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The stack for specialty trade contractors and subcontractors

Subs live between the bid invitation and the pay application. The tools that matter are the ones that find the work, price it and get it billed.

Our analysis of how to sequence software for this kind of business, not a recommendation of any product. Under each step are the directory’s tools in those categories that list specialty trades as an audience, alphabetically. See everything for specialty trades →

  1. 1

    Find and respond to bids

    Invitations, plan rooms and bid tracking.

    Bid management & preconstruction Buyer’s guide

    No tool in this category lists specialty trades as an audience yet. See all 7.

  2. 2

    Take off and estimate

    Quantities and pricing from plan sets.

    Estimating & takeoff Buyer’s guide

    Bidflow (LuxTakeoff) AI Takeoff software for commercial lighting estimates, producing first-pass fixture counts and linear quantities from drawing sets for review. Quote on request Free trial Bluebeam AI PDF markup, measurement, document management and collaboration software (Revu) connecting office and field teams on construction drawings. Published pricing Free trial Estimate Rocket CRM, estimating and project management platform for service contractors, with trade-specific estimate templates, proposals, scheduling and reporting. Published pricing Free trial Handoff AI Residential construction software combining AI estimating with proposals, CRM, scheduling, client portals and invoicing. Published pricing Free trial Joist AI Estimating, invoicing and payment software for contractors, with jobs and scheduling, client management and homeowner financing options on estimates. Starting price listed Free trial Kreo AI Cloud-based takeoff and estimating software that works with PDF, CAD and image drawings, aimed at quantity surveyors, estimators and contractors. Published pricing Free trial PlanSwift AI Takeoff and estimating software for measuring, counting and pricing on PDF, CAD and image plans, using assemblies that build the estimate. Published pricing Free trial Togal.AI AI Cloud takeoff software that measures and compares quantities on construction drawings, with trade-specific workflows for estimators. Published pricing Xactimate AI Verisk's property claims estimating software for restoration and repair work, with sketching, localized pricing and AI-assisted line-item recommendations. Quote on request

    Aerial measurement & roof reports Buyer’s guide

  3. 3

    Coordinate the field

    Time, daily reports, crews and the GC’s platform.

    Field operations & workforce Buyer’s guide

    Bridgit AI Workforce planning software for construction covering project staffing plans, internal resumes, forecasting and team communication. Quote on request busybusy AI Mobile time card and GPS time-tracking app with job costing, budgets, daily reports, photo documentation, equipment tracking, scheduling and payroll tools. Free plan + paid tiers Free planFree trial ClockShark AI Time-tracking and job-management app for construction and field service crews, with mobile clock-in, scheduling, job costing and payroll integrations. Published pricing Free trial NavigateAI AI AI copilot for field teams that runs on phones or smart glasses, covering visual documentation, coaching, quality checks and workflow automation. Quote on request Raken AI Field management app for daily progress reports, time tracking, production tracking, safety and quality, and document management, on web and mobile. Quote on request Free trial Skillit AI Hiring platform connecting construction craft professionals with contractors, offering workers a job board and profiles and contractors a way to find workers. Quote on request

    Project management platforms Buyer’s guide

    Autodesk Forma (formerly Autodesk Construction Cloud) AI Construction management platform, formerly Autodesk Construction Cloud, combining document management, bid management, model coordination, RFIs, submittals, daily reports and cost and schedule tracking. Quote on request Buildern AI Construction management software combining estimating, takeoff, scheduling, budgeting, communication and billing, with two-way QuickBooks and Xero sync. Starting price listed Free trial Buildertrend AI Construction management software that brings a builder's financials, schedules, field operations, teams and client communication into one system. Starting price listed Contractor Foreman Construction management platform for small and mid-size contractors covering project management, estimates, invoicing, scheduling, time cards and a client portal. Published pricing Free trial Foreman AI Construction management and estimating software combining takeoffs, budgets, client agreements, cost tracking, scheduling and field tools, with portals for subcontractors and clients. Published pricing Free trial Kahua AI Enterprise project and program management platform giving capital owners and delivery teams a shared system for cost, risk, collaboration and handover, with a no-code app builder. Quote on request Procore AI Construction management platform covering preconstruction through closeout, linking office and field teams across project execution, cost and resource management, with accounting and ERP integrations. Quote on request Projul AI Cloud construction management platform combining CRM, estimating, scheduling, invoicing, time tracking and job costing, with flat-rate pricing that the company says has no per-user fees. Published pricing Sledge AI Construction operating software spanning bids and contracts, scheduling, daily logs, RFIs, submittals and punch lists, plus invoicing, lien waivers, change orders and job costing. Published pricing Free trial Trimble ProjectSight AI Web and mobile project management software for drawings, RFIs, submittals, specifications, punch lists, photos and 360-degree site capture, with ERP integrations and a free tier. Free plan + paid tiers Free plan

    Safety & risk Buyer’s guide

    No tool in this category lists specialty trades as an audience yet. See all 7.

  4. 4

    Bill and get paid

    Pay applications, lien waivers and payments, the common cause of slow cash flow.

    Finance, payments & back office Buyer’s guide

    Acorn Finance Lending marketplace through which contractors can share a financing link so homeowners can compare loan offers for home improvement projects. Free Free plan Adaptive AI Project-level accounting platform for construction handling job costing, payables, billing, WIP, forecasting, change orders and compliance, exporting reviewed figures to the existing general ledger. Quote on request Agave AI Financial operations layer for contractors that syncs project management and ERP systems and automates invoice processing, expense coding and vendor compliance on top of the existing ERP. Quote on request Hearth AI Contractor software for quotes, contracts, invoices, payments and customer financing, aimed at residential home improvement businesses. Quote on request Knowify AI Project and service management software for trade contractors that combines estimates, job management, invoicing, job costing and a QuickBooks integration. Starting price listed Free trial Miter Workforce and back-office platform for construction firms combining payroll, HR, expenses, time tracking, scheduling, daily reports, job costing and compliance such as certified payroll. Quote on request Trayd Payroll and compliance software for trade contractors covering certified, union and prevailing-wage payroll, labor tracking, HR onboarding, job costing and accounting. Quote on request Wisetack Customer financing for home service businesses, letting customers pay for jobs in monthly installments through a text or link sent on an invoice. Quote on request

    Procurement & materials Buyer’s guide