[In-depth comparison]

Are your construction projects on track or running behind? Are tasks taking more time than expected? 

Most construction project owners may not know the answers to these questions with absolute certainty. This leads to:

• unmanageable scope creep due to not having a clear overview of all (simultaneous) projects and their progress…
• projects and tasks not being executed, documented, and finished as planned, which ultimately leads to…

… missed project deadlines.

(According to a survey sent out to construction professionals in the UK, 85% of the industry was negatively impacted by project delays) 

This makes clients unhappy - and costs your construction company money as you spend more hours on projects while chasing team members for updates (and delaying other possibly lucrative projects in your pipeline).

To solve these challenges, construction professionals often turn to project management tools when looking for a project tracking solution, paying for a suite of advanced features they don’t need or want. 

This naturally leads to the question...

What is the best software to track projects in construction?

Sorting through all available options may be challenging and time-consuming.

To help you with the process, we have published an in-depth comparison of the 10 best construction project tracking software (as of 2024):

1. Buildbite - Best project tracking for small and medium-sized businesses 
2. Procore - Good for larger enterprises
3. Contractor Foreman - Good for third-party integrations
4. Fieldwire - Good field management app for larger teams
5. Raken - Good for safety management
6. Buildbook - Good sales and marketing features
7. Fonn - Good for drawings and document management 
8. Letsbuild - Good for on-site lean construction coordination
9. Houzz Pro - Good for interior designers 
10. Buildertrend - Good allrounder
11. Bonus: Microsoft Excel - Good for affordability

In this post, we’ll compare and contrast the following in detail:

• Key features and capabilities
• Pricing (monthly and annual plans, free trials)
• Reviews (customer reviews, online ratings from G2 & Capterra) 

Disclaimer: Buildbite is our solution. We’ve done our best to present the information evenly because we want you to make an educated decision. That said, we are proud of our software and built it with the project tracking features and ease that we’d want. Learn more about the software – or try it free for 14 days. 

The 10 best construction project tracking software tools in detail:

1. Buildbite – Best for small and medium-sized businesses

Why Buildbite is the best construction project tracking software: 

The ease of use of Buildbite, in combination with its affordability, is unparalleled for the project tracking needs of small to medium-sized businesses. 

You can get started quickly with tracking your projects, and you can assign unlimited users and tasks - with all the project tracking features you need. 

Key features: 

Buildbite has all the features small and medium-sized businesses need to track projects successfully: 

• Centralized task tracking: Track and monitor tasks on all your job sites in one centralized app. This ensures clear visibility, accountability, and efficient progress management of all your projects.
  
  

• Real-time communication and collaboration, with push notifications: Instantly reach clients and subcontractors with the push of a button in one unified app. Make sure that nothing slips through the cracks and goes unnoticed.
  
  

• Advanced time tracking: Stay up to date on actual time spent on project-specific tasks with real-time time tracking. Allowing you to identify delays in advance and keep the project on schedule. 
  
  
  
  

• Instant reporting: Leverage time tracking reports, project tracking reports or customize your reports into team and individual analytics. Allowing you to instantly spot any potential bottlenecks, time theft, or inefficiencies within your team.
  
  
  
   

• Project archive: Get access to historical project data. Whether you need to verify a specific piece of information for a client or if you’re looking to improve your estimates. Previous projects are stored privately and can be accessed with a single tap.

• Easy to use mobile app: Collaborate with team members from anywhere using Buildbite’s iOS and Android app.
  
  
• One-click invites: Invite clients, subcontractors, and team members to the app at the push of a button.

• Authenticated task approvals: Request authenticated approval from your clients to avoid rework. 

And, internally approve completed tasks that meet quality standards, allowing nothing to slip through the cracks and ensuring quality requirements are met.

Pros:

Buildbite is the best solution for project tracking in small to medium-sized construction projects.

Here’s why: 

• Affordability: Buildbite is significantly more affordable than other construction project tracking software as it only charges $107 per month (archiving projects is free of charge) for an unlimited number of projects.
  
  
•  Ease of use: The setup of Buildbite is engineered to be intuitive, with a single user interface across mobile and desktop. You don’t need to be tech-savvy nor do you need to train your team or clients to use it.
  
  
• No learning curve: You can download the app on your mobile phone and set up your project in minutes – for free. In addition to that you have integrated onboarding, tool tips, and coachmarks.

• Specifically built for project and task tracking: Buildbite is specifically engineered for project tracking. It’s lean software providing small to medium-sized businesses with exactly what they need for their day-to-day projects (such as efficient task management features) - with no excess features that you’ll pay for without using. This prevents you from overpaying for advanced features you never really need - and lets us focus on becoming the best at construction project tracking.
  
  

Cons:

• Does not specialize in larger enterprises ($500m - $1b projects)
  
  

Reviews: 

Pricing:

We offer a Basic, Standard and Premium Plan that allow unlimited projects and time tracking. The Premium plan costs $193/mo if paid annually, and $237/mo if paid monthly. See our pricing in detail.

We offer a free 30-day trial where you can download the software today and see its benefits instantly.

The deal is simple: If you don’t see an increase in your team's efficiency with Buildbite, you don’t pay. And if you’ve paid, we credit you. Simple!

2. Procore - Good for larger enterprises

Key features: 

Procore is built for larger and more complex projects. Procore has a rich project tracking feature set, including: 

• Task management
• Site diary
• Document storage
• Reports 

Procore’s project tracking features help you identify potential issues and their impact on schedule and budgets, to help you avoid unwanted surprises with better project visibility.

Procore is known for its reliability, wide range of top-range features, and reasonably understandable interface for newcomers to the technology. If you’re part of a larger corporation with a larger budget, and resources to manage the tool - then Procore could be a good fit for you.

Pros:                                                                                     

• Strong collaboration tools
• Integrates well with other software

Cons:

• Users complain about a steep learning curve for new users (due to having a lot of features you'll need to get used to)
• Can be expensive

Pricing:

Procore’s pricing is not visible on the page. Based on this review it starts at $375 per month: 

4.6 out of 5 on G2

3. Contractor Foreman - Good for third-party integrations

Key features: 

Contractor Foreman is an all-in-one solution for project tracking. The project tracking software boasts over 35+ features, including: 

• Task management
• Time cards with GPS tracking
• Daily logs
• Third-party integrations (including Outlook, Zapier, and Google Calendar)

The software is known to add additional features regularly, but this comes at a cost: some of these features are reported to be glitchy by users. 

Pros:                                                                                     

• Strong collaboration tools
• Integrates well with other software

Cons:

• Users complain about the software being buggy at times

Pricing:

Plans are paid annually and quarterly - and range from $49/mo to $312/mo for all features. 

4.5 out of 5 on G2

4. Fieldwire – Good field management app for larger teams

Key features: 

Fieldwire is best suited for medium to large-sized businesses. Fieldwire has a wide variety of project tracking-related features, such as

• Task management
• Real-time communication
• Document management
• Reporting

Fieldwire is known for its solid basis of tracking tools that allow project managers in large organizations to quickly and easily come up to speed on the progress of the job site. As such, it’s the go-to field management app for larger teams. 

The extensive feature set may bring along a steep learning curve: Some users have complained about the difficulty of using ‘detailed blueprint markup’ or ‘advanced task management’. 

Pros:

• The software offers enterprise-level scalability that is unmatched.
• Good documentation features

Cons:

• For smaller projects, some of the features Fieldwire offers are unnecessary (such as the ‘BIM viewer’ that gives you 3D model metadata of your project). Paying for features you don’t use is not ideal
• Users complain about a steep learning curve
• Can be expensive

Pricing:

While there are free plans to try Fieldwire out, the functional plans range from $39 - $79/mo per user. If you have a team of 10 people it would cost you $390 - $790 monthly.

4.5 out of 5 on G2

5. Raken App - Good for safety management

Key features: 

Raken App is a construction software specifically designed for field management and project tracking.

The software specializes in real-time field data that optimizes safety management. It achieves this with the help of features such as: 

• Standardized surveys and managed checklists
• Real-time reporting and observations
• Automated safety dashboards and reporting

The Raken App is relatively simple and easy to use. It’s a solid choice for construction companies that need strong field supervision and safety management. 

Pros:

• User-friendly interface
• Mobile application

Cons:

• Some limitations in custom report creation
• Pricing not publicly visible
• Users report regular updates that they struggle to keep up with

Pricing:

The pricing is not publicly visible, and we have not found any public data on the pricing of the software.

4.7 out of 5 on G2

6. Buildbook - Good sales and marketing features

Key features: 

Buildbook is a construction management software with modern task management and CRM. 

The software’s feature set includes: 

• Task management
• Construction estimating
• Bills and expenses

As well as sales and marketing features, such as ‘Contact Manager (CRM)’ and ‘Construction Proposals’. These additional features can help your construction company in its sales efforts. 

Pros: 

• User-friendly interface
• Unique sales and marketing features

Cons: 

• Users complain about the lack of project-tracking features, such as employee tracking
• Heavily built around the customer experience, not as much on project execution features

Pricing: 

Plans range from $79/mo for one user to $249/mo for 6-8 users. Additional users can be added for $20/mo or $200/year. 

4.6 out of 5 on Capterra

7. Fonn – Good for drawings and document management

Key features:

Fonn is a general construction project management tool with a wide variety of project tracking features. 

This includes: 

• Task management
• Reporting
• Issue logging

Allowing you to easily get up to speed with your project’s progress and bottlenecks. Where Fonn really shines, according to user reviews, is its user-friendly ‘Drawings and Document Management’. This feature allows you to store and retrieve sensitive documents quickly. 

Pros:

• User-friendly drawing and document management
• Professional onboarding included

Cons:

•  Limited features compared to larger platforms

Pricing:

The pricing plan starts at £517 if billed quarterly. 

8. Letsbuild - Good for on-site lean construction coordination

Key features: 

Letsbuild is a comprehensive construction management software designed to streamline project management and collaboration. 

Its key features include: 

• Reporting
• Schedule planning
• Task management

Users of Letsbuild report positively about the app’s extensive scheduling features - which allow lean construction coordination and save costs. 

While the feature set of Letsbuild is extensive, some users complain about the difficulty of getting up to speed with the application. 

Pros:

• Good schedule planning features
• Runs without internet on the field

Cons: 

• Users complain about the difficulty of setting up the application. Recommendations are 4 to 8 weeks of workshops and training
• Can be expensive - you have to pay 1 year upfront
• Onboarding fees

Pricing: 

Pricing is not visible on the website.

4.1 out of 5 on G2

9. Houzz Pro - Good for interior designers

Key features: 

Houzz Pro is a comprehensive software that offers a wide variety of features when it comes to project tracking and management. Including: 

• Scheduling
• Project management
• Project collaboration

Additionally Houzz Pro also offers: 

• Marketing solutions, and:
• Visualization tools (such as custom 3D floor plans and mood boards)

This makes it an ideal candidate for interior designers who need to be able to sell their vision to their clients with clarity. 

Pros:

• Offers comprehensive client acquisition features
• Intuitive design

Cons:

• Users complain of a lack of user-friendliness
• Can be expensive
• Advanced marketing tools need more expensive plans

Pricing:

Plans range from $85/mo to $499/mo for all features.

4.4 out of 5 on Capterra

10. Buildertrend – Good allrounder

Key features: 

Buildertrend is tailored for a wide range of construction endeavors, from home renovations to commercial contracting. It offers many features you’ll need in a project tracking software, such as: 

• Schedule
• Daily logs
• To dos
• Time clock 

On top of that, it offers client acquisition features - such as ‘Lead Management’ and ‘Proposals’. Making it a good allrounder for projects of varying sizes. 

Pros:

• Offers client acquisition features

Cons:

• Less intuitive than the rest (you can hire a Buildertrend professional for $100 to help you set up the software)
• Can be expensive
• No free trial
  
  

Pricing:

Buildertrend’s pricing ranges from $199 to $799 per month.

4.2 out of 5 on G2

11. Bonus: Excel Spreadsheets - Good for affordability

Key features: 

Excel is the standard alternative to professional project tracking software. Excel is known for its: 

• Generality: Tracking finances, planning, and data visualization - you can do a lot in Excel if you know how to do it. 
• Affordability: It’s part of Office 365, which is standard on most office computers. 
• Long-standing reputation: Excel was released in 1987 by Microsoft. 

Excel offers systematic data organization and visualization tools, as well as rudimentary collaboration features (in One Drive). 

The generality of Excel however comes at a cost: 

• Not in real-time or automated - you need to insert data manually and consistently keep everything up to date which requires a lot of your time.
• Users complain of low user friendliness and a steep learning curve for its advanced features (such as data visualization). 
• It isn’t optimized for mobile - so you can’t be out in the field and effectively track your projects (which users describe as an essential feature), because…

… Excel isn’t specialized for the construction industry. 

To have a functioning construction project tracking software in Excel, you would either:

• Need to build it yourself, which would require a lot of time and effort due to the complexity of integrating various features like task or multi-project management.
• Would need to outsource it to an expert, which might be costly since it's an extensive project. 

Additionally, you would need ongoing support if you'd like to update some aspects of it with time, such as incorporating new features, adjusting to changing project needs, or fixing potential bugs that arise (they always do).

Pros: 

• Very affordable
• Long-standing reputation

Cons: 

• Users complain of lower user friendliness
• Users complain of a steep learning curve for its advanced features (such as data visualization). 
• Not tailored for the construction industry
• Not optimized for mobile

Pricing: 

Excel costs $159.99 for one license and computer. Or you can get the entire Microsoft 365 kit for $6.99/mo. The costs of building a construction project tracker inside Excel are not included.

Construction project tracking software vs. Construction project tracker Excel

The decision whether or not to go for construction project tracking software - or use Excel - boils down to this: How much do you value your time? 

• Excel is a good solution for project owners who don’t mind the time and effort of constantly maintaining and updating Excel sheets manually. 
• Construction project tracking software is for project owners who want to spend less time on admin tasks with automation - and more time on making the business grow. Because Buildbite updates data automatically in real-time, while Excel doesn’t. 

The most affordable construction project tracking software, Buildbite, offers a free trial - and starts at $85/mo if paid annually. It also has been proven to free up to 2.5 hours of a project manager’s time.

To put this in context, this is 2.5 hours saved for the cost of less than $2.50 per day. Construction project tracking software is the clear winner if you value your time more than $1 per hour - which you do!

Conclusion 

What should you look for in a construction project tracking software?

• Real-time communication: Efficient communication and collaboration among team members should be facilitated by the software. 
• Task management: This allows you to delegate tasks, monitor progress, and manage deadlines effectively.
• Time tracking: The tool should aid in the time tracking of subcontractors, so you have a full overview of where and how manpower is distributed. 
• Document management: The software should provide a centralized place to manage crucial documents like plans, contracts, and permits. This saves you time when you’re ending the project. 
• Mobile accessibility: The tool should be accessible everywhere you go - from the job site to the comfort of your home. 
• Reporting: It should save you the tedious effort of creating reports on the job site. Nothing says ‘21st century’ like automated and effortless daily reports. 

What is the best software to track projects?

If you don’t mind the tedious effort of manually updating Excel sheets and are a one-person company with no need for comprehensive team communication…

… then Excel can be the best software to track projects for you. 

It’s the most affordable solution, with great customization features if you have the time and effort to learn it. 

However, if you’re busy running a small to medium-sized business - and you neither have the time nor effort to learn (or maintain) Excel, then Buildbite is your best choice: 

• It has a mobile app that is known for its ease of use. 
• It’s the most affordable app (outside of Excel). 
• Inviting clients onto the app is a breeze, as it can be done with a push of a button. 

But Buildbite is not for everyone: 

• Builbite lacks the more advanced features larger enterprises and projects need. Such as the ‘Construction Analytics Software’ of Procore, which allows you to sort projects by offices and departments. 

If you’re a larger corporation with multiple offices and departments, working on a multitude of complex projects - then this feature might be useful. 

In that case, Procore is the best construction project tracking software for you. It has an extensive feature set and is reasonably understandable for a newcomer. 

So, the best software to track projects depends on your situation: 

• Buildbite is the best choice for small and medium-sized construction companies.
• Excel is the best choice if you are looking for the most cost-effective tool.
• Procore is the best tool for larger construction companies.
  
  

Why is construction project tracking software important?

Peter Drucker, the famous management consultant and author, once said: “What gets measured, gets managed.”

Construction project tracking software allows your construction business to accurately measure the effectiveness of its processes and procedures. This results in: 

• Projects that stay on budget and on time: Effective tracking of the project leads to less material costs, less personal costs - and happier clients that buy over and over again. 
• Better employee valuation: Know exactly which person to promote - and which person to let go based on comprehensive data of their task performance. Allowing you to retain the talent that you need, while letting go of the ones you don’t. 
• Happier project managers: The project manager has a real-time overview of everything that’s going on at the job site. Allowing him to take on more projects simultaneously, as he needs to invest less time and energy per project…

… further resulting in more revenue - and fewer costs for your business. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is construction project tracking software?

Construction project tracking software is a specialized tool designed for monitoring the progress and tracking the various aspects of construction projects, such as executed and upcoming tasks. 

You can imagine it as a digital replica of the actual construction site. Allowing the project manager to have a real-time overview of everything that’s going on from a distance. 

What is project tracking in construction?

Project tracking in construction refers to the process of closely monitoring the progress and performance of a construction project. 

Construction project tracking includes the tracking of milestones/timelines, tasks, resources, and potential risks - to ensure the project stays on schedule (and within budget).

What is the difference between project management and project tracking?

Project management encompasses the overall planning, budgeting, coordination, and execution of a project from start to finish. 

Project tracking is a component of this process, focusing specifically on monitoring the progress and performance of the project - and comparing said performance against its planned objectives. 

Project tracking is a crucially important part of project management.

How do you keep track of construction projects?

There are two ways to keep track of construction projects: The old way and the new way. 

The old way is to use a combination of:

• WhatsApp, phone calls, and/or Slack - to get informed by subcontractors on the tasks, problems, and milestones
• Personal visits - to validate the process and gauge progress for yourself
• Excel - to manually keep track of the information gathered and compare it with the project plan
• Time tracking software - to check how much your subcontractors spend working on the job site, and how long specific tasks take
• Google Drive - to store sensitive documents 

This approach works, but is error-prone and takes much more time and effort from the project manager, right? 

There’s a new and easier way. 

That’s to use construction project tracking software: 

• Unified communication: Instead of using many different chat applications where documents and information can get lost, you use one unified multi-chat with your team, different subcontractors, and clients, all segmented within the app. This allows you to keep the communication streamlined and organized, reducing errors and miscommunication. 
• Real-time overview of the project wherever you go: Instead of visiting multiple different job sites every day, you get an accurate, real-time overview of the job sites from afar. This allows you to visit only the job sites that require your attention and benefit from your perspective in person, saving you a lot of valuable time.
• Automatic progress report: Instead of filling out tedious Excel sheets, the software effortlessly displays the current progress of all construction projects automatically and in real-time. 
• Know what your teams are doing: Instead of using time tracking software, you can use built-in time tracking features of the construction project tracking software. Allowing you to save money on not having multiple software tools - and keeping everything unified.
• Sensitive document storage: Instead of using Google Drive, you can store sensitive documents in one place and easily retrieve them at a later stage. 
  
  

How do I track multiple projects at once?

Managing and tracking multiple projects simultaneously can be challenging, especially for smaller companies with limited resources. 

Here are 7 ways to make it easier: 

1. Plan before starting anything: Effective management of multiple projects requires thorough planning for all scenarios. Don’t forget to include regular breaks in the schedule to prevent team burnout due to constant task switching.
2. Prioritize tasks: Prioritizing tasks based on their impact on the project is crucial. Group similar or repetitive tasks for more efficient execution.
3. Adjust your plan through regular reviews: Flexibility in project management is key. Regularly review and update your plans to accommodate unforeseen changes and ensure you stay on schedule. 
4. Know when to delegate: Good leaders delegate tasks appropriately to trusted team members. This helps enhance team productivity and autonomy.
5. Stay focused: To manage multiple projects effectively, allocate specific time to each project based on priority. This approach helps maintain focus and prevents task overlap.
6. Communicate with team members: Clear communication is vital in project management. Encourage open discussions within the team to address issues promptly and avoid project delays.
7. Use construction project tracking software: While construction project tracking software is a ‘nice to have’ when running one project, it quickly becomes essential when running multiple projects…

… as manual tasks per project (such as daily reports) start to take up a significant amount of time for project owners. 

Project tracking software, such as Buildbite, can immediately relieve project owners of these tedious tasks, freeing up significant time and effort that can be applied in more productive areas - such as acquiring more deals.

See it for yourself by signing up for your free trial today.