forever.

Helix is $279 once. Invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, accounting — all connected, built for painters. You own it like you own your Airless sprayer (Graco, Titan).

FAQ

Is Helix really a Housecall Pro replacement?

For solo painters and small teams, yes. invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, task management, and full accounting — all for $279 once. Housecall Pro may be better if you have a large team (10+) or need enterprise-specific features.

What does Housecall Pro do that Helix doesn't?

Housecall Pro has features like Online booking for home services and GPS tracking that some businesses rely on. For most solo painters, these aren't dealbreakers.

How fast does Helix pay for itself?

At $99/month, Helix pays for itself in 2.8 months. After that: $1,188 saved every year.

Can I pay in installments?

Yes. Helix is $279 as a one-time payment, or 3 payments of $99 ($297 total). Either way it's a one-time purchase — no subscription, no recurring fees ever.

"$3,986 over 3 years to Housecall Pro. Or $279 once for Helix. I own my tools now. No more renting software."
— Painter, Helix owner

$3,986 Over 3 Years. Or $279 Once (or 3 × $99).

Own your tools. Stop renting your software.

Get Helix — $279 Once
or 3 payments of $99
✓ 30-day money-back — save $500 or full refund

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