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BuildBook Alternatives for Small Residential Contractors (2026)

BuildBook is $79 a month billed annually for one user, with every feature on every plan. Five alternatives for one to ten person residential crews, priced by team size from each vendor's own pages, with where each one is stronger.

By Clamp ResearchReviewed by Emmanuel ForgePublished Oct 14, 2026✓ Reviewed Oct 2026
Direct answer: BuildBook Solo is $79 a month billed annually, or $99 month to month, for one user, with every feature on every plan. Clamp has change orders, job costing and mileage on every plan from $12.50 a month billed annually, and its customer portal from $41.67. Contractor Foreman starts at $49 billed annually; Knowify, JobTread and Projul cost more. Stay with BuildBook if client selections with allowances and per-project chat are central to your jobs.

At a glance

BuildBook is built for the same contractor this list is for: custom home builders and remodelers. It is priced by user, every plan has every feature, and the client side is strong. The reasons to look elsewhere are specific, not general: the price for a crew, what the client dashboard does not show, and the costs it does not track, like crew hours and mileage.

Every price and feature comes from each vendor's own pricing, feature or help pages, read on October 14, 2026. Where a page doesn't mention something, this list says 'not found on official pages' rather than 'can't'.

Feature by feature

FeatureClampBuildBookContractor ForemanKnowifyProjulJobTread
Price and team
Starts at$12.50/mo billed annually$79/mo billed annually ($99 monthly), Solo, 1 user$49/mo billed annually, Basic, 1 user$99 or $149/mo, Core, 1 user$199/mo billed annually, Starter, 3 users$199/mo with 1 user
Team1 on Solo and Assistant; up to 10 on TeamsTeam $149/mo billed annually; the page's two tables disagree on user caps (2 to 9 or 2 to 5); extra users $20/mo1, 3, 8, 15 or unlimited by plan+$29/mo per user; Advanced has 103, 10, 20 or unlimited by plan+$20/mo per internal user ($16 on annual); subs and clients free
Winning the job
AI estimating3 free AI credits; 25 or 50 a month by plan; a revision is half a creditNot found on official pagesAI inside takeoffs; takeoffs described as in developmentNot found on official pagesPro, through your own AI assistantAI budget drafting
ProposalsEvery planOne click from the estimate; approved online by linkEstimates approved by linkYes, from the estimateEstimate templates and assembliesYes
E-signaturesAssistant and TeamsElectronic approvals; a signature step is not described on official pagesYes, with timestamp and IP addressYes, in the client portalCore and upApproval by secure link
Client selectionsDecisions in the customer portal, Assistant and TeamsYes; allowances and a client showroomNot found on official pagesNot found on official pagesYesSelections and allowances
Running the job
Change ordersEvery planYes; approved by email or in the dashboardYesEvery plan; feeds the billing scheduleCore and up; signed by linkYes; approved by link, tracked to the budget
SchedulingShared whole-day schedule on TeamsGantt with dependencies; iCal syncGanttGantt with dependencies; calendarGantt with dependencies; calendarCalendar, Gantt, list; Apple, Google, Microsoft sync
Customer portalAssistant and Teams: sign, invoices, photos, schedule, decisionsClient dashboard with login: updates, calendar, chat, budget, open invoices, selections, filesYes: photos, schedule, logs, approvals, paymentAdvanced and up; link, no loginCore+ and Pro: photos, timeline, invoices, paymentFree, unlimited
Daily logsShared photos and job updates on TeamsYes; shared to clients as UpdatesYesAdvanced and upProYes
Getting paid
InvoicesEvery plan; milestone billingPercentage billing from the budget; remindersProgress, retainage, AIAPercent, unit or dollar; AIA by tierYes; progress billingPayment schedules
Online paymentsYour own payment link; recorded, not processedNot found on official pagesACH 1%, card 2.9%Card and ACH via Square or QuickBooks PaymentsCard and ACH in the portalACH, cards, Apple and Google Pay
Tracking what it cost
Job costingEvery plan; estimate against actualBudget from the won estimate; actuals against itYesAdvanced and upCore+ and upYes; variance by phase or item
ReceiptsEvery plan; costed to the jobAttached to an expense; photo capture not mentionedYes, through expensesExpense loggingExpenses entered as they arriveAI receipt scanning
Time on siteDetected automatically, every planNot found on official pagesGPS time cards with geofencingClock-in with location; optional geofenceGeo-fenced clock-inClock-in with location on a map
MileageTrips detected automatically, every planNot found on official pagesManual vehicle logNot found on official pagesNot found on official pagesNot found on official pages
QuickBooksNo sync; accountant exportQuickBooks Online, push only from BuildBookTwo-way, Online and DesktopQuickBooks OnlineOnline from Core+; Desktop on ProTwo-way, Online
Mobile appiOS and Android, every planNative iOS and AndroidYesYesApp Store and Google PlayWeb app saved to the home screen

From each vendor's own pricing, feature and help pages, read October 14, 2026. 'Not found on official pages' means exactly that; the product may do it another way. Plan names show where a feature starts. Clamp publishes this page.

Why small contractors look past BuildBook

BuildBook costs $79 a month billed annually or $99 month to month for one user on Solo, and $149 a month billed annually on Team. Its pricing page shows two tables that disagree above Solo: Team at $186 or $179 monthly with 2 to 9 or 2 to 5 users, and Business starting at $279 or $249 billed annually with 10 or more or 6 to 8 users, plus $20 a month per extra user. Every plan includes every feature, unlimited projects, clients and subs, and a 10-day free trial without a card.

5 BuildBook alternatives

In order of fit for a small residential contractor. BuildBook is on the list because it earns a place; each entry says where it is stronger, not only where it falls short.

1 ClampBest for one to ten person residential crews running the job from a phone

Price
Solo $19.99 a month or $149.99 a year ($12.50 a month billed annually). Assistant $49.99 or $499.99. Teams $99.99 a month or $999.99 a year for up to 10 accounts. Solo is free for the first month on monthly billing.
Team
One account on Solo and Assistant; up to 10 on Teams, plus unlimited free sub invites who never see your prices.

Where it is stronger

  • The whole residential job in one record, first call to final invoice: lead score, design agreement, estimate at direct cost with your markup applied once, proposal, change orders, invoices and payment schedule.
  • Change orders, job costing, receipts, vendor bills and punch lists on every plan, including Solo.
  • Mileage and time on site detected automatically and costed to the job, on every plan.
  • A customer portal where customers sign, see invoices, photos, the schedule and decisions, with e-signatures and email reminders, from Assistant at $41.67 a month billed annually.
  • AI estimates from a plain-language description: 3 free credits in the app, 25 a month on Assistant and 50 on Teams, and one free AI estimate on the website.
Clamp change order screen showing the added lines and the new job total

Change order, priced

Clamp job costing card showing estimated against actual cost for a job

Job cost, live

Clamp on a phone: a change order with its effect on the job total, and the job cost card with estimate against actual. Sample data.

Clamp customer portal showing job milestones

Milestones in the portal

Clamp invoice schedule with milestone invoices and due dates

Invoice schedule

What the customer sees in the portal: milestones and the invoice schedule. Sample data.

Where it falls short for a small residential contractor

  • No Gantt chart and no plan takeoff; the shared schedule is whole days, on Teams.
  • No selections showroom with allowances; decisions are recorded in the portal.
  • Not accounting software: no general ledger, payroll, bank feeds or tax filing, and no QuickBooks sync; an accountant export instead.
  • Clamp does not process payments; you add your own payment link and record what was paid.

2 Contractor ForemanBest for small trade and general contractors who want many modules at a low entry price

Price
Basic $49 a month billed annually ($588 a year), one user; Standard $105, up to 3; Plus $166, up to 8; Pro $221, up to 15. Monthly-billing prices were not captured on the page as read. The 30-day trial is on annual plans only, and the implementation fee is non-refundable.
Team
1, 3, 8, 15 or unlimited users by plan.

Where it is stronger

  • A low entry price for change orders, job costing and Gantt scheduling.
  • GPS time cards with geofencing, which BuildBook's pages do not mention.
  • A client portal where clients see photos, schedule and logs, approve change orders, and pay by card (2.9%) or ACH (1%).
  • Two-way QuickBooks Online and Desktop sync; AIA billing and retainage.

Where it falls short for a small residential contractor

  • Monthly Basic, Standard and Plus plans have no free trial and are charged immediately.
  • A non-refundable implementation fee; the amount was not found on official pages.
  • Client selections: not found on official pages. Takeoffs are described as in development.
  • Mileage is a manual vehicle log for maintenance, not a business mileage deduction log.

3 KnowifyBest for trade contractors who bill progress and AIA-style and live in QuickBooks

Price
Core $99 or $149 a month with one user; Advanced $329 or $399 with 10 users; extra users $29 a month. The page has a yearly and monthly toggle but does not label which figure is which.
Team
One user on Core and 10 on Advanced; extra users $29 a month.

Where it is stronger

  • Change orders on every plan, sent for electronic approval and factored into the billing schedule as approved.
  • Bill by percent complete, unit or dollar amount, with AIA formats by tier and automatic overdue reminders.
  • Card and ACH payments through Square or QuickBooks Payments, synced to invoices.
  • A no-login client portal link with contract lines, approved change orders, progress and invoices.

Where it falls short for a small residential contractor

  • Job costing, the client portal and daily logs start on Advanced, $329 or $399 a month.
  • Client selections and AI estimating: not found on official pages.
  • Business mileage log: not found on official pages.

4 ProjulBest for growing crews that want flat team pricing with Gantt scheduling and selections

Price
Starter $199 a month billed annually ($2,388 a year) or $249 monthly, up to 3 users. Core $399 or $529, up to 10. Core+ $599 or $799, up to 20. Monthly plans are month to month; no free trial is mentioned.
Team
Flat price per plan with no per-user fee: 3, 10, 20 or unlimited users.

Where it is stronger

  • No per-user fees within a plan.
  • Drag-and-drop Gantt with dependencies and critical path, plus client selections.
  • Change orders sent by email or text with a signature link; the approved change order updates the budget.
  • A client portal with photos by date, the timeline, every invoice and card or ACH payment, plus geo-fenced time tracking that posts labor to the budget.

Where it falls short for a small residential contractor

  • Change orders and e-signatures start on Core ($399 a month billed annually); the client portal, job costing and QuickBooks Online on Core+ ($599); daily logs on Pro.
  • No free trial on the pricing page; a demo instead.
  • Business mileage log and plan takeoff: not found on official pages.

5 JobTreadBest for crews that estimate from plans and want free sub, vendor and customer portals

Price
$199 a month with one internal user; $20 a month per extra internal user ($16 on annual) for users 2 to 10; 20% off annual; no contract or setup fees.
Team
Internal users are paid; vendors, subs and customers are free and unlimited.

Where it is stronger

  • On-screen takeoff from uploaded plans that feeds pricing.
  • Change orders built from the budget, approved by secure link and tracked back to the budget; AI budget drafting and AI receipt scanning.
  • Two-way QuickBooks Online sync in real time.
  • ACH, cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay on invoices, with customizable payment schedules.

Where it falls short for a small residential contractor

  • $199 a month before adding anyone, $159.20 billed annually (calculated).
  • The mobile app is a web app saved to the home screen, not an App Store or Google Play download.
  • Time tracking records location at clock-in; geofencing and a business mileage log were not found on official pages.

Every Clamp feature, tool by tool

Solo includes 28 of Clamp's 44 features. In full, across their plans: BuildBook 18, Contractor Foreman 21, Knowify 21, Projul 23, JobTread 25.

Clamp plan
Every Clamp feature, tool by tool
FeatureClampBuildBookContractor ForemanKnowifyProjulJobTread
CRM and leads3 of 50 of 50 of 50 of 53 of 50 of 5
Email remindersEmail reminders before appointments, follow-ups, and scheduled installs, deliveries, and inspections.✓ Assistant and TeamsAssistant, $41.67 a month billed annuallyInvoices and leadsInvoice and lead reminders, not appointmentsPartlyPlan not stated. Crew schedule texts and emails; expiration remindersPartlyUnpaid invoice and service appointment reminders; app alerts for schedule changes✓ Plan not statedClient reminders; crew get push alertsPartlyFollow-ups on unsigned estimates and unpaid invoices; task emails
Customer appointment remindersHomeowners get an email before an appointment, with confirm and reschedule built in.✓ Assistant and TeamsAssistant, $41.67 a month billed annuallyNot foundNotifications article did not loadNot foundReminders go to crews, not clientsService work onlyAutomated reminders; confirm or reschedule not described✓ Plan not stated24-hour email; how clients confirm or reschedule not describedNot foundGeneral notifications only
Five-factor lead scoringA clear yes, no, or maybe on a lead before driving out.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annuallyLead analysisProperty data on each lead; no yes or no scoreNot foundLead stages and sources; custom fields onlyNot foundCRM pipeline stages onlyNot foundManual qualification stageNot foundLead forms and pipeline only
Lead reportingClose rate, revenue won, open pipeline, close rate by lead source, and lost leads by reason, on Home and the stats screen, with CSV and PDF export. Revenue by source does not exist; see _excluded.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annuallyPipeline by stageNo reports describedPartlyPlan not stated. Lead stats by source, stage and timing; no close ratePartlyPipeline board and bid value; no close rate or source reports✓ Lead reportsClose rate and revenue by source, lost reasons; plan not statedPartlyCustom reports, Leads by Source; close rate not stated
Daily briefingOverdue invoices, detected trips, follow-ups, appointments, and open proposals in one morning view.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annuallyNot foundPro Dashboard article not readPartlyPlan not stated. Dashboard of widgets you pickPartlyDashboard: today's jobs and check-ins; no overdue invoicesNot foundOn-demand AI questions on Pro onlyPartlyCustom KPI dashboards
Estimating7 of 72 of 72 of 72 of 72 of 73 of 7
Design agreementsPaid preconstruction sits in the document chain, so planning work is paid work.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annuallyNot foundNot foundDocument Writer contracts and warrantiesNot foundProposals carry termsNot foundNot foundContract language on estimates
Itemized estimatesAssembly-based estimates with quantities and rates the contractor can inspect line by line.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annually✓ Every planEstimating✓ IncludedPlan not stated. Estimates; 1build pricing not on Basic or Standard✓ Every planBudget, then markup per line✓ Starter, $199Line items and assemblies✓ IncludedBudgets from a cost catalog, takeoff quantities
Estimate templatesSave an estimate as a template for work done often.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annually✓ Every planPrice book; reusable line items✓ IncludedPlan not stated. Estimate templates (KB title only)✓ Every planBudget templates✓ Starter, $199Save any estimate as a template✓ IncludedBudget and job templates
Proposals with multiple package tiersGood, better, best packages in one proposal.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annuallyNot foundPayment milestones, no package tiersPartlyPlan not stated. Optional items, selections and options (KB titles only)WorkaroundOptions as $0 lines; client notes choices when signingPro, $1,199Selections inside one estimate; one estimate per lead✓ IncludedGood, better, best options
AI estimating from a plain-language job descriptionDescribe the job in plain words and get an itemized draft: assemblies, quantities, researched baseline rates, with the contractor's own saved rates taking over once set.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annuallyNot foundLead analysis onlyNot foundAI assistant for takeoffs onlyNot found'Knowify AI' teased; no AI estimating describedPro, $1,199Drafts from your templates through your own ChatGPT, Claude or GeminiPartlyAI Estimating drafts budgets; input not described
Remodel and new-home estimatingOne estimator covers remodels and new homes and detects which one a description is. Detect is the default job type; a contractor can pick Remodel or New home per estimate, or set Kind of work to Remodeling to turn the choice off.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annuallyNot foundNo job-type detectionNot foundResidential and commercial templates; no job-type detectionNot foundNo job-type detectionNot foundNo job-type detectionNot foundNo job-type detection
Labor hours on estimatesEstimated labor hours, shown as a range, on every labor line, with an allowance for setup, cleanup, and material runs (15% by default) the contractor can change in Settings or per estimate. A planning figure; it never appears on proposals, PDFs, or the portal.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annuallyNot foundNot foundLabor pricing in the cost database; no hour rangesNot foundLabor priced in the budget; no hour ranges describedPartlyLabor hours in assemblies at a crew rate; no range or allowanceNot foundNot stated on estimating pages
Contracts and invoicing5 of 53 of 53 of 53 of 53 of 55 of 5
Payment schedulesSplit a proposal into a deposit, milestone payments, and a final payment, then invoice each one from the signed contract.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annually✓ Every planProposal payment milestones; percentage billing✓ IncludedPlan not stated. Schedule of values and progress invoicing; deposits not stated✓ Every planProgress billing, AIA G702/G703✓ Core+, $599Progress billing by milestone or percentage✓ IncludedPayment schedules, progress billing
Sales tax on documentsAdd a sales tax rate or a flat amount to invoices and other documents, with collected tax totaled by quarter and year. The contractor enters the rate; Clamp does not look rates up.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annuallyTax per lineOn estimates and change orders; no tax report describedPartlyPlan not stated. Tax rates by location; no tax report foundPartlyTax rates sync from QuickBooks; no tax report describedPartlyTax rate on estimates and invoices; no tax report found✓ IncludedTax rate or fixed amount; no tax report found
Customer credits and refundsApply a customer's credit to an open invoice, record a refund, or adjust a balance, with the history kept on the job. Recorded only; Clamp moves no money.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annuallyNot foundNot foundKB credit article did not load; offline payments recordedNot foundRetainage adjustments onlyPartlyRefunds of Projul card and ACH payments only; no credits✓ IncludedLog credits and refunds (2023 update)
Change orders that update the contractScope changes get written up and tied to the original contract, so verbal changes stop costing money.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annually✓ Every planApproved by email or in the dashboard✓ IncludedPlan not stated. Contract amount updates on approval✓ Every planE-signed, feed the billing schedule✓ Core, $399E-signed; updates the budget, contract update not stated✓ IncludedFrom the budget, approved by link
Invoices tied to the contractEvery invoice belongs to the contract or change order it bills.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annually✓ Every planFrom the budget✓ IncludedPlan not stated. Progress, AIA and time and material invoices✓ Every plan✓ Starter, $199Created from the estimate✓ IncludedTurned from estimates
Customer portal0 of 61 of 62 of 63 of 64 of 64 of 6
Password-free customer portalThe homeowner opens a link. No account, no password, no app to install.✓ Assistant and TeamsAssistant, $41.67 a month billed annuallyClient dashboardNeeds a login; change order links open without onePartlyPlan not stated. Client Portal per contact; no-account access stated only for estimate links✓ Advanced, $329 or $399No-login link; portal page says from $99, pricing page says Advanced✓ Core+, $599Feature page: no account or password; help center: link plus login instructions✓ Customer portalOpens from the email link; password for app or payments
Unlimited documents and photos shared to the portalShare job documents and photos to the customer portal without a count cap, subject to per-item size limits.✓ Assistant and TeamsAssistant, $41.67 a month billed annuallyFiles and logsNo photos tab; photos arrive in comments✓ IncludedPlan not stated. Pick files and photos to share; limits not stated✓ Advanced, $329 or $399Photos, invoice PDFs, shared files✓ Core+, $599Documents and photos; no limit stated✓ IncludedUnlimited documents and files
E-signing on the homeowner's phoneDocuments get signed on the homeowner's own phone, no account required.✓ Assistant and TeamsAssistant, $41.67 a month billed annuallyElectronic approvalsSignature step not described✓ IncludedPlan not stated. Estimates by link, no account; change orders✓ Every planBids and change orders✓ Core, $399Email or text link, no account✓ IncludedSign and approve in the portal
Several signers on one documentSend one document to up to five people, each signing their own line, see who has signed, and remind anyone who has not.✓ Assistant and TeamsAssistant, $41.67 a month billed annuallyNot foundNot foundCourtesy copies on estimate approvals onlyNot foundNot foundNot foundOne signer described
Project updates and decisions in the portalPost project updates to the customer's portal and ask the customer to make a decision, which they answer from their phone.✓ Assistant and TeamsAssistant, $41.67 a month billed annually✓ Every planUpdates, chat and selection approvalsPartlyPlan not stated. Approvals of estimates, change orders, RFIs and submittalsAdvanced, $329 or $399Optional project log; no decisions✓ Core+, $599Messages and updates; selection decisions on Pro✓ IncludedMessages and e-signed selections
Not delivered email handlingWhen a customer email Clamp sends bounces, the document is marked Not delivered so the contractor can fix the address and resend, or copy the link to text it.✓ Assistant and TeamsAssistant, $41.67 a month billed annuallyNot foundNot foundKB troubleshooting article only; body did not loadNot foundNot foundShows sent and opened onlyNot found
Expense tracking5 of 52 of 53 of 53 of 51 of 53 of 5
Automatic GPS mileage trackingBackground trip detection, route maps, IRS rates, trips linked to the job that caused the drive.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annuallyNot foundNot foundVehicle logs record mileage for maintenanceNot foundFleet vehicle tracking add-on from $25 a vehicleNot foundGPS location while clocked in onlyNot foundNot on pricing or mobile pages
Automatic time on siteGPS geofence tracking of hours at the jobsite.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annuallyNot foundPartlyPlan not stated. GPS and geofenced time cards; automatic clock-in not statedEvery planClock in with optional geofence; not detected automaticallyPro, $1,199Geofence checks a tapped clock-inNot foundManual clock-in with location on a map
Receipts and expenses on the jobReceipts logged against the job they belong to.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annually✓ Every planReceipt attached to an expense; photo capture not stated✓ IncludedPlan not stated. Expenses; receipt photos not stated✓ Every planPurchases with receipt photoCore+, $599Expenses on the budget; receipt capture not described✓ IncludedAI receipt scanning
Purchase ordersCommitted costs captured between the estimate and the receipt.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annuallyNot found✓ IncludedPlan not stated. One-click bill from a PO✓ Every planPurchases; POs from the budget✓ Pro, $1,199✓ IncludedPOs and work orders
Accounts payable and vendor billsVendor bills tracked and surfaced in the attention flows, with first-class vendor records.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annually✓ Every planVendor invoices tied to budget lines✓ IncludedPlan not stated. Bills tied to POs and subcontracts✓ Every planBills sync both ways with QuickBooksPro, $1,199Vendor profiles; supplier invoice matched to PO; no AP✓ IncludedBill approval, reconciled with POs
Job costing and reports3 of 31 of 32 of 32 of 32 of 31 of 3
Job costingWhat the job actually cost, with a variance and catalog learning loop.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annually✓ Every planBudget from the won estimate✓ IncludedPlan not stated. Original and revised budgets; job costing reports✓ Advanced, $329 or $399Feature page says from $99; pricing page lists Advanced only✓ Core+, $599Estimate against actual✓ IncludedBudget vs actual, variance
Accountant export packageA package of the business's records prepared for an accountant.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annuallyQuickBooks OnlinePush only from BuildBookQuickBooks syncTwo-way, Online and DesktopQuickBooks syncSync and Accountant's View, no export packageQuickBooks, Core+QuickBooks Online Core+, Desktop Pro; CSV exportQuickBooks OnlineTwo-way sync
Time reporting with CSV exportReported labor time with a time-tracking CSV export for payroll preparation and per-person rate decomposition.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annuallyNot found✓ IncludedPlan not stated. Time card reports; Gusto export✓ Every planTime, labor and payroll reports; export format not stated✓ Starter, $199Timesheets, CSV export; QuickBooks from Core+PartlyHours to QuickBooks Time; CSV table export
Jobsites and teams2 of 87 of 87 of 86 of 86 of 87 of 8
Teams: up to 10 linked accountsUp to 10 accounts, including the owner, sharing one business.✓ TeamsTeams, $83.33 a month billed annually✓ Team, $149Extra users $20 a month; tables disagree on caps✓ Standard, $105Up to 3 users; feature pages say unlimited users✓ Priced per user1 user on Core, 10 on Advanced, $29 each extra✓ Starter, 3 usersCore 10 users, $399✓ Priced per user$20 each extra, users 2 to 10
Role-based permissionsFive roles: owner, admin, staff, contributor, viewer.✓ TeamsTeams, $83.33 a month billed annually✓ Team, $149Five roles; Help says a Free plan is owner only, pricing shows none✓ IncludedPlan not stated. Custom roles, four access levels per feature✓ Per-user permissionsAccess type plus module checkboxes; plan not stated✓ Permission profilesView, add, edit, delete per feature; plan not stated✓ IncludedCustom roles
Unlimited subcontractor linkingSubs share jobsite photos and notes into the business account without consuming a seat.✓ TeamsTeams, $83.33 a month billed annually✓ Every planUnlimited subs invited per projectNot foundSub project access exists; seat use not statedPaid seatsSubs who need the app are paid users; no guest accessCore+, $599Unlimited sub profiles; help center says subs cannot log in✓ Free, unlimitedSub and vendor portals
Jobsites tab: jobs and schedule in one placeA Jobsites tab with Jobs and Schedule views. With Assistant each job has its own screen with its schedule, photos, and updates, and the Schedule view holds every install, delivery, inspection, appointment, and follow-up; Teams adds the crew and subs on each job, shaped by role. Subs invited to a job use it free and see their own jobs grouped by builder.✓ Assistant and TeamsAssistant, $41.67 a month billed annually✓ Every planUnlimited projects✓ IncludedPlan not stated. Projects✓ Every planJobs, job board and calendars✓ Starter, $199Projects with schedule, photos and files✓ IncludedUnlimited jobs
Job scheduleSchedule installs, deliveries, and inspections on each job, with the contractor, a supplier, or nobody yet on each item, and see them all in the Jobsites tab. Putting crew or subs on an item is the Teams shared schedule.✓ Assistant and TeamsAssistant, $41.67 a month billed annually✓ Every planGantt with dependencies✓ IncludedPlan not stated. Gantt scheduling per project✓ Every planGantt with dependencies✓ Starter, $199Tasks; Gantt from Core+✓ IncludedCalendar, Gantt and list
Shared job scheduleOne schedule for the business: installs, deliveries, and inspections visible to the team, with clash notes when dates collide.✓ TeamsTeams, $83.33 a month billed annually✓ Every planGantt shared with collaborators and clients✓ IncludedPlan not stated. Gantt and crew schedule; no clash alerts found✓ Every planJob and resource boards, crew notifications✓ Starter, $199Calendar views; overbooking heat map✓ IncludedTasks to multiple people, calendar sync
Punch listsThe small final items that close a job out, tracked per job and shareable as a text message or a PDF.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annually✓ Every planDedicated punch lists as tasks; print✓ IncludedPlan not stated. Punchlists, sent as PDFNot foundTasks and deficiency notes onlyPartlyTask steps; printable, not shared as text or PDFPartlyTasks and to-dos
Job site photosPhotos saved to the project with full-screen viewing.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annuallyEvery planPhotos in comments, tasks and logs; no photo tab✓ IncludedPlan not stated. Files and Photos, with markup✓ Mobile appPhotos uploaded to the job; plan not stated✓ Photo captureTags, galleries, markup; plan not stated✓ IncludedFiles, photos and video; daily logs
Backup and offline3 of 52 of 52 of 52 of 52 of 52 of 5
Full job workflow, offlineLeads, design agreements, estimates, proposals, change orders, and invoices on the phone, working without a connection.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annuallyNot foundNot stated on the pagesNot foundOffline use not statedPartlyTime check-in only; estimates and invoices not statedPartlyPhotos queue on a weak signal; nothing else statedNot foundOffline not stated
Cloud backupBusiness data backed up to the cloud and restorable on a new device.✓ Assistant and TeamsAssistant, $41.67 a month billed annually✓ Cloud software✓ Cloud softwareWeb and mobile app✓ Cloud software✓ Cloud software✓ Cloud software
Business portal: read-only web viewA read-only view of the business in a browser.✓ Assistant and TeamsAssistant, $41.67 a month billed annually✓ Web appPro Dashboard✓ Web app✓ Web appFull office web app✓ Web app✓ Web app
Device backup, restore, CSV export, bulk importLocal backup and restore with CSV export and bulk import.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annuallyNot foundPartlyCSV import and export of some recordsPartlySpreadsheet import only; no export or backup describedPartlyCSV export and import; no backup or restorePartlyCSV export of tables, data imports
No account required to startThe app opens to local use; an account is needed only for server features or subscribing.✓ Every planSolo, $12.50 a month billed annuallyNot found10-day trial, no card; account neededNot foundStarts from a 30-day trial on the plans pageNot foundStarts from a 14-day trial accountNot foundStarts from a Projul signupNot foundStarts from a paid subscription

Where each one is ahead

  • BuildBook: Client selections with allowances (Every plan; actual cost against the allowance); Gantt scheduling with dependencies (Every plan; iCal sync); Private client chat per project (Every plan); Daily logs shared with clients (Every plan); Lead enrichment with property data (Homeowner, parcel and property data); Price book with cost codes (Every plan)
  • Contractor Foreman: Plan takeoffs (Measure plans and link quantities to estimates); Bid management and subcontracts (Vendor bid invites, convert to a PO or subcontract); AIA G702 and G703 billing with retainage (Schedule of values and retention tracking); Two-way QuickBooks sync (QuickBooks Online and Desktop); Gantt scheduling (Dependencies, critical path, baselines); Built-in payments and client financing (Stripe card and ACH; SweetPay financing)
  • Knowify: Two-way QuickBooks Online sync (Every plan); AIA billing, retainage and WIP reports (Every plan; WIP with job costing); Gantt scheduling with dependencies and a resource board (Every plan); Service dispatch board (Service Pro add-on); Daily logs with automatic weather (Advanced); Built-in payments (Card and ACH via QuickBooks Payments)
  • Projul: Gantt schedules with dependencies and critical path (Core+, $599); Built-in card and ACH payments (Core, $399); Lead capture form and lead source ROI reports (Form from Core); QuickBooks Online and Desktop sync (Online Core+, Desktop Pro); Field takeoffs, daily logs and Spanish app (Pro, $1,199); Live map of clocked-in crew (GPS on Pro)
  • JobTread: On-screen takeoff from plans (Synced to the budget); Sub and vendor bids, POs and work orders e-signed by subs (Free sub and vendor portals); Two-way QuickBooks Online sync (Included); Built-in online payments (Card, ACH, Apple Pay, Google Pay); Gantt scheduling with calendar sync (Google, Outlook, iCal); Custom reports and KPI dashboards (Included)

Competitor columns from each vendor's own pricing page, feature pages and help center, checked October 14, 2026. Not found means not on those pages, not that the product can't do it another way. Partly means something narrower than the Clamp feature. No product was tested against another.

Where each answer comes from

What each costs by team size

What the whole business pays each month for one person, a three-person crew and ten people.

Monthly cost by team size
Software1 person3 people10 people
Clamp$12.50 billed annually ($19.99 monthly), Solo$83.33 billed annually ($99.99 monthly), Teams$83.33 billed annually ($99.99 monthly), Teams
BuildBook$79 billed annually ($99 monthly), Solo$149 billed annually ($186 or $179 monthly; the page's tables disagree), TeamFrom $279 billed annually ($349 monthly), Business, on one table; $249 plus 2 extra users, $282.33 (calculated), on the other
Contractor Foreman$49 billed annually, Basic; monthly price not captured$105 billed annually, Standard (up to 3)$221 billed annually, Pro (up to 15)
Knowify$99 or $149, Core$157 or $207, Core plus 2 users (calculated)$329 or $399, Advanced
Projul$199 billed annually ($249 monthly), Starter$199 billed annually ($249 monthly), Starter$399 billed annually ($529 monthly), Core
JobTread$159.20 billed annually ($199 monthly) (calculated)$191.20 billed annually ($239 monthly) (calculated)$303.20 billed annually ($379 monthly) (calculated)

Per month for the whole business, from each vendor's own pricing page on 2026-10-14. Billed annually where the vendor offers it, with the monthly-billing price in parentheses; 'calculated' figures add the vendor's per-user price or apply its stated annual discount. The plans compared are not equivalent: check what each includes before you compare totals.

When to stay with BuildBook

How to choose

  1. Write down the jobs you ran last month and what each one needed: selections, change orders, progress invoices, crew hours, mileage.
  2. Price your actual team size on each vendor's current pricing page; on BuildBook, ask which of the two tables applies to you.
  3. Decide whether your customer needs to log in. BuildBook and Clamp use a login; Knowify and Contractor Foreman's estimates work from a link.
  4. Check the contract terms before the features: annual minimums, implementation fees and how to cancel.
  5. Run one real job through a trial from first call to final invoice before you move your records.
  6. Keep your current software until the trial job closes cleanly.

Before you switch

How this list was made

Questions

What would I give up by switching from BuildBook to Clamp?

Switching from BuildBook to Clamp means giving up BuildBook's Gantt schedule, selections showroom and QuickBooks Online connection. Clamp instead connects leads, estimates, proposals, change orders, invoices and job costing in a phone app, from $12.50 a month billed annually. The lower price does not replace those BuildBook features, so decide whether your remodels depend on them before switching.

How much is BuildBook for one person or a small crew?

BuildBook Solo is $79 a month billed annually or $99 month to month for one user, with every feature included. Team is listed at $149 a month billed annually, but BuildBook's pricing page shows conflicting seat counts and monthly prices for its higher plans. Confirm the user allowance and price for your crew in writing before comparing it with another team plan.

Can customers approve estimates and change orders in BuildBook?

Yes. BuildBook builds estimates from a price book with line-level markup and tax, turns them into proposals, and its change orders carry line items, markup and tax that the customer approves or declines by email or after logging in. A separate signature step and online card payment were not found on its official pages, so confirm those with BuildBook if you need them.

What can a homeowner see in BuildBook's client dashboard?

BuildBook's client dashboard shows daily-log updates, a calendar, open invoices, selections and shared files after the homeowner logs in; photos come through comments. Clamp's portal, on Assistant and Teams, opens from a link with no password and shows photos, the schedule, invoices and decisions, and documents are signed there. Check BuildBook's selections if they are central to your homeowner experience.

How do BuildBook and Clamp get job records to QuickBooks?

BuildBook pushes invoices, bills and expenses one way into QuickBooks Online, while Clamp provides an accountant export package instead of a sync. Clamp does not replace a general ledger, payroll, bank feeds or tax filing. BuildBook's connection is a reason to keep it if moving those records automatically matters more to you than the differences in the job workflow.

Related

Sources & provenance

  1. Clamp plans and prices Clamp Research
  2. The Clamp Method Clamp Research
  3. Clamp jobsites guide Clamp Research
  4. BuildBook Pricing BuildBook (official source)
  5. BuildBook BuildBook (official source)
  6. BuildBook estimating BuildBook (official source)
  7. BuildBook proposals BuildBook (official source)
  8. BuildBook invoices BuildBook (official source)
  9. BuildBook scheduling BuildBook (official source)
  10. BuildBook client selections BuildBook (official source)
  11. BuildBook communication: daily logs, chat and mobile apps BuildBook (official source)
  12. BuildBook QuickBooks integration BuildBook (official source)
  13. BuildBook budgets BuildBook (official source)
  14. BuildBook bills and expenses BuildBook (official source)
  15. BuildBook client dashboard BuildBook (official source)
  16. BuildBook help: change orders BuildBook (official source)
  17. BuildBook help: change order approvals BuildBook (official source)
  18. BuildBook help: client dashboard BuildBook (official source)
  19. BuildBook help: share an invoice BuildBook (official source)
  20. Contractor Foreman Pricing Contractor Foreman (official source)
  21. Contractor Foreman features Contractor Foreman (official source)
  22. Contractor Foreman client portal Contractor Foreman (official source)
  23. Contractor Foreman refund policy Contractor Foreman (official source)
  24. Contractor Foreman estimates Contractor Foreman (official source)
  25. Contractor Foreman equipment and vehicle logs Contractor Foreman (official source)
  26. Contractor Foreman takeoffs Contractor Foreman (official source)
  27. Contractor Foreman invoices Contractor Foreman (official source)
  28. Contractor Foreman online payments Contractor Foreman (official source)
  29. Knowify Pricing Knowify (official source)
  30. Knowify client portal Knowify (official source)
  31. Knowify change orders Knowify (official source)
  32. Knowify invoicing Knowify (official source)
  33. Knowify estimating Knowify (official source)
  34. Knowify time tracking Knowify (official source)
  35. Knowify payment processing Knowify (official source)
  36. Knowify scheduling Knowify (official source)
  37. Projul Pricing Projul (official source)
  38. Projul client portal Projul (official source)
  39. Projul estimates and change orders Projul (official source)
  40. Projul features Projul (official source)
  41. Projul scheduling Projul (official source)
  42. Projul daily logs Projul (official source)
  43. Projul job costing and budgeting Projul (official source)
  44. JobTread Pricing JobTread (official source)
  45. JobTread mobile app JobTread (official source)
  46. JobTread takeoff JobTread (official source)
  47. JobTread QuickBooks Online integration JobTread (official source)
  48. JobTread features JobTread (official source)
  49. JobTread change orders JobTread (official source)
  50. JobTread AI JobTread (official source)
  51. JobTread time tracking JobTread (official source)
  52. JobTread job costing JobTread (official source)
  53. JobTread tasks and scheduling JobTread (official source)
  54. JobTread daily logs JobTread (official source)
  55. JobTread invoicing JobTread (official source)
  56. JobTread payments JobTread (official source)
Changes: Oct 14, 2026: Initial draft. BuildBook prices and features verified on buildbook.co and help.buildbook.co on 2026-10-14, including the two conflicting tables on its pricing page; Contractor Foreman, Knowify, Projul and JobTread prices re-checked on their pricing pages the same day. Direct answer rewritten price first (owner ruling 2026-10-14).; Oct 14, 2026: Published after owner approval; FAQ structured data on.