Markate vs Jobber
Markate wins on built-in marketing automation and a low operational base, while Jobber wins on polish, integration breadth, a slightly cheaper base plan, and Xero-plus-QuickBooks flexibility; both make you run separate accounting software, which is the gap Stairkey fills with native double-entry books and HST/GST built in.
Markate and Jobber are two popular all-in-one field-service platforms for solo cleaning, lawn-care, and carpet operators. Markate leads on bundled marketing tooling at a low operational base (from about $40-50/mo), but leans heavily on a la carte add-ons that push the real bill up. Jobber is the more mature, polished suite with a large integration marketplace and four published tiers — its Core plan is actually a touch cheaper than Markate's base ($49/mo monthly or $29/mo annual) — but pricing escalates fast as you add seats and higher plans, topping out at $699/mo for Plus.
One thing both share: neither keeps your actual books. Markate relies on QuickBooks Online, and Jobber explicitly syncs to QuickBooks Online or Xero, so the ledger and tax filing live in a second subscription. This page is written by Stairkey, a competing tool — so we'll be straight about where Markate and Jobber each genuinely win, and where an all-in-one with the accounting built in is the better fit.
At a glance
- Markate
- $49.95/mo ($39.95 annual)
- Jobber
- $49/mo ($29 annual)
- Stairkey
- $20/mo, capped
- Markate
- Published, but add-on heavy
- Jobber
- Published tiers, escalates fast
- Stairkey
- Published, flat, usage-capped
- Markate
- No — syncs to QuickBooks
- Jobber
- No — syncs to QuickBooks/Xero
- Stairkey
- Yes — native double-entry GL
- Markate
- Display only — files in QuickBooks
- Jobber
- Custom tax rates — files in QuickBooks/Xero
- Stairkey
- Native HST/GST
- Markate
- Yes
- Jobber
- Yes — polished
- Stairkey
- Yes — recurring + double-booking checks
- Markate
- Yes
- Jobber
- Yes
- Stairkey
- Yes — line items or measured takeoff
- Markate
- Yes — built in (add-ons)
- Jobber
- Add-on (Marketing Suite ~$79/mo)
- Stairkey
- Email inbox / campaigns / sequences
- Markate
- Field app
- Jobber
- Field app
- Stairkey
- Yes — phone-first, offline cache
- Markate
- No (AI receptionist add-on)
- Jobber
- No (AI receptionist add-on)
- Stairkey
- Yes — photo/voice → tasks
- Markate
- No
- Jobber
- No
- Stairkey
- Yes
- Markate
- Low base + built-in marketing
- Jobber
- Mature, polished, integration-rich
- Stairkey
- One tool, books and HST included
Who each one is for
you want a low operational base with built-in marketing automation — SMS/email/postcard campaigns and review requests — and you're fine adding paid extras as you grow and running QuickBooks Online for the real books.
you want a mature, polished platform with a large integration marketplace, a slightly cheaper base plan, the flexibility to sync to either QuickBooks Online or Xero, and room to grow into higher tiers — and the rising monthly cost isn't the deciding factor.
you want scheduling, estimating, invoicing, and real double-entry accounting with native HST/GST in one flat, usage-capped tool — without bolting on QuickBooks or Xero — plus AI photo/voice task capture and, for realtor-operators, a built-in real estate module.
Pricing
Prices verified June 18, 2026. Quote-gated vendors change pricing without notice — confirm before you buy.
Owner Operator base ($39.95 billed annually); Team adds $5/employee/mo, and core-feeling features like online booking, business phone, and marketing are paid add-ons, so the real bill climbs above the base. Accounting lives in a separate QuickBooks Online subscription.
Core tier billed monthly ($29 annual); additional users ~$29/user/mo and higher plans (Connect $139, Grow $199, Plus $699) plus add-ons push cost up. Accounting lives in a separate QuickBooks Online or Xero subscription.
Optional +$20/mo accounting add-on adds extra usage allowance and native double-entry books with HST/GST. First month free, no credit card — transparent and usage-capped at $100/mo, so no surprise bills.
Where the others win
Both rivals are more established than Stairkey, and each does real things better. Jobber is the more mature, polished product with a large, well-rated integration marketplace (QuickBooks, Xero, Zapier, CompanyCam, Mailchimp, Stripe, Square and more) and strong onboarding — and its Core base is actually a touch cheaper than Markate's; if you want the safest incumbent with the widest ecosystem and Xero support, it's hard to beat. Markate genuinely wins on built-in marketing automation — drip campaigns, review requests, and an AI receptionist — that many field-service tools don't ship natively, at a low operational base. Stairkey is the younger product: a smaller brand, a smaller third-party integration marketplace, no built-in telephony, automated SMS dispatch, or AI phone agent, and it is not a full payroll system (it does contractor tax slips and mileage, not payroll). It's focused on North America and strongest on Canadian HST/GST. Stairkey's edge isn't the longest add-on menu or the biggest marketplace; it's the integrated workspace with real accounting built in, at a transparent capped price.
Common questions
Is Markate or Jobber cheaper for a solo operator?
On the advertised base, Jobber's Core ($29/mo annual or $49/mo monthly) edges Markate's Owner Operator ($39.95/mo annual or $49.95/mo monthly), but the real cost depends on add-ons. Markate's online booking, business phone, and marketing are paid extras, while Jobber's advanced features and extra seats push you into higher tiers. Stairkey starts at $20/mo with usage capped at $100/mo, so the bill stays predictable.
Does Markate or Jobber include accounting?
Neither includes its own books. Markate relies on a QuickBooks Online integration, and Jobber explicitly syncs to QuickBooks Online or Xero — so the ledger and tax filing live in a separate paid subscription. Stairkey includes native double-entry accounting with HST/GST handling in the same workspace, with invoices and expenses posting from the job records themselves.
Which handles Canadian GST/HST best?
In Markate, sales tax is display and calculation only on invoices; in Jobber you can set custom tax rates, but actual GST/HST/PST reporting and filing is done in the connected QuickBooks Online or Xero. Stairkey handles HST/GST natively, with year-end packages and Canadian contractor tax-slip workflows built in — no second tool required.