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Buildertrend Alternatives for Small Residential Contractors (2026)

Buildertrend doesn't publish a price. Six alternatives with published prices for one to ten person residential crews, priced by team size, with where Buildertrend is still stronger.

By Clamp ResearchReviewed by Emmanuel ForgePublished Oct 11, 2026✓ Reviewed Oct 2026
Direct answer: For a one to ten person residential crew, Clamp is the lowest published price with change orders, job costing and mileage on every plan: $12.50 a month billed annually, or $83.33 for up to 10 people. JobTread publishes $199 a month with takeoffs and free sub portals; Contractor Foreman, Knowify and Projul publish team prices; Houzz Pro adds marketplace leads. Stay with Buildertrend if you run many complex projects and want unlimited users.

At a glance

Buildertrend is good software. It is also priced and built for a different contractor than a one to ten person residential crew. This list compares the alternatives on what a small residential contractor runs every week: estimates, change orders, invoices, job cost and the costs that leak, like mileage.

Every price and feature comes from each vendor's own pricing, feature or help pages, read on October 11, 2026. Where a page doesn't mention something, this list says 'not found on official pages' rather than 'can't'.

Feature by feature

FeatureClampBuildertrendJobTreadHouzz ProContractor ForemanKnowifyProjul
Price and team
Starts at$12.50/mo billed annuallyNot published; quoted$199/mo with 1 user$99/mo (Design, 1 user)$49/mo$99 or $149/mo (1 user)$199/mo billed annually (3 users)
Team1 on Solo; up to 10 on TeamsUnlimited users+$20/mo per user; subs and clients free+$50/user; Teams from $399, unlimitedBy plan tier; check plans page+$29/mo per user; Advanced has 103, 10, 20 or unlimited by plan
Winning the job
Lead trackingEvery planYes, CRMYes, sales pipelineYes, CRM; marketplace leadsYes, leads managerYes, sales pipelineEvery plan; CRM Core and up
Lead scoringFive-question score on the first callManual confidence levelNot found on official pagesScreening questionnaire, no scoreNot found on official pagesNot found on official pagesManual qualification stage
AI estimating3 free; 50 or 100 a month by planNot found on official pagesAI budget draftingFrom text, voice or filesAI takeoff in developmentNot found on official pagesPro, through your own AI
Design agreementsEvery planNot found on official pagesNot found on official pagesRetainersNot found on official pagesNot found on official pagesNot found on official pages
ProposalsEvery planYesYesDesign and upEstimates for online approvalEvery planYes
E-signaturesAssistant and TeamsYesYesContracts, Pro and upYesYesCore and up
Running the job
Change ordersEvery planYesYesPro and upYesEvery planCore and up
SchedulingShared schedule on TeamsGantt, dependencies; Google, Outlook syncGantt; Google, Outlook, iCal syncPro; Google, iCloud, Office 365 syncGantt; Google, Outlook syncYesGantt and calendar
Sub accessFree, unlimited on Teams; prices hiddenSub portalFree, unlimited portalFree, no-login dashboardBids by link; no sub portal foundPaid user seatsSources disagree; check with Projul
Customer portalAssistant and TeamsYesFree, unlimitedClient dashboardYesAdvanced and upCore+ and Pro
Automatic remindersEmail and appointment reminders, Assistant and TeamsUnsigned proposals; lead emailsUnsigned estimates, unpaid invoicesContract signing, invoicesEstimate remindersInvoice remindersEmail: invoices, estimates, appointments
Daily logsShared photos and job updates on TeamsYesYesPro and upYesAdvanced and upPro
Punch listsEvery planYes, through TasksTasks and to-dosYesYesNot found on official pagesNot found on official pages
Getting paid
InvoicesEvery plan; milestone billingYes; draws and retainageYes; progress billingYes; milestone schedulesYes; progress, retainage, AIAEvery plan; progress and AIAEvery plan; progress billing Core+
PaymentsYour own payment link; recorded, not processedCard 2.99%, ACH $15Card, ACH, Apple and Google PayCard and ACHACH 1%, card 2.9%Card and ACH via partnersCard and ACH, Core and up
Tracking what it cost
Job costingEvery plan; estimate against actualYesYesFrom $199/moYesAdvanced and upCore+ and up
ReceiptsEvery plan; costed to the jobReceipt scan to a jobAI receipt scanningAI receipt scanExpenses; receipt photos not confirmedExpense loggingManual expense entry
Time on siteDetected automatically, every planManual clock-in; geofence locationManual clock-in, location on a mapClock-in prompt near the siteClock-in with GPS, geofencingClock-in, optional geofenceEvery plan; geofence prompts on Pro
MileageTrips detected automatically, IRS rate, every planNot found on official pagesNot found on official pagesNot found on official pagesManual vehicle logFleet tracking add-onNot found on official pages

From each vendor's own pricing, feature and help pages, read October 11, 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 Buildertrend

Buildertrend does not publish its price. It quotes by builder type and annual revenue, bills annually or quarterly, and includes unlimited users. Its pricing page describes builders who run five or more projects a year or complex multi-phase builds.

6 Buildertrend alternatives

In order of fit for a small residential contractor. 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. Teams $99.99 a month or $999.99 a year for up to 10 accounts.
Team
One account on Solo and Assistant; up to 10 on Teams, plus 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, AI estimate at cost, proposal, change orders and invoices.
  • Change orders, job costing, receipts 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 with e-signatures and email reminders from Assistant, $41.67 a month billed annually.
  • Teams covers up to 10 people plus unlimited free sub invites, who never see your prices, for $99.99 a month.
Clamp estimate showing subtotal, markup and total, with a bar of where the money goes

Estimate, cost and price

Clamp estimate lines grouped by trade: carpentry, cleanup and disposal, demo and prep, electrical

Every line, by trade

Clamp on a phone: the estimate at cost with the markup on top, and every line grouped by trade. Sample data: the published 5x8 bathroom.

Clamp mileage screen with detected trips awaiting confirmation and logged trips attached to jobs

Mileage, detected

Clamp time on site screen with hours on the job by role

Hours on the job

In the background: drives detected and waiting to be confirmed, and hours on the job by role. Sample data.

Where it falls short for a small residential contractor

  • No takeoff from plans and no Gantt schedule; the shared schedule is whole days, on Teams.
  • Clamp does not process payments; you add your own payment link and record what was paid.
  • No QuickBooks sync; an accountant export package instead.
  • Not a lead source; it scores and follows up the leads you already get.

2 JobTreadBest for remodelers and builders who estimate from plans and want deep budgets

Price
$199 a month with one internal user, plus $20 a month per extra internal user up to 10. 20% off billed annually. No contract or setup fees.
Team
Internal users are paid; vendors, subs and customers are free and unlimited.

Where it is stronger

  • Takeoff on calibrated plans that feeds the estimate and budget.
  • Free, unlimited client and sub portals; subs bid and e-sign purchase orders.
  • Two-way QuickBooks Online sync.
  • Gantt scheduling.

Where it falls short for a small residential contractor

  • $199 a month before a second user.
  • The mobile app is a web app added to the home screen, not an App Store download.
  • Business mileage log: not found on official pages.

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

Price
Starts at $49 a month. Plans are billed monthly or annually; the 30-day trial is on annual plans only, and there is a non-refundable implementation fee.
Team
User limits by plan tier; confirm current limits on its plans page.

Where it is stronger

  • A low entry price for change orders, job costing and Gantt scheduling.
  • Two-way QuickBooks Online and Desktop sync.
  • Bid management and purchase orders that become bills.
  • GPS time cards and an equipment and vehicle log.

Where it falls short for a small residential contractor

  • Monthly plans have no free trial and are charged immediately.
  • A non-refundable implementation fee; the amount was not found on official pages.
  • A dedicated sub portal was not found on official pages.

4 KnowifyBest for trade contractors who bill progress and AIA-style

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

Where it is stronger

  • Change orders on every plan that feed the budget and billing.
  • AIA and progress billing on every plan.
  • QuickBooks Online, Time, Payroll and Payments on every plan.

Where it falls short for a small residential contractor

  • Job costing and the client portal start on Advanced.
  • Business mileage log: not found on official pages.

5 Houzz ProBest for design-led remodelers who want Houzz marketplace leads and 3D plans

Price
Free basic plan; Design $99 a month and Pro $199 a month, one user each; Teams from $399 a month with unlimited users. Most plans are 12-month contracts.
Team
Extra users $50 a month on Design and Pro; subs work through an emailed link for free.

Where it is stronger

  • A built-in source of homeowner leads on the Houzz marketplace, plus paid ads.
  • 3D floor plans from room scans and 2D plans.
  • Plan takeoff into estimate lines.
  • A no-login dashboard for subs.

Where it falls short for a small residential contractor

  • Most plans are 12-month contracts that cannot be cancelled early.
  • Job costing starts at $199 a month.
  • QuickBooks Online sync runs one way, from Houzz Pro.
  • Business mileage log: not found on official pages.

6 ProjulBest for growing crews that want flat team pricing and free onboarding on annual plans

Price
Starter $199 a month billed annually or $249 monthly, up to 3 users. Core $399 or $529, up to 10. Month to month is available.
Team
Flat price per plan with no per-user fee; subcontractor profiles are schedule placeholders and cannot log in.

Where it is stronger

  • No per-user fees within a plan.
  • Dependency-based scheduling across trades.
  • Onboarding and data import free with an annual plan, above Starter.

Where it falls short for a small residential contractor

  • Change orders start on Core ($399 a month billed annually) and job costing on Core+ ($599).
  • Subs cannot log in.
  • Business mileage log: not found on official pages.

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
BuildertrendNot publishedNot publishedNot published
JobTread$159.20 billed annually ($199 monthly)$191.20 billed annually ($239 monthly)$303.20 billed annually ($379 monthly)
Houzz Pro$199 monthly, Pro (12-month contract)$299 monthly, Pro plus 2 usersFrom $399 monthly, Teams
Contractor ForemanFrom $49Not confirmed on official pagesNot confirmed on official pages
Knowify$99 or $149, Core$157 or $207, Core plus 2 users$329 or $399, Advanced
Projul$199 billed annually ($249 monthly), Starter$199 billed annually ($249 monthly), Starter$399 billed annually ($529 monthly), Core

Per month for the whole business, from each vendor's own pricing page on 2026-10-11. Billed annually where the vendor offers it, with the monthly-billing price in parentheses; 'calculated' figures add the vendor's per-user price. The plans compared are not equivalent: check what each includes before you compare totals.

When to stay with Buildertrend

How to choose

  1. Write down the jobs you ran last month and what each one needed: estimates from plans, change orders, progress invoices, crew hours, mileage.
  2. Price your actual team size, including subs who need access, on each vendor's current pricing page.
  3. Check the contract terms before the features: annual minimums, implementation fees and how to cancel.
  4. Run one real job through a trial from first call to final invoice before you move your records.
  5. Keep your current software until the trial job closes cleanly.

Before you switch

How this list was made

Questions

How much does Buildertrend cost?

Buildertrend doesn't publish a price. It quotes by builder type and annual revenue, billed annually or quarterly, with 10% off paid annually upfront.

Is there a Buildertrend alternative with a published price?

Yes. Clamp, JobTread, Contractor Foreman, Knowify, Houzz Pro and Projul all publish prices on their own pages.

Does Buildertrend charge per user?

No. Its pricing pages list unlimited users at no extra cost per user.

Related

Sources & provenance

  1. Buildertrend mobile app Buildertrend (official source)
  2. Buildertrend budgeting Buildertrend (official source)
  3. Buildertrend change orders Buildertrend (official source)
  4. Buildertrend cost inbox Buildertrend (official source)
  5. Buildertrend CRM Buildertrend (official source)
  6. Buildertrend daily logs Buildertrend (official source)
  7. Buildertrend FAQ Buildertrend (official source)
  8. Buildertrend invoices Buildertrend (official source)
  9. Buildertrend Payments FAQs Buildertrend (official source)
  10. Buildertrend client portal Buildertrend (official source)
  11. Buildertrend Pricing Buildertrend (official source)
  12. Buildertrend proposals Buildertrend (official source)
  13. Buildertrend punch lists Buildertrend (official source)
  14. Buildertrend schedule Buildertrend (official source)
  15. Buildertrend subcontractor portal Buildertrend (official source)
  16. Buildertrend takeoff Buildertrend (official source)
  17. Buildertrend construction software pricing Buildertrend (official source)
  18. Buildertrend time clock Buildertrend (official source)
  19. Buildertrend Xero integration Buildertrend (official source)
  20. Contractor Foreman bid management Contractor Foreman (official source)
  21. Contractor Foreman calendar Contractor Foreman (official source)
  22. Contractor Foreman daily logs Contractor Foreman (official source)
  23. Contractor Foreman estimates Contractor Foreman (official source)
  24. Contractor Foreman features Contractor Foreman (official source)
  25. Contractor Foreman Contractor Foreman (official source)
  26. Contractor Foreman invoices Contractor Foreman (official source)
  27. Contractor Foreman leads manager Contractor Foreman (official source)
  28. Contractor Foreman online payments Contractor Foreman (official source)
  29. Contractor Foreman client portal Contractor Foreman (official source)
  30. Contractor Foreman punchlists Contractor Foreman (official source)
  31. Contractor Foreman refund policy Contractor Foreman (official source)
  32. Contractor Foreman takeoffs Contractor Foreman (official source)
  33. Contractor Foreman time cards Contractor Foreman (official source)
  34. Contractor Foreman equipment and vehicle logs Contractor Foreman (official source)
  35. Contractor Foreman: what's new Contractor Foreman (official source)
  36. Clamp jobsites guide Clamp Research (official source)
  37. The Clamp Method Clamp Research
  38. Clamp plans and prices Clamp Research
  39. Houzz Pro 3D floor plans Houzz (official source)
  40. Houzz Pro: create an estimate with AI Houzz (official source)
  41. How to cancel your Houzz Pro subscription Houzz (official source)
  42. Houzz Pro change orders Houzz (official source)
  43. Houzz Pro client dashboard Houzz (official source)
  44. Houzz Pro contracts Houzz (official source)
  45. Houzz Pro CRM Houzz (official source)
  46. Houzz Pro expenses Houzz (official source)
  47. Houzz Pro job costing Houzz (official source)
  48. Houzz Pro lead generation Houzz (official source)
  49. Houzz Pro online payments Houzz (official source)
  50. Houzz Pro Pricing Houzz (official source)
  51. Houzz Pro punchlist Houzz (official source)
  52. Houzz Pro QuickBooks integration Houzz (official source)
  53. Houzz Pro retainers Houzz (official source)
  54. Houzz Pro schedule Houzz (official source)
  55. Houzz Pro subcontractor dashboard Houzz (official source)
  56. Houzz Pro takeoff Houzz (official source)
  57. Houzz Pro time tracking Houzz (official source)
  58. JobTread AI JobTread (official source)
  59. JobTread change orders JobTread (official source)
  60. JobTread CRM JobTread (official source)
  61. JobTread daily logs JobTread (official source)
  62. JobTread estimating JobTread (official source)
  63. JobTread invoicing JobTread (official source)
  64. JobTread job costing JobTread (official source)
  65. JobTread mobile app JobTread (official source)
  66. JobTread payments JobTread (official source)
  67. JobTread Pricing JobTread (official source)
  68. JobTread QuickBooks Online integration JobTread (official source)
  69. JobTread tasks and scheduling JobTread (official source)
  70. JobTread takeoff JobTread (official source)
  71. JobTread time tracking JobTread (official source)
  72. JobTread vendor and subcontractor management JobTread (official source)
  73. JobTread workflows JobTread (official source)
  74. Knowify change orders Knowify (official source)
  75. Knowify CRM Knowify (official source)
  76. Knowify estimating Knowify (official source)
  77. Knowify fleet tracking Knowify (official source)
  78. Knowify invoicing Knowify (official source)
  79. Knowify payment processing Knowify (official source)
  80. Knowify purchase orders Knowify (official source)
  81. Knowify client portal Knowify (official source)
  82. Knowify Pricing Knowify (official source)
  83. Knowify scheduling Knowify (official source)
  84. Knowify subcontractor management Knowify (official source)
  85. Knowify time tracking Knowify (official source)
  86. Projul AI Connect Projul (official source)
  87. Projul budgeting Projul (official source)
  88. Projul: adding an employee, user or contractor Projul (official source)
  89. Projul daily logs Projul (official source)
  90. Projul estimates and change orders Projul (official source)
  91. Projul lead management Projul (official source)
  92. Projul payment processing Projul (official source)
  93. Projul client portal Projul (official source)
  94. Projul Pricing Projul (official source)
  95. Projul automated client reminders Projul (official source)
  96. Projul scheduling Projul (official source)
  97. Projul time tracking Projul (official source)
Changes: Oct 11, 2026: Initial publication after owner review: prices and features from each vendor's own pages, read 2026-10-11.; Oct 11, 2026: The app screenshot now shows the estimate lines grouped by trade.