Best Scheduling Software for Subcontractors

JobTread fits a subcontractor that wants budgets, schedules, and client updates in one tool built for builders. The base fee is $159 a month billed annually, or $199 month to month, and it covers one internal user. Extra users cost $16 each a month on annual billing for users 2 to 10, then $12 each for users 11 to 20, $8 each for users 21 to 30, and $4 each after that. The platform covers estimates, budgets, schedules, change orders, and a client portal. There is no free trial, only a 30 day money back guarantee, so a sub should test it with that window in mind.

The trade off is the base fee, because a one person sub pays $159 a month before it adds a single user. For a subcontractor that wants job budgets and schedules tied together at a clear price, JobTread is a strong fit.

Price: $159 per month (billed annually)

Free plan: No

Website: jobtread.com

Knowify fits a small subcontractor that needs job costing and scheduling in one tool at a clear monthly price. The Core plan costs $99 a month billed annually for one user, and covers job costing, scheduling, and time tracking. Advanced costs $329 a month billed annually for 10 users, and adds purchase orders and more reporting. Extra users cost $29 each a month, and Enterprise is quoted. There is no free plan and no trial stated on the pricing page, so a sub should ask sales about a demo before it buys.

The trade off is scale, because Knowify is built for small crews, so a sub with many jobs and many users will outgrow it. For a small subcontractor that wants job costing and scheduling at a clear price, Knowify is a good fit.

Price: $99 per month (billed annually)

Free plan: No

Website: knowify.com

Buildertrend fits a subcontractor that works on homes and remodels, with scheduling, budgets, selections, and client updates in one tool. The vendor quotes a custom price for each contractor, with unlimited users and projects on the plan, and 10 percent off for annual prepay. The platform covers Gantt style schedules, daily logs, change orders, and a client portal that shows owners the job progress. There is no free plan and no trial stated on the pricing page, so a sub should expect a sales call before it sees a price.

The trade off is focus, because Buildertrend is built for residential builders, so a sub that runs large commercial jobs may find it light on the controls Procore covers. For a subcontractor on residential jobs that wants scheduling, budgets, and client updates in one place, Buildertrend is a strong fit.

Price: quote only

Free plan: No

Website: buildertrend.com

CoConstruct fits a subcontractor that works on custom homes, with scheduling, selections, budgets, and client updates built for that work. CoConstruct is now part of Buildertrend, and its pricing page now points to a Buildertrend migration page with no prices, so a new buyer goes through Buildertrend for a quote. The product still covers the same custom home workflow, with schedules, selections, change orders, and a client portal. There is no free plan and no trial stated, so a sub should expect a sales call before it sees a price.

The main point to watch is the move to Buildertrend, because a sub that signs up now will land on the Buildertrend platform, not a standalone CoConstruct plan. For a subcontractor on custom homes that wants the Buildertrend family of tools, CoConstruct is still a name worth knowing.

Price: quote only

Free plan: No

Website: coconstruct.com

Houzz Pro fits a subcontractor that wins work through Houzz and wants leads, estimates, schedules, and client updates in one tool. The Pro plan costs $199 a month for one user, and covers estimates, schedules, invoices, and client updates. Teams plans start from $399 a month for 5 users, and Enterprise is quoted. Pro plans carry a 30 day trial, and a limited set of free tools is also available. The platform suits remodelers and residential subs that want the lead flow and the job flow in one place.

The main cost to watch is the flat monthly price, because $199 a month for one user is the highest flat price in this guide. For a subcontractor that wins jobs through Houzz and wants leads and schedules in one tool, Houzz Pro is a good fit.

Price: $199 per month (billed annually)

Free plan: Yes

Website: houzz.com

Procore fits a subcontractor that works on large jobs and needs the schedule, the budget, the drawings, and the RFIs in one platform. The vendor charges an annual fee set by product and annual construction volume, with unlimited users and no per user charge, so a large crew does not raise the seat count. The platform covers scheduling, daily logs, drawings, RFIs, submittals, budgets, and change orders, which suits a sub that works with many trades on one job. There is no free plan and no trial stated on the pricing page, so a sub should expect a sales call before it sees a price.

The main cost to watch is the quote itself, because the annual fee depends on volume and product choice, and a small sub may find it higher than a per user tool. For a subcontractor that works on large jobs with many trades and needs one platform for the whole project, Procore is the strongest fit in this guide.

Price: quote only

Free plan: No

Website: procore.com

Smartsheet fits a subcontractor that plans jobs in sheets and wants Gantt, card, and calendar views from the same data. The Pro plan at $9 per member per month billed annually covers up to 10 editors, with grid, Gantt, card, and calendar views, plus forms for intake. Business at $19 per member per month billed annually adds unlimited editors, proofing, and activity logs, which matter when many people touch the same job plan. There is no free plan for new signups, only a 30 day trial, so a sub should budget for Pro from the start.

The trade off is that Smartsheet feels like a sheet first and a job tool second, so it lacks the drawing and RFI depth of Procore. For schedules and job dates that live in rows and dates, it is one of the clearest tools in this guide. A subcontractor that already plans in sheets will settle into Smartsheet fast.

Price: $9 per member/month (billed annually)

Free plan: Free trial (30 days)

Website: smartsheet.com