Wax Stak vs Housecall Pro (for detailers)
Housecall Pro is a general home-services platform with a large marketplace and ecosystem. Here is how it compares with Wax Stak for a detailing business.
By The Wax Stak Team · Wax Stak is in private beta; our figures are launch pricing.
Who Housecall Pro is good for
Housecall Pro has the biggest ecosystem in this comparison — a marketplace, consumer financing, a long integrations list — plus review management, a Spanish app and offline viewing on every plan, and the lowest card-present rate here at 2.59%. If you want that breadth, it is a strong general platform. For a detailer: plans run $79–$329/month ($59–$299 billed annually), route optimization is Max-only ($329/month), card-on-file charges are 3.49%, and it has no vehicle records, VIN decoding, detailing packages or customer maintenance plans.
Wax Stak vs Housecall Pro, side by side
| Wax Stak | Housecall Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes — Starter is free forever (up to 15 active customers) | No — 14-day trial |
| Paid plans | Pro $24/mo · Business $39/mo ($22 / $35 billed annually) | Basic $79/mo · Essentials $189/mo · Max $329/mo ($59 / $149 / $299 billed annually) |
| Users | 1 (Starter) · 3 included (Pro) · 10 included (Business); +$5/user | 1 · 5 · 8 included; +$35/user/mo on Max |
| Spanish | Full — back office, field app, booking page, customer portal, texts and emails | App in English and Spanish on every plan |
| Card-present credit rate | 2.9% + 30¢ (Starter) · 2.75% (Pro) · 2.65% (Business) | 2.59% (Tap to Pay and card readers) |
| Card-on-file rate | 3.2% + 30¢ · 3.05% on Business | 3.49% (card on file / card-not-present) |
| Debit rate | 2.5% + 30¢ (Starter) · 2.2% (Pro) · 2.0% (Business) | No debit-specific rate |
| ACH / bank payments | 1% (50¢ minimum), every plan | 1% |
| Route optimization | Pro and up ($24/mo) | Max only ($329/mo) |
| QuickBooks | QuickBooks Online sync on Business; built-in bookkeeping from Pro | QuickBooks Online on Essentials and up |
| Offline field app | Yes — schedule, jobs, photos and status work offline; payments need a connection | Offline viewing on every plan |
| Review requests | Automated requests + AI review analysis from Pro; manual on Starter | Review management on every plan |
| VIN scanning | Yes, every plan | No |
Last verified September 2026. Housecall Pro figures are from housecallpro.com/pricing and help.housecallpro.com — Card on File; Tap to Pay on Mobile as of September 2026; Wax Stak figures are from our pricing page. If something here is out of date, email hello@waxstak.com and we will fix it.
What to check before you switch
- Export your history first. Ask Housecall Pro for a CSV of customers, vehicles and jobs and check what it includes (notes, photos, pricing) before you cancel anything.
- Saved cards don’t transfer. Cards on file belong to the old payment processor; customers re-enter them once, on their first Wax Stak invoice or through their portal.
- Your review link and booking URL change. Update your Google Business Profile, website and social bios the day you switch.
- Run both for two weeks. Finish open jobs where they started; book new ones in Wax Stak.
- Reminders come from a new number. Tell regulars to expect texts from Wax Stak so nothing lands in spam.
Frequently asked questions
Is Wax Stak cheaper than Housecall Pro?
Wax Stak Starter is free, Pro is $24/month (three users) and Business is $39/month (ten users). Housecall Pro is $79, $189 and $329 per month, or $59, $149 and $299 billed annually, with one, five and eight users.
Whose payment rates are lower?
Card-present: Housecall Pro 2.59% vs Wax Stak 2.65–2.9% + 30¢ — Housecall Pro wins. Card on file: Wax Stak 3.05–3.2% + 30¢ vs 3.49%. Debit: Wax Stak 2.0–2.5% + 30¢ vs no debit rate at Housecall Pro. ACH: both 1%.
Both have Spanish — what is the difference?
Housecall Pro’s app is available in English and Spanish on every plan. Wax Stak is bilingual everywhere — back office, field app, booking page, customer portal, quotes, invoices, texts and emails — with on-demand translation of notes between team members, and each customer is messaged in their own language.
When does route optimization kick in?
Housecall Pro includes it on Max ($329/month). Wax Stak includes it from Pro ($24/month).
See Wax Stak on your own jobs
We’re in private beta. Join the list and we’ll invite you as spots open — free to start, bilingual from day one.