HVAC financing software lets your techs and comfort advisors offer homeowners monthly payments at the kitchen table, usually through a phone-based application that returns offers in minutes. For most HVAC companies in 2026 the shortlist comes down to four names: Hearth (flat subscription, 18-lender marketplace), Wisetack (pay-per-loan, embedded in field service apps), FTL Finance (HVAC-focused lender), and GreenSky (promo-plan heavyweight). Which one fits depends on your financed volume, your average ticket, and whether you want promotional 0% offers or the lowest cost per deal.
Key takeaways
- HVAC financing software falls into three models: flat-subscription marketplaces (Hearth, roughly $1,499 to $4,999 per year), pay-per-loan platforms (Wisetack, 3.9% per funded loan), and trade-focused lenders with per-plan dealer fees (FTL Finance, GreenSky, Service Finance).
- Dealer fees are the hidden cost driver: published schedules run from 0% to 16.4% at FTL Finance and up to roughly 26% on some GreenSky promo plans, depending on the plan you pick.
- Simple break-even math decides subscription vs per-loan: Hearth's Pro tier at $1,799 per year beats a 5% dealer fee once you finance about $36,000 in jobs annually.
- Promotional 0% APR offers are never free to you: Wisetack, for example, adds 4.9% to 9.9% on top of its base fee for 6 to 24 month promos.
- As of January 1, 2026, California's SB 784 requires dealer fee disclosure to homeowners before signing, so pick software that makes your fee structure easy to explain.
Why HVAC companies need financing software more than most trades
HVAC work produces the exact purchase financing was built for: an unplanned, non-optional, five-figure expense. When a compressor dies in July, the homeowner rarely has the replacement cost sitting in checking, and the difference between "repair it one more time" and "replace the system" is usually a monthly payment number, not the total. Contractors who present a payment option on every replacement quote report higher close rates and larger tickets than cash-only quoters; we cover the revenue math in the true cost of not offering financing.
Financing software matters here because speed decides the sale. A paper application loses the emergency replacement to whoever quotes a payment first. Modern platforms run a soft-credit prequalification from the homeowner's phone and return offers in minutes, while your tech is still in the house.
The three types of HVAC financing software
HVAC financing platforms differ mainly in how you pay for them and where the loans come from. The table below compares the names that come up most for HVAC companies in 2026. Pricing is drawn from vendor sites and published fee schedules as of mid-2026; confirm current numbers before signing.
| Platform | Model | Cost to contractor | Loan range | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hearth | Multi-lender marketplace (18 lenders) | Flat subscription, roughly $1,499 to $4,999 per year plus a $99 setup fee, no per-loan fee on standard personal loans | $1,000 to $250,000 | Companies financing steady volume that want a predictable cost |
| Wisetack | Pay-per-loan, embedded in field service apps | 3.9% per funded loan; 0% promos add 4.9% to 9.9% | $500 to $65,000 per Wisetack's published materials | Lower financed volume, or shops that live inside Housecall Pro or FieldPulse |
| FTL Finance | HVAC-focused lender with waterfall approvals | Dealer fees from 0% to 16.4% depending on program | Varies by program | HVAC-only shops that want a lender built for the trade |
| GreenSky | Bank-backed promo loan platform | Dealer fees from 0% to roughly 26% depending on promo plan | Up to $100,000 per published materials | High-ticket shops selling 0% and deferred-interest promos |
| Service Finance | Trade-focused installment lender, FHA Title I approved | Per-plan dealer fees | Varies by program | Dealers attached to manufacturer programs |
For deeper reads on each, start with our roundup of the five best HVAC contractor financing programs in 2026 and the four-way Hearth vs Wisetack vs GreenSky vs Improvifi comparison.
Must-have features for HVAC financing software
An HVAC financing platform earns its keep in the field, not the office. Before comparing fees, confirm the software covers these basics:
- Soft-pull prequalification. Homeowners will not risk a hard credit inquiry to see "maybe." Every serious platform now prequalifies with a soft pull; walk away from any that do not.
- Phone-first application. The homeowner should apply on their own device via a link or QR code your tech sends. No paper, no laptop, no calling an underwriter.
- Multiple lenders or a waterfall. Hearth routes one application to 18 lenders; FTL Finance passes declined applications down a lender waterfall. Either approach approves more of your subprime and near-prime customers than a single-lender program.
- Promo options you control. 0% APR and deferred-interest plans close big replacements, but you pay for them through higher dealer fees. The software should let you choose plan by plan.
- Field service integration. Wisetack embeds directly in platforms like Housecall Pro and FieldPulse so the financing offer rides along on every invoice. If your CRM is the center of your operation, an embedded option removes a whole step. See where financing sits in the complete HVAC software stack for 2026.
- Direct-to-contractor funding. Confirm when you get paid (at approval, at completion, or in stages) and whether staged funding is available for install-plus-ductwork projects.
What HVAC financing software costs in 2026
The sticker price is either a subscription or a dealer fee, and the cheaper option depends entirely on your financed volume. As of mid-2026, Hearth's published tiers run from $1,499 (Essentials) to $4,999 (Elite) per year with no per-loan fee on standard unsecured loans. Wisetack charges no subscription and takes 3.9% of each funded loan, with promotional 0% products adding 4.9% for 6 months, 6.9% for 12 months, or 9.9% for 24 months, per Wisetack's published fee materials. FTL Finance and GreenSky publish per-plan dealer fee schedules that range from 0% up to 16.4% and roughly 26% respectively, depending on how aggressive the consumer promo is.
Run the break-even before you choose. At Hearth's $1,799 Pro tier, the subscription costs less than a 5% average dealer fee once you finance about $36,000 in work per year ($1,799 divided by 0.05). That is roughly three financed system replacements. Finance less than that and a pay-per-loan model like Wisetack is cheaper; finance ten replacements a year and the flat subscription wins by thousands. Our dealer fee breakdown walks through this math with more scenarios, and the Hearth vs FTL Finance comparison looks specifically at the HVAC case.
One regulatory note for 2026: California's SB 784, effective January 1, 2026, requires that dealer fees be disclosed to the homeowner before loan signing. Even outside California, assume fee transparency is the direction of travel and pick a program whose costs you are comfortable explaining out loud.
How to evaluate HVAC financing software: a 7-step checklist
- Pull your last 12 months of replacement quotes. Count how many jobs over $5,000 you closed and how many you lost. That lost pile is what financing is for.
- Estimate annual financed volume. Multiply expected financed jobs by average ticket. This single number decides subscription vs per-loan pricing.
- Compare true cost at your volume. Model each platform's subscription plus dealer fees against that volume, including the promo plans you actually intend to offer.
- Check approval reach. Ask each vendor about approval rates for FICO scores under 650 and whether declined applications cascade to other lenders. A cheap program that declines half your customers is expensive.
- Test the field workflow. Have a tech run a demo application on their phone. If it takes more than a few minutes or requires office involvement, it will not get used on Saturday emergency calls.
- Verify integration and funding terms. Confirm it connects to your CRM or invoicing tool, and get funding timing in writing.
- Train the pitch before launch. Software fails when techs never mention it. Script the payment presentation into every replacement quote; our kitchen table guide to pitching financing has the exact language.
Common mistakes HVAC contractors make with financing software
The most common mistake is buying on sticker price instead of cost per financed dollar. A "free" pay-per-loan platform can quietly cost more than a subscription once volume grows, and a subscription is wasted money if nobody presents it. The second mistake is defaulting every deal to 0% promos: those carry the highest dealer fees, and many homeowners are equally happy with a standard-APR payment that costs you nothing extra. Third, contractors often present financing only after a cash price gets rejected, which reads as a rescue attempt; payment options belong on the first quote, on every replacement. Finally, if your program approves only prime borrowers, pair it with a second-look option so declined applicants still have a path.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best HVAC financing software in 2026?
There is no single best: Hearth generally wins for shops financing $40,000 or more per year thanks to its flat subscription, Wisetack wins for lower volume and CRM-embedded workflows, and FTL Finance or Service Finance suit HVAC-only dealers who want a trade-specific lender. Match the fee model to your financed volume first, then compare approval rates.
How much does HVAC financing software cost?
Expect either a flat subscription (Hearth lists tiers from $1,499 to $4,999 per year as of mid-2026) or a per-loan fee (Wisetack charges 3.9% per funded loan, plus 4.9% to 9.9% more for 0% promo plans). Trade lenders like FTL Finance and GreenSky charge per-plan dealer fees that published schedules put anywhere from 0% to over 16% and 26% respectively.
Does offering financing cost the homeowner more?
Not directly: the homeowner pays the loan's APR, which ran from 0% to 35.9% on Wisetack offers as of mid-2026 depending on creditworthiness, and dealer fees are paid by the contractor. Some contractors raise prices to absorb dealer fees, and California's SB 784 now requires disclosing those fees to homeowners before signing.
Can homeowners with poor credit get approved?
Often, yes, if the platform uses multiple lenders. Hearth's 18-lender marketplace and FTL Finance's waterfall system exist specifically to catch applicants a single bank would decline; Hearth has published a 550 FICO minimum for some of its lenders. Single-lender promo programs tend to be strictest.
Does financing software integrate with HVAC field service platforms?
Yes, and integration should influence your pick. Wisetack embeds natively in field service tools such as Housecall Pro and FieldPulse so financing appears on estimates and invoices automatically, while Hearth works alongside any stack via links, QR codes, and its own app.
Is 0% APR financing worth offering on HVAC replacements?
Sometimes: 0% offers close hesitant buyers on five-figure replacements, but you fund them through dealer fees of roughly 5% to 10% or more of the job. Reserve promos for deals that need them and lead with standard-APR options that cost you nothing extra.
Next step: shortlist two platforms that match your financed volume, run the break-even math from the checklist above, and read our complete Hearth guide for HVAC contractors before you sign anything.