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At Forbes Advisor, we compared more than a dozen of the top-rated programs for contractors and hundreds of data points to finalize our list of the best project management software for construction companies. Some software are ideal for large general contractors that need to manage subcontractors, clients and multiple projects at once, while others are suitable for small businesses that offer specialized construction services.
We homed in on the criteria most important to all contractors, such as ease of use, monthly or annual cost and construction-specific features. All of the software we included offer mobile apps, so you can manage projects and teams from the field or office, financial tools for bids and proposals and/or integrations with software you already use for finances and invoicing.
Here are some of the points of data we compared to rank the software.
Pricing
For pricing, we considered the starting plan cost of the software and whether a service offers a free trial. Companies that offer upfront pricing received higher ratings here than those that require filling out a lead capture form or making a call to a sales department. This accounted for 20% of our weighted scoring.
Features
While our reviews mention a variety of features attractive to small businesses, we maintained consistency in our ratings by looking for these general features for each provider: proposal management, timelines, software integrations, dependencies, proposal management and customer access to a mobile app.
Additionally, we looked for unique features from each provider, such as costs tools, safety management, bid management, building information modeling support and client communication tools. We weighted features at 40% of our total score.
Third-party Reviews
We considered what real users of the software thought about their experiences using them was also important, so considered what customers wrote about their experiences with project management software on sites that included Capterra and Trustpilot. We gave higher scores to providers who had reviews left on these sites that scored well (at least 3.5 out of 5). These accounted for 20% of the total score.
Expert Analysis
Using all of the information mentioned above, our reviewers created a scoring metric based on additional criteria from customer reviews, such as ease of use, any stand-out features, popularity and value for the money. This final section made up 20% of the total score.
How To Choose the Best Construction Project Management Software
Keep in mind that the most important features of any project management software for contractors include access, document control and ease of use. Consider these three features first when trying to choose the software that will fit your business best.
Secondary to those factors, you should know whether you need project management tools only, or if you’re going to want to manage the financial aspects of your business in one software. Sticking strictly to project management features may reduce your monthly or annual costs but do this only if you already have a system in place for bids, proposals and invoicing.
Integrations can help connect software you already use with your construction project management software, which can streamline your processes and save you time. The most important integrations would be with accounting software, email and calendars.
Marketing and lead generation features are kind of like bonuses. You may not need these if you work for a general contractor with a department that handles outreach and presales. Smaller operations might want to consider construction project management software that includes some of these tools.
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