(650) 332-8623The 7 Best Construction Job Costing Software Solutions for 2026
Looking for the top construction job costing software for your business? We’ve reviewed 7 of the best apps on the market to help you choose!
Construction job costing software helps contractors track labor costs by job before overruns get buried in payroll and billing. On active jobsites with crews moving between tasks and locations, even small time tracking gaps can throw off job costs and margin forecasts. This guide breaks down the best construction job costing apps for 2026, focusing on what actually works in the field.
Top Construction Job Costing Software Solutions at a Glance
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|---|---|---|---|
Our score |
9.5 |
8.1 |
8.1 |
Best for |
Real-time construction job cost tracking |
Collaborative budget forecasting |
Automated proposal generation |
Pricing |
Starting at $6 / mo. per user + $50 base fee |
Must contact sales for pricing |
Starting at $ 499 / mo. |
What is construction job costing software?
Construction job costing software is a class of tools designed to help you track every dollar spent on a construction job including labor, materials, equipment, subcontracts, and overhead. Job costing software for construction helps contractors see actual costs vs. budgets in near real time. Typical users include general contractors, specialty subcontractors, project managers, and finance teams. Job costing software for construction measures costs at the job-level and turns that data into actionable reports.
Most products reviewed in this article from field-focused tools like Workyard and CrewCost to enterprise suites like Procore, or Trimble combine field data capture, and cost coding with accounting integrations to help office and field teams operate from the same financial picture.
How construction job costing software works
Construction job costing software gathers data from the field and maps them back to a job and an assigned cost code. These data typically include:
- Time & attendance capture from mobile/GPS time clocks or crew time logs.
- Job cost ledgers recording labor, materials, equipment, and subcontracts against budget line items or cost codes.
- Change order and committed-cost tracking i.e. POs/subcontracts.
- Reporting and WIP (work-in-progress) metrics to measure profitability, burn rates, and forecasts.
The app then integrates with payroll and accounting systems to keep financials synchronized.
Benefits of job costing software for construction
- Quick, accurate payroll: Automated timesheet-to-payroll flow reduces manual payroll errors and compliance risks.
- Real-time profit visibility: Live job vs. budget dashboards show which jobs are bleeding margin.
- Better change-order control: Committed costs (POs/subcontracts) are tracked proactively so change orders don’t come as an unpleasant surprise.
- Reduced double entry: Integrations with accounting systems eliminate duplicate data entry.
- Improved estimating: Historical cost data helps create bids that reflect true labor and material performance.
- Stronger cash-flow forecasting: Combining committed and actual costs provides clarity on short-term cash needs.
- Field accountability: Mobile timesheets, GPS clocks, and equipment tracking expose productivity gaps.
How much does construction job costing software cost?
Pricing models are often presented as per-user/seat pricing, flat monthly/tiered pricing, and enterprise/custom quotes. Per-user/seat pricing is common for field crew and office users. Workyard and other apps charge companies from $5–$50 per user per month depending on features. Flat monthly / tiered pricing covers up to X projects or users. This pricing scheme typically targets mid-market SaaS, with the single monthly fee ranging from $300–$1,500+/month. Lastly, enterprise / custom quotes are rarer but usually offered to large organizations. This pricing usually includes implementation and support.
Many vendors offer free demos and limited trials lasting from a week to a month. Free tiers are uncommon for full job costing. It’s more than likely you’ll find free trials for the platform and paid modules for advanced financial features.
What to look for in construction job costing software
The best construction job costing software should at least include these basics:
- Real-time budget tracking to allow you to monitor expenses and ensure the project stays on budget.
- Detailed cost categories to help you break down costs by labor, materials, equipment, and subcontractors, giving you a clear view of where money is going.
- Integrated reporting tools help you generate reports for job costs, forecasts, and variances, making financial decision-making easier.
Most tools will cover these basics, so look for additional features like:
- Mobile access: Ideal for teams working in the field to update costs, report progress, or track labor hours on-the-go.
- Job forecasting and change order tracking provides you insights into potential cost overruns and account for unexpected changes.
- Integration with accounting software: Streamlines financial processes and reduces manual data entry.
How to choose the best construction job costing software
- Compare multiple options: Research at least three tools that cater to the size and scope of your construction projects, considering features, scalability, and pricing.
- Check for core features: Make sure the software includes key capabilities like real-time budget tracking, detailed cost categories, and robust reporting.
- Evaluate ease of use: Test out the software with free trials or demos to see how intuitive the interface is, particularly for users with limited tech experience.
- Consider integrations: Verify that the tool integrates smoothly with your existing project management and accounting systems to streamline workflows.
- Assess value for money: Weigh the software’s cost against its features and the value it brings to your team, ensuring it helps prevent costly mistakes on your projects.
The Bottom Line
Construction job costing software matters only if labor costs are visible while the job is still running. From testing these tools, the ones built for construction stood out by tying field hours directly to jobs and cost codes, not by piling on extra features.
Workyard fits that need. Its mobile app and web platform keep scheduling, time tracking, and job costing connected, so labor costs stay aligned with the work happening in the field.
See how Workyard’s GPS time clock app can help your business, or sign up for a 14-day free trial today!
Our Scoring System Explained
Our 8-part scoring system was created to help you understand the potential value of any software we review simply and fairly.
We created it after reviewing dozens of software products, which we covered in depth, providing a direct and simple way for readers to compare products on their merits without spending a lot of time looking through our articles for the information they needed to make an informed decision.
Every app we review will include Customer Support and Company scores, which we’ll explain in more detail below. Many of the factors reviewed in this article will also be consistent across most (or all) of our software reviews, with some differences:
The 8 factors assessed and their contribution to a product’s overall score may differ slightly from product to product based on various factors, such as the use case we’re reviewing for, the type of business these products are tailored to, and other considerations. However, all reviews will feature an 8-part score, weighted and combined to calculate each product’s overall score.
How We Score Software
All factors in our reviews are scored on a 10-point scale – technically 11 points – from 0-10. However, we only give products a score of 0 if it does not include an essential feature at all, and we try to avoid giving out 0 scores if a product can demonstrate any functionality in line with the specific factor being reviewed.
In general, the 0-10 range translates as:
- 9.0 – 10 – One of the absolute best in its category (amazing).
- 7.5 – 8.9 – Very good, but with some minor issues (very good).
- 6.0 – 7.4 – Mediocre performance with notable shortcomings (average).
- 3.0 – 5.9 – This feature is not ready for prime time (borderline).
- 1.0 – 2.9 – This feature actually makes its product worse (unacceptable).
- 0 – The product doesn’t include this important feature at all.
How We Calculate Overall Scores
The 8 factors reviewed are weighted based on an overall total of 100%:
- Ease of Use: 20%
- Time Tracking Accuracy: 20%
- Scheduling Features: 15%
- Job Tracking: 15%
- Integrations: 10%
- Customer Support: 15%
- Company: 5%
Methodology for Each Factor
Ease of Use
We evaluate a product’s ease of use based on three main considerations:
- How easy is it to set up this app?
- How easy is it for managers to use the backend dashboard?
- How easy is it for frontline workers to use the (mobile) app?
These three considerations cover the main ways you and your team would use the software being reviewed – when you first obtain it, when someone (a manager, executive, team leader, or similar role) needs to use it to manage people, money, data, and other things, and when workers you’re tracking use the app (usually a mobile version of the software designed for frontline and/or field team members) to clock in, clock out, record time worked, or address other day-to-day needs.
Time Tracking Accuracy
Every minute matters when you’re trying to control payroll costs. This factor accounts for various features and common needs in time-tracking apps, such as…
- How accurate or precise is its GPS tracking capability?
- How accurate – and how customizable – is its geofencing feature?
- How accurate is its travel and mileage tracking (if available)?
- Can it automatically clock workers in and out based on the above?
- Can you set and/or restrict rules for clocking in and out?
- Can the app continue tracking workers while offline?
- How easy is its mobile app and/or kiosk for frontline workers?
Scheduling Features
Many construction businesses prefer to manage as many aspects of employee labor activity as possible in a single app, which is why many time-tracking apps also include worker scheduling as a core feature.
When we consider a product’s scheduling features, we look at:
- Its dashboard customizability (daily, weekly, or monthly views).
- Its project-based scheduling and visibility.
- Its real-time updates and notifications for workers.
- Its real-time map views of worker locations for best-fit scheduling.
- Its recurring schedule (copies to subsequent weeks, etc.) functionality.
Job Tracking
This factor helps you understand if the software can also provide insight into specific projects, which is particularly handy when your business deals with many customers or clients who generally need shorter-term work. Effective job tracking typically also includes accurate job costing functionality for construction companies.
We assess several things when calculating a product’s job tracking score:
- Its project-based tracking for multiple projects per day/week/etc.
- Its ability to track multiple / many projects simultaneously.
- Its use of (and your ability to customize) construction cost codes.
- Any built-in job costing views.
- Any integrations for cost coding (QuickBooks etc.)
Integrations
No business can operate on a single app, which is why integrations with other apps and tools are such important aspects of modern business software.
To calculate a product’s integration score, we’ll examine:
- How many native integrations (the simplest connection) does it offer?
- How effective and easy-to-use are its integrations with payroll software?
- Does it have robust data import and export features?
Customer Support
Learning how to use a new app can be frustrating, even if it’s meant to be the most user-friendly app around. That’s why great customer support is so essential when considering which time-tracking app to use.
Customer support scores are calculated based on:
- Live support channels available (phone, email, chat, etc.).
- Live support hours (business hours only, 24/7, etc.).
- The strength of the product’s online help center and/or FAQs.
- What other users say about support in online reviews.
Company
A great company with a highly customer-friendly approach can often make up for shortcomings in their software products – at least up to a point.
When assessing this score, we’ll examine:
- Transparency (easy-to-find pricing, etc.)
- Trial period (duration, feature availability, credit card requirements, etc.).
- Subscription flexibility (contracts, required durations, etc.).
- Ease of cancellation or pausing subscriptions.
- Customer perceptions (online product reviews).
- Website (a minor consideration, but great companies tend to have great websites).
Any questions about our scoring system? Have any suggestions on how we could make it even better? Click here to send us your feedback – we’d love to hear from you!
We created it after reviewing dozens of software products, which we covered in depth, but without providing a direct and simple way for readers to compare products on their merits – without spending a lot of time looking through our articles for the information they needed to make an informed decision.
Every app we review will include Customer Support and Company scores, which we’ll explain in more detail below. Many of the factors reviewed in this article will also be consistent across most (or all) of our software reviews, with some differences:
The 8 factors assessed and their contribution to a product’s overall score may differ slightly from product to product based on various factors, such as the use case we’re reviewing for, the type of business these products are tailored to, and other considerations. However, all reviews will feature an 8-part score, weighted and combined to calculate each product’s overall score.
How We Score Software
All factors in our reviews are scored on a 10-point scale – technically 11 points – from 0-10. However, we only give products a score of 0 if it does not include an essential feature at all, and we try to avoid giving out 0 scores if a product can demonstrate any functionality in line with the specific factor being reviewed.
In general, the 0-10 range translates as:
- 9.0 – 10 – One of the absolute best in its category (amazing).
- 7.5 – 8.9 – Very good, but with some minor issues (very good).
- 6.0 – 7.4 – Mediocre performance with notable shortcomings (average).
- 3.0 – 5.9 – This feature is not ready for prime time (borderline).
- 1.0 – 2.9 – This feature actually makes its product worse (unacceptable).
- 0 – The product doesn’t include this important feature at all.
How We Calculate Overall Scores
The 8 factors reviewed are weighted based on an overall total of 100%:
- Ease of Use: 20%
- Time Tracking Accuracy: 20%
- Scheduling Features: 15%
- Job Tracking: 15%
- Integrations: 10%
- Customer Support: 15%
- Company: 5%
Methodology for Each Factor
Ease of Use
We evaluate a product’s ease of use based on three main considerations:
- How easy is it to set up this app?
- How easy is it for managers to use the backend dashboard?
- How easy is it for frontline workers to use the (mobile) app?
These three considerations cover the main ways you and your team would use the software being reviewed – when you first obtain it, when someone (a manager, executive, team leader, or similar role) needs to use it to manage people, money, data, and other things, and when workers you’re tracking use the app (usually a mobile version of the software designed for frontline and/or field team members) to clock in, clock out, record time worked, or address other day-to-day needs.
Time Tracking Accuracy
Every minute matters when you’re trying to control payroll costs. This factor accounts for various features and common needs in time-tracking apps, such as…
- How accurate or precise is its GPS tracking capability?
- How accurate – and how customizable – is its geofencing feature?
- How accurate is its travel and mileage tracking (if available)?
- Can it automatically clock workers in and out based on the above?
- Can you set and/or restrict rules for clocking in and out?
- Can the app continue tracking workers while offline?
- How easy is its mobile app and/or kiosk for frontline workers?
Scheduling Features
Many construction businesses prefer to manage as many aspects of employee labor activity as possible in a single app, which is why many time-tracking apps also include worker scheduling as a core feature.
When we consider a product’s scheduling features, we look at:
- Its dashboard customizability (daily, weekly, or monthly views).
- Its project-based scheduling and visibility.
- Its real-time updates and notifications for workers.
- Its real-time map views of worker locations for best-fit scheduling.
- Its recurring schedule (copies to subsequent weeks, etc.) functionality.
Job Tracking
This factor helps you understand if the software can also provide insight into specific projects, which is particularly handy when your business deals with many customers or clients who generally need shorter-term work. Effective job tracking typically also includes accurate job costing functionality for construction companies.
We assess several things when calculating a product’s job tracking score:
- Its project-based tracking for multiple projects per day/week/etc.
- Its ability to track multiple / many projects simultaneously.
- Its use of (and your ability to customize) construction cost codes.
- Any built-in job costing views.
- Any integrations for cost coding (QuickBooks etc.)
Integrations
No business can operate on a single app, which is why integrations with other apps and tools are such important aspects of modern business software.
To calculate a product’s integration score, we’ll examine:
- How many native integrations (the simplest connection) does it offer?
- How effective and easy-to-use are its integrations with payroll software?
- Does it have robust data import and export features?
Customer Support
Learning how to use a new app can be frustrating, even if it’s meant to be the most user-friendly app around. That’s why great customer support is so essential when considering which time-tracking app to use.
Customer support scores are calculated based on:
- Live support channels available (phone, email, chat, etc.).
- Live support hours (business hours only, 24/7, etc.).
- The strength of the product’s online help center and/or FAQs.
- What other users say about support in online reviews.
Company
A great company with a highly customer-friendly approach can often make up for shortcomings in their software products – at least up to a point.
When assessing this score, we’ll examine:
- Transparency (easy-to-find pricing, etc.)
- Trial period (duration, feature availability, credit card requirements, etc.).
- Subscription flexibility (contracts, required durations, etc.).
- Ease of cancellation or pausing subscriptions.
- Customer perceptions (online product reviews).
- Website (a minor consideration, but great companies tend to have great websites).
Any questions about our scoring system? Have any suggestions on how we could make it even better? Click here to send us your feedback – we’d love to hear from you!
To calculate labor cost in construction, follow these key steps:
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Break down the project into individual tasks to estimate labor hours for each task.
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Estimate the time required for each task based on crew size and complexity.
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Determine the hourly wage rate for each worker or crew performing the tasks.
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Multiply the estimated hours for each task by the respective hourly wage rate to get the labor cost per task.
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Add the labor costs of all tasks to get the total labor cost for the project.
There are also three common calculation methods for labor costs:
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Detailed Estimating Method: Calculate exact labor hours per task multiplied by a burdened hourly rate (including wages, taxes, insurance).
-
Total Labor Cost Percentage Method: Estimate labor as a percentage of total project costs (usually 20-40%).
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Unit Rate Method: Calculate labor cost per unit of work (e.g., per square foot) multiplied by total units.
Labor burden (additional costs such as payroll taxes and insurance) should be included for a more accurate hourly labor rate. This approach ensures precise budgeting and management of labor expenses throughout the project.
Construction job costing software helps construction companies increase profitability by reducing errors, tracking all labor and material costs, and improving future estimates. The best job costing software minimizes error by digitally capturing worked hours and automatically calculating labor costs without manual processing of time cards and timesheets.
The best solutions also track and visualize project costs in real time, providing an overview of expenses as jobs progress. Lastly, the best job costing software helps contractors estimate future projects more accurately by providing past projects’ estimates and actual costs.
Here are more reasons why it is important for construction companies to use job costing software:
- Accurate tracking of expenses: Job costing software allows construction companies to track all expenses related to a project, including labor, materials, equipment, and overhead costs. This provides a detailed and accurate view of the actual costs incurred.
- Budget management: Job costing software enables construction companies to set budgets for each project and track expenses against those budgets in real-time. This helps identify any cost overruns early on so corrective action can be taken.
- Improved profitability: By accurately tracking and managing costs, job costing software helps construction companies identify areas where they can reduce expenses and improve the profitability of each project.
- Better pricing and bidding: Historical job costing data allows construction companies to price future jobs more accurately and submit more competitive bids.
- Enhanced project management: Job costing software integrates with other construction management tools to provide a comprehensive view of project progress, enabling better decision-making.
- Streamlined accounting and reporting: Job costing software automates many accounting tasks and generates detailed reports, saving time and improving financial visibility.
In summary, job costing software is essential for construction companies to control costs, improve profitability, and make data-driven decisions that drive the success of their projects.
Workyard connects seamlessly with leading payroll and accounting systems including QuickBooks Desktop and Online, Sage (100 Contractor, 300 CRE, and 50), ADP Run and Workforce Now, Foundation, Gusto, and others.
Here are more construction job costing software options that integrate well with accounting systems like QuickBooks:
- eSUB – A cloud-based project management solution for subcontractors that connects the field with the office. It integrates with QuickBooks to help track labor, materials, and other job costs.
- Knowify – Offers a best-in-class integration with QuickBooks Online, allowing construction companies to balance operational and financial data. It provides comprehensive job costing capabilities.
- Contractor Foreman – An all-in-one construction project management tool that integrates with QuickBooks to simplify accounting functions like expense tracking and invoicing. However, the integration setup can be complex.
- Buildertrend – Provides real-time cost analysis and forecasting by automatically capturing project costs from integrated systems like QuickBooks, though reporting capabilities may be limited.
The best construction job costing software for you will depend on your specific needs, budget, and the features required to integrate with your existing accounting system. Evaluating options like those above can help you find the right fit.