6 Best Contractor+ (Contractor Plus) Alternatives (2025) | Projul

Contractor+ (also called Contractor Plus) has carved out a niche as a free app for solo contractors and handymen. If you are a one-person operation doing basic home services, it can help you create simple invoices, track expenses, and manage a few clients.

But here is the problem: most contractors do not stay solo forever. The moment you start adding crew members, taking on bigger jobs, or trying to actually track your profitability, Contractor+ starts falling short. And even on the paid plans, key features that real contractors need are either missing or too basic to rely on.

If you have been using Contractor+ and feel like you are hitting a wall, you are not alone. Here is why contractors outgrow it and six alternatives that can take you to the next level.

Why Contractors Look for Contractor+ Alternatives

The Free Tier Is Limited

The free version of Contractor+ gets people in the door, and that is exactly what it is designed to do. But the limitations are real:

• Ads throughout the app. You are the product when the software is free. Ads clutter the interface and slow you down.
• Limited storage. You can only store a small number of photos, documents, and project files before hitting the ceiling.
• Basic features only. The free tier gives you a taste of what the app can do, but the tools you actually need for running a real business are locked behind the paywall.
• No team features. The free plan is built for one person. If you have even one employee, you are already looking at upgrading.

Free software is great when you are just starting out and every dollar matters. But there is a real cost to using tools that limit your ability to grow. The time you spend working around limitations is time you could spend on billable work.

Paid Plans Still Missing Key Features

Upgrading to a paid Contractor+ plan unlocks more functionality, but there are still gaps that matter for serious contractors:

No real estimating tools. Contractor+ offers basic estimate creation, but it is not the kind of professional estimating that wins jobs and protects your margins. You cannot build detailed estimates with cost databases, assembly items, or markup calculations that reflect your actual costs. For contractors who bid competitive work, this is a dealbreaker.

No QuickBooks integration. This is a big one. Most contractors use QuickBooks for their accounting, and without an integration, you are stuck entering data twice. That means more time on admin work and more chances for errors in your books. Every invoice you create in Contractor+ needs to be manually recreated in QuickBooks. That adds up fast.

Limited reporting. Understanding your numbers is how you grow a profitable business. Contractor+ offers basic reports, but it does not give you the job costing data or financial visibility you need to make smart decisions. You cannot easily see which jobs made money, which ones lost money, and why.

Basic scheduling. The scheduling tools work for simple task management, but they do not support the kind of crew scheduling, resource allocation, and timeline management that contractors with multiple active projects need.

Built for Solo Operators, Not Growing Companies

This is the core issue. Contractor+ was designed for solo contractors and handymen who need a step up from pen and paper. That is a valid market, and the app serves it reasonably well.

But construction companies grow. You hire your first employee. Then a second crew. Then you start running five or ten projects at the same time. Suddenly you need:

• A CRM to track leads and follow up before they go cold
• Scheduling that handles multiple crews across multiple job sites
• Estimating tools that let you build accurate, professional bids
• Invoicing that connects to your accounting software
• Job costing that tells you in real time whether a project is on budget

Contractor+ was not built to handle that level of complexity. And trying to force it into that role means your team spends more time fighting the tool than using it.

6 Best Contractor+ Alternatives

1. Projul

Best for: Contractors ready to grow beyond a one-person operation

Projul was built by contractors for contractors. It covers the entire workflow from the first lead to the final invoice, with real tools for every step in between. If you have outgrown Contractor+ and want a platform that scales with you, Projul is the clear upgrade.

What sets Projul apart from Contractor+ is depth. Where Contractor+ gives you basic versions of common features, Projul gives you professional-grade tools that actually move the needle for your business.

Key Features:

• Estimating: Build detailed, professional estimates using cost databases, historical data, and customizable templates. Add markup, create assemblies, and convert estimates to projects with one click. See estimating features.
• Invoicing: Create and send invoices directly from your project data. Progress billing, retention tracking, and automated payment reminders keep cash flowing. Learn about invoicing.
• CRM and Lead Management: Capture leads from your website, phone calls, and referrals. Track every interaction and never lose a potential job. Explore CRM features.
• Scheduling: Assign crews, set deadlines, manage dependencies, and see all your active projects on one calendar. Your field team sees their schedule on their phone in real time. View scheduling features.
• Job Costing: Track actual costs against your budget as the job progresses. See profit margins in real time so you can make adjustments before it is too late.
• QuickBooks Integration: Two-way sync with QuickBooks eliminates double entry and keeps your accounting accurate without extra work.
• Mobile App: A clean, fast mobile app that your crew will actually open. Update tasks, log time, take photos, and communicate from the field.

Pricing:

Projul uses flat-rate pricing with unlimited users on every plan. That means your whole team gets access without per-user fees eating into your budget.

• Core: $399/mo ($4,788/yr)
• Core+: $599/mo ($7,188/yr)
• Pro: $1,199/mo ($14,388/yr)

See full pricing details

Yes, Projul costs more than Contractor+ paid plans. But the difference in capability is massive. You get real estimating, real job costing, real scheduling, and real integrations. For a contractor doing $500K or more in annual revenue, the return on investment is obvious. One better estimate or one caught budget overrun pays for the software several times over.

Why contractors switch from Contractor+ to Projul:

They are tired of workarounds. They want one platform that handles leads, estimates, projects, invoices, and accounting integration without gaps. And they want something their growing team can actually use.

2. Buildertrend

Best for: Residential builders and remodelers who want a client portal

Buildertrend is a well-known platform in the residential construction space. It covers project management, scheduling, financial tools, and customer communication with a strong client portal that homeowners appreciate.

If you are a home builder or remodeler who has been using Contractor+ and wants to level up your client experience, Buildertrend is worth considering.

Key Features:

• Pre-sale tools including proposals and lead management
• Project scheduling with Gantt charts
• Financial tools for estimates, purchase orders, and invoices
• Customer portal for communication and selections
• Daily logs and photo documentation

Limitations:

• Per-user pricing on higher tiers. Costs can climb as your team grows, unlike Projul’s unlimited user model.
• Residential focus. Commercial contractors, specialty trades, and industrial contractors may find it lacking.
• Estimating is basic. The estimating tools work for simple residential bids but may not handle complex commercial estimates well.
• Learning curve. Buildertrend has a lot of features, and some users report it takes time to learn the full platform.
• Mixed support reviews. Some users report slow response times from the support team.

Buildertrend is a solid step up from Contractor+ for residential contractors, but the per-user pricing and residential focus are worth keeping in mind.

3. Jobber

Best for: Home service contractors who need routing and dispatching

Jobber is built for home service businesses like HVAC, plumbing, electrical, landscaping, and cleaning companies. It focuses on scheduling, dispatching, quoting, invoicing, and client communication.

If you are running a service-based business and Contractor+ is not keeping up with your scheduling needs, Jobber offers a more polished experience.

Key Features:

• Client manager with communication history
• Scheduling and dispatching with route optimization
• Quoting and invoicing with online payment processing
• Automated follow-ups and review requests
• QuickBooks and Xero integration

Limitations:

• Not built for project-based contractors. If you run multi-week or multi-month construction projects, Jobber’s scheduling model may not fit. It is designed for shorter service calls and recurring appointments.
• Per-user pricing. Jobber charges per user, which gets expensive as your team grows.
• Limited job costing. You cannot track detailed costs against a project budget the way you can with construction-specific platforms.
• Basic estimating. Quoting in Jobber works for simple service proposals but lacks the depth needed for construction estimates.
• No project management depth. Tasks and to-do lists are available, but full project management with dependencies, phases, and document control is not part of the platform.

Jobber is a great fit for service contractors but falls short for those doing project-based construction work.

4. Joist

Best for: Solo contractors and small trades who need fast estimates and invoices

Joist (now part of the Buildertrend family) is a simple estimating and invoicing app for contractors. It is similar to Contractor+ in scope but offers a cleaner experience for creating estimates and collecting payments.

If you are a solo contractor who mainly needs to send professional-looking estimates and invoices, Joist is straightforward and easy to use.

Key Features:

• Quick estimate and invoice creation
• Client signatures on estimates
• Online payment collection
• Material and labor cost tracking
• Basic client management

Limitations:

• Very limited scope. Joist handles estimates and invoices but does not offer project management, scheduling, CRM, or job costing.
• Solo contractor focus. Like Contractor+, Joist is designed for one-person operations and does not scale well.
• No QuickBooks integration on basic plans. You may need to upgrade for accounting connections.
• No field management tools. No daily logs, photo documentation, time tracking, or crew management.
• Being absorbed into Buildertrend. Joist’s long-term future as a standalone product is unclear since the Buildertrend acquisition.

Joist is a lateral move from Contractor+ rather than a true upgrade. It does the same basic things a bit more cleanly, but it will not support your growth as a company.

5. Invoice Simple

Best for: Contractors who just need better invoicing

Invoice Simple is exactly what the name suggests: a straightforward invoicing app. If your main frustration with Contractor+ is the invoicing experience and you do not need full project management, Invoice Simple gets the job done.

Key Features:

• Professional invoice templates
• Estimate creation and conversion to invoices
• Online payment collection (credit card and ACH)
• Expense tracking with receipt photos
• Works on phone, tablet, and desktop

Limitations:

• Invoicing only. Invoice Simple does not offer project management, scheduling, job costing, CRM, or any of the operational tools contractors need to run their business.
• No QuickBooks integration. You still need to manually transfer data to your accounting software.
• No team features. Invoice Simple is built for individuals, not teams.
• No construction-specific features. It is a generic invoicing tool that works for any industry, which means it does not understand change orders, progress billing, or retention.
• You will outgrow it quickly. If you are already outgrowing Contractor+, Invoice Simple is only solving one piece of the puzzle.

Invoice Simple is a fine tool for what it does, but it is not a real Contractor+ alternative if you need to manage projects and grow your business.

6. Housecall Pro

Best for: Home service businesses that want marketing and booking tools

Housecall Pro is a popular platform for home service companies. It combines scheduling, dispatching, invoicing, and marketing tools into one platform designed for service-based businesses.

If you are a home service contractor who wants to generate more leads and automate your booking process, Housecall Pro adds marketing features that Contractor+ does not offer.

Key Features:

• Online booking and scheduling
• Dispatching with GPS tracking
• Invoicing and payment processing
• Automated marketing emails and postcards
• Review management and reputation tools
• QuickBooks integration

Limitations:

• Service business focus. Like Jobber, Housecall Pro is built for short service calls and recurring work, not multi-week construction projects.
• Per-user pricing. Costs increase with each team member.
• Limited project management. There is no real project management for construction jobs with phases, dependencies, or detailed task tracking.
• No construction estimating. The quoting tools are designed for service pricing, not detailed construction estimates with material takeoffs and labor breakdowns.
• Marketing features cost extra. Some of the marketing automation tools are add-ons that increase your monthly cost.

Housecall Pro is a solid choice for service businesses, but construction contractors doing project work will need something built for their workflow.

How to Choose the Right Contractor+ Alternative

The best alternative depends on where your business is headed, not just where it is today. Ask yourself these questions:

Are you planning to grow? If you want to hire employees, take on bigger projects, or increase revenue, choose a platform that scales. Projul’s unlimited user pricing means your software cost stays flat as your team grows.

Do you bid competitive work? If winning jobs depends on accurate estimates, you need real estimating tools. Contractor+, Joist, and Invoice Simple do not have them. Projul and Buildertrend do.

Do you use QuickBooks? If yes, make sure your new platform integrates. Contractor+, Joist, and Invoice Simple either lack QuickBooks integration entirely or limit it to higher-priced plans. Projul syncs with QuickBooks on all plans.

What type of work do you do? Service-based contractors (HVAC, plumbing, landscaping) may find Jobber or Housecall Pro a good fit. Project-based contractors (remodelers, GCs, specialty trades) need Projul or Buildertrend.

What is your budget? Free tools have real costs in the form of limitations, workarounds, and missed opportunities. A platform like Projul at $399/mo delivers a return that far exceeds the investment for any contractor doing meaningful volume.

The Bottom Line

Contractor+ works for solo operators who need basic tools to get started. But if your business is growing, or if you are frustrated by the limitations of basic software, it is time to upgrade to something built for real contractors.

Projul gives you professional estimating, invoicing, scheduling, CRM, job costing, and QuickBooks integration in one platform with unlimited users. No per-user fees. No hidden costs. Just the tools you need to run and grow a profitable construction business.

Check out Projul pricing and start your free trial