The 13 Best Construction Software and Tools in 2023

With skyrocketing construction costs, it's even more critical today to manage risks by using construction software.

In this article, we will provide you 13 best construction software tools. Take a look, compare and choose the best system to kickstart your digital transformation.

1. Archdesk

Archdesk can help you with all of it.

It’s a customisable, cloud-based software that provides tailored solutions for construction processes (like estimating, budget control, or document management).

The platform gathers, organises, and presents the data, giving you a clear, real-time view of your business. Thanks to that, you can be sure you're always making impactful, data-driven decisions that let your business flourish.

The platform provides tools for:

Project Management Tools

• Scheduling

Assign tasks, set priorities, and deliver projects with maximum efficiency. 

Use Archdesk to create project schedules. Find out how you can save time and make more money when planning your work with the right tool.

• RFIs

63% of construction projects fail due to inefficient information flow. Take care of your internal and external communication with Archdesk. 

Store all your RFIs in one place, check their status, and manage the information- speed up your work to get needed answers quicker.  

Financial Management Tools

• Estimating

Nowadays, with a rising inflation, creating precise and balanced construction budgets is more crucial than ever. 

Cut manual calculations and support yourself with software precision to ensure you’ve calculated the proper margin for your work.

• Cost Control 

Do you often go over budget or have problems with controlling project costs? 

Archdesk offers a financial dashboard where you can control your project's progress in real-time. You don't have to do complex calculations to take care of your project's financial health.

Operation Tools

• Reporting

Don’t lose control over your business. Create high-level reports to be on track with any changes.

Do you have to monitor project progress, waste management, or accidents? With Archdesk, you can build any report you need. Configure your dashboards in order not to miss any crucial data.

• Alerts & Notifications

Busy day in the office or at a construction site? Don’t miss any crucial information while handling a heavy workload.

Archdesk Alerts & Notifications keep you up-to-date wherever you are, thanks to the web and mobile view. Check project progress without spending hours in the system.

Great tools that fall into other construction software categories

• Document Management

Organise your documentation once and for all.

Store all your files in one protected place, access them anytime you need, and share them directly from the software with your clients.

• Forms

Connect different people from different places with standardised Archdesk forms.

Send forms from the system, cut communication errors, and automatically trigger actions by the form completion- improve the process with Archdesk possibilities.

• Timesheets

Do you feel your team doesn’t work with anticipated efficiency?

Use the Archdesk Timesheet feature to manage employees’ schedules, assign tasks, and plan your work. Maximise your productivity while at the same time not overburdening your team with tasks.

What do people think about Archdesk's construction software?

"Software like Archdesk is the lifeblood of most organizations. It is the system of record for everything. I've worked at an organization before that didn't use it and life was miserable.

"It just keeps everything so organised, helps us to track almost everything within the company. Sing in and out feature saved us a lot of time and money tracking our employees.

"Like I mentioned before, everything is run out of Archdesk. Without this CRM in place, we wouldn't be able to operate. The entire business process from cold call to close and then post-sale flows through Archdesk." 
Capterra Source

Does Archdesk have the tools to work in the UK construction industry?

Yes, Archdesk has the biggest customer base in the UK. But, thanks to being fully configurable, Archdesk's solutions also fit other industries (we have customers all over Europe, the Middle East, and the US).

2. Contractor Foreman

Image from Capterra.com

Contractor Foreman offers access to 35+ features at low costs. It's best suited for small and general contractors who are looking to manage daily logs, online payments, to-dos, project scheduling, etc.

This construction software includes construction accounting software, document sharing and task management.

At the same time, having so many project management features might also make the software a bit overwhelming to use.

What do you get with Construction Foreman:

• Financial dashboard with quick glance at estimates, bid management, purchase orders, etc

• Email or call contractors and customers directly from the app

• Custom forms with different templates

• Integrations to other software solutions

What do people think about Construction Foreman?

"What I liked most was the monthly cost. However, as we added more staff, it became prohibitive for us. At the time I tried this out, the mobile app was not the most intuitive and was a bit cumbersome for the guys in the field.

"The multitude of features is great as a whole, but we just didn't need everything."
Capterra Review

"The chat support is great for quick answers, but bigger issues will need to be handled by the tech support that is only available by email, which was sometimes challenging to get a response from.

"Overall they took care of my issues, and the program is working well now. I am probably an unusual case, but this is where the program became frustrating, and I was questioning my decision."
g2 Review

Pros:

• Responsive customer support team

• Good pricing

• Lost of options and features for your use case

Cons:

• Tutorials aren't intuitive, increasing the software learning curve

• Issues with synchronisation

• Difficult to navigate the software

Does Contractor Foreman have the tools to work in the United Kingdom construction industry?

Yes, its website states it serves 75+ countries. But most reviews are from small businesses with less than 50 employees.

3. JobNimbus

Image from softwaresuggest.com

JobNimbus is designed for general contractors, and it claims to save 8 hours per person per week. It comes with CRM and project management tools in a single application.

This makes it easy to manage contacts and communicate with them in real time.

However, a lot of reviews complain about features not working as expected, particularly around scheduling, invoices and generating reports.

What do you get with JobNimbus:

• Contacts and lead management for sales teams

• Estimates and revenue projections

• Document management

• Photo archive

What do people think about JobNimbus?

"So far my concerns are minimal. Would like to see some additional flexibility in customisation in some areas (e.g. for insurance claims. equipment tracking, etc.)"
g2 Review

"Need easier integration with Quick Books. Sending emails is not user-friendly. Reports could be easier to set up and use. Some naming of sections is not intuitive."
Capterra Review

Pros:

• Easy to manage contacts

• Good options to organise files, photos, documents, etc

• Lost of options and features suitable for general contractors' daily workflows

Cons:

• Lacks customisation

• Many reviews report the mobile app doesn't have a good user experience

• Needs improvement with integrations

Does JobNimbus have the tools to work in the United Kingdom construction industry?

Yes, although JobNimbus is a Utah-based software company and its website doesn't specifically mention the list of countries it supports.

4. Viewpoint Spectrum

Image from g2.com

Viewpoint Spectrum is specifically designed as a web-based construction management software. It includes the necessary tools to manage projects, people and processes to ensure you complete projects on time.

It's a cloud-based construction software with features across building information modelling (BIM), drawing and document management.

What do you get with Viewpoint Spectrum?

• BIM features to comply with BIM standards

• Web-based documentation for collaboration, sharing and management

• On-field visibility and performance monitoring

• Cloud-based construction ERP

What do people think about Viewpoint Spectrum?

"Works pretty well unless you have to contact support. The various accounting modules tie together well and provide some good reporting options. Just hope nothing breaks and you don't have to contact support."
g2 Review

"Overall security needs to be revamped to a more true role-based model. It can be challenging in setting users for rights within a module and keep segregation of duties in place."
Capterra Review

Pros:

• User-friendly and intuitive

• Features include necessary tools for project management

• Good document management and imaging options

Cons:

• Requires improvement in reporting features

• Reviews report issues with support

• There might be issues with invoicing and its customisation

Does Viewpoint Spectrum have the tools to work in the United Kingdom construction industry?

Yes, Viewpoint Spectrum is a United Kingdom-based construction software firm.

5. Monday

Image from Capterra.com

Monday is a cloud-based project management solution with multiple use cases across industries, including the construction businesses.

The project management software design focuses on real-time collaboration and is flexible enough for construction firms to manage their real estate projects. You can customise its features to suit your industry-specific construction and engineering needs.

However, Monday is mainly project management software. Construction businesses would require to spend resources on creating custom workflows that construction professionals expect.

What do you get with Monday:

• Organisation-wide collaboration features across sales, marketing, project management solution, creatives, etc

• Seamless document sharing

• Tools to improve workplace productivity

• Templates for financial management, cost accounting, job management, etc

What do people think about Monday?

"Monday is not the most user-friendly software and it shows in the beginning stages of setting everything up in the software.

"I personally had a hard time using it in the beginning as I felt that the platform looked too cluttered and it felt very hard to organise things to make it look like my own space.

"Thankfully, this software is very customisable and I was able to adjust it to my needs eventually and make it feel more like my style and my business' style, and it has improved my workflow greatly. "
Capterra Review

"Whilst monday.com is easy to use and navigate round, there have been quite a few issues lately where monday.com has gone down due to having 'technical issues'. This has caused some problems for me during the working day. It has happened more than once in a working week recently."
Trustpilot Review

Pros:

• Great mobile application

• Friendly user interface

• Possible options for automation

Cons:

• Pricing is on the expensive side for small businesses

• User experience is not intuitive

• No specific features for construction businesses

Does Monday have the tools to work in the United Kingdom construction industry?

Yes, but it's a general project management solution and you have to customise it to suit the requirements of construction professionals.

6. Smartsheet

Image from g2.com

Smartsheet is a real-time work management platform that you can customise to suit your construction business-related requirements.

It includes several project management templates that you can modify for finance management, equipment management, accounting job cost and other industry-specific use cases.

Features include content management, workflow automation, ticketing, to-dos, app integrations, etc.

However, Smartsheet is a general software that would require you to spend resources to meet your construction project management software needs.

What do you get with Smartsheet:

• Digital asset management and performance tracking

• Features include governance and limited control access

• Job scheduling, task management, tracking, etc

• Build business apps and internal tools

What do people think about Smartsheet?

"I can't say there is anything I dislike about Smartsheet. It is limited only based on how it can't support overly specific documents that align with overly specific projects."
Capterra Review

"Dashboard's lack of analytics metrics other platforms possess undermines the other capabilities Smartsheet has to offer.

"Sometimes in the organisation, we have to jump to other BI Tools for calculated metrics that are not available in Smartsheet. One of them that needs to be included in the future is proper drilling like in PBI."
g2 Review

Pros:

• Provides flexibility -you can customise it to your needs

• Possible integrations

• Organisation-wide use cases across marketing, IT, HR, content, project management, etc

Cons:

• Lacks dedicated features for construction professionals

• Lacks advanced analytics

• Difficult to scale as the organisation grows

Does Smartsheet have the tools to work in the United Kingdom construction industry?

Yes, but it's a general software solution. A construction business will have to customise the templates for any needs related to specialist contractors, construction accounting, job costing, etc.

7. BuilderTrend

Image from Capterra.com

BuilderTrend is a software solution built for home builders, specialist contractors, home remodelers and commercial contractors.

You can plan, track and oversee projects along with executing your sales processes. Features include app integrations, financial management, job costing and communication tools, etc.

In multiple reviews, BuilderTrend is quoted to have pricing on the expensive side for small businesses.

What do you get with BuilderTrend:

• Customer portal for support and issue management

• Invoicing, bills and payments solution

• CRM for lead management with email marketing

• Bid and purchase order management

What do people think about Buildertrend?

"The overall rollout is great and intuitive but you do need to commit to integrating BT into your business and this takes time and effort. This is software that gives back 10-fold what you put in, but it does need your commitment."
Capterra Review

"I have found that it has some limitations on what the POs can do. The best solution that we have found is generating a PDF PO outside of BuilderTREND and then uploading it as an attachment to the PO."
g2 Review

Pros:

• Intuitive user interface

• Good job costing and organisation

• Adequate client-facing features

Cons:

• Multiple reviews quote the construction software is slow and faces difficulty in multi-tasking

• Pricing is not suitable for small organisations

• Inadequate API integrations

Does BuilderTrend have the tools to work in the United Kingdom construction industry?

Yes, but they're US based so the functionality might not suit British needs and regulations.

8. Autodesk Construction Cloud

Image from g2.com

Autodesk provides a dedicated construction project management software solution to help project managers design and bring teams together across the project life cycle.

Features include the benefit of unified construction software for Autodesk Takeoff, Autodesk BIM, and Autodesk Build. It is designed for seamless communication and collaboration between architects, managers, contractors, engineers and more.

However, the pricing of complete Autodesk construction software is very expensive.

What you get with Autodesk Construction Cloud:

• Build - manage RFIs, construction drawings, and submittals with clear communication channels both on and off the field.

• Takeoff - complete bid management solution with 2D takeoffs and 3D BIM models

• BIM Collaborate - streamlines communication and collaboration between various teams throughout the project

What do people think about Autodesk Construction Cloud?

"Autodesk Construction Cloud is not cheap. You do have to consider other options if budget is a large constraint.

"While I feel that we get the best bang for our buck using Autodesk, this is definitely not the least expensive option out there but you must consider the features you get automatically included when you deploy this.

"This also takes some skill and expertise to get used to."
Capterra Review

"We must purchase new seats for everyone in the office even though we have purchased/ subscribed to Autodesk already. It should come with the original subscription.

"We already have to renew each year since they eliminated the perpetual licenses, why not offer that with the yearly subscription?"
g2 Review

Pros:

• Good features for team collaboration

• A unified platform provides seamless execution

Cons:

• Subscription pricing on per user basis is not suitable for small enterprises and general contractors

• Not an intuitive user interface and experience

• Needs better file organisation workflows

Does Autodesk Construction Cloud have the tools to work in the United Kingdom construction industry?

Yes, but you require to contact support to know more about how you can customise the construction software.

9. CoConstruct

Image from softwareadvice.com

CoConstruct is construction software for home builders and remodelers.

It helps with managing projects, tracking deliverables, and communicating with clients and vendors. It also helps streamline finances for better job costing, pricing, and estimates.

What you get with CoConstruct:

• Manage and schedule tasks with job costing

• Analytics and reporting with historical data

• Customisable templates

• Manage leads and contractors

What do people think about CoConstruct?

"There is so much in the program that it can seem a little overwhelming at first, but once you get in there and realise how effective this can make you, your team, and your company, it is worth exploring and ensuring you use every aspect of the platform."
Capterra Review

"It can require a long time to set up a project - explicitly a rundown of for the most part random things. I gauge a ton of home investigation reports so it's difficult to make a format that I can import for each activity.

"The customer perspective on some stuff is somewhat less straightforward than I'd like."
g2 Review

Pros:

• Pre-made templates and support for making new templates

• Efficient reporting and scheduling

• Good customer service and demo support

Cons:

• Per-user pricing is expensive

• Mobile app not at par with web versions

• Inadequate features for estimation and invoicing

Does CoConstruct have the tools to work in the United Kingdom construction industry?

Yes, although you may have to customise the templates accordingly.

10. Procore

Image from Softwareadvice.com

Procore is a construction project management software that takes care of complete financials, job costing, vendors, planning and much more.

Designed for construction companies, this management solution works well for project tracking and cost optimisations. This help manage risks as you can identify critical costs and delays at the right time.

Procore's features include majorly for project management, which leaves other aspects like dedicated CRM, emails, etc desired compared to other tools.

What do you get with Procore:

• Complete project management solution for pre-construction and execution

• Track and manage quality and safety parameters on-field

• Analytics for tracking and risk management

• Manage documents and gain insights from the historical database

What do people think about Procore?

"The cost is a big concern, but you don't buy a backhoe to let it sit and not dig holes. Don't spend the money on something like Procore and make its use "voluntary" within your company.

"Make its implementation throughout your company a critical item."
Capterra Review

"The downside to Procore is that the platform is primarily contractor driven and requires heavy customisation on the owners' side.

"This makes it a little more difficult to implement, learn & develop training for end users who may not be embracing change to start with."
g2 Review

Pros:

• Adequate training support and material available

• Reviews highlight satisfactory tracking and analytics

Cons:

• Requires heavy customisation

• Complicated user interface

• The price is high for usage by smaller enterprises

Does Procore have the tools to work in the United Kingdom construction industry?

Yes, but Procore is based in the US.

11. The Access GrouImage from Capterra.com

The Access Group has software that works across domains like marketing, events, waste, etc.

This includes a construction management solution that comes with job costing, construction project information management and financial estimation tools.

You can use its mobile application to register data in real-time on the field and make critical decisions.

Since it's a part of The Access Group's host of management solution tools, a tailored experience is doubtful for your business.

Although, you do get the benefit of other industry-specific solutions due to an expanded product catalogue.

What do you get with The Access Group's Construction Software:

• Project management feature- visibility on-field, task management, easy document sharing and many more.

• Access ConQuest - construction estimation software for accurate budgeting, forecasting and tender submissions.

• HR, payroll and training for your team and construction talent.

What do people think about The Access Group Construction Management Software?

"We have been on a long road with Access but we got there at the end. Whole process very pleasant but took forever.

"The only criticism I would have is the time it took us and also the availability of consultants. Access needs more qualified/specialised consultants to run such a big project.

"However, all the staff has been extremely helpful, patient and understanding."
Trustpilot Review

"We are from the construction industry and have waited over 12 months for The Access Group to implement a reserve VAT function (the regulation was introduced back in March 2021), they then said they didn't understand what it was yet at the same time they are posting about it on the blog on their website. 

"We still don't have the feature working. They sell software into industries which don't conform to industry regulations."
Trustpilot Review

Pros:

• Features include hosting and cybersecurity

• Provides necessary employee training for incident reporting and risk management

• Track and manage construction businesses in real-time with dashboards

Cons:

• Reviews report insufficient demo and support

• Inadequate invoicing features

• Lacks dedicated tools to manage sales and leads

Does The Access Group Construction Management Software have the tools to work in the United Kingdom construction industry?

Yes, The Access Group Construction Management Software is a UK-based construction firm. However, certain customer reviews suggest a lack of support in conforming to industry-specific regulations.

12. Fieldwire

Image from Softwareadvice.com

Fieldwire is a construction project management software designed to efficiently manage job sites. It helps you reduce on-field risks, track work performance and ensure team members coordinate effectively.

A mobile application is provided for real-time reporting, punching attendance and scheduling jobs.

Fieldwire, unlike most construction software, lacks all-around features to manage projects, sales or contacts.

What you get with Fieldwire:

• Field service collaboration and management

• Versioning and management of documents

• Action history and field reporting

• Performance tracking and attendance

What do people think about Fieldwire?

"The compare drawings function is good but difficult to read when printed due to the colours used."
Capterra Review

"The way how the system is organising the drawing set is really cumbersome, It does not allow the drawing with the same name, which is not really making sense from the user's point of view.

"If the drawing is under a different directory, it should allow drawing with the same name."
g2 Review

Pros:

• Good drawing management features

• Document compilation and versioning

• Easy-to-use user interface

Cons:

• The mobile application does not have all features of the web version

• Reviews report glitches while using construction software features

• Poor search features

Does Fieldwire have the tools to work in the United Kingdom construction industry?

Yes, though it might require customisation and usage of external apps.

13. Sage 100 Contractor

Image from Capterra.com

Sage 100 Contractor is a construction project management software that includes a complete set of tools for real estate project management.

This includes provisions for accounting software, equipment management, cost management, and much more. This helps provide a birds-eye view of your construction and real estate projects so that you make the right choices.

What you get with Sage 100 Contractor:

• Cash management with budgeting and forecasting

• Construction accounting, billing and invoicing

• Construction breakdowns with overrun reporting

• Job costing and payroll management tools

What do people think about Sage 100 Contractor?

"Now that I have learned how to use the software, I am very happy with it. It allows for seamless integration of project management and project accounting.

"I would recommend this software to others, but with a serious explanation that the learning process is difficult and frustrating for those who don't come from an accounting background."
Capterra Review

"The reporting could be more customisable. I found myself pulling data from multiple reports to combine."
g2 Review

Pros:

• Easy to search data

• Interconnectivity and easy-to-pull data

Cons:

• Improper training

• Construction software has a learning curve

Does Sage 100 Contractor have the tools to work in the United Kingdom construction industry?

Yes, but you will have to customise the software.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Construction Software?

Construction software provides a complete project management solution by making it easy to handle materials, equipment, vendors, job costs, office, field team members, customer support, and so much more.

Cloud-based construction software solutions help you plan small and medium construction projects across residential, commercial, or industrial.

If you want to digitise and get productive with your construction and real estate business, construction software might be a good choice.

What is a BIM in Construction?

BIM (Building Information Modeling) is the process of managing construction information. Using cloud-based technology, BIM helps optimise design and architecture stages by creating 3D digital models showing changes in a project at different stages of the lifecycle.

Is BIM software?

BIM can be an individual software for 3D construction building and modelling. At the same time, many construction systems offer BIM as one of their features for construction management (along with financial, operational, and project solutions).

Can US tech do the same as United Kingdom construction software?

US and UK markets follow different financial regulations with varying levels of taxes, processes, and requirements. That’s why US technology might be unable to support UK companies fully. The only difference is configurable technology, which can adapt to the user structure and needs.

What is ERP in Construction?

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is a system that helps manage a company's resources and processes for higher productivity and better financial performance.

ERP differs from Construction Software as it focuses more on the whole company perspective. Also, some ERPs available on the market are not tailored to the construction industry's challenges.

How to choose construction software

When choosing the right construction management solution, map out your key metrics to track and fix processes followed in your construction firm.

Then, check the features offered by various construction systems listed and determine if they can automate your work and track the critical metrics.

While some construction solutions offer all-in-one features, it's natural to get overwhelmed with features. It's wise to think long-term and choose based on your construction business, culture and budget.