5 Best CoConstruct Alternatives After the Buildertrend Merger (2026) | Projul

If you’re reading this, you probably already know: CoConstruct as you knew it is gone.

Buildertrend acquired CoConstruct back in 2021, and the two platforms have been merging ever since. For a lot of custom home builders and remodelers who loved CoConstruct, the transition has been anything but smooth. Prices went up. Features changed. The software that was purpose-built for your workflow started feeling like it was built for someone else’s.

You’re not alone. Contractors across Reddit, Facebook groups, and industry forums have been asking the same question: “What do I switch to now?”

We dug into the best CoConstruct alternatives on the market right now, compared them on the features that CoConstruct users actually care about, and ranked them so you can make a decision without spending weeks on demos.

What Happened with CoConstruct and Buildertrend?

Buildertrend officially acquired CoConstruct in February 2021. The press release called it a move to “create a market leader in construction management software.” The reality for CoConstruct users has been a lot messier.

CoConstruct was built specifically for custom home builders and remodelers. It had a client portal that homeowners actually used, a selections process that made sense for custom builds, and a pricing model that worked for smaller operations. Buildertrend, on the other hand, was built for production builders and larger operations. Different audience. Different priorities. (If you’re also weighing enterprise-level tools, our best Procore alternatives guide covers that end of the market.)

After the acquisition, CoConstruct users started seeing changes they didn’t ask for. Pricing jumped. The roadmap shifted toward Buildertrend’s priorities. Long-time users reported feeling like their needs were no longer the focus.

One Reddit user put it bluntly: “Very unfortunate for our company as we love CC and have not heard good things about other software like Builder Trend. My office manager and I are dreading getting out subs to switch over.”

Another contractor on r/Construction said they left CoConstruct “because of ever rising fees.”

So if you’re looking for a replacement, here’s what you need to keep in mind. CoConstruct users typically care about these things most:

• Client portal that homeowners can actually manage
• Selections management for custom builds (finishes, fixtures, allowances)
• Change order tracking that ties back to the budget
• Job costing that shows real-time profitability
• Reasonable pricing that doesn’t punish you for adding team members (see our construction software pricing comparison for the full breakdown)

With that checklist in hand, let’s look at the five best alternatives.

1. Projul - Best Overall CoConstruct Alternative

Pricing: Core at $4,788/year, Core+ at $7,188/year, Pro at $14,388/year. No per-user fees. No per-project fees. No revenue-based pricing. no per-user fees on any plan.

Best for: Custom home builders, remodelers, and GCs who want everything in one platform without getting nickel-and-dimed.

Free trial: Yes

If you left CoConstruct because the pricing kept climbing and the software stopped feeling like it was built for you, Projul is worth a hard look.

Projul was built by a contractor. Not a software company that decided to sell to contractors. A guy who ran crews, managed subs, and got tired of the tools on the market not working the way construction actually works. That background shows up in every part of the platform.

Why CoConstruct Users Like Projul

No per-user fees. This is the big one. CoConstruct’s pricing model charged based on the number of active projects. (We dig into why flat-rate beats per-user pricing in detail.) Buildertrend moved toward custom quotes that tend to creep upward. Projul charges a flat monthly rate. Your project manager, your estimator, your superintendent, your office admin, your subs who need limited access… they all get in without bumping your bill. When you’ve got 15 or 20 people who need access, this saves you hundreds every month.

Client-facing tools that work. Your homeowners get a portal where they can view schedules, approve selections, sign change orders, and communicate with your team. It’s clean enough that the homeowner who barely uses email can figure it out. That was one of CoConstruct’s biggest strengths, and Projul delivers the same experience.

Job costing that’s actually real-time. You can see exactly where you stand on every job at any point. Not a week later after someone enters receipts. Not after your bookkeeper reconciles. Right now. Costs, commitments, and budget variances all in one view.

Estimating built for how contractors work. Build estimates from your own cost database, use assemblies to speed up takeoffs, and convert them to budgets and proposals without re-entering anything. The estimate becomes the job budget becomes the cost tracking. One flow.

CRM that captures leads. Most construction management tools bolt on a CRM as an afterthought. Projul’s lead management is built in from the start. Web forms, lead tracking, pipeline management, and follow-up reminders so jobs don’t slip through the cracks before they even start.

Scheduling your crew will actually use. Drag-and-drop scheduling with a calendar view that makes sense to the guy on the jobsite pulling it up on his phone. Push notifications when things change. Your subs see what they need to see without getting overwhelmed.

Where Projul Beats CoConstruct

Projul gives you CRM, estimating, scheduling, time tracking, invoicing, and job costing in one platform. CoConstruct was strong on the project management and client communication side but left gaps in CRM and estimating that you had to fill with other tools. With Projul, you stop paying for three or four different subscriptions and manage everything in one place.

The pricing model alone is worth the switch. For a 10-person team, Projul’s Core plan at $4,788/year is significantly cheaper than what most CoConstruct users were paying before the Buildertrend acquisition, and you get more features.

Learn more about Projul’s pricing and features →

2. JobTread - Best for Budget-Focused Estimating

Pricing: $199/mo base + $20/mo per additional user. Annual plan: $159/mo base + $16/user/mo. Volume discounts kick in after 10 users.

Best for: Smaller contractors who prioritize estimating and budgeting and don’t mind per-user costs at their current size.

Free trial: Yes

JobTread has carved out a solid niche, especially with contractors who care about estimating and job costing above everything else. The platform is built around a financial-first workflow: estimate, budget, track costs, and report on profitability.

What CoConstruct Users Will Like

JobTread’s estimating tools are genuinely strong. You can build detailed estimates, convert them to budgets, and track actual costs against those budgets throughout the project. The financial reporting is clear and actionable.

The interface is relatively modern and clean. If you’re coming from CoConstruct, the learning curve isn’t terrible. And the base price of $199/mo is attractive for solo operators or very small teams.

What CoConstruct Users Will Miss

Here’s the catch: that $199/mo base price gets expensive fast. At 10 users, you’re looking at $379/mo. At 20 users, it’s $489/mo (with volume discounts). And that’s just internal users.

JobTread’s client portal and selections management aren’t as polished as what CoConstruct offered. If your business revolves around custom home building where the homeowner needs to make 200 selections and approve change orders through a clean interface, JobTread might feel like a step backward in that department.

The CRM is basic. You’ll probably still need a separate tool for lead management if that’s important to your business.

3. Houzz Pro - Best for Design-Build Firms

Pricing: Starting at $4,788/year. Additional seats cost $60/mo each. Custom pricing for larger teams.

Best for: Design-build firms and remodelers who get leads through Houzz and want their lead generation and project management in one ecosystem.

Free trial: Yes (no credit card required)

Houzz Pro makes the most sense if you’re already getting leads from the Houzz marketplace. The platform connects your Houzz profile (where homeowners find you) with project management tools, creating a pipeline from first contact to project closeout.

What CoConstruct Users Will Like

The client communication tools are solid. Homeowners who found you on Houzz can move right into project updates, selections, and approvals without switching platforms. The 3D floor plan and mood board tools are great for design-build firms that need to present visual concepts early in the sales process.

Houzz Pro includes a lead management system that integrates directly with the Houzz marketplace. If a big chunk of your business comes from Houzz, this is a real advantage.

What CoConstruct Users Will Miss

The project management and job costing tools aren’t as deep as what CoConstruct offered. Houzz Pro is really built for the front end of the business: finding clients, presenting designs, and managing communications. Once you get into the weeds of scheduling subs, tracking costs against budgets, and managing change orders across a complex custom build, it starts to feel thin.

The pricing adds up quickly with the per-seat model. A team of 5 is looking at $639/mo before you even factor in any add-ons. And if you don’t get leads from Houzz, you’re paying for an ecosystem you don’t fully use.

It’s also less construction-focused and more design-focused. If you’re a GC running custom homes and you don’t have an interior design component to your business, Houzz Pro probably isn’t the right fit.

4. Buildertrend - The “Stay and Adapt” Option

Pricing: Custom quotes only. Reports from users suggest plans start north of $900/mo. Per-user pricing applies.

Best for: Production builders running high volumes who need deep feature sets and don’t mind the price tag.

Free trial: Contact for demo

This might seem like a strange inclusion on a list of CoConstruct alternatives. But the reality is that some CoConstruct users are being migrated to Buildertrend whether they like it or not. So it’s worth evaluating what you’re getting.

What CoConstruct Users Will Like

Thousands of contractors have made the switch. See what they have to say.

Buildertrend is a mature platform with a deep feature set. Scheduling, financial tools, client portal, daily logs, warranty tracking, and integrations with QuickBooks, Xero, and dozens of other tools. If you need a feature, Buildertrend probably has it somewhere.

The client portal is solid, and the owner communication tools have improved since the CoConstruct acquisition (they’ve pulled some of CoConstruct’s best ideas into the Buildertrend platform).

What CoConstruct Users Will Miss

The pricing is the elephant in the room. Buildertrend moved to custom quotes, which in practice means they charge based on your company size and usage. Long-time users on TrustRadius have reported being priced out after years on the platform. One reviewer said the pricing moved “north of $900 per month,” which is a tough pill for a 5-person remodeling company.

The platform was built for production builders, not custom home builders. The workflows, templates, and default setups all assume you’re building the same house over and over with minor variations. If every project you do is unique (which is the whole point of custom building), you’ll spend a lot of time configuring things that CoConstruct handled out of the box.

And the transition itself has been rocky. Migrating your data, retraining your team, and getting your subs set up on a new platform is a real cost that doesn’t show up in the monthly fee.

5. JobNimbus - Best for Roofing and Exterior Contractors

Pricing: Growing plan starts at $225/mo. Additional features and users increase costs. Custom quotes for larger teams.

Best for: Roofing contractors and exterior specialists who need CRM-first project management.

Free trial: Yes

JobNimbus is an interesting option, but it’s important to understand what it is and what it isn’t. It’s built primarily for roofing contractors and exterior trades. The CRM and sales pipeline tools are its strongest features. Project management is secondary.

What CoConstruct Users Will Like

If lead management was your biggest gap with CoConstruct, JobNimbus fills it well. The CRM is strong, with pipeline boards, automated follow-ups, and good reporting on your sales process. The interface is straightforward and your team can get up to speed quickly.

JobNimbus also has strong integrations with roofing-specific tools like EagleView and SumoQuote, plus general integrations with QuickBooks and other accounting platforms.

What CoConstruct Users Will Miss

If you’re a custom home builder, JobNimbus isn’t built for you. The platform is improved for shorter-cycle projects like roof replacements and exterior work. It doesn’t have the depth of selections management, multi-phase scheduling, or detailed job costing that custom builders need.

The project management tools are lighter than what CoConstruct offered. You won’t find the same level of budget-to-actual tracking, subcontractor coordination, or client portal functionality that custom home builders rely on.

And the pricing, while lower at entry, can grow with add-ons and per-user costs once you start needing the features that made CoConstruct valuable.

Feature Comparison: What CoConstruct Users Care About

Here’s a head-to-head on the features that matter most if you’re coming from CoConstruct:

What to Look for When Switching from CoConstruct

Switching construction management software is a pain. There’s no getting around it. But if you’re going to do it, here’s what to prioritize:

Data migration support. Ask every vendor whether they’ll help you move your existing projects, contacts, and financial data. Some will. Some will hand you a CSV template and wish you luck.

Your team’s willingness to learn. The fanciest software in the world is worthless if your crew won’t use it. Look for platforms that are intuitive enough that your field team actually opens the app. If it takes a two-day training just to check a schedule, you’ve got a problem.

Total cost, not just monthly price. A $199/mo base price sounds great until you add 15 users and realize you’re paying more than the $4,788/year flat-rate option. Do the math for YOUR team size, not the hypothetical small team in the marketing brochure.

Client experience. If your homeowners loved CoConstruct’s client portal, don’t downgrade that experience. Your client communication is part of your brand. When Mrs. Johnson can log in and see her kitchen selections, her schedule, and her change orders in one clean interface, that’s not just convenience. That’s how you get referrals.

Try before you buy. Every platform on this list offers a free trial or demo. Use them. Put real project data in. Have your project manager and your field guys actually click around. Their feedback matters more than any feature comparison chart.

The Bottom Line

CoConstruct was a great tool that served custom home builders well for years. The Buildertrend acquisition changed the game, and a lot of contractors are now looking for something that feels like what CoConstruct used to be: purpose-built for their work, reasonably priced, and focused on their needs.

Projul checks those boxes. Flat-rate pricing that doesn’t punish you for growing your team. A platform built by a contractor who understood the problems firsthand. And a feature set that covers CRM through closeout without needing three other subscriptions to fill the gaps.

But don’t take our word for it. Start a free trial and see how it works for your operation.

Ready to stop guessing and start managing? Schedule a demo to see Projul in action.

FAQ

What happened to CoConstruct? Buildertrend acquired CoConstruct in February 2021. The two platforms have been merging, with CoConstruct’s features being integrated into Buildertrend’s platform. CoConstruct as a standalone product is being phased out, which is why many former users are looking for alternatives.

Is CoConstruct still available? The CoConstruct brand still exists, but it now operates under the Buildertrend umbrella. New customers are typically directed to Buildertrend. Existing CoConstruct users have been encouraged to migrate to Buildertrend’s platform, though some legacy accounts may still be active.

What is the best alternative to CoConstruct for custom home builders? Projul is the best CoConstruct alternative for custom home builders. It offers a client portal, selections management, change order tracking, real-time job costing, and built-in CRM, all with flat-rate pricing and no per-user fees. It covers the same core workflows that CoConstruct users valued without the cost surprises that came after the Buildertrend merger.

How much does CoConstruct cost now? CoConstruct’s pricing started at $99/mo as an introductory rate, jumping to $4,788/year after two months. Under Buildertrend’s ownership, pricing has moved to custom quotes, and users have reported costs north of $900/mo depending on company size and usage. For a deeper look at what happened with the merger and other options, check out our BuilderTrend alternatives guide.

Does Projul have a client portal like CoConstruct? Yes. Projul includes a client-facing portal where homeowners can view project schedules, approve selections, sign change orders, and communicate with your team. It’s designed to be simple enough for clients who aren’t tech-savvy, similar to the experience CoConstruct was known for.

Can I migrate my data from CoConstruct to another platform? Most platforms on this list offer some level of data migration support. Contact each vendor to ask about their migration process for CoConstruct data. Projul’s support team can walk you through the transition and help you get your projects, contacts, and financial data moved over.

Last updated: February 2026. Pricing and features are subject to change. Visit each vendor’s website for the most current information.