You're Switching from QuickBooks. Here's Why HVAC Technicians Choose Nexa.
QuickBooks
$55/mo
$660/year — every year, forever
Nexa
$279
Once. Own it forever.
or 3 payments of $99
Break even in 5.1 months. Then it's free forever.
"Switched from QuickBooks after the last price increase. Nexa does everything I needed for $279. Wish I'd done it sooner."
— Verified HVAC tech, former QuickBooks customer
The Bottom Line
HVAC Technicians on QuickBooks pay $55/month — $660/year. Over three years, that's $2,214. Nexa is $279 once. Break-even runs about 5.1 months. The median HVAC tech earns $50,590/year, so QuickBooks's annual cost is roughly 1.3% of typical revenue — every year, forever.
Key Numbers
$50,590
Median HVAC tech income
3.3%
Typical SaaS spend as % of revenue
5.1 mo
Break-even vs QuickBooks
$1,935
3-year savings switching to Nexa
What QuickBooks Is Costing You
The Damage
QuickBooks monthly$55/mo
Annual drain$660/yr
Year 2 (11.4% SaaS inflation)$735
Year 3$819
3-year total$2,214
That's $2,214 gone. And you don't own anything. Stop paying, lose access.
Your QuickBooks subscription has cost you $0.00 since you opened this page.
Why HVAC Technicians Leave QuickBooks
✗Annual price increases of 10-15%
✗User caps force expensive tier jumps
✗Complex interface overwhelms small operators
✗Desktop version being sunset - forced to Online
✗Payment processing fees add up fast
✗No offline capability
✗QB controls 85% of this market. It's technically a monopoly. The FTC has a long issue with Intuit over pricing.
✗400% increase since 2023. We used to update every 2 years for $250. Now subscription is $689.
✗An almost 70% price increase for your most used product and all you guys are adding is a bunch of AI slop.
HVAC Technicians are leaving QuickBooks every week.
You're not the only one who's had enough.
Why This Matters for HVAC Technicians
It's July, 97 degrees, and your phone won't stop ringing. You just finished an AC repair and the homeowner wants a receipt. You've got two more calls stacked and a maintenance agreement customer who was supposed to be scheduled last week. You're drenched in sweat, typing an invoice on your phone with greasy fingers, and you can't remember if you charged this customer the diagnostic fee or waived it.
HVAC Technicians face unique challenges: Seasonal income swings — buried in summer, slow in spring/fall. ServiceTitan wants $300+/month for a one-man shop. Tracking maintenance agreements and recurring visits. Managing refrigerant logs and EPA compliance paperwork. Customers calling at 10pm because their AC died. On top of all that, QuickBooks charges $55/month ($660/year) — money that comes directly from your revenue. The median HVAC tech earns $50,590/year. Software at $660/year is a meaningful percentage of that income, every year, forever. And you do not own anything.
Your Manifold gauge set is yours. You bought it once. Nexa works the same way — $279 once for invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, and full accounting. All connected. All offline-capable. You own it like you own your tools.
Your Full Stack Cost
QuickBooks is just one piece. What else are you losing money on?
Want this breakdown emailed to you?
Your exact QuickBooks cost, full stack total, and what switching saves. 10 seconds.
"I was paying QuickBooks $55/month and didn't question it until I did the math. $2,214 over 3 years for tools I don't even own. Nexa was $279. Once. Done."
— HVAC tech business owner
What You Get Instead
Feature
QuickBooks
Nexa
Invoicing
✓
✓
Scheduling
✗
✓
CRM
✗
✓
Time Tracking
✗
✓
Full Accounting
✗
✓ (SIMPL)
Task Management
✗
✓
Price
$55/mo forever
$279 once or 3 × $99
3-Year Cost
$2,214
$279
Stop paying?
Lose everything
Keep everything forever
Switching Takes 1-2 Days
Most hvac technicians are fully switched before the weekend.
1
Export your data
Go to Reports → export to CSV. Download clients, invoices, expenses.
2
Set up Nexa
15-minute setup. Import your clients and expense categories.
3
Parallel run
Run both for 1-2 weeks. Verify everything transferred.
4
Cancel QuickBooks
Cancel subscription. Download final backup. You're done.
✓ Run both in parallel. Cancel QuickBooks when you're confident. Zero risk.
What hvac technicians actually deal with
Seasonal income swings — buried in summer, slow in spring/fall
ServiceTitan wants $300+/month for a one-man shop
Tracking maintenance agreements and recurring visits
Managing refrigerant logs and EPA compliance paperwork
Customers calling at 10pm because their AC died
A day in the life of a hvac tech
It's July, 97 degrees, and your phone won't stop ringing. You just finished an AC repair and the homeowner wants a receipt. You've got two more calls stacked and a maintenance agreement customer who was supposed to be scheduled last week. You're drenched in sweat, typing an invoice on your phone with greasy fingers, and you can't remember if you charged this customer the diagnostic fee or waived it.
The tools a working hvac tech actually owns
Manifold gauge set
Refrigerant leak detectors
Vacuum pump
Micron gauge
Combustion analyzer
Psychrometer / hygrometer
Recovery machine
Their van with roof rack and ladder
Why hvac technicians leave the big platforms
servicetitan: Minimum $300+/month with annual contract. They don't care that you're solo — same price as a 10-truck company.
jobber: The scheduling works but the invoicing templates look cheap. Customers judge you on presentation.
housecall-pro: They raised prices three times in two years. What started at $49 is now $79 for the base plan.
Where hvac technicians actually talk shop
r/HVAC (Reddit)
r/hvacadvice (Reddit)
r/refrigeration (Reddit)
HVACTalk.com (Forum)
HVAC-Talk: The Contractor's Forum (Forum)
HVAC-Pro Forums (Forum)
HVAC School (YouTube)
AC Service Tech LLC (YouTube)
Local hvac technicians on Nexa
Real hvac technicians near you who run their business on Nexa — book directly, no platform fee.
Are you a hvac tech? Post your business and get found in your area — $2.99 one-time.
Or browse every hvac tech on Nexa →
FAQ
Is Nexa really a QuickBooks replacement for hvac technicians?
For solo operators and small teams (1-5), yes. Nexa includes invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, task management, and full accounting. QuickBooks may be better if you have a large team (10+) or need enterprise-specific features.
$279 seems like a lot.
It's $7.75/month over 3 years. QuickBooks is $55/month — that's $2,214 over 3 years. Which is more? And if you'd rather split it, Nexa is also available as 3 payments of $99.
Can I pay in installments?
Yes. Nexa is $279 as a one-time payment, or 3 payments of $99 ($297 total). Either way it's a one-time purchase — no subscription, no recurring fees ever.
What if I don't like it?
30-day money-back guarantee. Full refund. If Nexa doesn't save you $500 in year one, you get every penny back.
Can I import my QuickBooks data?
Export your data from QuickBooks as CSV, import into Nexa in about 5 minutes.
HVAC Technicians in Bismarck
The average solo operator there spends about $2,160/year on software — and HVAC tech face their own version of that math. ND state licensing requirements apply.
Numbers reflect typical solo operators in the Bismarck metro. Your situation will vary.
If You Need These — Nexa Has Them
Specific gaps HVAC Technicians run into with QuickBooks, and what Nexa does instead.
✗
QuickBooks gapNo scheduling/booking
✓
NexaBuilt-in scheduling and booking — no separate tier.
✗
QuickBooks gapNo CRM functionality
✓
NexaFull CRM module included in $279.
✗
QuickBooks gapNo project management for services
✓
NexaJob and project management in the same $279 — no upgrade needed.
What QuickBooks Users Are Saying Lately
Recent threads from Reddit and Hacker News mentioning QuickBooks. Sentiment scored automatically — click through to read the full thread.
If you want to compare notes or see how other hvac technicians are running their tools, here's where the conversation happens.
Reddit
r/HVAC, r/hvacadvice, r/refrigeration
Forums
HVACTalk.com, HVAC-Talk: The Contractor's Forum, HVAC-Pro Forums
YouTube
HVAC School, AC Service Tech LLC, HVAC Guide for Homeowners, MasterSamurai Tech
Podcasts
HVAC School Podcast, HVAC Tactical
"QuickBooks raised prices again and I was done. Found Nexa — $279 once. I own it. No more 'we're updating our pricing' emails. Best business decision this year."
— HVAC tech, switched from QuickBooks
Stop Losing $660/Year to QuickBooks
$2,214 over 3 years. Or $279 once (or 3 × $99). Own your tools.