Comparison
Settles vs Housecall Pro: a Canadian-built alternative
Housecall Pro is a polished product with a genuinely strong app. It is also a San Diego company whose own help centre says several of its headline features do not work in Canada. Here is the honest comparison, with every claim quoted from Housecall Pro's own documentation.
A Housecall Pro alternative that actually works in Canada
Housecall Pro earns its reviews. It scores 4.7 out of 5 across more than 2,700 reviews, shipped a full mobile rebuild in 2026, and has deep AI tooling and strong packages for HVAC, plumbing and electrical. For a US trades business, it is a serious tool.
The problem is Canada. By Housecall Pro's own documentation, card readers, ACH bank payments and Force Fleet GPS are US-only, and its tax engine handles US state sales tax with no mention of GST, HST or PST. Cancellation cannot be done in the app. Settles is built in Alberta, priced in Canadian dollars, and handles the payment and tax realities a Canadian crew actually faces.
The number that decides it
Card readers, ACH bank payments, Force Fleet GPS, and sales-tax handling. All four are US-only or US-focused in Housecall Pro's own help centre, quoted below. Settles is built for Canadian payments and Canadian tax.
What it costs as your crew grows
Every figure below is in Canadian dollars. Housecall Pro's column uses its cheapest available rate, so this is the most conservative comparison; on the monthly, no-commitment pricing most small contractors actually pay, the gap is wider.
| Crew size | Settles | Housecall Pro | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 people (owner + 2) | $139 CAD | $416 CAD | $277 CAD |
| 8 people (owner + 7) | $164 CAD | $416 CAD | $253 CAD |
| 15 people (owner + 14) | $198 CAD | $1,148 CAD | $949 CAD |
| 30 people (owner + 29) | $273 CAD | $2,714 CAD | $2,442 CAD |
Housecall Pro's column uses its cheapest annual Max rate (about US$299 per month) plus US$75 per user past eight, converted at 1 USD = 1.3926 CAD. Max is the tier where recurring billing and advanced features are included. Both figures are from housecallpro.com/pricing, checked 24 August 2026.
Which plan you have to buy
The useful question is not whether Housecall Pro has a feature. It is which tier you must buy to get it, and in which currency you pay. Settles is one flat plan.
| Feature | Settles | Housecall Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Billed in Canadian dollars | Yes | US dollars |
| Bank / ACH payments in Canada | E-transfer tracking | US only |
| Card readers available in Canada | Pay by link on any phone | US only |
| GST / HST / PST handling | Yes | US sales tax only |
| Fleet GPS in Canada | Job map with clock-in locations | US only |
| One plan fee, $4.95 per employee | Yes | Per user past 8 |
| Online card payment on invoices | Yes | Yes |
| Self-serve cancellation | Yes | Must phone support |
| Import clients and jobs from a spreadsheet | Yes | Yes |
| QuickBooks sync | No | Essentials plan or above |
In their own words
The strongest evidence is the competitor's own documentation. These are verbatim, linked, and dated.
“Card readers are not currently available in Canada.”
“ACH is currently only available for businesses based in the U.S.”
“only available in the United States.”
When Housecall Pro is the better choice
You run a US-based trades business, or a Canadian one that does not need in-app bank payments, card readers, fleet GPS, or Canadian sales-tax handling, and you want the most polished app in the category.
If that is you, buy Housecall Pro. We would rather tell you now than after you have moved your data.
What Settles does not do
No live QuickBooks or Xero sync: you export a QuickBooks Online import file for invoices and payments each month instead. Settles does not run payroll and never touches your bank account: it tells you what you owe each person, and you pay them however you do today. If any of those is a hard requirement, a bigger platform will serve you better.
What it does do: scheduling, crew time tracking, job checklists with photo proof, invoicing with online card payment, e-transfer tracking for Canadian clients, and a profit and loss view built from real logged hours. You can import your clients and jobs from a spreadsheet, including an export from another tool, so setup is quick.
Common questions
- Does Housecall Pro work in Canada?
- Partly. It runs in Canada, but its own help centre states that card readers, ACH bank payments and Force Fleet GPS are US-only, and its tax documentation covers US sales tax with no GST, HST or PST. Instant payout is also capped lower in Canada than in the US.
- Is Settles cheaper than Housecall Pro?
- For a crew, yes. At 15 people, Housecall Pro's cheapest annual Max rate is about $1,148 CAD a month against $198 on Settles Pro, and it charges US$75 per user past eight. Settles is Base ($79), Pro ($129) or Elite ($179) plus $4.95 per employee.
- Does Housecall Pro handle Canadian sales tax?
- Its published tax documentation covers US state sales tax and IRS Form 1099-K only. There is no mention of GST, HST or PST. Settles handles Canadian sales tax as the rates you enter.
- Can I cancel Housecall Pro myself?
- Not in the app. Reviewers and its own support flow indicate cancellation requires phoning support. Settles lets you cancel any time, self-serve.
Sources
Every Housecall Pro figure on this page was taken from its own live pages and last checked on 24 August 2026. Prices change; check the links for current figures.
Prices verified 24 August 2026 · US-dollar figures converted at 1 USD = 1.3926 CAD (12 August 2026).
- 1.https://www.g2.com/products/housecall-pro/pricing
- 2.https://help.housecallpro.com/en/articles/2772994-card-reader-faqs
- 3.https://help.housecallpro.com/en/articles/2043865-ach-payments-faq
- 4.https://help.housecallpro.com/en/articles/6057672-vehicle-gps-tracking-set-up
- 5.https://help.housecallpro.com/en/articles/4439447-financial-and-tax-information
- 6.https://www.housecallpro.com/pricing/
Housecall Pro is a trademark of Codefied Inc. Settles is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Housecall Pro.
Compare the others
Try it with your own jobs
From $79 a month plus $4.95 per employee, cancel any time. Import your clients and be running in an afternoon - no sales call.
Talk to the person who built it
No sales team, no ticket queue. Petr answers, usually the same business day.