How we make this list: we compare pricing pages, product documentation and public user reviews. Rankite is independent; if a vendor ever pays for a featured spot, that listing is clearly labeled Partner.
Key takeaways
- Small contractors needing real books plus basic job tracking should look at QuickBooks Plus ($140/month).
- Trade contractors billing fixed-price and AIA work should shortlist Knowify ($99/month annual) for its QuickBooks sync and job costing.
- Established contractors needing true construction accounting should get quotes from Sage 100 Contractor and Foundation Software.
- Solo contractors who mainly need clean invoicing can start with FreshBooks ($23/month) and graduate later.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Best for | Starting price | Free plan |
|---|
 QuickBooks Online | Small contractors needing real books plus basic job tracking | Plus $140/month (project profitability, inventory); Simple Start $38/month | No (30-day free trial) |
 Sage 100 Contractor | Established contractors needing genuine construction accounting | See website (quote-based) | No (free demo available) |
 Foundation Software | Small to mid-size trade contractors needing job costing and payroll | See website (quote-based) | No (free demo available) |
 Jonas Construction Software | Mid-size to large contractors running complex multi-project operations | See website (quote-based) | No (free demo available) |
 Buildertrend | Residential remodelers and custom home builders needing project management | See website (quote-based; third parties report ~$339-449/month annual) | No (free demo available) |
 Knowify | Trade and specialty contractors billing fixed-price and AIA work | $99/month billed annually ($149 monthly, Core); Advanced $329/month annual | No (14-day free trial on every plan) |
 Xero | Contractors with bigger office teams wanting unlimited users | Early $27/month; Growing $59/month; Established $97/month (US, Oct 2026) | No (free trial available) |
 FreshBooks | Solo contractors and tiny firms needing clean invoicing | Lite $23/month (5 billable clients); Plus $43/month (50 clients) | No (30-day free trial, no credit card required) |
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
The best accounting software for contractors
A contractor's books fail in one specific place: job costing. Generic accounting tells you the company made money. It does not tell you the Johnson kitchen lost $4,000 while the Smith addition made $12,000, which means you keep bidding Johnson-style jobs. Construction accounting exists to fix that: costs tracked per job, committed costs visible, and billing tied to progress. These eight tools cover the range from invoicing to full construction ERP.
Starting pricePlus $140/month (project profitability, inventory); Simple Start $38/month
Free planNo (30-day free trial)
QuickBooks Plus is the default for small contractors: real double-entry books, project profitability tracking, and an app ecosystem that includes construction add-ons like Knowify and Buildertrend. Every accountant knows it, which removes the year-end friction that kills cheaper experiments.
The honest catch is depth and price trajectory. Job costing is basic next to Sage or Foundation, so serious contractors still lean on spreadsheets or add-ons, and Intuit has raised prices six years running (Plus now $140). Setup is self-serve. Buy QuickBooks when you need real books with light job tracking; buy construction software when job cost decides your bids.
What we like- Largest accountant network means easy professional help
- Plus adds project profitability and inventory
- Massive app ecosystem
Watch out for- Sixth straight year of price increases
- Job costing is basic versus construction-specific tools
#2
Sage 100 Contractor
Best for: Established contractors needing genuine construction accounting
Visit sage.com
Starting priceSee website (quote-based)
Free planNo (free demo available)
Sage 100 Contractor is the real thing: job costing, payroll, service management and estimating unified in one system built for contractors over decades. Compliance reporting and the depth of cost tracking suit established firms where the books have to stand up to audits and bonding requirements.
Modernization is the trade. The interface shows its on-premise roots, pricing is quote-based, and implementation is a real project. For an established contractor whose accounting needs are genuinely construction-shaped, this depth is the point. For a small shop, it is too much system.
What we like- True construction accounting with job costing, payroll and estimating in one
- Strong compliance and reporting
- Long track record
Watch out for- Dated on-premise-rooted interface
- Quote-based pricing and implementation are heavy
#3
Foundation Software
Best for: Small to mid-size trade contractors needing job costing and payroll
Visit foundationsoft.com
Starting priceSee website (quote-based)
Free planNo (free demo available)
FOUNDATION targets the trade contractor: real job costing plus the payroll complexity trades actually face, including multi-state payroll and prevailing wage. Support is well regarded, which matters when the office manager is also the IT department.
Total cost is the conversation. Quote-only pricing plus meaningful implementation runs well above generic tools, so get the full first-year number in writing. Project management features are lighter than Buildertrend's. For a trade contractor whose payroll crosses state lines, FOUNDATION's compliance depth justifies the quote process.
What we like- Purpose-built construction accounting with strong job costing
- Multi-state payroll and prevailing wage support
- Well-regarded support
Watch out for- Quote-only pricing with meaningful implementation costs
- Project management features are lighter than rivals
#4
Jonas Construction Software
Best for: Mid-size to large contractors running complex multi-project operations
Visit jonasconstruction.com
Starting priceSee website (quote-based)
Free planNo (free demo available)
Jonas is a construction ERP, not accounting software: job costing, service management, equipment tracking and multi-entity accounting in one mature system. For a contractor running dozens of concurrent projects across entities, this is the operational backbone.
The investment matches the scope. Enterprise pricing, long implementations, and six-figure first-year costs are normal at scale. For a 15-person shop, this is absurd overkill. Buy Jonas when the operation's complexity demands an ERP; buy anything else when it does not.
What we like- Full ERP for larger contractors: accounting, job costing, service and equipment
- Strong multi-entity support
- Mature product
Watch out for- Enterprise pricing and long implementations
- Overkill for small shops
#5
Buildertrend
Best for: Residential remodelers and custom home builders needing project management
Visit buildertrend.com
Starting priceSee website (quote-based; third parties report ~$339-449/month annual)
Free planNo (free demo available)
Buildertrend is project management for residential builders first: scheduling, client communication, selections and change orders, with a homeowner-facing experience that wins bids. Unlimited users on every plan means the whole team and every client can be in it.
Do not mistake it for accounting software. The financial features are light next to real construction accounting, so pair it with QuickBooks rather than relying on it alone. Pricing went quote-only in 2026 and has risen. For a remodeler whose problem is running jobs and delighting homeowners, this is the pick; the books still need QuickBooks.
What we like- Best-in-class client communication and scheduling for residential builders
- Unlimited users on every plan
- Strong mobile apps
Watch out for- Accounting features are light versus true construction accounting
- Pricing is now quote-only and has risen
#6
Knowify
Best for: Trade and specialty contractors billing fixed-price and AIA work
Visit knowify.com
Starting price$99/month billed annually ($149 monthly, Core); Advanced $329/month annual
Free planNo (14-day free trial on every plan)
Knowify bridges the gap: real job costing, WIP reporting and AIA billing in a modern tool, with the deepest native two-way QuickBooks sync in the category. For a trade contractor billing fixed-price and AIA G702/G703 work, this combination is exactly the missing piece QuickBooks leaves out.
Watch the seat math. Core includes one user and extras cost $29 each per month, and service dispatch is a separate $99 add-on. Setup is self-serve with onboarding help. For a contractor who loves QuickBooks but needs real job cost, Knowify is the most surgical addition on this list.
What we like- Native two-way QuickBooks sync, deepest in the category
- Real job costing and WIP reporting
- Licensed AIA G702/G703 billing
Watch out for- Per-user fees add up on Core
- Service dispatch is a separate $99/month add-on
#7
Xero
Best for: Contractors with bigger office teams wanting unlimited users
Visit xero.com
Starting priceEarly $27/month; Growing $59/month; Established $97/month (US, Oct 2026)
Free planNo (free trial available)
Xero's pitch to contractors is the office: unlimited users on every plan means a five-person office pays the same as a sole trader, which beats QuickBooks' per-tier user caps. Bank reconciliation is excellent and the app marketplace is large.
Construction depth is missing natively. Job costing needs a construction add-on, and US payroll runs through third parties. Setup is self-serve. For a contractor whose office team is the constraint and whose field operation is simple, Xero plus a job-costing app works. For job-cost-driven bidding, start with the construction tools.
What we like- Unlimited users on every plan
- Best-in-class bank reconciliation
- Large app marketplace
Watch out for- No construction-specific job costing natively
- US payroll is a third-party add-on
Starting priceLite $23/month (5 billable clients); Plus $43/month (50 clients)
Free planNo (30-day free trial, no credit card required)
FreshBooks is the starting point: estimates to invoices to payments with minimal effort, good time tracking, and accountant access on Plus and up. For a solo contractor whose accounting need is getting paid and tracking expenses, this is enough.
The caps and the ceiling are real. Billable-client limits force upgrades as the client list grows, and there is no job costing depth, so growing contractors outgrow it. Setup takes minutes. Start here when the business is you plus a truck; graduate to QuickBooks Plus or Knowify when job profitability starts deciding bids.
What we like- Easiest invoicing and expense tracking for small contractors
- Good time tracking
- Accountant access on Plus and up
Watch out for- Billable-client caps force upgrades
- Not real construction accounting, no job costing depth
Job costing is the whole decision
Ask one question: do you know which jobs made money last quarter? If yes and the system producing that answer works, keep it. If the answer is a shrug, you need job costing, and the choice is how much system you buy around it. QuickBooks Plus plus discipline covers small contractors. Knowify adds real job cost to QuickBooks. Sage and Foundation replace QuickBooks with construction accounting. The wrong choice is not the expensive one; it is the one nobody in the office actually uses to code costs to jobs.
Frequently asked questions
What is job costing in construction accounting?
Tracking every cost, labor, materials, subs, equipment, against the specific job it belongs to, then comparing actual costs to the estimate. It tells you which jobs and which bid types are profitable. Generic accounting shows company profit; job costing shows where it came from.
QuickBooks vs Sage 100 Contractor: which is better?
QuickBooks Plus is better for small contractors who need real books with light job tracking and a huge app ecosystem. Sage 100 Contractor is better for established firms needing genuine construction accounting: deep job cost, payroll and estimating in one system. Most contractors start with QuickBooks and move to Sage when job complexity demands it.
Do I need AIA billing software?
If you do commercial or institutional work billed on AIA G702/G703 forms, yes, and Knowify includes licensed AIA billing. Residential contractors billing fixed-price or time-and-materials do not need it. Do not pay for AIA features on jobs that will never see a G702.
How much does construction accounting software cost?
From $23 to quote-based enterprise pricing. FreshBooks Lite $23, Xero Early $27, Knowify Core $99, QuickBooks Plus $140, Buildertrend ~$339-449, and Sage, Foundation and Jonas quote-based with implementation costs. Price the first year including implementation, not just the monthly subscription.
Can I just use QuickBooks for my construction business?
Many contractors do, and for small operations it works: Plus adds project profitability tracking. The limit is job costing depth and construction payroll complexity. When bids depend on knowing true job costs, or payroll crosses state lines with prevailing wage, add Knowify or move to construction accounting.
How we chose
We started with the categories buyers search: accounting software for contractors, best accounting software for contractors, and accounting software for construction companies. For each candidate we checked the vendor's own pricing pages, cross-checked capabilities and costs against public reviews on G2 and Capterra and practitioner discussion on Reddit, and compared job costing depth, QuickBooks integration and contractor-size fit. Where a price could not be verified on the vendor's page we wrote "See website" rather than guessing. The shortlist mixes generic accounting with construction-specific tools, because a solo remodeler and a 200-person GC are not buying the same thing.
Sources we checked (10)
- https://quickbooks.intuit.com/pricing/
- https://www.sage.com/en-us/products/sage-100-contractor/
- https://www.foundationsoft.com/
- https://www.jonasconstruction.com/
- https://buildertrend.com/pricing/
- https://knowify.com/pricing/
- https://www.xero.com/pricing/
- https://www.freshbooks.com/pricing/
- https://www.g2.com/categories/construction-accounting
- https://www.capterra.com/construction-accounting-software/
Is your product missing or out of date?
We review this list regularly. Vendors can request a listing, send updated pricing or ask about featured placement.
Shihab Mia · Founder, Rankite
Shihab has spent more than a decade helping SaaS and e-commerce brands grow through search. He writes Rankite's software buying guides from pricing pages, documentation and public user reviews. More about Shihab.