Built for marine.
Not retrofitted from a lawn-care app.
MyDocksidePro — for marine service vendors.
Jobber and Housecall Pro are solid software — for HVAC, plumbing, and landscaping. They weren't built with a tech standing on a dock in mind. This is the side-by-side, including where they still beat us.
The workday
Three things that change in your day, tomorrow
Software is a list of features when you're shopping for it. It's a workday when you're using it. These are the three places marine vendors tell us the day changes after they switch.
The truck doesn't go back to the office.
"It's 7:50 a.m. The marina office wants the COI before the lift starts. I'm not in the truck. My tech sends it from his phone."
On Jobber or Housecall Pro, a tech in the field needs the owner involved to send proof of insurance to a marina, a yacht club, a private dock. On MDSP, the tech sends it on the spot — without ever seeing the policy contents themselves. The owner never gets pulled in. Job keeps moving.
The paperwork holds up three weeks later.
"Customer says the hull scuff wasn't there before we started. We open the job — pre-work photo, timestamped before anyone touched the boat, shows it was already there. Consent-to-work signed, archived. Conversation over."
Marine work carries real liability. Pre- and post-job safety checks ship as a native job phase, and consent-to-work is generated, signed electronically, and archived to the job record automatically. On Jobber or Housecall Pro, you build that paper trail yourself, every job, from scratch.
The part is on the invoice when the customer pays.
"Tech grabs an impeller from Key West Hardware. The SKU, the price, the tax flag — all on the invoice before he's back at the dock. No re-keying. No separate inventory app."
Connected Catalogs pulls live items from your supplier's catalog straight into the line item editor — right SKU, right price, right tax flag, no re-keying. Jobber and Housecall Pro punt parts to a third-party inventory app with its own subscription and its own login.
When it pays off
The moments those changes actually land
The cards above describe what changes. These are the three moments — one per pillar — where the change pays off and the generic platforms quietly fall short.
The marina parking lot is 400 feet from the boat.
Housecall Pro markets vehicle GPS. On a marina, the tech's truck sits in the lot for four hours while they work three boats on three docks — vehicle GPS clocks them “on site” the whole time, which is wrong for billing and wrong for payroll. MDSP draws the geofence around the job location — the boat's actual berth — so payroll is accurate, customer billing is defensible, and the dispatch view shows which boat each tech is on right now.
The yacht manager calls about a scratch we didn't leave.
Three pieces of paperwork ship with every job: a pre-job safety check with vessel-condition baseline, a post-job safety check, and a customer consent-to-work form generated from the job scope and signed electronically — all archived to the job record automatically. Jobber and Housecall Pro let you build custom checklists with signatures, but neither ships a dedicated pre/post safety pattern or a purpose-built consent workflow. You build it from scratch every job and hope to remember.
You own your Stripe account. We don't.
Jobber and Housecall Pro lock customer payments into their own integrated processors — money flows through their rails before reaching your bank, and if you ever leave, you walk away with a CSV export, not a payment relationship. MDSP connects to your existing Stripe account; cards charge against your account, money lands in yourbank. Plus five ways to get paid on every invoice — card, ACH, wire, Zelle, Venmo — so on a $4,000 job, the customer can pick the path that puts more of the invoice in your bank instead of a processor's.
The 30-second read
If you service boats, here's what each platform delivers out of the box.
MyDocksidePro
Marine-first, parts-connected, paperwork-proof
- Job-location geofence clock-in/out
- COI send-on-the-spot from anywhere a boat is worked on
- Vessel records + service history
- Connected Catalogs parts picker (Square + Key West live; more coming)
- Build your own catalog while you invoice — no separate inventory tool
- Pre + post-job safety + electronic-signature consent-to-work archived
- Florida Statute 212.05 tax built-in (any-jurisdiction tax engine)
- 5 payment methods on every invoice — Stripe, ACH, Wire, Zelle, Venmo
- Free Lite tier (10/mo, full marine stack) → $39 Solo unlimited → $149 Team XL unlimited team
Jobber
Home services generalist
- No marine-specific features
- No job-location geofence; no vessel records
- No native parts integration (Ply add-on, extra cost)
- QuickBooks only on Connect ($99) and up
- Strong mobile app (4.8 iOS / 4.7 Android)
- No Zelle, Venmo, or wire on invoice
Housecall Pro
HVAC/plumbing generalist
- No marine-specific features
- No job-location geofence (vehicle GPS only)
- No native parts integration (Ply add-on)
- QuickBooks only on Essentials ($149) and up
- Cost creep and support are recurring review complaints
- Basic at $59 is single-user only
Switching from Jobber or Housecall Pro?
We migrate your customers, jobs, and invoice history for free. Typical transition for a 200-customer shop takes under a day. No credit card to start.
The proof
Full feature comparison
The day-in-the-life stories are above. This is the proof layer — every claim mapped to the competitor's public documentation. Sources verified May 2026.
| Capability | MyDocksideProBuilt for the dock | Jobber | Housecall Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marine-specific | |||
| Built for marine service from day one | Yes | No — home services | No — home services |
| Vessel records (make, model, hull, engine hours) | Native | Workaround only | Workaround only |
| Job-location geofence clock-in/out | Yes | No | Vehicle GPS only |
| Certificate of Insurance (COI) send-on-the-spot | Full workflowEmployee sends COI directly to any business requesting it — marina, boatyard, club, private dock, repair facility. No office call required. | Not supported | Storage only"My Money" tab if you buy insurance through Housecall Pro's broker; no recipient handoff workflow. |
| Safety & liability | |||
| Pre-job safety check (native pattern, not template-built) | Yes | Custom forms | Custom checklists |
| Post-job safety check (native pattern) | Yes | Custom forms | Custom checklists |
| Customer consent-to-work, electronically signed + archived | Yes — dedicated workflow | Build-your-own | Custom signaturesUp to 3 per job; e-sig live since March 2025; no dedicated consent workflow. |
| Liability paperwork archived automatically to job record | Yes | Manual organization | Manual organization |
| Parts & inventory | |||
| Integrated parts picker tied to a real supplier catalog | Yes — Connected Catalogs | Third-party add-onPly or inFlow — separate subscription, separate login. | Third-party add-onPly add-on; Bluon for HVAC equipment lookup, not parts ordering. |
| Live supplier connectors | Square + Key West liveLarger marine suppliers and national parts chains on the roadmap. | No native integration | No native integration |
| Build your own catalog inline while invoicing | One-tap saveType a line item, tap the bookmark — it lands in your catalog for next time. | Separate catalog workflowCatalog managed outside the invoice; no inline save. | Separate catalog workflowCatalog managed outside the invoice; no inline save. |
| Tax & compliance | |||
| Florida Statute 212.05 (parts trigger tax on full subtotal) | Built-in | Manual config | Manual config |
| Payments | |||
| Use your own Stripe account (not a platform-owned processor) | Yes — connect your StripeMoney lands in your bank directly. The payment relationship is yours; you keep it if you leave. | No — Jobber Payments requiredYour customers' cards run through Jobber's processor; money flows through them first. | No — Housecall Pro Payments requiredSame model — money through Housecall Pro's processor before your bank. |
| ACH bank transfer on every invoice | Yes — 1% fee | Jobber Payments only | Housecall Pro Payments only |
| Wire transfer routing displayed on invoice | Yes | No | No |
| Zelle on invoice | Yes | No | No |
| Venmo on invoice | Yes | No | No |
| QuickBooks Online sync | All tiers | Connect ($99) and up | Essentials ($149) and up |
| Team & access | |||
| PIN-only employee login (no email password) | Yes | Email login required | Email login required |
| Flat pricing — unlimited team at top tier | Team XL $149, unlimited | Per-user pricing past 5 seats | $35/mo per additional user past MAX |
| Customer experience | |||
| Estimate approval via secure link (no customer login) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Customer portal for job status & pay | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing entry point | |||
| Entry-level tier with full feature set | $39 SoloStripe + ACH + Wire + Zelle + Venmo + QBO + Connected Catalogs + COI + safety + consent. | $29 CoreNo QBO; no two-way texting. | $59 BasicNo QBO; no GPS; single user only. |
| Free tier available | Lite — 10 inv/mo | No | 14-day trial only |
Marine-specific
Built for marine service from day one
Vessel records (make, model, hull, engine hours)
Job-location geofence clock-in/out
Certificate of Insurance (COI) send-on-the-spot
Employee sends COI directly to any business requesting it — marina, boatyard, club, private dock, repair facility. No office call required.
"My Money" tab if you buy insurance through Housecall Pro's broker; no recipient handoff workflow.
Safety & liability
Pre-job safety check (native pattern, not template-built)
Post-job safety check (native pattern)
Customer consent-to-work, electronically signed + archived
Up to 3 per job; e-sig live since March 2025; no dedicated consent workflow.
Liability paperwork archived automatically to job record
Parts & inventory
Integrated parts picker tied to a real supplier catalog
Ply or inFlow — separate subscription, separate login.
Ply add-on; Bluon for HVAC equipment lookup, not parts ordering.
Live supplier connectors
Larger marine suppliers and national parts chains on the roadmap.
Build your own catalog inline while invoicing
Type a line item, tap the bookmark — it lands in your catalog for next time.
Catalog managed outside the invoice; no inline save.
Catalog managed outside the invoice; no inline save.
Tax & compliance
Florida Statute 212.05 (parts trigger tax on full subtotal)
Payments
Use your own Stripe account (not a platform-owned processor)
Money lands in your bank directly. The payment relationship is yours; you keep it if you leave.
Your customers' cards run through Jobber's processor; money flows through them first.
Same model — money through Housecall Pro's processor before your bank.
ACH bank transfer on every invoice
Wire transfer routing displayed on invoice
Zelle on invoice
Venmo on invoice
QuickBooks Online sync
Team & access
PIN-only employee login (no email password)
Flat pricing — unlimited team at top tier
Customer experience
Estimate approval via secure link (no customer login)
Customer portal for job status & pay
Pricing entry point
Entry-level tier with full feature set
Stripe + ACH + Wire + Zelle + Venmo + QBO + Connected Catalogs + COI + safety + consent.
No QBO; no two-way texting.
No QBO; no GPS; single user only.
Free tier available
Sources: Jobber and Housecall Pro public pricing pages, third-party software review platforms, and integration directories — verified May 2026.
Pricing — apples to apples
Equivalent entry-tiers, what you actually get. No “starting at” tricks.
MyDocksidePro · Lite
Free forever
10 invoices/mo · 1 user · Marine-built · No card to start
- Every marine feature — full product, not a stripped-down trial
- Job-location geofence
- Vessel records
- On-the-spot COI sending
- Pre + post-job safety checks
- Consent-to-work, electronically signed + archived
- Connected Catalogs parts picker
- Build your catalog as you go — save line items while invoicing
- Stripe + ACH + Wire + Zelle + Venmo
- QuickBooks Online sync
- FL 212.05 tax built-in
- Customer portal
Need more than 10 invoices/month? Upgrade to Solo $39 (unlimited), Team $79, or Team XL $149 (unlimited team) — same feature set at every tier.
Jobber · Core
$29/mo
1 user · Home services · Annual prepay
- Scheduling + quoting + invoicing
- Client management + online booking
- Mobile app (4.8 iOS / 4.7 Android)
- No QuickBooks sync
- No Zelle/Venmo on invoice
- No marine features
- No native parts integration
- No COI send workflow or job-location geofence
- No pre/post safety pattern or consent-to-work workflow
Housecall Pro · Basic
$59/mo
1 user · HVAC/plumbing · Annual prepay
- Scheduling + dispatching + quotes
- Online booking + payments
- SMS to customers + review management
- No QuickBooks sync
- No GPS tracking
- Single user only
- No marine features
- No native parts integration
- No COI send workflow or job-location geofence
- No pre/post safety pattern or consent-to-work workflow
MDSP starts at free — Lite ships the full marine product, capped at 10 invoices/month. Jobber and Housecall Pro have no free tier; both run a 14-day trial and then drop you on a paid plan. At every paid tier above that, MDSP ships capabilities Jobber doesn't unlock until $99 (Connect) or $149 (Grow), and that Housecall Pro doesn't unlock until $149 (Essentials) — plus the marine-specific features neither one offers at any price.
Where each one wins
We're not pretending the big platforms have nothing going for them. Here's the straight read.
MyDocksidePro wins for…
Marine service businesses of any size who need vessel records, on-the-spot COI sending, safety + consent paperwork archived for liability, parts-picker workflows tied to a real supplier, and FL-statute-correct invoicing. Solo operators and growing yards alike — same feature set across tiers, different invoice caps and team sizes.
Jobber wins for…
Landscaping, cleaning, residential HVAC, and small home-service teams with recurring routes. Best-in-class mobile app ratings. Strong if your work fits the home-services mold and you don't need marine-specific features or parts-supplier integration.
Housecall Pro wins for…
Established HVAC/plumbing shops that have grown past 10 techs and need MAX-tier features (open API, dedicated onboarding). Strong dispatch view, good payment automation. Universal e-signature shipped March 2025. Cost climbs fast with add-ons.
The complaints we engineered around
From verified customer reviews of Jobber and Housecall Pro on third-party software review platforms.
“Cost creep from add-ons” — #1 Housecall Pro complaint
Reviewers cite paid add-ons (marketing, GPS, route optimization) pushing real cost to $200–300/mo for what was advertised as $59. MDSP pricing is flat — your tier price is the full price, no marketing module sold separately, no per-feature unlock.
“Per-user pricing hits a wall at 10–15 techs” — Jobber
Jobber's per-user model can push monthly bills past $600 for mid-size teams. MDSP Team XL at $149 covers unlimited team members — your fifteenth tech costs the same as your second.
“Blue Bubble chat support, no phone number” — Housecall Pro
Support is a recurring complaint theme in Housecall Pro's public reviews — reviewers describe chatbot loops during real outages. MDSP support is a small team; when you write in, a person responds directly.
“No built-in inventory” — Jobber
Verified: Jobber's own help center and community forum direct users to third-party tools (Ply, inFlow). MDSP's Connected Catalogs are native — Square and Key West Hardware live today — no separate subscription, no separate login, no double data entry.
Common questions
Can Jobber or Housecall Pro be "made to work" for marine?
Technically yes — both let you customize fields and workflows. You can put a hull number in a custom “Asset” field, fake a vessel record with a customer note, and manually configure FL 212.05 tax rules. In practice you're maintaining a workaround on every job, and the parts-picker problem has no workaround at all. If you service three boats a year as a side gig, generic software is fine. If marine is your livelihood, retrofitting isn't.
How does MDSP handle parts from a supplier you haven't connected yet?
Same way Jobber and Housecall Pro do — manual line items. The advantage is the Connected Catalogs architecture: when a supplier IS connected, their catalog drops straight into your invoice with the right SKU, price, and tax flag. Square POS is live today, and our Key West Hardware connector — our first integrated parts-supplier partner — is live too. We're building toward larger marine suppliers and national parts chains — when those connectors land, every MDSP user gets them at the same time. You're not locked into one processor and there's no separate inventory subscription.
Can't I just build a custom safety form in Jobber or Housecall Pro?
You can — both products let you build custom checklists with signature collection. The difference is structural. MDSP ships a pre/post-job safety pattern as a native job phase, not a form you remember to attach. The consent-to-work form is generated from the job scope, signed by the customer electronically, and archived to the job record automatically. If you build the equivalent in Jobber or Housecall Pro, you're maintaining the discipline yourself — and if a tech skips attaching a form on one job out of fifty, the gap is yours when something goes wrong. MDSP's pattern is what closes that gap without relying on memory.
Are you ready for a business with 20+ technicians?
Yes — Team XL at $149/mo covers unlimited team members, custom roles, contractor commission tracking, and all integrations. Where Jobber and Housecall Pro charge per-seat past a certain point, MDSP doesn't. The biggest yard on our platform runs 14 techs across two marinas on Team XL.
What if I'm not in Florida? Does the tax engine still work?
Yes. The FL 212.05 rule is built-in because we started in Florida, but the tax engine handles standard per-item and combined-subtotal logic for any state. You configure your jurisdiction once.
How do I migrate from Jobber or Housecall Pro?
Both export customer lists, job history, and invoices to CSV. We import directly into MDSP and re-link vessels to customers. Typical migration for a 200-customer shop takes under a day. We don't charge for migration help. If you decide MDSP isn't for you, we'll help you export back out.
Try MyDocksidePro on a real boat job this week
Start on the Lite plan — free, 10 invoices a month, every marine feature included. If it doesn't earn its keep, you walk away. No card to sign up. We migrate your data for free if you're coming from Jobber or Housecall Pro.