The middle that was missing
Construction software tends to come in two flavours: enterprise platforms built — and priced — for the largest general contractors, and basic apps that only really handle quotes and invoices. If you've been priced out of the first and outgrown the second, here's where ProjectOS fits.
| Enterprise platforms | ProjectOS | Basic small-business apps | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Custom quote, often based on your annual construction volume | $75/month flat for your whole company | Low monthly, but usually billed per user |
| How you buy it | Sales call, demo, quote and contract | Sign up online, start the same day | Sign up online |
| Contract | Annual contract typical | Month-to-month, cancel anytime | Usually monthly |
| Field / worker seats | Factored into your overall price | Every worker free, always | Often per-user or capped |
| Estimating & takeoff | Yes, across the platform / add-ons | Included — takeoff flows into the estimate | Quotes only, no real takeoff |
| Drawings & RFIs | Yes — a core strength | Included — viewer, revisions, RFI → SI → CO chain | Usually not included |
| Progress billing | Yes, via financial modules | Included — Canadian holdback & GST built in | Basic invoicing |
| Accounting | Integrates with external systems | Built-in ledger + Stripe payments | Integrates with external systems |
| Site sign-in & safety | Available; general-purpose | Core — geofenced sign-in, FLHA, WorkSafeBC-aligned plan | Not included |
| Built for | Large GCs & enterprise | Small & mid-size contractors and subtrades | Handymen & very small shops |
| Time to first value | Implementation & onboarding period | Run a real project the same day | Fast, but limited scope |
This compares ProjectOS to the two broad categories of construction software as they typically apply to a small-contractor buyer. Capabilities and pricing vary by product and plan; it's a general guide, not a claim about any specific competitor.
Full coverage of the job — without the enterprise weight
- ✓One flat price you can read off a page$75/month for the whole company — no percentage-of-volume math, no quote, no surprise at renewal. Workers are always free.
- ✓Start today, not next quarterNo demo-to-contract sales cycle and no implementation project. Create your company, upload a drawing set, and open site sign-in the same afternoon.
- ✓Field-first and Canadian by defaultGeofenced sign-in, FLHAs and a WorkSafeBC-aligned safety plan are core — and progress billing handles holdback and GST out of the box.
- ✓Built by a superintendent, for smaller buildersNot an enterprise tool scaled down, and not a quoting app stretched too far — a platform designed from the start for the contractors in the middle.
Choosing between the options
How is this different from the big enterprise platforms?
Same end-to-end coverage of a real build, without the enterprise price tag, the sales cycle, or the modules you'll never use. ProjectOS is one flat monthly price, workers are free, and you can start today without talking to anyone. Those platforms make sense for the largest GCs — ProjectOS is built for everyone else.
We use a basic small-business app — why switch?
Those are great for quotes and invoices, but they don't do real estimating or takeoff, drawing control, geofenced site sign-in, FLHA/orientation compliance, or subcontractor management. If you've outgrown "quote and invoice," ProjectOS is the next step up — without jumping all the way to enterprise software.
Do I have to migrate everything to try it?
No. Start a free 30-day trial, stand up one real project — upload its drawings, build the estimate, open site sign-in — and see how it fits before you commit to anything. No card to begin.
Can subcontractors use it too?
Yes. Subtrades run their own ProjectOS, and when a GC and a sub both use it their projects link — drawings publish down, RFIs flow up. Invited subs can bid for free.
See where you fit — free
30 days, no card, the whole platform. Put a real job through it and compare for yourself.
Start your free trial