PaintCRM vs DripJobs:
Which is better for painting contractors?
DripJobs is great at follow-up automation. But it's multi-trade, it can't do production-rate estimating, and it starts at $97/month. PaintCRM was built specifically for painters — and starts at $49/month.
The quick verdict
Choose DripJobs if:
- •You want 40+ pre-built drip sequences out of the box
- •You use multiple trades (not just painting)
- •You already have a separate estimating tool and just need CRM
Choose PaintCRM if:
- ✓You want estimating AND CRM in one tool
- ✓You need production-rate estimating with surface types
- ✓You want to save $48–98/month vs DripJobs pricing
- ✓You want Stripe payment processing built in
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature |
PaintCRM
$49–99/mo | DripJobs $97–147/mo |
|---|---|---|
| Estimating | ||
| Production-rate estimating | ||
| Room-level surface breakdown | ||
| Paint color tracking per room | ||
| Material cost calculation | Basic | |
| E-signature proposals | ||
| CRM & Pipeline | ||
| Visual pipeline (Kanban) | ||
| Contact management | ||
| Lead source tracking | ||
| Estimate view tracking | ||
| Automation | ||
| Drip follow-up sequences | ||
| Pre-built sequences | 4 included | 40+ included |
| SMS automation | Roadmap | Yes (per-message pricing) |
| Email automation | ||
| Post-job review requests | ||
| Payments | ||
| Invoicing | Basic | |
| Stripe payments (card + ACH) | ||
| Subscription billing management | ||
| Painting-Specific | ||
| Built exclusively for painters | ||
| Interior + exterior surfaces | ||
| Sheen tracking (flat/eggshell/semi) | ||
| Multi-trade support | 14+ trades | |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | $49/month | $97/month |
| Per-user pricing | No — flat monthly | No |
| Free trial | 14 days | 14 days |
What real painters say about DripJobs
"I have tried DripJobs (and really like it, but is kind of expensive for what it does)"
— PaintTalk forum
"For complex painting projects where pricing varies significantly based on surface types, square footage calculations, and room-specific details, many contractors create detailed estimates elsewhere."
— DripJobs documentation (their own words)
"The follow-up sequences are great but I still need PaintScout for my estimates. Paying for both is killing me."
— PaintTalk forum
PaintCRM was built to solve exactly this: estimating + CRM + automation — purpose-built for painters, in one tool.
Real cost comparison
DripJobs stack
What most DripJobs users actually pay
PaintCRM Solo
Everything you need in one place
You save $172–197/month
Switch from DripJobs and save $172/month
Get production-rate estimating + DripJobs-quality automation in one tool. Start your free 14-day trial — no credit card required.
No credit card required · Cancel anytime · Setup in under 10 minutes