Workiz for HVAC: Can It Handle AC Season Without Offline Mode?
HVAC techs work in attics, basements, and crawl spaces — all dead zones. Workiz doesn't have offline mode. That's a problem.
TL;DR
Workiz has no offline mode, no HVAC-specific preset, and no Good/Better/Best estimates. For an HVAC business where techs spend half their day in attics and basements, that's three strikes. Opsler has an HVAC preset with pre-loaded services, offline-first functionality, equipment tracking, and tiered estimates that boost average tickets 30-50%. Check our full HVAC software comparison for the complete picture.
Why Is Workiz a Risky Choice for HVAC Companies?
Workiz was built for service businesses. That's true. But when you dig in, it was really built for locksmiths and garage door companies. That's where their roots are. That's where their user base is strongest. And there's nothing wrong with that — unless you're running an HVAC company and expecting HVAC-specific functionality.
Let's start with the big one. No offline mode.
Think about your average HVAC day. Your tech arrives at a house, greets the homeowner, and heads to the attic to check the air handler. They're up there for 20-30 minutes — diagnosing the issue, checking refrigerant pressures, inspecting ductwork. In many homes, attics are dead zones. No signal. On Workiz, your tech can't pull up the customer's equipment history. They can't reference the unit's model number. They can't take photos and attach them to the job.
So they climb back down, walk outside to find signal, look up what they need, try to memorize it, and climb back up. That's 10-15 minutes wasted. On a busy AC season day with 6-8 calls, that adds up to over an hour of lost time per tech. Multiply that by your team size and the number of summer days, and you're looking at $4,000-$8,000 in lost productivity per season.
And it's not just attics. Basements where you're checking furnaces. Crawl spaces where you're running ductwork. Mechanical rooms in commercial buildings. Rooftop units on buildings with terrible signal. HVAC techs lose signal constantly. It's not an edge case — it's the default working condition.
The HVAC Preset Problem
Beyond offline mode, Workiz doesn't give you an HVAC-specific starting point. When you sign up, you get a blank system. You're typing in "AC Repair," "AC Install," "Duct Cleaning," "Furnace Service," "Heat Pump Repair" one by one. You're setting up pricing for each. You're figuring out what to call your recurring maintenance plans.
Opsler's HVAC preset does all of this in about 5 seconds. Tap "HVAC" and your account is pre-configured. Service calls. Maintenance agreements. Common service types loaded. Terminology that matches how HVAC companies actually talk about their work. You're not customizing a generic tool to fit HVAC — you're starting with a tool that already speaks HVAC.
Where Are the Tiered Estimates?
HVAC is one of the trades where Good/Better/Best estimating has the biggest impact. A single-price quote for an AC replacement might be $4,200. But a three-tier estimate?
- Good: Standard efficiency unit — $4,197
- Better: High-efficiency unit + 2-year warranty — $5,847
- Best: Premium unit + duct sealing + 5-year warranty + priority service — $7,893
Most homeowners pick Better or Best. That's $1,650-$3,696 in additional revenue per replacement job. During a busy AC season, that's tens of thousands of dollars in revenue you're leaving on the table with single-price quotes. Workiz doesn't have tiered estimates. Opsler does.
What Does Opsler Give an HVAC Company That Workiz Can't?
Offline-first — works in attics, basements, everywhere
Your tech opens the app, and all their job data is cached locally. Customer info, equipment records, service history — all available without signal. They take photos, collect signatures, and close out jobs from a dead-zone attic. Everything syncs when they get back to the van.
HVAC preset with real HVAC language
Service Calls, not "jobs." Maintenance Agreements, not "recurring tasks." AC Install, Furnace Repair, Duct Cleaning — all pre-loaded. Your techs and dispatchers see terminology they already use. No training needed on "what do we call this in the software."
Good/Better/Best estimates for big-ticket jobs
AC replacements, furnace installs, ductwork — these are exactly the jobs where tiered pricing shines. Your tech presents three options in a clean presentation mode. The homeowner picks their tier and signs. Average HVAC tickets jump 30-50%.
Equipment tracking tied to customers
Every customer's profile can include their equipment — AC model, furnace make and serial number, installation date, warranty expiration. When your tech arrives, they know what's installed before they even ring the doorbell. Workiz doesn't have dedicated equipment tracking.
$149/month vs $225/month — and you get more
Opsler costs $76/month less than Workiz Standard, includes 5 users, and has features Workiz doesn't offer at any price. For an HVAC company running 5-15 techs during AC season, that's $912/year in savings plus thousands more in revenue from GBB estimates and recovered dead-zone productivity.
Want to see how Opsler compares to all the major HVAC software options? Check out our complete guide to the best HVAC field service software. It covers ServiceTitan, Jobber, Housecall Pro, Workiz, and Opsler — with specific focus on what actually matters during AC season.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not really. Workiz is a general-purpose FSM tool that you'd need to manually configure for HVAC. There's no HVAC preset, no pre-loaded service types like AC Install or Furnace Repair, and no industry-specific terminology. You'll build everything from scratch. Workiz has historically been strongest in the locksmith and garage door industries.
Workiz has basic job management but doesn't offer dedicated equipment tracking the way HVAC companies need. You can't easily link a customer's AC unit model, serial number, and service history to their profile and have it accessible on-site. Opsler's customer profiles include equipment records that your techs see before they knock on the door.
Opsler's HVAC preset includes a 'Maintenance Agreements' workflow. You set up recurring service plans, and the system automatically generates jobs when service is due. Your dispatcher sees upcoming maintenance on the calendar, and customers can even view their agreement status through the portal. It's built for how HVAC companies actually manage recurring revenue.
HVAC technicians spend significant time in attics, basements, crawl spaces, and mechanical rooms — all notorious dead zones. During a diagnostic, your tech needs to reference equipment specs, service history, and customer notes. Without offline mode, they're walking back and forth to find signal. With Opsler's offline-first app, they have everything on their phone, signal or not.
Yes. This is where it gets interesting for HVAC. A tech diagnosing a compressor issue can present three options: repair the compressor ($1,197), repair with a maintenance plan and warranty ($1,689), or full system replacement ($4,347). The customer sees all three options in presentation mode and chooses on the spot. HVAC businesses using tiered estimates typically see a 30-50% increase in average ticket value.
We've put together a full comparison of the best FSM software for HVAC businesses at /compare/best-hvac-software/. It covers ServiceTitan, Jobber, Housecall Pro, Workiz, and Opsler with specific focus on what HVAC companies need: offline mode, equipment tracking, maintenance agreements, and tiered estimates.
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