Construction software can keep projects on time and within budget. We review the 6 best free construction software.
Running a construction company without software increases the chances of missing important tasks or leaving people out of the loop.
The good news: reliable construction software doesn’t have to be costly.
In this guide, I’ll review the 6 best free software for construction companies for keeping your projects on time and on budget.
If you don’t have the time to read through our research, jump down to our quick comparison table.
Our Top Picks
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Best all-in-one free software for construction companies
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Good for viewing plans
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Good for preconstruction management
Why trust us?
Our team of unbiased software reviewers follows strict editorial guidelines, and our methodology is clear and open to everyone.
See our complete methodology
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Tools considered
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Tools reviewed
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Best tools
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How I Chose the Best Free Software for Construction Companies
Here are the key features I looked for in free software solutions for construction businesses.
Must-have features
First, I ensured they had these core features:
- Project management tools for task scheduling, milestone tracking, and progress monitoring to keep projects on track.
- Budget and cost management capabilities for creating budgets, tracking expenses, and generating financial reports to maintain financial control.
- Document management system to store, manage, and share project documents like contracts and blueprints securely.
- Resource allocation and inventory management for efficiently tracking and managing materials, equipment, and labor.
- Communication and collaboration features, including messaging, email integration, and collaboration spaces.
- Compliance and safety management features that assist in complying with industry regulations and maintaining workplace safety, including training tools, checklists, and hazard reporting features.
I also made sure the software was:
- User friendly so both tech-savvy and non-tech-savvy users can enjoy an easy-to-navigate interface and simple onboarding process.
- Affordable for users who want to access paid features or storage upgrades in addition to the free features.
- Accessible via a mobile app so workers can access all functionalities on a mobile device, particularly while at job sites.
Finally, I checked for specific features that make free software for construction companies great:
- Advanced reporting and analytics to generate detailed reports on productivity, resource allocation, and trends for data-driven decisions.
- A time clock for accurate tracking of employee hours and labor costs.
The 6 Best Construction Company Software for Free in 2024
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Connecteam — Best all-in-one free software for construction companies
Connecteam is a team management platform ideal for construction businesses. The construction app offers various features for scheduling, project management, reporting from the field, and more to ensure every project remains on track.
Why I picked Connecteam: We developed Connecteam to be the most versatile free platform for construction companies. Here’s how Connecteam can help your business.
Assign employees to projects with drag-and-drop scheduling
Connecteam makes it easy for you to assign your employees to projects—a huge help when you’re juggling multiple job sites and coordinating with subcontractors.
You can create schedules in minutes using the drag-and-drop employee scheduler. Connecteam automatically alerts you to scheduling conflicts and helps you balance workloads across employees.
If that takes too much time, you can use the auto-scheduler to create an optimal schedule with just a touch.
Need to make last-minute changes? Immediately alert employees with push notifications.
Manage projects with tasks
Connecteam is a task management app you can use to create tasks and assign them to employees. Specify which certifications or training each assignment requires to ensure you never assign an unqualified employee to a task.
Each task can have subtasks, and you can attach to-do lists, documents, images, and more to ensure employees know what they should do and how they should do it. You can create recurring assignments for essential tasks like fleet vehicle maintenance and safety training.
Connecteam offers visual tools for organizing and tracking work progress, including kanban boards and a management dashboard. If tasks are approaching deadlines, remind employees with a click.
Get real-time updates from the field with forms and checklists
Connecteam enables employees to deliver reports in real-time with customizable digital forms and checklists. These are available through the mobile app, making them accessible for employees in the field.
With these, project managers can report on the quality of a construction task or other issues. They can even attach images and videos.
Forms can also keep your workforce safer. For example, a safety hazard report template can help you document and address safety hazards.
Communicate with employees in the field
Connecteam offers an online team chat that supports 1-on-1 and group messages. It’s handy for getting updates about progress or sharing requests from a client.
You can even organize your communication by creating channels for each project your business is working on.
Track employees’ work hours with a mobile time clock
Connecteam has a time-tracking clock that employees can use to clock in and out of work right from their mobile devices. This makes it easy to track labor costs and employee productivity.
You can use Connecteam’s geofence time clock to create geofences—virtual boundaries—around your company’s project sites. Employees can clock in only after they arrive at a site. This is helpful for budgeting since you know exactly how long employees spent at each job site.
Train employees to promote safety on job sites
Connecteam’s construction employee training software offers training course templates you can customize to train construction employees. Employees can take training courses at any time, right from their smartphones. I find this feature useful for creating ongoing safety and compliance training, as well as job-site-specific training.
Track employee certifications and organize project documents
Connecteam offers cloud document storage you can use to manage employee certifications. The software will notify you before an employee’s certification lapses.
You can also use Connecteam’s cloud storage to organize project documents, such as licenses, contracts, and plans. Employees can access blueprints and other documents they need from the field.
Connecteam also offers a free for life plan – Try Connecteam here!
Key Features
Drag-and-drop employee scheduler
Task management with progress tracking
Mobile-friendly forms and checklists
Messaging app for 1-on-1 and group chats
Time clock to track labor costs and employee productivity at every job site
Customizable, mobile-accessible training courses
Pros
Offers an all-in-one solution for project and team management
Boasts a fully mobile solution for employees in the field
Helps manage multiple job sites with different safety requirements
Enables instant communication of changes to employees
Cons
More integrations on the way
Pricing
Free-for-life plan availablePremium plans start at $29/month for 30 users
14-day free trial, no credit card required
Start your free trial -
Fieldwire — Good for viewing plans
Fieldwire is a construction management software designed to enhance field operations with features like plan viewing, task management, and file and photo management.
Why I chose Fieldwire: Its focus on simplifying field operations appealed to me. The software offers intuitive plan viewing, making accessing and navigating construction plans easy. Task management is efficient, allowing you to assign and track tasks effortlessly. The file and photo management system is straightforward, facilitating easy sharing and organization of important documents and images.
One feature I found particularly useful is the plan viewing. It’s user-friendly and helps you quickly access project plans.
However, one shortcoming I noticed is that the free plan restricts advanced features like custom forms. These are crucial for collecting information from on-site employees and tracking project progress.
Key Features
- Mobile-accessible plan viewing
- Task assignment
- Cloud storage for documents and photos
- Checklists for in-field tasks
Pros
- Intuitive user interface
- Suitable for smaller teams
Cons
- Limited project capacity
- Limited suitability for large or complex projects
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
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Procore — Good for preconstruction management
Procore is a construction software platform that offers tools for managing project bids, tracking budgets, and helping construction businesses get paid.
Why I chose Procore:
I like that Procore offers construction managers’ tools for preconstruction, including tracking bids, assembling building plans, and building a network of subcontractors. Business owners can see which projects they’ve been invited to bid on, track the total value of proposed work, and convert successful bids into contracts.
Procore also has a built-in network of construction businesses, including thousands of subcontractors. This can be useful for general contractors who need specialists for particular jobs or who want to expand the network of subcontractors they work with.
Procore has some features for ongoing project management, including a team communications tool. However, there’s no way to organize chats into project-specific channels, and the user interface feels more like an email inbox than a messaging app.
Key Features
- Bid management
- Built-in network of subcontractors and specialists
- Plan creation with edit history
- Financial reports for each project
Pros
- Bid and contract tools for closing projects faster
- Advanced reporting for keeping projects on budget
Cons
- Limited features for managing on-site employees
- Unintuitive team chat interface
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: No
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ClickUp — Good for office employees
Clickup is a team management software that can help a construction business’s office employees work more productively.
Why I chose Clickup:
Clickup offers tools for office employees to track their hours, manage projects, and communicate with one another. Its time clock enables employees to record the hours they spend on different projects. This helps project managers determine the overhead costs to assign to each client.
Clickup’s construction project management tools help employees track to-do lists and enable managers to monitor progress. Project managers can assign tasks and due dates, prioritize work by urgency, and view assignments on a Gantt chart or timeline.
The mobile app makes Clickup a good choice for on-site workers, too. However, the platform doesn’t offer checklists, geofencing, or scheduling tools that can make a big difference for managing field employees and labor costs.
Key Features
- Chat app with project-specific channels
- Multi-project time tracking
- Project management dashboard with task prioritization
- Cloud document storage
Pros
- Makes it easier to bill clients accurately for overhead costs
- Mobile app enables office and field employees to communicate
Cons
- Doesn’t offer checklists
- Doesn’t enable scheduling employees to specific job sites
Pricing
Starts at $7/member/month Trial: No Free Plan: Yes
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Safesite — Good for construction safety training
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Safesite is an employee training software you can use to promote safety on construction sites.
Why I chose Safesite:
Safesite can help companies develop their safety cultures. The platform enables project managers to schedule safety meetings, invite employees to join, and track attendance. It also includes presentation templates on various safety topics to simplify these meetings.
Employees can use Safesite’s app to report safety incidents or concerns and immediately notify project managers. They can add photos of hazards and prioritize issues based on the risks they pose.
Safesite focuses on safety meetings and hazard reporting only, and much of its functionality can be replicated with forms. So, I find it’s not the most versatile construction app.
Key Features
- Safety meeting scheduler
- Hazard reports
- Reporting tools for identifying common hazards
- Safety training presentation templates
Pros
- Encourages employees to speak up about safety hazards
- Helps your business comply with safety requirements
Cons
- Doesn’t offer a chat function
- Hazard reporting can be replicated with forms
Pricing
Starts at $16/user/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
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nutcache — Good for project budgeting
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
nutcache is a construction project management software that offers task assignments, time tracking, invoicing, and expense tracking tools.
Why I chose nutcache:
I like nutcache because it can help construction companies keep their projects on budget. The platform enables project managers to estimate job costing, including labor and supply expenses, for each stage of a construction job. As a project takes shape, managers can use nutcache to spot overruns and make adjustments.
Another reason I like nutcache is that it enables construction companies to create and share invoices with clients. The platform also accepts online payments for invoices through PayPal, Stripe, Authorize.net, or 2Checkout.
However, nutcache might be difficult for new users to use. Also, the lack of geofencing and similar features means labor costs might be inflated if workers clock in when they aren’t actually working.
Key Features
- Budget setting
- Invoice management
- Mobile-friendly time clock
- Track employee expenses for jobs
Pros
- Receive client payments through the platform
- Avoid significant cost overruns with budgeting tracking
Cons
- Learning curve
- No measures to prevent time theft
Pricing
Starts at $12.49/user/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: No
Best Free Construction Company Software in 2024 Comparison
Topic | Start for free | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Reviews |
4.8
|
4.6
|
4.5
|
4.7
|
4.7
|
4.4
|
Pricing |
Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users
|
Contact vendor for price
|
Contact vendor for price
|
Starts at $7/member/month
|
Starts at $16/user/month
|
Starts at $12.49/user/month
|
Free Trial |
yes
14-day
|
yes
|
no
|
no
|
yes
|
yes
|
Free Plan |
yes
Free Up to 10 users
|
yes
|
no
|
yes
|
yes
|
no
|
Use cases |
Best all-in-one free software for construction companies
|
Good for viewing plans
|
Good for preconstruction management
|
Good for office employees
|
Good for construction safety training
|
Good for project budgeting
|
Available on |
Web, iOS, Android
|
Web, iOS, Android
|
What Is Free Software for a Construction Company?
Free construction company software includes digital tools and mobile apps designed to help construction businesses function and manage construction projects. These come at no cost. This type of software is tailored to address the unique requirements of the construction industry, such as planning and budgeting projects, managing on-site employees, construction payroll and complying with safety standards.
While some tools are entirely free, many software companies offer free versions of their paid platforms. These free tools have limitations, but they can still offer all the features a growing construction company needs.
How Does Free Software for Construction Companies Work?
You can use construction company software for free to get an overview of a construction job. That includes what employees are working on, what still needs to be done, and whether a project is staying on schedule and within budget. Use this information to aid real-time decision-making on a job site.
Many free construction software tools offer task management and communication features, enabling project managers, site managers, and contractors to direct employees in the field. This enhances overall productivity and coordination because employees know what they must do when they arrive at a job site and can easily report their progress.
The Benefits of Free Software for Construction Companies
There are several important benefits to using free software for your construction company.
Cost savings
Getting construction business software for free can save your company tons of money on software licenses while still enabling you to get most of the productivity benefits that construction tools offer. Free software tools can be particularly beneficial for small businesses on tight budgets.
Improved project management
Automated planning and progress tracking tools help you run your construction business more effectively. This enhances your team’s ability to complete projects on time and on budget, ensuring your clients are happy and want to recommend your company to others.
Enhanced communication and collaboration
In construction, communication is essential to ensuring employees, subcontractors, inspectors, and clients are all on the same page. Using construction business software for free enables you to communicate in real time with employees in the field, reducing costly errors. Improved communication can also help projects get done more quickly, cutting your labor costs and allowing you to take on more work.
Better safety management
Using construction business software for free can help you train employees on good workplace safety practices and provide a seamless mechanism for employees to report job site hazards. That ensures that every job site your team members work on is safer, reducing injuries and costly workers’ compensation claims.
How Much Do Paid Versions of Free Construction Software Cost?
It’s worth considering how much it would cost to upgrade to a paid version of free construction software. As your business grows and you need more features or more or unlimited users, upgrading the software you’re already using is often easier than switching to an entirely new platform.
Pricing varies widely by software platform. You can usually expect to pay around $10-$20/user/month for a basic paid plan, but some platforms are more expensive. For example, Fieldwire’s paid plans start at $54/user/month.
Connecteam is significantly more affordable, with plans starting at just $29/month for up to 30 users plus $0.50/month for each additional user. That means that if your business grows to 15 employees, you’ll pay just $29/month to upgrade from Connecteam’s free plan. At Fieldwire, you’ll pay $810/month for a paid plan that includes 15 employees.
FAQs
What is the best software for a construction company?
We think Connecteam is the best software for construction companies. It’s an all-in-one solution that offers comprehensive features for communication, scheduling, time tracking, and task management. That’s why hundreds of construction companies use Connecteam.
What is the best project management tool for free?
Connecteam’s features enable you to manage projects, documents, and budgets—making it one of the best construction project management tools. Plus, it’s completely free for firms with up to 10 employees.
How do you keep track of construction projects?
Most professionals use construction software to track projects. Task management, budgeting, scheduling, and other features can give you a solid overview of each construction project’s progress, costs, and more. You should also conduct regular on-site visits and meetings with clients and other stakeholders.
The Bottom Line on Free Software for a Construction Company
Construction software is essential to managing your teams in the field and completing projects on time and on budget. While paid apps can be expensive, there are many excellent free construction management software tools that can help your business be more productive and won’t put a dent in your revenue.
I recommend Connecteam as the best free software for construction companies in 2024. It offers tons of features for free, including tools for task management, scheduling, team chat, document management, and more. Plus, Connecteam’s pricing is very affordable if your business outgrows the free plan in the future.