Top 10 best general contractor software companies

Find the best software to help you run your business with our list of best general contractor software.

The work of a general contractor involves many moving parts. Since you’re monitoring every aspect of multiple jobs across several sites, there’s a chance that something’s slips through the cracks. After putting it to the test, investing in the best general contractor software is one of the smartest business decisions you can make if you want to reduce errors and save time.

The right general contracting software simplifies your daily tasks and gives you more time to focus on what really matters, such as growing your contracting business. Read on for the 10 best general contractor software solutions and tips to find the one that fits your needs!

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Management software for other industries

If you’re looking for the best management service software for other trades, you can find them here:

What is general contractor software?

General contractor software is a set of digital tools that handles daily admin tasks.

Our investigation demonstrated that the best general contractor software solution automates various parts of your project management process, from pre-construction planning to post-construction maintenance, so that you can focus on actual money-making work.

What the best general contractor software offers

Our research indicates that there are over 700,000 construction companies in the U.S., which means your clients are likely looking at multiple contractors to do their work – that’s a lot of competition. If you want clients to choose you, you need to stand out from the rest and offer a convenient customer experience.

Construction project management software helps your business in this respect. Below are just a few advantages of going digital with your most routine tasks:

Minimize communication errors

In a construction project, communication errors can have expensive consequences. Many general contractor software solutions break down communication barriers between team members through centralized channels, such as:

Message apps.
Forums.
Boards.

Centralized communication enables you to refer to old messages or threads easily. This reduces the risk of losing important information in your inbox or across multiple channels.

Make quick and accurate estimates

Through our practical knowledge, many service management software solutions make it easy to generate accurate estimates with just a few clicks. This shortens the pre-construction process, impresses customers, and allows you to dive right into the project.

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Track projects in detail

Unless you have general contracting software, it’s difficult to keep a close eye on every aspect of your project. Based on our firsthand experience, project management tools like Gantt charts prevent you from going over budget or running late on the job.

Speed up the reporting process

The best general contractor software solutions give you the information you need at your fingertips. Most of them also have automated reporting features, so you can compile detailed and accurate reports in just a few clicks.

Essential features for the best general contractor software

Different software companies offer a wide range of key features on their software. However, our findings show that there are a few features that are essential to the contracting business and a must-have for the best general contractor software.

Task scheduling

Task scheduling allows you to manage the timing and tasks of each project. Drawing from our experience, scheduling tasks in advance ensures that everything is done on time, and you can avoid accidentally double-booking your workers.

Accurate job costing

It’s challenging to budget for a job with many moving parts, as is the case with most construction projects. Job costing features enable you to create more accurate estimates and bills for your customer, even on-site.

Accurate job costing means you’re much less likely to go over budget on your projects, which in turn increases customer trust and satisfaction.

Customer relationship management

As per our expertise, many CRM features like marketing call scheduling and automatic sales emails help you convert leads into paying customers. You’ll be able to record client history and handle marketing campaigns with most CRM tools, so you approach customers in more effective ways and increase retention.

Site management

Keep an eye on all of your building sites with integrated site management tools. You should look for features that allow you to:

Monitor when employees are on and off the clock.
Enforce safety protocols.
Track which of your tools and equipment are currently being used or need repairs.

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What kind of general contracting software do I need?

Different contractors have different needs, and the best general contractor software solution should fulfill those needs. Sometimes, getting all-in-one construction management tools isn’t the best decision since you may end up with various features you don’t actually need. To help you understand the difference between full software suites and niche software, we break it down here.

Full software suite or comprehensive solution

As the name implies, a full software suite is a complete solution that contains all the features a general contracting software offers. Generally, these packages include task management, CRM, and on-site management tools.

If you’re looking to implement a construction project management solution for the first time, full software suites are generally a good idea. You’ll likely take advantage of most, if not all, the features and get the best bang for your buck.

Niche or standalone software

In contrast to a full software suite, niche or standalone software focuses on certain features. For instance, standalone software may only provide task management and scheduling tools for your business.

Standalone software is best chosen if you know you’ll only use their features. They’re also a good choice if you’re looking to fill a functionality that your existing software doesn’t provide.

How to choose the best general contractor software

Adopting general contractor management software requires you to dedicate time and effort to training employees—not to mention money. Before you commit to a software package, you need to make sure it’s the best software for you. Here are four key considerations when picking the best general contractor software.

Decide what features you need

As indicated by our tests, knowing what features you need is the first thing you should figure out when shopping for contractor management software.

Identify your construction business needs and look for features that address them. Then, prioritize features according to which are essential, which ones are nice to have, and which ones you don’t need.

Identify your company’s size

Many general contracting software solutions are made for certain business sizes. Define your company size and see which field service management software solutions cater to companies of similar size.

You may want to look into what other companies of similar size are using as a point of reference.

Estimate your company’s growth

Businesses change sizes and the field service management software that you’re using today may not be the right one five years from now. Take a look at your future plans and factor software changes into your growth and development. If you’re looking for software that you’ll use for the long haul, make sure it adapts and grows alongside your company.

Now that you’re up to speed on what general contractor software can do for your business, it’s time to choose the best one.

The best general contractor software are

There are dozens of players in the general contracting software field, which makes choosing just one a daunting task.

To help you out, here are the top 10 best general contractor software:

Method:Field Services.
Sage 100 Contractor.
RedTeam.
Contractor Compliance.
Contractor Foreman.
Procore.
RAKEN.
BuilderTREND.
JOBPROGRESS.
simPRO.

Method:Field Services

Method:Field Services is a field service software solution that simplifies your accounting through seamless integration with accounting software QuickBooks Online and Desktop. But that’s not all. Method is popular amongst contracting companies who use QuickBooks thanks to the software’s two-way QuickBooks sync.

Method:Field Services boasts a range of other features, such as:

Robust CRM platform: Provide top-notch customer service to clients with easy access to customer insights and a centralized client communication channel.
Work order tracking and automated scheduling: Create work orders quickly and assign them to the right people.
Automatic route creation: Ensure your technicians get to job sites faster.
A mobile app: Report and get job updates on the go. Your technicians can also create invoices and get paid on the spot!

Check out the video below to learn about the other features Method:Field Services offers.

Plans and pricing

Method:Field Services offers a no-commitment free trial so you can test out its features. Paid plans start at just $15 per user per month.

Sage 100 Contractor

Sage 100 Contractor provides small-to-medium contracting companies with a unified dashboard for all your project details. With just one place to review all relevant information, you can make more informed decisions and keep your projects on schedule and within budget.

Our analysis of this product revealed that Sage 100 Contractor simplifies these tasks:

Eliminate unnecessary data entry with seamless bookkeeping integration. Put all your budgets, proposals, and purchase orders in one place!
Get reliable information in a flash through a dashboard with all your schedules and project details.
Keep a close eye on your tools and mitigate equipment loss through the Sage ToolOps management app.
Build reports directly from Excel spreadsheets through the Liberty Reports add-on.

Plans and pricing

Sage does not provide any pricing information on its site. If you’d like to purchase Sage software, call one of their sales representatives.

RedTeam

Next on our list of the best general contractor software is RedTeam.

RedTeam is construction software that can be accessed through both computers and mobile devices, making it easy to communicate wherever, whenever.

Our team discovered through using this product that its communication platform is beneficial to field teams and external stakeholders. With it, you can invite outside project contributors, such as enterprise clients and vendors, to interact directly with your commercial or residential contractors.

Here’s how RedTeam improves your day-to-day operations:

Save time on contracting and change management deals with paperless document management.
Create accurate job estimates faster with custom-built estimation templates.
Share information through a request for information (RFI) tracker.
Manage your projects and keep them on schedule through an intuitive Gantt chart.

Plans and pricing

RedTeam costs $395 per user per month, billed annually. You can also contact their representatives to book a software demonstration.

Contractor Compliance

Contractor Compliance is one of the best general contractor software solutions as it reduces your admin workload by 70%.

After using Contractor Compliance, we found that it enables you to manage your contractors from anywhere. This solution allows you to:

Collect requirements from your entire supply chain in one database, ensuring faster submissions and processing.
Gain insights and make better decisions through real-time supply chain data displays.
Reduce time spent on contacting your third-party workers through notifications and messages.
Use the software immediately—no app downloads needed!

Plans and pricing

Contractor Compliance’s paid plans range from $199 per year to $1199 per year. Contractor Compliance also offers a free demo for you to test out the power of its features.

Contractor Foreman

Contractor Foreman prides itself on being an easy-to-use general contracting software solution, with free training and 24/7 customer support. When we trialed this product, we discovered that you can:

Centralize your financial data and prevent double-booking through QuickBooks integration.
Manage your entire project team by assigning them roles within the Contractor Foreman app.
Prevent and mitigate workplace accidents through robust safety training and incident reporting features.
Get all the information you need from vendors and enterprise clients through custom requests forms and checklists.

Plans and pricing

Contractor Foreman’s annual plans range from $49 per user per month to $148 per user per month. You can start with a free trial by creating an account on the website.

Procore

Next on our list of the best general contractor software is Procore.

As one of the best construction project management software solutions, Procore lets project managers keep an eye on construction jobs from anywhere through convenient mobile applications. Its collaboration tools ensure your team is always on the same page.

Based on our observations, here are some benefits of using Procore for your business:

Increase your chances of landing a job by sending out tenders quickly with its tender management feature.
Spot potential construction problems and track issues before they jeopardize your project with problem reporting tools.
Monitor job costs in real time with a cost management tool to ensure you don’t go over budget.

Plans and pricing

Procore doesn’t list any price information on its website. However, you can book a demo to check out their features before buying.

Raken

Raken is a software made for construction managers on the go, promising compatibility with most desktop and mobile devices. After trying out this product, we learned that its reporting tool allows you to upload photos, which keeps off-site managers and workers in the loop.

Raken’s robust set of features allow you to:

Upload safety videos to ensure OSHA compliance amongst your field workers.
Be informed of everything going on at the project site through comprehensive daily work logs.
Get accurate work hour summaries to speed up payroll processing.
Store all documentation in one database to prevent lost or incorrect data.

Plans and pricing

Raken offers four paid plans, but you need to contact their sales team for pricing details. You can also book a 15-day free trial to see the solution’s features at work.

Buildertrend

Buildertrend is construction software that puts all your management tools in one place. After conducting experiments with it, we learned that Buildertrend’s unified dashboard lets you:

Integrate your work from other apps into Buildertrend, which is compatible with Google Calendar, Gmail, Excel, QuickBooks, and many other everyday software products.
Create faster estimates and proposals through custom templates and digital document signing.
Attract more potential clients through email blast campaigns.
Document your contracting jobs faster with voice-to-text note-taking.

Plans and pricing

This software’s premium plans start at $99 per month for the first two months, after which it costs $299 per month. It also comes with a free demo.

JOBPROGRESS

Next up, we have JOBPROGRESS.

JOBPROGRESS is construction project management software created to enable teamwork through employee and workflow management tools.

It also features an app for smartphones and tablets so you can work on projects from anywhere.

Our findings show that JOBPROGRESS also offers these features as part of its core functionality:

Predict your project’s financial health with a profit/loss and cash flow forecasting tool.
Break down your entire project team’s tasks through a customizable workflow manager.
Keep track of all your contracting jobs with a project dashboard.
Store all your files safely with cloud-based document management.

Plans and pricing

JOBPROGRESS costs $50 per user per month, plus a $500 setup fee for first-time buyers.

simPRO

Last on our list of the best general contractor software is simPRO.

simPRO is general contracting software with both a mobile and a cloud-based application. It also integrates with accounting software to simplify your bookkeeping.

simPRO’s wide range of features lets you:

Track your inventory and eliminate manual checking and data entry through a management dashboard.
Allow clients to make payments easily through various payment options, such as a client portal or Square.
Create invoices on the field and get paid faster through a mobile invoice generator.
Ensure your field workers arrive on time with automatic routing tools.

Plans and pricing

simPRO doesn’t include any pricing information on its website. If you’re planning to purchase this software, you need to contact a sales representative.

Closing thoughts on the best general contractor software choices

There are a lot of tasks to juggle in the general contracting business, and it could quickly become overwhelming.

Through our practical knowledge, the best general contractor software lightens your workload through better schedule assignment, inventory management, and other features. By saving time across your whole business process, you’ll be free to take on more jobs and grow your company!

Start your no-commitment trial of Method:Field Services today!

Image credit: Diego Pontes via Pexels