Construction project management is no simple task. To effectively manage a job, you must keep teams on schedule, stay within budget, ensure quality, and maintain a safe work environment. Fortunately, there are a number of software applications—known as construction project management software—that simplify all of these processes.
This guide will cover the various construction management software solutions that contractors, construction managers, and owners can use to effectively create schedules, share plan changes, and update daily logs for their projects.
If you already know enough about construction project management software to make a purchase decision, below is our list of recommendations. If you’d like to learn more about specific features or compare specific companies (Procore vs. Buildertrend, Autodesk vs. Procore, Buildertrend vs. CoConstruct, etc.), continue to the sections below.
Best Civil Engineering Project Management Software
Procore
Procore is one of the most popular and complete construction project management software products on the market. Their customer reputation is stellar, with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and positive reviews across the web. Procore went public in May of 2021 after operating as a private company based in California since 2002. Along with project management, Procore offers field service, quality and safety management, and financial management software as well.
Pros
- The best user interface of any product we reviewed
- Core construction project management functionality is the best on the market
- Outstanding customer service, training, and ongoing technical support
Cons
- It’s not possible to get a price estimate from Procore without speaking to a sales rep
- Lacks comprehensive accounting capabilities
- Certain workflows lack flexibility and can be challenging to set up
Procore is intended primarily for general contractors, but is also a great fit for construction managers, subcontractors, and owners. The product is totally customizable at purchase, so users can choose the tools they need, making it a good fit for any size user or business. However, it is probably best suited for businesses doing about $5 million or more in annual revenue.
Procore’s platform is offered as an online, cloud-based app for desktop computers. Procore is also available via mobile apps for iOS, Android, and Windows devices. This makes Procore convenient and easy to use when on the go, and ideal for users who need collaboration capabilities. Procore’s online platform and mobile apps have some of the cleanest and most modern interfaces of any construction management tool.
Procore offers much more than a slick interface, having one of the most complete feature sets of any tool we’ve reviewed. These features include tools for bidding, daily logs, drawings, emails, meetings, project photos, punch lists, RFIs, scheduling, project specifications, submittals, time cards, and transmittals.
For the features that Procore doesn’t include, it offers one of the largest selections of third-party product integrations through the Procore Marketplace. Some popular integration partners include Sage 300 CRE, Sage 100 Contractor Connector, Docusign, Microsoft Project, Primavera P6, Vista, Spectrum, Quickbooks, Buildingconnected, Isqft, and ProEst (for estimating).
Procore advertises that its project management software by itself starts at $667 per month, while a combination of Procore’s project management and financial management tools starts at $811 per month. However, Procore’s pricing cannot be simplified to a one-size-fits-all model: pricing can scale up according to the types of projects and volume of business you run through Procore, and additional modules or other products you include in your package will cost extra as well.
While you may not be able to get a firm price until you speak with the sales team, the majority of users find significant value in Procore’s platform. According to surveys of Procore customers, users save an average of 11 days on projects using Procore, and 83% of users agree that Procore helps identify areas for improvement on projects. These efficiencies can save your business money and help make investment in Procore well worthwhile.
Finally, Procore also distinguishes itself with outstanding service. With a subscription to the product, Procore includes product training and ongoing support with an outstanding staff of representatives. Product reviews show high satisfaction with Procore’s customer service team.
Because of Procore’s extensive feature set, convenient integrations, and great reputation, it is our top recommendation, and we rate it the Best Overall Construction Project Management Software.
Buildertrend (Best for Remodelers)
Buildertrend is a fairly new software company, founded in 2007. However, it’s already become one of the most widely used construction project management tools. The company offers exceptional customer service and scores an A+ with the Better Business Bureau.
Pros
- Excellent features tailored specifically to home builders, remodelers, and their clients, including communication features and a client portal
- Straightforward pricing model that is less expensive than competitors
Cons
- Some customers complain of a steep learning curve
- Lacks some functionality that is important to commercial clients
Buildertrend is designed primarily for home building, remodeling, and specialty contracting, but can also be used for commercial projects. And beyond just construction project management, Buildertrend includes features that span presales, financial management, and customer relationship management. This review speaks only to its project management capabilities, but to learn more about what else Buildertrend can do, you can also check out our review of Buildertrend’s estimating software.
Buildertrend’s cloud-based platform can be accessed via any device with a web browser and also through its iOS and Android apps. The same easy-to-navigate and clean interface is used on each of the Buildertrend products. Since the platform is online and app-based, the developers at Buildertrend constantly release updates and improvements, which all users receive instantly.
Buildertrend has a powerful suite of features addressing project management and much more. Their construction project management tools include daily logs to keep teams accountable, work in progress reports, to-do lists for creating and tracking action items, scheduling functionality, in-platform messaging, and other collaboration features that help with efficiency and meeting deadlines. Other features include document and photos storage, punchlists, and plan markup.
Buildertrend’s product covers a lot of needs, but it also offers a large suite of integrations for users who work with other technologies. Some popular software that Buildertrend connects with include:
- ProEst and Clear Estimates for estimating
- Stack, eTakeoff, PrebuiltML, and PlanSwift for takeoff
- Quickbooks and Xero for accounting
- Several file-sharing and design tools
Buildertrend has two price tiers, Core and Pro, both of which support unlimited projects and users. Core starts at a base cost of $99 per month and includes key project management features like scheduling, daily logs, to-dos, communications tools, a client portal, and select integrations. Pro starts at $299 per month and includes the functionality of the Core level along with features for warranties, surveys, bids, change orders, and much more.
Buildertrend includes a 30-day money-back guarantee with the purchase of a license, meaning that there is no commitment if the software doesn’t work for your business. The same money-back guarantee also applies to buyers that decide to pay annually.
Buildertrend is an incredible product that was specifically designed with home builders and remodelers in mind. Because of this, we rate it the Best Construction Project Management Software for Remodelers.
Smartsheet (Best Construction Management Software for Small Business)
Smartsheet is one of the best-regarded software tools for project management across a variety of fields and industries. First released to the public in 2006, Smartsheet today boasts millions of users and strong reviews. And with a number of templates and features customized for use in the construction industry, Smartsheet has emerged as an excellent tool for navigating construction project management.
Pros
- Simple spreadsheet-based interface is familiar and intuitive
- Extensive integrations with other common business software providers
- Transparent, reasonable pricing for small business customers
Cons
- Integrations with other construction software is fairly limited
- Despite availability of construction-focused templates, not designed for construction specifically
Smartsheet is a cloud-based platform that uses a spreadsheet-like interface to organize projects, so any user with spreadsheet experience should find Smartsheet’s core tools to be familiar and intuitive. The software includes a number of templates that allow users to easily lay out project information like tasks, due dates, and dependencies and then build out forms, calendars, reports, and other documents accordingly. Users can also attach files, images, and documents to tasks to stay on top of work progress.
For construction users, Smartsheet has developed templates for project timelines and visualizations, estimating, punch lists, closeout checklists, and more. Built-in tools for reporting and the resource planning tools brought on through Smartsheet’s acquisition of 10,000ft help construction businesses forecast future needs and make decisions more quickly. And with iOS and Android mobile capability, team members in the field can also capture issues in real time and share them back with the project team.
One of Smartsheet’s best features is its integration with other common software platforms. Microsoft, Google Drive, Salesforce, Adobe Creative Cloud, Docusign, Dropbox, and Box are among the major technology providers that can integrate with Smartsheet. Some construction-specific tools like Procore can also be linked, but these integrations are fewer in number than other construction project management software products.
Smartsheet offers tiered subscriptions with straightforward pricing for the lower tiers. A Pro subscription costs $7 per user per month but provides more limited features, and caps each object at 10 viewers. The Business subscription is $25 per user per month and offers all the features of a Pro subscription without limits on collaborators or sheets, plus more advanced features for creating documents, building reports, and managing workflows. For businesses with more complex needs, Smartsheet also offers a customized Enterprise tier which integrates more closely to business’ systems and provides superior data governance features and customer support.
Ultimately, Smartsheet lacks some of the industry-specific features and integrations that shoppers may find with a purpose-built construction project management software. That said, the excellent user interface, integrations with common software tools, and reasonable pricing for its lower-tier subscriptions still make it a worthy option. For these reasons, Smartsheet is our pick as Best for Small Business.
RedTeam (Best Construction Project Management Software for Small Businesses)
RedTeam is an online construction project management solution for construction contractors and small- to mid-size construction firms. The product is loaded with features, and the company has a great reputation with its customers. Among the full-featured construction project management tools, it is one of the most affordable options. The company was founded in 2006, and has a great reputation with its customers, earning an A+ with the Better Business Bureau.
Pros
- An excellent choice for small- to midsize firms
- An all-inclusive flat rate pricing model that is more affordable than many competing products
Cons
- The submittal process is a bit cumbersome
- Reporting features are not as advanced as those found on other products
- The mobile app could be updated with more features
RedTeam’s product is web-based, so it is accessible from any device with access to the internet. RedTeam also offers a mobile app, FieldShare, that lets contractors and subcontractors update job progress, add photos, and find project information remotely from the job site.
RedTeam’s user experience is incredibly smooth, the workflow is intuitive, and the design has a clean and modern feel. The screenshots below give a good preview of the platform.
RedTeam comes loaded with features, and should meet the needs of most small businesses and contractors. It will even work for many large construction businesses, assuming they have no unique requirements.
The product helps construction professionals throughout the entire construction process, starting with a customer database for managing existing and potential client relationships. RedTeam additionally has tools to help build and manage budgets, create RFQs, develop estimates, generate bids, handle change orders, manage contracts, and connect with the field. Administrators can also use RedTeam for equipment tracking, RFIs, submittals, managing subcontractors, and working with vendors. RedTeam even includes a platform for subcontractors, called TeamPlayer, where they can access or update project information, report incidents and expenses, and track hours.
While RedTeam is a fairly complete construction management tool, it also integrates with several other construction management platforms, including PlanGrid, Autodesk, and Levelset. Additionally, RedTeam integrates with some of the top accounting tools, like Quickbooks, Sage 100, and Sage 300. For users who don’t work with those specific accounting tools, RedTeam offers a flexible way to manually import data from other software solutions.
RedTeam starts at $395 per month, or around $4,800 per year. This may seem like a steep price for a small business or contractor, but with a long list of capabilities and time-saving power, many users will find the cost to be quite reasonable. And unlike some competitors, RedTeam’s price is all-inclusive, meaning that with one price, customers have access to all of RedTeam’s features without needing to pay for individual modules. However, prospective buyers should note that RedTeam’s pricing increases as the amount of business managed within the platform grows. But users won’t need to pay extra until the Annual Construction Value (ACV) of work managed with RedTeam exceeds $2 million. For companies who might exceed that amount of business, or who aren’t sure whether they’d get enough value, RedTeam provides an ROI calculator on its website to help.
One of RedTeam’s best qualities is its customer support. RedTeam provides a dedicated team to assist companies implementing the software for the first time, plenty of free training, and education for new users. Anytime a team member has a question, they can also reach out to RedTeam’s support staff via chat or email, or they can reference RedTeam’s help center online. Many reviewers note that RedTeam has more of a personal touch when it comes to support than other larger players in the market like Procore or Sage.
RedTeam is one of the most powerful construction project management tools relative to its cost. Being a web-based product, it is accessible on any device with internet access, and its mobile app makes updating project details from the field easier than doing so with non-web-based products. The suite of features is very complete for most use cases and integrations with leading accounting software and other construction management platforms make it even more robust. RedTeam’s transparent and affordable pricing structure and exceptional customer service also set it apart from many other full-feature construction management software companies. For all of these reasons, we rate RedTeam the runner-up Best Construction Management Software for Small Businesses.
Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate (Best for Large Enterprises)
Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate, once known as Timberline, is a powerful construction project management software designed to meet the needs of large enterprises that use complex workflows and manage large scale construction projects. The software is meant to provide increased visibility into the entire construction process and business.
Pros
- Sage offers a comprehensive construction software platform that includes estimating, accounting, project management, and more
- Unmatched ability to customize the software to your specific needs, making it an excellent choice for enterprise customers
Cons
- Not a cloud-based solution; annual maintenance costs are high
- The user interface is dated and certain functionality lags behind cloud-based products like Procore
- Every module requires an additional cost
Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate (often abbreviated Sage 300 CRE) is an on-premise solution, which means that it must be installed on a central company server and accessed from licensed workstations by employees. Sage buyers do not have to install the software and train their staff on their own. It is very common that a Sage vendor, such as Plumb, will help a company define their needs, install the right software modules on their system, and train their team on the software. Sage 300’s project management features are currently available only on Windows systems, though some other Sage 300 modules have associated mobile apps. To learn more, check out this specifications sheet of system requirements for Sage 300 CRE.
Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate is a robust product that allows for high levels of customization and flexibility. The major modules of Sage 300 CRE include accounting, estimating, job costing, payroll, subcontractor compliance, project management, property management, document management, and service management. Companies can pick and choose which modules apply to their business and purchase only those.
In terms of project management features, Sage 300 CRE includes vital functions like document storage, change orders, and communication tools to help projects run smoothly. And because Sage 300 CRE includes functionality for other construction management processes like estimating and accounting, all of the data you need for comprehensive project management is already at your fingertips. This data also allows Sage 300 CRE users to generate some of the most sophisticated reports available through any project management software.
Sage 300 CRE’s interface is clean and intuitive. It is easy to navigate between the software’s various modules, and the automatically generated reports it provides are extremely insightful. These screenshots should give a good sense of the look and feel of the software:
The price of Sage 300 CRE varies significantly based on the number of modules included and the number of users regularly accessing the software. Since the product is modular, and companies only pay for what they need, the price is flexible. As a result, prices for Sage 300 CRE can run much higher than other competitor products, but its comprehensiveness nonetheless makes it a good purchase for many larger construction businesses.
Sage 300 CRE is one of the most popular project management solutions in the construction industry. Online reviews rate the tool well; however, some reviews note that the setup processes can be cumbersome for smaller companies and that it often requires extensive training. Buyers should note that most tools with such a deep set of features require product training for new users, and big companies with complex operations may not be able to avoid the necessary training.
Sage 100 Contractor (Best On-Premise Solution)
Sage 100 Contractor—formerly known as Sage Master Builder—is one of two construction project management tools that Sage offers. Unlike Sage 300 CRE, which is targeted toward larger operations, Sage 100 Contractor is built for small to mid-sized contractors and construction firms, but Sage 100 Contractor offers a similarly comprehensive set of tools to manage construction businesses. Sage 100 Contractor’s key features include accounting, project management, estimating, and field service management.
Pros
- Integration with other Sage products, including estimating and accounting
- A more affordable price point for small- and medium-sized businesses
Cons
- Not a cloud-based solution, which limits the functionality compared to cloud-based competitors
- Some customers complain about having to hire third-party consultants to solve issues with the software
Sage 100 Contractor is an on-premise solution, meaning it must be installed on a dedicated server and distributed to licensed workstations that company employees can access. Installations currently can only be performed on Windows operating systems, though some Sage modules have cloud-based or mobile apps associated with them. While an on-premise installation may seem complicated, Sage has a network of vendors who can install the software for you and train employees on how to use the tool.
Sage 100 Contractor’s project management features improve visibility for project managers with exceptional dashboards and reporting features. Sage 100 Contractor uses data from other modules like estimating, accounting, and service management to automatically get started with projects and keep them up to date and on track. Document storage and communications tools like email alerts make it easy to find important information quickly and respond to issues as they arise.
Beyond its project management capabilities, Sage 100 Contractor is a complete product, spanning the entire construction project workflow, which allows managers to keep a close watch on the business using a single software solution. Some other key features Sage offers include accounts payable and receivable tracking, general ledger, inventory management, service management, job costing/estimating, purchasing, and invoicing. Like Sage 300, the software is modular, so features can be included or excluded based on user needs.
construction project management software free
ClickUp is project management software that can be used by construction companies. It can help you manage multiple projects simultaneously and check the status of jobs and operations at various construction sites.
The software lets you create tasks and attach project blueprints and documents to them, ensuring all your team members have access to project resources. It also offers capabilities such as live chat, comments, and @mentions to help you collaborate with field workers and maintenance and operations teams.
- Free plan: Supports up to five users and three projects, and includes task management, instant messaging, file sharing, and construction plan viewing.
- Paid plans: Start at $29 per user per month (billed annually). The base plan includes reporting, sheet comparisons, custom task statuses, and email support.
Fieldwire is a construction management platform for architects, designers, general contractors, specialty contractors, and project owners, among others. It offers push notifications and real-time messaging to help you stay in touch with your field workers.
The tool allows you to create project tasks, assign them to team members, and track their completion status. You can create custom site inspection checklists and digitally record job site issues. You can also visualize upcoming tasks or the project progress using Kanban boards, Gantt charts, and custom reporting.
- Free plan: Supports one user and includes task management, document management, online estimating, a Gantt scheduler, and 24/7 support.
- Paid plans: Start at $27 per month. The base plan supports up to five users and offers all the features of the free plan along with additional capabilities such as collaboration and budgeting.
Methvin is project management and estimating software designed for the construction industry. It can be used by bid managers, estimators, engineers, project controllers, quantity surveyors, operations teams, and project managers, among others.
The software offers a tender portal via which you can accept proposals from potential contractors and subcontractors. It lets you create project estimates, define the project budget, prioritize tasks using a Gantt interface, forecast labor needs, add documents, and monitor the project progress. It also offers building information modeling (BIM) management and online project takeoff capabilities.
- Free plan: Supports up to three users, offers one Gantt chart, and includes dependency management, project or task status updates, email reminders, and file attachments.
- Paid plans: Start at $19.90 per user per month (billed annually) and include workload forecasting, custom project templates, Kanban boards, discussion dashboards, and time tracking.
TeamGantt is a project collaboration and planning tool to help manage your construction projects. It allows you to schedule tasks, set timelines, and track completion dates. Its drag-and-drop interface lets you change the start and end dates of tasks, reorder the sequence of tasks, and adjust the project timeline in a few clicks.
You can monitor resource availability by checking the queue of team members to ensure no one is under- or overburdened. You can also define the order in which tasks should be completed, attach images or documents to the tasks, share project updates with internal and external stakeholders, and compare the predicted timelines against the actual timelines.
- Free plan: Supports up to 2GB of storage and includes task management, file sharing, and board and spreadsheet views of tasks and projects.
- Paid plans: Start at $9.80 per user per month (billed annually) and include Gantt charts, customizable dashboards, and an automation engine.
Wrike is a project management software solution that can be used by construction businesses. It helps you automate the building inspection process, conduct job site inspections, and communicate with field workers across locations. It also lets you add images and documents to tasks or projects and share relevant information with stakeholders.
The project capacity planning feature allows you to monitor resource availability using burndown charts. The tool also offers customizable dashboards and reports, interactive Gantt charts, and agile Kanban boards to track the overall progress of your construction projects.
- Free plan: Supports up to three users, two projects, and 1MB of storage. It offers project feeds, task management, document sharing, and iOS and Android mobile apps.
- Paid plans: Start at $4 per user per month (billed annually). The base plane supports up to 50 users, unlimited projects, and 100GB of storage.
Zoho Projects is a project management tool that can help manage construction projects. It lets you track project dependencies, expenses, deadlines, and resources. Its key features include workflow automation, task management, time tracking, and team collaboration and communication.
You can use Gantt charts to visualize the project progress and the drag-and-drop functionality to set up dependencies and reschedule tasks. You can generate productivity reports to check which team member has completed the most jobs and how balanced workload distribution is. You can integrate the tool with other Zoho apps, such as Zoho Docs for document management.
Best civil engineering estimating software
1) Candy
It is a great Construction Project Management Software that focusses on project control in the construction & engineering industry. It targets the contractor’s requirements, from quantity take-off, pricing and planning a project, controlling at the site level, analytical estimations, critical path planning, dynamic forecasting, Project cash flow through to the final certificate. Candy uniquely provides an interactive link between the Bill of Quantity (BOQ) and the construction program or schedule of work in one exceptional construction project management solution.
2) CostX
The most innovative feature of CostX estimating software is its ability to quickly grab accurate measurements from scanned, PDF and CAD drawings, as well as generation of automatic BIM quantities from 3D/BIM models. You can use live-linked hierarchical workbooks to create an estimating build up with links to user-defined rate libraries. You can also create customized reports. It is one of the faster, smarter and more accurate ways to takeoff and estimate.
3) Sage Estimating
Sage Estimating software provides construction firms, large or small, with the power and flexibility to significantly speed up the estimating process. Sage Estimating works the way you do, helping you to build bids more quickly, accurately, and confidently; and includes takeoff and cost databases. Then, once the job has been won, estimate details flow automatically into Sage business management software, eliminating redundant tasks and data entry errors. Sage Estimating also helps in forecasting the labor, raw material and other overhead costs, which in turn helps contractors to prepare precise and accurate bids.
4) B2W Estimate
B2W Estimate is an application for heavy civil construction estimating and bidding. The system offers the ability to create and pre-populate detailed databases with costs, including default templates of crews and pay items. Estimators can work – with access to resources and items – even when disconnected from the office server. Reconnect, and the new estimates or changes are added on the server. This is a big advantage for companies that want the flexibility to work remotely from the job site or download a bid locally for closing during bid day.
5) HCSS Heavy bid
The primary motive of the HCSS HeavyBid developers is to help its users build estimates and manage daily bids. The software helps automate repetitive tasks based on tracking data from multiple sources; such as past estimates, standardized libraries, historical costs, performance data, and integrated RSMeans. Users can build, review and edit estimates quickly, and automatically run price calculations to identify errors. With HeavyBid, users can break down complex work into more manageable pieces, and organize estimates to fit the organization’s needs. Users can also analyze subcontractor and supplier quotes.
6) ProEst Estimating software
ProEst is a cloud-based construction estimating software that offers automated features for construction companies of all sizes. It enables construction teams to monitor and manage centralized estimates, takeoffs, reports and contracts, and all information can be accessed and shared 24/7 from any internet-connected mobile device. Users can measure, evaluate and control business performance throughout the project lifecycle, and construction databases provide current costing and productivity data. ProEst also offers visibility into the future by tracking pending projects, updating estimate pipelines and creating accurate short- and long-term business forecasts.
7) Stack
With STACK Estimating, users are able to produce bids with user-defined pricing, allowing them to calculate costs more accurately. Users are able to execute their own takeoffs within the program, or they can request the STACK team to do the work for them with a single click via the STACK To-Go tool. STACK Estimating also provides pre-built catalogs for some trades that include in-depth lists of equipment, labor, and materials users need based on customizable historical experience.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to improve the way that your team runs and to make sure that you’re on top of everything, then you need the top 10 best project management tools. Well, that’s precisely what we have here. Hopefully, one or even several of these will turn out to be the best tool for your team. You can make sure that you have everything you need to keep your team on task and ready to go, no matter what you need next. Each of these tools has excellent features, and we know that you’re going to love them. Check out how each of them can work for you and where you can get signed up with any of them.