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Autopilot vs Contractor+
Contractor+ is a genuinely useful free starting point for a solo handyman: unlimited estimates and invoices for $0. Autopilot is what you graduate to when you want the whole business in one place, with scheduling, marketing, a business phone, and an AI receptionist for one flat price.
The Contractor+ alternative built for growing crews
The numbers that decide it, side by side.
| Comparison point |  |  Contractor+ |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $49/mo flat | Free; paid from $29/user/mo (annual) |
| Team members included | 1, 5, or 10 by plan | Yes, $29/user/mo on team plans |
| Free trial | 2 weeks, no card required | Free plan; paid trial without a card |
| Onboarding fee | $0 | None advertised |
| Contract | Month to month, cancel anytime | Month to month, annual, or lifetime |
| AI receptionist | Full Throttle, $149/mo | Not offered |
| Full business phone system | Full Throttle, $149/mo | Not offered |
| Support | Human support chat, no ticket queue | Chat and help center |
Last updated July 2026. Contractor+ details are based on publicly available information; verify with Contractor+.
Who is Contractor+?
Contractor+ calls itself the operating system for build and service contractors, and its hook is a real free plan: the Freedom tier gives a solo contractor lead and client management, unlimited estimates and invoices, material pricing, and card and eCheck payments for nothing. The company was crowdfunded, claims 50,000+ contractors, and serves 30+ trades from handyman work to remodeling.
The paid tiers unlock the rest. Pro runs $49 a month (or $29 a month billed annually, with a $997 lifetime option) and adds job scheduling, live material cost data, and its Estimatic AI estimating credits. Pro Team is $98 a month for the first two users plus $29 per additional user, and that is where QuickBooks Online sync, team chat, and the Zapier and developer API live. Tool and asset tracking is a signature feature the big platforms mostly skip.
It is a solid toolkit for a solo operator or a shop of two to five people watching every dollar. What it is not is a front office: there is no built-in phone, no AI receptionist answering calls, and marketing is thin, so winning and fielding the work still happens outside the app.
Who is Autopilot?
Autopilot is an all-in-one CRM built for home service businesses: junk removal, cleaning, landscaping, moving, and the rest of the trades that keep neighborhoods running. Plans start at $49 a month for scheduling, estimates, invoicing, payments, and online booking. Crew at $99 adds two-way texting and limited calling. Full Throttle at $149 adds the full phone system, AI receptionist, QuickBooks, GPS, and marketing tools. Plans include 1, 5, or 10 team members respectively.
It was built by a founder who ran his own junk removal company and got tired of paying for three tools that didn't talk to each other. Over 400 businesses run on it today, and it holds a 4.8 rating on the App Store and 4.9 on Google Play.
Against Contractor+, the difference is the front of the business: Autopilot answers your phone with AI, texts your customers, and runs your marketing, on top of the same estimates, invoices, and scheduling.
Feature by feature
Not just checkmarks. Where a feature costs extra or sits on a higher plan, the table says so.
Phone & AI
| Comparison point | | Contractor+ |
|---|---|---|
| AI receptionist that answers and books calls | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | |
| Built-in business phone (VoIP) | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | |
| Call recording & transcripts | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | |
| AI call summaries | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | |
| Two-way business texting | Crew and Full Throttle | Team and client chat on Pro Team |
Scheduling & Jobs
| Comparison point | | Contractor+ |
|---|---|---|
| Drag-and-drop scheduling & dispatch | Pro plan and up | |
| Online booking | Not advertised | |
| Estimates & quotes | ||
| Client & lead management | ||
| iOS & Android crew app | 4.8 App Store / 4.9 Google Play | iOS & Android |
Payments & Money
| Comparison point | | Contractor+ |
|---|---|---|
| Invoicing & payments | ||
| Tap to Pay on iPhone | Not advertised | |
| QuickBooks sync | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Pro Team plan only |
| Price book | Live material pricing | |
| Customer tipping | Not advertised |
Marketing & Growth
| Comparison point | | Contractor+ |
|---|---|---|
| Review funnel | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Not advertised |
| SMS blast campaigns | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Not advertised |
| Email blast campaigns | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Not advertised |
| Automated marketing sequences | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Not advertised |
| Google Ads tracking | Full Throttle ($149/mo) | Not advertised |
Where Contractor+ goes deeper
| Comparison point | | Contractor+ |
|---|---|---|
| Tool & asset tracking | ||
| Free-forever plan | 2-week free trial | |
| AI estimating (Estimatic) | Pro plan and up |
An honest comparison cuts both ways. If these are must-haves for your business today, Contractor+ earns the look.
What you actually pay
Autopilot
- Starter$49/mo
- Crew$99/mo
- Full Throttle$149/mo
Clear plans for 1, 5, or 10 team members. No onboarding fee or annual contract. Free 2-week trial.
Contractor+
- FreedomFree
Solo; unlimited estimates and invoices
- Pro$49/mo
$29/mo billed annually; 1 user, adds scheduling and AI credits
- Pro Team$98/mo
First 2 users, then $29/user/mo; adds QuickBooks sync and API
Contractor+ also sells a $997 lifetime Pro license. Team pricing is per user, so a five-person shop on Pro Team runs about $185 a month billed monthly.
Last updated July 2026. Contractor+ details are based on publicly available information; verify with Contractor+.
The bottom line
Two different tools for two different businesses. Here is the honest split.
Choose Contractor+ if…
- You are a solo handyman who needs free estimates and invoices today, with zero budget
- Tool and asset tracking across your crew matters to you
- You want AI-assisted estimating with live material cost data
- You like the idea of a one-time lifetime license instead of a subscription
Choose Autopilot if…
- You are past the free-app stage and want one system running the whole business
- You want a phone number, two-way texting, and an AI receptionist answering missed calls
- You want marketing built in: review requests, SMS and email blasts, automated follow-up
- You want clear team limits of 1, 5, or 10 members across the $49, $99, and $149 plans
- You want QuickBooks sync without buying the top team tier
Switching from Contractor+ takes an afternoon
Four steps, and our team does the heavy one for you.
- 1
Export your customers
Pull your client list out of Contractor+ as a CSV. Every FSM platform supports this, and it takes about five minutes.
- 2
We import everything for you
Send us the file and our team loads your customers, jobs, and price book into Autopilot as part of free onboarding. No spreadsheet wrestling on your end.
- 3
Point your phone number at Autopilot
On Full Throttle, keep your existing business number. We port it or forward it, so calls start landing in Autopilot with recording, transcripts, and the AI receptionist behind them.
- 4
Run both for a week, then cut over
Your Contractor+ account keeps working during your free trial. Most crews book their first Autopilot job on day one and cancel the old subscription within the month.
- 400+
- businesses run on Autopilot
- 4.9
- Google Play rating
- 4.8
- App Store rating
- $49
- per month starting price
Autopilot vs Contractor+: your questions
The things owners actually ask before they switch.
Try the Contractor+ alternative built for your crew
Start a free 2-week trial and book your first job today. No credit card, no onboarding fee, no contract.
More comparisons
Contractor+ is a trademark of Contractor+. Autopilot is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Contractor+. Competitor pricing and feature information is based on publicly available sources as of July 2026 and may have changed; features missing from a plan may be available on higher plans or for an additional fee. Confirm details with the vendor before buying.