Buildertrend VS CoConstruct: Construction Project Management Software

CoConstruct or Buildertrend: Which one should you choose?

Knowing the benefits of using a construction project management software in your building company is easy. It saves time by systemising and automating the process of estimating and managing projects. Choosing which one will be right for you is the hard part. 

If you did a Google search on the best construction project management software, there will likely be two names that will keep popping up - Buildertrend and CoConstruct.

But which one is better for your building company? The truth is, it comes down to exactly what you need within your building company - there is no one size fits all. 

Both software programs were built around the same philosophy - that there’s a better way for builders to manage their construction projects. Both wanted to provide an all-in-one system that makes the building process easier and eliminates the need for half a dozen different platforms just to complete one job. 

The Key Differences Between Buildertrend And CoConstruct

In terms of features, you’ll find most of them are the same - covering pre-construction, project management, financials and administration. They might just look and operate a little different. So depending on what you’re used to, you might find one easier to use than the other.

A member of the Association of Professional Builders (APB), Clare from Coy’s Construction, switched from CoConstruct to Buildertrend. She said, "The training and usability of Buildertrend is miles ahead. I find Buildertrend intuitive. The navigation just makes sense, whereas I found with CoConstruct, I always needed to search for what I needed." 

But there are few standouts that one has where the other does not. For example, CoConstruct’s estimating functions allow for spreadsheet-style estimating directly in the system. As far as we can tell, it’s the only software that allows builders to enter the information once and have it all seamlessly flow through each stage.

While Buildertrend’s estimating section relies heavily on importing Excel spreadsheets, meaning a lot of double-handling. There are options for integrating estimating-specific software, however, it opens up the need for more than one software subscription. A member of the APB, Mike, mentioned that he uses Buildertrend for almost everything, but uses a third party software for estimating. 

Mike also told us that his Buildertrend subscription includes a dedicated help team within his time zone. While another APB member, Sean, wasn’t happy with the level of customer support offered by CoConstruct.

The Pricing Models

In terms of pricing, CoConstruct is a lot more straightforward. You can choose your plan based on how many active projects you need. So it doesn’t matter if you choose the lowest option or the highest, they all have the same features, you’re essentially just paying for the number of projects you’ll need open at one time. Whereas Buildertrend features vary, depending on which plan you opt for. The lower plan on Buildertrend will cost you $299 per month, but you’ll miss out on the features for change orders, bids, warranties and surveys. The same price will get you all the features in CoConstruct if you don’t need more than five active projects. 

If you want to try one out and test the waters, both have options for you. Both Buildertrend and CoConstruct offer a free demonstration so you can take a look inside and see if it looks right for you. Otherwise, Buildertrend offers a discounted price for the first three months of the plan you choose and CoConstruct will give you two months of unlimited usage for a small price so you can learn the ropes.

Which One Is Right For You?

Which construction project management and estimating software will be right for you comes down to what kind of building projects you’re doing and how much you need from the software. CoConstruct was built specifically for new home builders and major renovation specialists, so all of its features are geared towards those business models. Buildertrend caters for the masses and claims their software can be used by home builders, renovators, speciality contractors and commercial builders.

Our advice is to check out the demonstrations of each software and take a look inside for yourself before committing to a subscription. A demonstration should give you a clear indication if one will work better for than the other. Even once you’ve decided, there’s no risk as both software options don’t have lock-in contracts - so you can always cancel and try out the other instead! 

If you’d like to learn more about construction project management and estimating software, check out our full Buildertrend review here and our CoConstruct review here.