Home Depot Pro vs Lowe's Pro

Each row is from the company's own newsroom. Where one release does not cover a row, the cell says so.

For painters and anyone who buys paint every week, the paint perk is the row that matters. Home Depot says Pro Xtra members save up to 20% on paints, stains, primers and solvents. Lowe's says members get an instant 20% paint discount once their qualifying paint spend for the year reaches $3,000.

Lowe's ties its paint discount to a yearly spend; Home Depot's release gives the savings as "up to". Check both against your local paint store's contractor price.

Lowe's says its MyLowe's Pro Rewards Credit Card saves 5% every day on eligible purchases and moves you up to Platinum Pro. Home Depot says its Pro Xtra Credit Card earns Pro Xtra Perks four times faster on card purchases, and its commercial cards offer a return period of up to a full year.

A store card is credit. Pay it in full each month, or interest can cost more than the discount saves.

Both programs let you control what a crew buys. Home Depot has Pro Allowance spend limits and Text2Confirm, which asks you to approve in-store purchases by text. Lowe's has Purchase Authorization. Lowe's adds spend reports by job or client and QuickBooks and Quicken integration; Home Depot lists integrations with third-party construction management software.

Lowe's is free to join, and Home Depot's releases do not state a fee. Joining both lets you buy where the store is closest to your jobs and the stock is better, and still use the paint and volume perks where they apply. For trade-specific suppliers, see the suppliers by trade list.

Whichever you use, keep your price list current when material prices move. In Koira, the price list feeds your estimates on the free Office plan.