Skip to content

Best Construction Accounting Software of April 2024

Accounting software for construction companies should feature tools that meet industry-specific needs for budgeting, job costing, project tracking and reporting.
By Hillary Crawford, Karrin Sehmbi
Last updated on January 2, 2024
Edited bySally Lauckner
Fact checked and reviewed

⏰ Estimated read time: 5 minutes

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.

Managing construction projects requires the ability to quickly respond to changes in material costs and accurately scope projects and labor. It also involves accounting for multiple types of expenses and assigning them to jobs accordingly. Throw in equipment cost allocation and things get even more complicated. The best accounting software will make it easy to record the cost of goods sold, get the most out of your equipment and monitor project costs so you don’t go over budget.
Here are some of the top picks for construction accounting software products.

Best Construction Accounting Software

Product
Promotion
Learn more

QuickBooks Online

Learn more

on QuickBooks Online's secure website

5.0/5

Best for Overall construction accounting software

$30/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $60, $90, $200.

50% off

for first three months or free 30-day trial.

Learn more

on QuickBooks Online's secure website

Sage 100 Contractor

Learn more

on Sage 100 Contractor's secure website

Best for All-in-one construction management software

N/A

Quote-based.

N/A

Learn more

on Sage 100 Contractor's secure website

QuickBooks Enterprise

4.0/5

Best for Large, well-established construction businesses

$1,410/year

Additional pricing tiers (per year): $1,830; $2,250; $4,400. Adding users or cloud access costs extra.

30-day free trial

Buildertrend

Best for Mobile app

$499/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $799, $1,099.

Discount for first month

Our pick for

Overall construction accounting software

QuickBooks Online

Learn more

on QuickBooks Online's secure website

Starting at
$30/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $60, $90, $200.

Promotion
50% off

for first three months or free 30-day trial.

Our pick for

All-in-one construction management software

Sage 100 Contractor

Learn more

on Sage 100 Contractor's secure website

Starting at
N/A

Quote-based.

Promotion
N/A

Our pick for

Large, well-established construction businesses

QuickBooks Enterprise

Starting at
$1,410/year

Additional pricing tiers (per year): $1,830; $2,250; $4,400. Adding users or cloud access costs extra.

Promotion
30-day free trial

Our pick for

Mobile app

Buildertrend

Starting at
$499/month

Additional pricing tiers (per month): $799, $1,099.

Promotion
Discount for first month

Our picks for best construction accounting software

QuickBooks Online

Best overall
Price:
  • $30 per month for the Simple Start plan.
  • $60 per month for the Essentials plan.
  • $90 per month for the Plus plan.
  • $200 per month for the Advanced plan.
Why we like it: QuickBooks already holds a strong name in accounting software. The capabilities built into its Plus and Advanced plans, specifically, are well-suited to construction accounting and project management. Particularly relevant features include invoicing, customizable reporting and job costing as well as direct integrations with industry-specific software such as Buildertrend and Housecall Pro. If you’re looking for a no-frills, dependable construction accounting software solution at a comparatively reasonable price point, QuickBooks Online may be a great fit for your business. Read our full QuickBooks Online review.

Sage 100 Contractor

Best for all-in-one construction management software
Price: Quote-based.
Why we like it: Sage 100 Contractor is the construction accounting and project management product that falls within the large ecosystem of Sage Business Cloud software. It can help you manage all aspects of your construction business — from monitoring job progress completion and profitability to creating accurate estimates and managing change orders. Because Sage has an intricate network of software products, it’s not always clear which features are part of which product and therefore when add-ons and integrations are required. Be sure to get clarity on this when you contact Sage for a quote and more detailed product information.

Buildertrend

Best for mobile app
Price:
  • $499 per month for the Essential plan.
  • $799 per month for the Advanced Plan.
  • $1,099 per month for the Complete plan.
Why we like it: The monthly price is certainly steeper than some of the other products on this list. But if you’re in the market for more than just a construction accounting product, Buildertrend will likely fill all your business needs within a single software solution — no need to purchase separate software products and try to integrate them. It can help you manage finances, projects, sales, materials and customers. Particularly noteworthy is Buildertrend’s highly rated mobile app, available on both iOS and Android devices, which keeps your entire team connected and working efficiently at all times of day and from all locations — even when internet connection and cell service are spotty.

QuickBooks Enterprise

Best for large, well-established construction businesses
Price:
  • $1,410 per year for the Silver plan.
  • $1,830 per year for the Gold plan.
  • $2,250 per year for the Platinum plan.
  • $4,400 per year for the Diamond plan.
Why we like it: If you’re outgrowing the small business category and find yourself in need of more powerful software with robust reporting tools and can handle the price tag to go along with that, then QuickBooks Enterprise could be a solution worth exploring. Similar to QuickBooks Online for Contractors, QuickBooks markets an industry-specific edition of its Enterprise product, which contains many features relevant to construction and field service management. Read our full QuickBooks Enterprise review.

How to choose construction accounting software

In addition to your standard profit and loss statement and balance sheet, here are some other reports and features to look for when shopping for construction accounting software:
  • Job costing: Job costing lets you assign expenses to each individual job. Without job costing, you have no way of knowing which jobs — or which types of jobs — are most profitable for your construction company.
  • Project management: Project management is more than just knowing what phase each job is in, even though that in itself is extremely important. Proper project management helps you appropriately allocate resources to the various jobs your construction company has going on at any given time. It also allows you to forecast your needs for projects in bid.
  • Budget and completion analysis: Budget and completion analysis lets you see how your construction projects are proceeding from a budget standpoint. In order to maximize your profitability on a job, you want to deliver it under budget and on time. Without this analysis in your construction accounting software program, you can be left guessing on whether or not this will happen.
  • Change order tracking: A construction project without change orders is rare. If you can’t track your change orders, you could easily leave money on the table or have to make costly changes to work that is improperly done.
Also consider whether you prefer an all-in-one construction management product, like Buildertrend, or a more focused accounting product, like QuickBooks Online, that can integrate with hundreds of other business apps to build the precise solution you need.
Last updated on January 2, 2024

Methodology

NerdWallet’s accounting software ratings favor products that are easy to use, reasonably priced, have a robust feature set and can grow with your business. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including range of features, cost, ease of use, accounting standards compliance, scalability, ease of sharing with accountants, integrations, customer support, pricing transparency and availability of a free trial period. Learn more about how we rate small-business accounting software.
These ratings are meant to provide clarity in the decision-making process, but what’s best for your business will depend on its size, growth trajectory and which features you need most. We encourage you to research and compare multiple accounting software products before choosing one.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.
Close
Business software made simple

Compare features, pricing, and expert reviews for your business software needs - all in one place.

Close
Business software made simple

Compare features, pricing, and expert reviews for your business software needs - all in one place.