ContractorTools Review: Features, Pricing & Alternatives in 2023

ContractorTools is a construction estimating software that allows contractors to create and send estimates and invoices from their Apple devices. We especially recommend it for small or medium-sized construction businesses, especially those that use or are planning to use QuickBooks Online for accounting. When integrated with QuickBooks, you can sync important data, such as customers, estimates, and invoices, between the two systems.

Our ContractorTools review will help you decide whether the platform is right for your business based on its features, pricing, pros and cons, and more.

• Pros/Cons
• Deciding Factors
• Best For
• Not Ideal For

Overall Score: 4.01 / 5

RATING CRITERIA	QuickBooks Integration		4.25 out of 5
	Ease of Implementation		5.00 out of 5
	Pricing		4.50 out of 5
	Construction Features		2.60 out of 5
	Construction Reporting		2.50 out of 5
	Mobile App		5.00 out of 5
	User Reviews		4.70 out of 5

Pros

• Allows you to include proportional costs in your estimate
• Can convert estimates into invoices
• Has a fully functional mobile app for iPhone and iPad users
• Integrates with QuickBooks Online
• Is easy to use, especially for Apple users
• Offers a Craftsman Costbooks add-on for improved estimating

Cons

• Lacks other construction features like equipment management and inventory tracking
• Lacks an Android mobile app
• Offer change order management only in the Pro plan (highest tier)
• Doesn’t support two-way integration with QuickBooks, such as invoices must be created in ContractorTools

Supported Users	Small and midsized contractors and subcontractors looking for an estimating app that works on Apple devices
Pricing	Basic: $9.99 per month for a single user Essentials: $19.99 per month for up to three users Pro: $49.99 per month for up to five users
Free Trial	30 days, with no credit card information required
Standout Features	Lets you choose from readily available templates to create estimates easily Allows you to set up a default unit of measure or labor rates to be used for adding an item to a job Provides various types of job reports, such as list of materials and list of labor Enables you to accept invoice payments through the web portal Lets you send any report or document through your email account or the web portal
Ease of Use	Easy to use, especially for those who are comfortable with iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices
Customer Support	Phone support, live chat, and an online help center

• Contractors who frequently work at job sites and need a mobile app for estimating and invoicing
• Construction businesses that use QuickBooks Online for accounting and require data syncing between their QuickBooks accounting and estimating system
• Contractors who are familiar with Apple devices
• Construction companies that often manage projects involving a mix of high-cost and low-cost materials

• Contractors looking for an inexpensive time tracking software: ClockShark allows you to track your team members’ billable time for as low as $20 monthly. To help you determine if it fits the bill, read our review of ClockShark.
• Contractors seeking an all-in-one construction software with QuickBooks integration: ContractorTools is focused on estimating and lacks other essential construction features, such as time tracking and equipment management. If you prefer a more robust solution, consider Procore, which offers an easy integration with QuickBooks Online—our overall best small business accounting software.
• Construction companies seeking an inventory management solution: You can’t use ContractorTools to manage and track materials and inventory. If you need a comprehensive inventory solution to track construction materials and supplies, we recommend Acctivate. It has specialized inventory features, such as the ability to track and allocate inventory across individual projects. Additionally, it syncs with QuickBooks Online so that you can sync inventory levels between the two programs.

Our three recommendations above are on our list of the top construction software integrations for QuickBooks. To learn more, you can read that guide or scroll to the section below.

Visit ContractorTools

ContractorTools Alternatives

Visit Procore	Visit Acctivate	Visit ClockShark
Best for: Contractors seeking an all-in-one project management solution	Best for: Companies requiring material and inventory management features	Best for: Contractors looking for an inexpensive time tracking solution
Cost: Custom priced	Cost: From $9,995 (one-time) or $833 monthly	Cost: From $20 per user monthly

The solution is more affordable than most other similar software. The ContractorTools pricing page shows three scalable subscription options:

• Basic: $9.99 per month for a single user
• Essentials: $19.99 per month for up to three users
• Pro: $49.99 per month for up to five users

ContractorTools took a hit in our evaluation of pricing due to the cumulative costs that can quickly add up for companies with multiple users. If you require an additional user, you’ll have to pay $9.99 each per month.

Meanwhile, you can purchase the optional Craftsman Costbooks add-on for $9.99 monthly. Craftsman Costbooks provides an extensive list of construction cost items that you can use for creating estimates in ContractorTools.

You can be billed directly through the ContractorTools website or the QuickBooks Online App Store. You can try ContractorTools for free for 30 days.

ContractorTools Feature Comparison by Plan

ContractorTools took a hit in this category because it only supports one-way integration with QuickBooks. While you can sync ContractorTools invoices with QuickBooks Online, there’s no option to import your QuickBooks invoices to the ContractorTools platform. This means you must create invoices from your ContractorTools account.

However, ContractorTools is still a solid integration for QuickBooks as you can sync various data between the two platforms depending on your subscription. If you subscribe to Basic, you can sync customers, jobs, and estimates; and when you upgrade to Essentials, you can sync other data types, including invoices and payments. If you wish to sync change orders, credits, and credit memos, then you need to upgrade to Pro.

The ContractorTools and QuickBooks Online integration is easy to implement, as you can set it up from either software. The app is readily available on the QuickBooks App Store, so you can set it up directly from your QuickBooks Online account (if you already have one).

Alternatively, you can set up the QuickBooks integration from within ContractorTools. From your dashboard, select QuickBooks Sync, toggle Enable QuickBooks Sync to on, and then click the Connect to QuickBooks button.

Setting up QuickBooks Online integration in ContractorTools

Once connected, your screen will look like this:

QuickBooks integration is successfully set up in ContractorTools (Source: ContractorTools)

When you click on Sync Settings, you’ll see the list of data you can sync with QuickBooks Online.

ContractorTools received an average score in this category, and this outcome is completely reasonable given that the software is specifically designed for estimating, which it does very well. The software earned points for job costing and project tracking. However, it lacks other critical construction tools, like time tracking, equipment management, and employee and location tracking.

Click on the headings below for details of the platform’s most notable features.

Estimating

Estimating in ContractorTools begins with creating a job. Once a job is created, you can specify and update relevant information, including the customer associated with the job and the corresponding estimate.

When you click on the Estimate menu under the job you created, you’ll be prompted to enter important details, including general information, such as the issue date, expiration period, and purchase order (PO) number, and items associated with the job’s scope. Also, you have the option to upload photos, such as blueprints and drawings, contracts, and specifications.

Estimate menu under a job created in ContractorTools

Once an estimate is created for a job, ContractorTools automatically creates a PDF copy of the estimate, which you can access from the Document tab. You can send the estimate to a lead or customer by attaching it to an email or uploading it to the ContractorTools web portal. When the web portal is enabled under the Company settings menu, ContractorTools will automatically upload the document to the portal and then send an email to your customer containing the link to the document.

When your customer clicks the link, ContractorTools will take them to the web portal where they can view or download the estimate or make a payment (for invoices).

ContractorTools automatically creates an estimate, found under the Document tab

One thing we like about ContractorTools’ estimating feature is the ability to add proportional costs. When creating an estimate, certain expenses might not be evenly distributed across all items. ContractorTools allows you to add proportional costs so that the estimate reflects the actual cost distribution within your project—leading to accurate pricing and better cost management.

We also like the full-featured mobile app for creating and sending estimates, which we believe is useful for contractors who are frequently on the move or working on job sites. However, we hope that the provider considers extending this convenience to Android users as well.

Change Order Management

When unexpected changes arise during the course of a project, you can create a change order to reflect these adjustments. The change order screen has almost the same options as the estimating tool, such as the fields for entering general job info, items, and the option to upload photos.

When change orders are first entered in ContractorTools, they are automatically set to “Pending” status. You can then send the change order document to your customer via email or through the PDF, where they can electronically sign. Once your customer signs the document, you can then update the status to “Approved.”

To change the status of a change order, click on the Info menu and then select the appropriate status (e.g., pending, approved, and declined) from the Status dropdown list.

Tracking and updating the status of a change order in ContractorTools

Draw Schedule Management

Invoicing

ContactorTools allows you to create and send invoices to your customers through the mobile app. When creating an invoice, you’re presented with different invoice types based on the billing structure, such as percentage, fixed amount, itemized, and final. The app automatically applies the job’s details, including the total amount in the estimate form, to create the invoice.

Additionally, the invoice entry form allows you to apply the change order associated with the job automatically, provided the change order is already approved by the customer. You can set up what goes into your invoice through the Info menu. Here, you can specify the payment terms and add a description, a message to your customer, and private notes.

Once the invoice is created, tap Document to view and print the invoice if needed. Your customer can access and pay the invoice via the web portal or you can send it to them through email.

Sample invoice in ContractorTools

The QuickBooks Online integration allows you to sync invoices between ContractorTools and QuickBooks. However, as mentioned earlier, ContractorTools only supports one-way integration with QuickBooks, so you have to initiate the invoice creation process within your ContractorTools account.

Payment Processing

Craftsman Costbooks

To enhance ContractorTools’ estimating capabilities, you can add Craftsman Costbooks to your subscription. Craftsman Costbooks are renowned resources for construction-related items for a wide range of construction tasks, materials, labor, and equipment.

To copy items from Craftsman Costbooks into an estimate, select Estimate under the job you’re working on, and then click Items. Then, select the + button and then click From Craftsman Costbooks. ContractorTools will provide a list of popular Craftsman Costbooks, such as NBC Costbook, BCE Costbook, NHI Costbook, and NPC Costbook.

Using Craftsman Costbooks for estimates in ContractorTools

Additionally, you can create personalized costbooks tailored to your unique business needs. You can add, edit, or remove line items to customize costbooks based on specific materials, labor, rates, and expenses.

ContractorTools’ earned points for allowing users to create various construction reports, including lists of materials, lists of labor, lists of zero-cost items, invoice report lists, and payment report lists. Additionally, you can run job recap reports, including job recap summary and job recap detail.

However, its score took a considerable hit as the reports were not as extensive as we expected. For instance, it lacks job cost reporting tools, such as the ability to compare estimated versus actual project costs, which could have been useful for tracking project profitability.

I awarded ContractorTools perfect marks in this category because of its mobile-focused approach, making it unique from other construction software. Most of its features, including job creation, estimating, and invoicing, can be accessed from its iOS mobile app, which is an innovative approach for modern contractors who are always on the go.

Once you create your ContractorTools account, you can download the mobile app for free from the App Store.

Most of those who left a ContractorTools review on the App Store had positive remarks. Many are impressed with its estimating and invoicing features, while others praised its ease of use. Also, some commended the native mobile app, which makes it easy for them to create and send invoices, estimates, and change orders on the go.

As of this writing, ContractorTools is rated 4.7 out of 5 based on more than 1,500 reviews on the App Store^[1].

ContractorTools Ease of Use & Customer Service

At first, you may be confused with ContractorTools’ user interface, especially if you’re unaccustomed to iPhones or iPads. However, after spending a few minutes exploring the software, you’ll find it easy to use.

You just need to create a job, and all the other important entry forms are displayed under that job. This means you don’t have to navigate between separate menus to create jobs, invoices, and estimates. Also, you can track estimates and invoices by job since the data displayed are only those associated with the job you’re viewing.

Meanwhile, if you have questions about or need help with using ContractorTools’ features, you can contact the provider by phone or live chat. You can also check out its online help center, which contains various resources, like setup guides and tutorial videos.

How We Evaluated ContractorTools

We evaluated ContractorTools and our other best QuickBooks Online construction integrations using the scoring rubric below.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is ContractorTools?

Does ContractorTools integrate with QuickBooks Online?

Who can benefit from using ContractorTools?

Bottom Line

ContractorTools may not be a complete construction accounting solution, but we highly recommend it for estimating and invoicing. Its mobile app provides an innovative solution for contractors who want to create and send estimates, manage change orders, and set up draw schedules, on the go. Additionally, it offers direct integration with QuickBooks Online—-helping you bridge the gap between estimating and invoicing and financial management.

User review reference:
¹App Store