The Best Construction Accounting Software of 2023
- Jonas Premier: Best Overall
- CoConstruct: Best Overall (Runner-Up)
- Foundation: Best for Mobile Use
- BuilderTREND: Best for Client Portal
- CMiC: Best for Project Drawing Integration
- Procore: Best for Customization
- RedTeam: Best for Bid Management
- QuickBooks for Construction: Best for Value
- Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate: Best for Real Estate Management
- Construction Accounting by ComputerEase: Best for Managing Multiple Jobs
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best Overall
Jonas Premier
4.9
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
$199
per month
Client tracking
Yes
Starting price
$199
per month
Client tracking
Yes
Why We Picked It
Jonas Premier is the most comprehensive construction accounting software on our list, earning the best overall. It is a cloud-based solution that can help you scale your business by having the right data at your fingertips. Its feature-rich platform starts by allowing you to manage multiple companies where you differentiate projects. You can create reports instantly, helping you with planning and forecasting. The whole system has bank integration so that you don’t have to waste time with time-consuming reconciliations.
An essential aspect of any project is job costing. Jonas Premier makes this easy with real-time estimates and forecasting. You’ll be able to get into the weeds with budget management tools that allow you to go from budget to change order requests instantly.
Project management is critical to meeting budgets on your construction sites. Jonas Premier provides you with a customizable dashboard that gives you the insights you need to manage every aspect of the job. Get notifications for compliance and overdue items. Record electronic signatures for approvals and use the cloud-based document storage tool to keep everything you need one click away.
There are two pricing tiers. The first is $199 per month for an annual commitment. If you don’t want to make the annual commitment, the cost is $249 per month.
Who should use it:
This is best for any contractor looking for a comprehensive, ready-to-use solution for accounting and project management.
Pros & Cons
- Good customer support
- Simple workflows
- Time-saver
- Inventory setup can be challenging
- Inability to have different units of measure
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best Overall (Runner-Up)
CoConstruct
4.6
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
$99
per month
Client tracking
No
Starting price
$99
per month
Client tracking
No
Why We Picked It
CoConstruct is your partner in managing unlimited construction projects with its four-part software platform. The platform starts with preconstruction details that include a cost catalog, lead management and a section for proposals and contracts. It offers standard estimating tools to help you land the job. When you’re done with the preconstruction phase, you move into project management, operations and financials segments of the software that work concurrently.
Under the project management segment, you can employ the task manager and job log to track key activities. Scheduling is made easy, and you can manage the time clock for employees and subcontractors. The operations component allows you to manage emails directly from the platform with custom branded solutions. Use this component for file and photo management.
When it comes to financials, the software offers bid management, change orders and purchase orders (POs). You can invoice clients and make payments directly from the app and monitor the budget to make sure you stay on track. For those who want it, there is QuickBooks integration.
Pricing starts at $99 per month, but this introductory price jumps to $349 per month after two months. If you want to unlock advanced estimating and bill management, you will want the Plus plan for $399 per month.
Who should use it:
This is best for contractors who have high scheduling demands and need a central place to organize it with the costs associated with workers.
Pros & Cons
- Useful estimating tool
- Centralized job tracking feature
- Good customer support
- Overcomplicates simple tasks, such as invoicing
- No centralized dashboard
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Mobile Use
Foundation
4.3
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
Not disclosed
Client tracking
No
Starting price
Not disclosed
Client tracking
No
Why We Picked It
Foundation breaks its software down into modules that you can put into a custom solution. Set up projects with the right budget set using the job costing module. Develop POs and subcontractor costs to use in projects, so there are no unexpected costs that come up. Once you’ve planned a project, manage it with the general ledger (GL) and payroll features. The payroll module uses Davis Bacon wage rates and includes union fringe and state tax rates.
See if you’re on track with the report designer that allows you to customize construction reports and financial statements. Conduct an audit of a project that will build a report easy for your certified public accountant (CPA) to digest and work from.
Use the mobile app to capture data when out in the field. Features, such as timecards, can be synced automatically while working remotely so that nothing slips through the cracks.
Who should use it:
This is best for contractors who are constantly at job sites who want a simple mobile app to use to manage and capture data that integrates immediately with the platform.
Pros & Cons
- Good training support
- Positive customer support experience
- Job costing integrates with GL
- Existing reports are limited
- Layers of the platform can feel cumbersome
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Client Portal
BuilderTREND
4.3
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
$99
per month
Client tracking
No
Starting price
$99
per month
Client tracking
No
Why We Picked It
BuilderTREND has two subscription plans from which to choose. The first is the Core Plan starting at $99 per month for the first two months and then moves up to $349 per month. The Pro Plan starts at $399 per month for the first two months and then moves to $599 per month.
Both plans offer the basics needed to run your construction business, including scheduling, daily logs and a to-do list. BuilderTREND makes communicating with clients easy with messaging in the app and a client portal that allows clients to see where they are at in the process and be able to sign contract and scope changes.
Manage employees with a built-in time clock and store photos, videos and documents in the system for easy access.
The Pro Plan adds POs and billing to the feature list. You’ll be able to budget and do advanced reporting from the Pro Plan. The Pro Plan even allows Home Depot cart integration and management of Home Depot receipts.
Who should use it:
This is best for contractors who want clients to have access to cost data and project management oversight.
Pros & Cons
- Cloud-based project management software
- Good customer relationship management (CRM) tool
- Employee tracking is useful
- Proposal building is counter-intuitive
- Can be glitchy and go down
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Project Drawing Integration
CMiC
4.2
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
Not disclosed
Client tracking
No
Starting price
Not disclosed
Client tracking
No
Why We Picked It
CMiC makes job costing flow seamlessly into the GL so that data is always where it needs to be and easy for you to access. This accounting software breaks a project down into four components: revenue management, cost management, financial reporting and financial management.
The revenue management component manages owner contracts, invoicing, cash receipts and projections. The cost management component factors in labor and equipment costs along with needed materials and subcontractor bids.
The financial reporting segment takes the same data from revenue management and compiles reports instantly for quick review. Under the financial management segment, you can make intercompany entries and manage workflows and content management. It allows adjustments to be made easily and can provide month-end and year-end reporting quickly.
You’ll need to contact the company to get a quote.
Who should use it:
This is best for contractors who want to integrate an accounting and project management platform with construction drawing and output.
Pros & Cons
- Robust enterprise resource planning (ERP) system
- Easy to set up
- Quick data export
- Training docs were not helpful
- Annual support fees increase annually
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Customization
Procore
4.2
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
Custom quotes
Client tracking
No
Starting price
Custom quotes
Client tracking
No
Why We Picked It
Procore is not a one-size-fits-all product. As it touts on its website, “you wouldn’t place a bid without first understanding the full scope of work.” This is the same approach Procore takes to build the construction accounting software that meets your needs.
This cloud-based solution has a base of user interface (UI) customizations, custom workflows, search tools and collaboration features. The next function layer is the Procore analytics feature that works with the specialized app marketplace filled with third-party solutions that integrate with Procore. This might include using drone technology or a custom CRM solution.
While in the preconstruction phase of a project, you can perform prequalification of clients, do bid management and create comprehensive estimating. When in the project management segment, you can incorporate quality and safety standards, have design coordination and oversee the entire project. Resource management solutions include a labor chart and field productivity data.
Procore will conduct an interview to understand your business before quoting a price.
Who should use it:
This is best for contractors who need a fully customizable solution that meets their specific needs.
Pros & Cons
- Connects business partners
- Dynamic analytics feature
- Prequalify clients
- Difficult to invite team members
- Prequalifications doesn’t support all information needed
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Bid Management
RedTeam
4.2
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
Not disclosed
Client tracking
No
Starting price
Not disclosed
Client tracking
No
Why We Picked It
RedTeam is a company built out of a commercial construction firm, so it understands the needs of a construction company intimately. This is one reason it has received several industry awards, including Software Advice’s 2021 Front Runner award and making Capterra’s Shortlist.
Manage bids by requesting quotes from your database of vendors. Set the parameters and qualifications based on insurance requirements, location and experience. The platform manages the request through the documentation provided by vendors. You’re able to then compare vendors side-by-side to make the most educated decision.
Make project management easy with RedTeam. Get requests for information (RFIs) and track them within the platform. This helps make sure that information is current and that nothing is forgotten. Change orders are made easy where you can manage all the moving parts of the change order to keep everyone in the loop on new requests. It even allows you to invite owners to collaborate on change orders to fully understand what is required by them before you put resources to work.
You’ll need to contact RedTeam for a quote for pricing.
Who should use it:
This software platform is best for contractors seeking detailed bids from subcontractors and vendors to have the most comprehensive preproject data.
Pros & Cons
- Great for organizing paperwork
- Sophisticated financial tools
- Good customer service
- Can be glitchy
- Estimating and bidding tools can be better
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Value
QuickBooks for Construction
4.1
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
$42.50
per month
Client tracking
No
Starting price
$42.50
per month
Client tracking
No
Why We Picked It
QuickBooks for Construction comes in at the best value of all the options on our list. You can get the Plus plan for $42.50 per month for the first three months when it bumps up to $85 per month. The Advanced plan is available for $100 per month for the first three months before increasing to $200 per month.
Both plans allow you to track income and expenses, send invoices and accept payments and maximize your tax deductions with tagging features for expenses. The system also allows you to scan and organize receipts so that all project expenses are kept in one place. The reporting will enable you to track the profitability of each project so that you can stay ahead of costly mistakes.
The Advanced plan adds business analytics with Excel, the ability to manage employee expenses and the ability to batch invoices and expenses. The Advanced plan also has task automation, reducing the amount of time you spend on data entry. Get a dedicated account team to help you with problems and provide on-demand online training.
Who should use it:
This software is best for contractors looking for a robust solution at an affordable cost.
Pros & Cons
- Easy to track cash flow
- Straightforward implementation
- Reporting good for decision-making
- Limited support
- Fixing mistakes is complicated
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Real Estate Management
Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate
4.1
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
Not disclosed
Client tracking
No
Starting price
Not disclosed
Client tracking
No
Why We Picked It
Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate is designed for contractors and owners to be able to manage properties and projects effectively. When it comes to real estate management, the platform takes static information, such as lease contracts, and transforms them into dynamic information resources. This improves communication, opens up lease opportunities and can accommodate most real estate situations.
Regarding accounting, Safe 300 breaks tasks down into assignments and work orders. You can provide quotes from the operations portal. It also retains information about POs, time worked and equipment usage for specific sites.
Sage 300 is as comprehensive as it gets with prebuild reports; there are more than 1,400 to choose from. This means you can get any detailed report that you can think of with just a couple of clicks, helping you manage all the project costs.
You’ll need to contact Sage 300 to get a quote regarding its pricing.
Who should use it:
This software is best for those who manage construction projects on real estate that they own or lease.
Pros & Cons
- Easy to use
- Quick item entry is convenient
- Monitors projects at all levels of completion
- Lacks robust reporting
- Not enough tools for large-scale business
FEATURED PARTNER OFFER
Best for Managing Multiple Jobs
Construction Accounting by ComputerEase
3.9
Our ratings take into account a product's cost, features, ease of use, customer service and other category-specific attributes. All ratings are determined solely by our editorial team.
Starting price
Not disclosed
Client tracking
No
Starting price
Not disclosed
Client tracking
No
Why We Picked It
Construction Accounting by Computer Ease is a software solution that tells you where each job stands in various ways. It can tell you what the real costs are versus the actual costs, the percentage of each job completed, cash flow and profitability.
Construction Accounting understands that not every project works the same way. This is why it has flexible billion options, such as American Institute of Architects, time and materials and freeform billing. The software makes invoice routing easy and conveniently reconciles things with the GL when paid.
Users particularly like the customization of reports and how robust the GL is, offering details on every aspect of a transaction. You’ll be able to streamline payroll administration making sure everyone is paid timely and correctly.
You’ll need to contact this vendor to get a quote for pricing.
Who should use it:
This software is best for contractors who have multiple projects happening simultaneously.
Pros & Cons
- Abundance of built-in reports
- Provides good cost accounting
- Easy-to-use interface
- No time clock integration
- Poor customer support
Methodology
To compare various construction accounting software platforms, we collected a proprietary set of data points to compare and contrast them. We first looked at cost and whether the company was transparent with its pricing. Those offering transparent pricing fared better than those forcing you to provide data to get a custom quote.
After pricing, we looked at data in a General Data category. This category looked at the most common features sought by construction contractors and defined which companies provided them. Those that had all features provided for contractors without additional fees fared better than those that required you to choose a higher subscription service to unlock them. This included features, such as quotes and estimates and job costing.
From there, we took into consideration additional features. Companies that had client tracking, software integrations and mobile apps performed better than those that didn’t.
Finally, we reviewed third-party ratings and reviews to see how actual users felt about the software. The average threshold rating needed to be 3.5 stars or better to get the highest rating in our research.
Featured Partner
Advertisement
1
Striven
Pricing
$20 / User + $99 Hosting
Free Trial
Yes
Key Features
Billing & Invoicing, Bank Reconciliation, Graphical Dashboard
1
Striven
On Striven's Website
How To Choose Construction Accounting Software
When choosing a construction accounting software platform, there are three areas of consideration that you should consider. The first area is cost. You want a platform that fits your overall budget and provides as much value without needing to upgrade with other subscriptions or customized solutions.
Ease of use is the second thing to consider. Not only do you and your employees need to feel comfortable using the system but so do clients and subcontractors if you integrate them into the bidding and project management process. Look for a solution that has a simple dashboard that allows you to access everything from the GL to reports with a few clicks of the mouse.
Finally, you want to find a solution that you can customize if you have special reporting or processing needs. This may be relevant for larger companies that have multiple projects that they manage simultaneously and need to create comprehensive reports and cash flow data for stakeholders.
Benefits of Construction Accounting Software
Construction accounting software can save you time and help keep you organized when managing your building projects. By integrating preconstruction parameters, such as bidding and cost building, contractors can quickly move a project from the prework phase into the project management/building phase. Construction software becomes a one-stop platform for everything from prices to contracts and compliance. This helps ensure that nothing slips through the cracks in the construction process.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which method of accounting is best for a construction company?
Construction companies should use a percentage-of-completion method that recognizes both revenue and expenses as they are accumulated over time. It aligns with the project completion ratio and most lenders or guarantors require this.
How do you do construction accounting?
Construction accounting places a lot of focus on accurate job estimating and costing. It uses a cash basis accounting and construction contractors should consult with a tax advisor to get the best tax strategy for their business.
How do you record construction expenses?
You record expenses in the GL. To record a construction cost, debit the construction in the process column and credit the cash column.
How does accounting software improve productivity?
Accounting software can improve productivity by automating time-consuming tasks, such as invoicing and tracking payments. This frees up your time so you can focus on running your business. Plus, software can help keep your books in compliance, which can save you time and money in the long run.
Is construction accounting software secure?
Today’s leading construction accounting platforms offer standard security features including data encryption, secure credential tokenization and more. While human error will always play some role in security breaches, you can be confident in your accounting platform when it comes to keeping your information safe.