Albi vs Encircle
Head-to-head comparison of pricing, features, integrations, and use-case fit.
Albi
Restoration job-management software with CRM, field documentation and built-in call tracking
- Starting price
- From $60/mo
- Best team size
- 3-200
- Free trial
- None listed
Encircle
Field documentation and scoping software for restoration contractors
- Starting price
- From $261/mo
- Best team size
- 2-500
- Free trial
- 14 days
What actually separates them
Only the points where our data on Albi and Encircle differs. A feature or integration missing from one tool's list means our entry does not record it, not that the tool lacks it. Everything they share is further down.
- → Entry price: Albi starts at $60 per user a month; Encircle starts at $261 a month for the company.
- → Free trial: Encircle offers a 14-day free trial. Our data records no free trial for Albi.
- → Integrations listed for one tool only: Albi: xactanalysis, quickbooks online, quickbooks desktop, xero; Encircle: stripe, albi, psa, irestore.
- → Features listed for one tool only: Albi: crm, job management, scheduling; Encircle: contents tracking, estimates quotes, reports.
Quick verdict
Albi: Restoration and insurance-repair contractors that want CRM, job management, field documentation, drying logs and invoicing in one platform, and can meet a $6,000 minimum annual subscription on a one-year term.
Encircle: Restoration contractors that want fast, consistent field documentation (photos, moisture readings, drying logs, contents and floor plans) and a path from that documentation to an Xactimate estimate.
Albi has the lower starting price (From $60/mo).
Albi lists more integrations in our data (11 vs 10).
Decision matrix: which one is right for you?
Pick Albi if…
- → Your situation matches Albi's target profile: Restoration and insurance-repair contractors that want CRM, job management, field documentation, drying logs and invoicing in one platform, and can meet a $6,000 minimum annual subscription on a one-year term
- → Entry price matters most: Albi starts at $60 per user a month; Encircle starts at $261 a month for the company
- → QuickBooks matters: Albi lists a QuickBooks integration (QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop); our entry for Encircle lists none
Pick Encircle if…
- → Your situation matches Encircle's target profile: Restoration contractors that want fast, consistent field documentation (photos, moisture readings, drying logs, contents and floor plans) and a path from that documentation to an Xactimate estimate
- → You want to try before buying: Encircle offers a 14-day free trial; our data records none for Albi
- → You want a longer track record: Encircle was founded in 2012, Albi in 2020
Pricing side-by-side
| Tier | Albi | Encircle |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Base seat: $60/mo | Field Documentation (up to 200 jobs/yr): $261/mo |
| Tier 2 | Pro seat: $100/mo | Field Documentation (201-400 jobs/yr): $440/mo |
| Tier 3 | - | Field Documentation (401-600 jobs/yr): $628/mo |
| Tier 4 | - | Field Documentation + Scope to Estimate (up to 200 jobs/yr): $611/mo |
Albi starts at $60 per user a month on Base seat; its top published tier, Pro seat, is $100 a month. Encircle starts at $261 a month for the company on Field Documentation (up to 200 jobs/yr). Encircle charges a flat monthly price per plan while Albi charges per user, so Encircle gets relatively cheaper as your team grows; check each plan's user or usage limits.
Pros & cons
Albi
- + Lower entry price: From $60/mo
- + QuickBooks integration listed (QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop)
- − $6,000 minimum yearly spend with 4 seats required
- − One-year term that renews automatically unless cancelled in writing at least 60 days before renewal, with the full first-year license owed if you terminate during the initial term
- − Office features such as calling, invoicing and estimates need the $100 Pro seat
- − Onboarding and the Analytics and Automations packages cost extra
- − Built for restoration only
Encircle
- + 14-day free trial
- + Stripe integration listed
- + Founded in 2012
- + Flat monthly price per plan, not per user
- − A documentation and scoping tool, not a full job-management or accounting system
- − Priced by annual job volume on a 12-month term
- − The Scope to Estimate plan and add-ons such as Floor Plan and Encircle Edge cost extra
- − Built for restoration only
- − No QuickBooks integration in our data (Albi lists one)
Feature comparison
Features as listed in our entries. The lists use different words for similar features, so check a feature you need on both vendors' sites.
Listed for Albi only
- + crm
- + job management
- + scheduling
- + equipment tracking
- + time tracking
- + phone system
- + call tracking
- + invoicing
- + estimates
- + workflow automation
Listed for both
- ✓ photo documentation
- ✓ moisture mapping
- ✓ esignature
- ✓ payment processing
Listed for Encircle only
- + contents tracking
- + estimates quotes
- + reports
- + offline mode
- + unlimited users
Integrations
Listed for Albi only
- + xactanalysis
- + quickbooks online
- + quickbooks desktop
- + xero
- + companycam
- + encircle
- + eagleview
- + clean claims
Listed for both
- ✓ xactimate
- ✓ kahi
- ✓ zapier
Listed for Encircle only
- + stripe
- + albi
- + psa
- + irestore
- + xcelerate
- + jobdox
- + tramex
Which fits better in each trade
| Trade | Albi fit | Encircle fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restoration | 10 / 10 | 10 / 10 | Tie |
Vertical-fit scores (1-10) rate how well each tool is built for the trade, checked against the trades the vendor's own pages say it serves. See methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Albi or Encircle?
It depends on your trade, team size and budget. Albi is best for restoration and insurance-repair contractors that want CRM, job management, field documentation, drying logs and invoicing in one platform, and can meet a $6,000 minimum annual subscription on a one-year term. Encircle is best for restoration contractors that want fast, consistent field documentation (photos, moisture readings, drying logs, contents and floor plans) and a path from that documentation to an Xactimate estimate. See the decision matrix above, and the trade-by-trade fit table if you work in one trade.
Is Albi cheaper than Encircle?
Albi has the lower entry price: $60 per user a month, against $261 a month for the company for Encircle. Total cost depends on your team size, the plan you need and any add-ons; see the pricing table above.
Can Albi and Encircle integrate with QuickBooks?
Albi lists QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop. Our entry for Encircle lists no QuickBooks integration. Check which way each sync runs, and on which plans, in each tool's full review before you buy.
Do Albi or Encircle offer a free trial?
Albi: no free trial in our data. Encircle: a 14-day free trial.
Can I move from Albi to Encircle (or the other way)?
Our data does not record migration support for either tool. Ask both vendors which records they import and export (customers, jobs, invoices, recurring agreements, price books), in which file format, and whether they help with the import.
Albi vs Encircle: which has better customer support?
Our data does not record support channels or response times for either tool. Ask each vendor which support comes with the plan you would buy. Each full review links to G2 and Capterra, where you can read current user reviews.
Which suits a solo contractor, and which a growing team?
Our data puts Albi's best team size at 3-200 and Encircle's at 2-500. Albi's entry price is $60 per user a month; Encircle's is $261 a month for the company. Price both at the team size you expect to have, not only today's.
Need a deeper look?
See our full reviews with each tool's pricing tiers, integrations and weaknesses.
Should your product be in this comparison?
We check Albi and Encircle against their own websites and list the cons next to the pros. If you build a competing product that is not listed here, you can submit it for editorial review. An evaluation can end with or without a listing.
Listings are free. We do not accept payment for inclusion, for placement, for a score, or to remove a documented con. Read this page first and decide whether you want that.