For the owner
See the business beyond this week’s jobs.
- Open bids, deposits received and unpaid invoices in one view
- Job-cost reports show hours and paint against the estimate
FOR RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PAINTING CONTRACTORS
Painting business software.
Quote the job. Organize your crew. Get paid.
Zentive is painting business software for estimates, customers, crew schedules, invoices and payments, built for painting companies from a solo painter to several crews.
This week · 2 crews4 jobs scheduled · 1 quote open
MON–WED
Interior repaint · 3 bedrooms + hallwayHarper residence · Crew A · 3 days · deposit paid
ConfirmedTUE–FRI
Exterior repaint · siding, trim, shuttersOkafor residence · Crew B · 4 days
ConfirmedTHU
Cabinet refinish · kitchen, 32 doorsNguyen residence · Crew A · 1 day
ConfirmedFRI
Rental turnover · units 4B and 4CRidge Property Management · Crew B · recurring account
ScheduledOPEN
Quote #2041 · Office repaint, 6 roomsSent Oct 15 · awaiting approval and deposit
Follow upToday · Crew ADay 1 of 3
Interior repaint · 3 bedrooms + hallway
Harper residence · 8:00 AM · Confirmed
- AccessSide door, code 4410
- ScopePrep, 2 coats walls, ceilings, trim
- ColorsWalls: Alabaster, eggshell · Trim: semi-gloss
- Materials9 gal wall, 2 gal trim, on truck
- Hours logged0:00 · Clock in
Clock inAdd photos
Zentive customers include
HVAC
Landscaping
Tree care
Commercial landscaping
Construction & property maintenance
Integrates with
the tools you already use.
QuickBooks Online
Stripe
Google Maps
Mailchimp ONE JOB, START TO FINISH
An interior repaint,
from estimate to paid invoice.
Painting business software is one system for the customers, estimates, crew schedule and invoices behind every job. Here is a three-day interior repaint in Zentive, from estimate to paid invoice.
Residential
- Interior repaints and single rooms
- Exterior siding, trim and doors
- Cabinet refinishing
Commercial
- Office and retail repaints
- Rental turnovers between tenants
- Property managers with many addresses
- 1Estimate after the site visit
Quote #2038: prep, walls, ceilings, trim and materials for $3,886. The Harpers approve online and pay the 25% deposit, and the job moves to the schedule.
- 2Schedule the crew
Three days for Crew A, with scope, colors, access code and photos on their phones. On day two the Harpers add the hallway, so a $310 change order updates the price and the job.
- 3Invoice when the last coat is dry
The crew clocks out and adds photos. The office sends the final invoice for the $3,224.50 balance, the Harpers pay online, and the invoice and payment sync to QuickBooks Online.
ESTIMATES THAT EXPLAIN THEMSELVES
Painting estimating software
for clear, detailed quotes.
Zentive prices a painting job from your own services and materials, line by line. You see cost, markup and margin before the customer sees the price.
- Scope as line items: prep, walls, ceilings, trim and cabinets, each with the quantity and unit you choose, per hour, per square foot, per gallon or flat.
- Labor and materials from your own catalog, with markup per line or per quote, so paint and sundries carry their own margin.
- Overhead and profit stay visible on every quote, and templates for interior, exterior and cabinet work mean the next estimate starts half done.
You enter measurements and rates; Zentive calculates totals, cost and margin. It does not measure rooms, calculate coverage or supply production rates.
LESS CHASING. MORE PAINTING.
Manage every painting job,
from estimate to payment.
Painting contractor software for the office and the crew: estimates, scheduling, customers and invoicing in one place.
Select a feature to explore
Send the bid, collect the deposit, keep the pipeline moving.
Painting bid software · online approval and deposits
- Set a deposit requirement on the quote. The customer approves and pays online, and only then does the job move to the schedule.
- See every open bid in one list with its status, so nothing sits unanswered after the site visit.
- Quote follow-up automations (Growth Pro) chase the bids that have gone quiet, so you are not the one doing it at night.
Put the crew on the job for as many days as it takes.
Painting contractor scheduling software · painting project management software
- Schedule a job across several days, assign the crew, and see every crew’s week on one calendar.
- The scope, colors, sheens, access notes and photos travel to each painter’s phone with the job.
- When the customer adds the hallway on day two, a change order updates the price and the job record.
Every property, every coat, on one record.
CRM for painting contractors
- Contacts, properties, quote history and completed jobs stay together, so the next estimate starts from what you already know.
- Commercial accounts and property managers can hold several properties, each with its own job history.
- Follow up on open quotes and new inquiries from the same place, and send review requests when the job closes.
Bill in stages. Finish paid.
Invoicing · progress billing · QuickBooks Online
- Collect the deposit at approval, invoice progress on longer projects, and send the final invoice from the app when the last coat is dry.
- Customers pay by card or ACH online. Automatic reminders follow up on unpaid balances.
- Invoices and payments sync to QuickBooks Online on eligible plans, so nothing is keyed twice.
Start My Free Trial
14 days free · No credit card required · Explore all Zentive features
A BETTER DAY FOR THE WHOLE TEAM
Office, crew, customer.
Everyone on the same page.
For the painter
Arrive knowing the scope and the colors.
- Scope, sheens, access notes and photos on the phone
- Clock in by job, add photos, mark the day done
For the customer
Fewer calls to ask what happens next.
- Approve the estimate and pay the deposit online
- Appointment and payment reminders by text and email
SMS and email reminders are one-way. Customers reply by phone or email.
START SMALL. MAKE ROOM TO GROW.
A plan for your crew.
A price you can see.
Try Zentive free for 14 days. No credit card required.
Starter
1 user$51/month
$612/year, billed annually.
For the solo painter.
- Scheduling and job management
- Create quotes and invoices
- Digital payments
Standard
Up to 5 users$95/month
$1140/year, billed annually.
For a crew that wants QuickBooks sync.
- Automated email and SMS
- Route planning
- QuickBooks integration
Growth Pro
Up to 15 users$175/month
$2100/year, billed annually.
For several crews that need job costing.
- Automated SMS notifications
- Real-time job costing data
- Quote follow-up automations
Annual prices are the monthly equivalent of a plan paid once a year. Switch to “Billed monthly” to see month-to-month pricing with no annual commitment. A solo painter usually starts on Starter; add Standard when a second painter needs a login or you want QuickBooks Online sync.
All prices in USD. See the full feature breakdown for plan availability. More than 15 users? Talk to us.
ACCOUNTING, CONNECTED
Painting software that works with QuickBooks Online.
Zentive is not accounting software, and it does not try to be. It runs the jobs and hands the numbers to QuickBooks Online. Here is exactly what the integration does.
- Which QuickBooks
- QuickBooks Online. QuickBooks Desktop is not supported.
- What syncs
- Customers, invoices, payments and approved crew time. Enter them once in Zentive and they flow to QuickBooks Online.
- When it syncs
- Automatically, as invoices are created and payments are recorded. Built-in checks flag duplicates and mismatches before they reach your books.
- Which plans
- Standard and Growth Pro. Starter does not include the QuickBooks Online connection.
Looking for the best accounting software for a painting business? Keep QuickBooks Online for the books and let Zentive feed it. Read more about the QuickBooks integration.
MAKE AN INFORMED CHOICE
Compare the workflow.
Then compare the price.
Software for painting contractors should fit your crew size, your billing and the jobs you actually run, whether you are a solo painter or a small painting business with several crews. Compare what is included at the entry price, not just the number.
| Software | Entry price & basis | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Zentive | $51/moStarter · 1 user · billed annually ($64/mo monthly) | Standard adds up to 5 users and QuickBooks Online sync at $95/mo annually. Change orders and progress billing included. 14-day free trial, no credit card. |
| Jobber | $29/moCore · 1 user · billed annually | QuickBooks Online sync and automatic payments are listed on Connect, from $99/mo for 1 user annually. Additional users are $29/mo each. |
| Housecall Pro | $59/moBasic · 1 user · billed annually ($79/mo monthly) | Additional users are listed at $35/mo each. Check which plan includes the QuickBooks integration and the features your crew needs. |
| DripJobs | $97/moPro · 1 admin user · month to month | Change orders are listed on the Advanced plan at $147/mo. Job costing ($49/mo) and production-rate estimating ($99/mo) are optional add-ons. The vendor states it does not offer a free trial. |
Sources: each vendor’s published pricing page, checked October 16, 2026. Entry plans are not feature-equivalent. Billing terms, user limits, modules and fees differ. Confirm a quote for your exact needs.
IS ZENTIVE THE RIGHT FIT?
For painting companies that want the business side organized.
Choose Zentive when your priority is keeping estimates, deposits, crew schedules, change orders and payments together, with pricing built for a small painting business rather than a franchise network.
Need measuring, takeoffs or production rates?
Zentive prices from the quantities you enter. For automated measuring, plan takeoffs or production-rate databases, use a dedicated painting estimating tool alongside it.
GETTING STARTED
A fresh start.
Without starting from scratch.
Moving from Jobber, Housecall Pro, DripJobs or a spreadsheet and a folder of PDFs? Start with your customer list, then set up your services the way you already quote them.
- 01
Bring over your customers
Import your customer list by CSV.
- 02
Add your services and prices
Prep, walls, ceilings, trim and cabinets at the rates and units you use today.
- 03
Schedule the first job
Add your painters, assign the crew and send the first quote. Guided onboarding and support are available during the trial.
General Zentive walkthrough · Loads when you choose to watch.
LET’S WALK THROUGH YOUR WORKDAY
See how your painting business
could run with Zentive.
Bring a real workflow: an interior estimate, a rental-turnover account or a week of crew scheduling. We’ll walk through it together.
- See the features that matter to your crew
- Ask about migration, QuickBooks and pricing
- Check the fit before you commit
Your questions.
A real product walkthrough.
Free, 30-minute demo with the Zentive team.
Choose a time Pick an available slot directly in our calendar.GOOD QUESTIONS. CLEAR ANSWERS.
A few things
worth knowing.
Estimates, crews, residential and commercial work, QuickBooks and the trial.
Ask us about your workflow →What does painting business software help manage?
The business side of a painting company: customer records, estimates and quotes, the crew schedule, job details and photos, invoices and payments, and reporting. Zentive keeps those in one system so the office and the crew work from the same job, and hands accounting to QuickBooks Online.
Can I create painting estimates with labor and materials?
Yes. Build the estimate from your own services and materials as line items: prep, walls, ceilings, trim, cabinets, each with the quantity and unit you choose (hours, square feet, gallons or a flat price), plus markup. You enter the quantities; Zentive does not measure rooms or calculate paint coverage. The customer approves online and pays the deposit you set before the job goes on the schedule.
Is Zentive suitable for a solo painter or a small painting business?
Yes. Starter is one user at $51 per month equivalent, billed annually, with quotes, scheduling, invoices and online payments. Most owner-operators start there and move to Standard, which adds up to 5 users and QuickBooks Online sync, when they hire a crew.
Can I schedule painting crews and manage jobs?
Yes. Schedule a job across several days, assign the crew, and attach the scope, colors, access notes and photos. Painters see their jobs on the mobile app, clock in and out by job, add photos and mark the work done. Reschedule exterior work when the weather turns. Zentive manages painting jobs; it is not a construction project-management platform with dependencies and Gantt charts.
Can I use it for residential and commercial painting work?
Yes. Residential customers and commercial accounts sit in the same customer list. A property manager or office client can have several properties, each with its own job history, so a rental turnover or office repaint is quoted and scheduled against the right address.
Does Zentive integrate with QuickBooks Online?
Yes, on the Standard and Growth Pro plans. Customers, invoices, payments and approved crew time sync from Zentive to QuickBooks Online automatically as they are created and recorded. QuickBooks Desktop is not supported, and Zentive does not replace QuickBooks or your bookkeeper.
Can my team access job details on mobile?
Yes. The Zentive mobile app shows each painter their schedule, the job scope, colors and sheens from the notes, access instructions and photos. They record time and add photos from the job, with offline access that syncs later.
Is Zentive free, and what happens after the trial?
Zentive is a paid subscription with a 14-day free trial and no credit card required to start. After 14 days you choose a plan, from $51 per month equivalent billed annually or $64 month to month, or your trial simply ends. The free painting estimate template and invoice generator on this page work without an account.
USEFUL BEFORE YOUR FIRST LOGIN
Free tools for
your next painting job.
Start with the paperwork. Then bring the whole workflow together in Zentive.
FREE ESTIMATE TEMPLATE
Quote the repaint.
Itemize prep, walls, trim and materials. Download a clear PDF estimate. No measuring or coverage math, just a clean quote.
Create a painting estimate →FREE INVOICE GENERATORBill for the work.
Create a professional painting invoice with your job details.
Create a painting invoice →FREE WORK ORDER TEMPLATEMake the scope clear.
Give your crew a clear record of the job, colors and instructions.
Create a work order →MAKE ROOM FOR THE BUSINESS YOU WANT
Your next chapter
starts with one email.
Try Zentive with your crew, your customers and your workflow.
Plans from $51/month, billed annually. Prefer a walkthrough? Book a demo.
Try Zentive free14 days · No credit card
Start free trial →