Buildxact vs Contractor Foreman
Head-to-head comparison of pricing, features, integrations, and use-case fit.
Buildxact
Estimating and project management for residential builders and remodelers
- Starting price
- From $179/mo
- Aggregate rating
- 4.4 / 5
- Best team size
- 1-15
- Free trial
- 14 days
Contractor Foreman
Affordable all-in-one construction management for small-to-mid contractors
- Starting price
- From $49/mo
- Aggregate rating
- 4.5 / 5
- Best team size
- 2-50
- Free trial
- No
Quick verdict
Buildxact: Residential custom home builders and remodelers wanting strong estimating with project management.
Contractor Foreman: Small-to-mid construction and remodeling contractors that want a broad all-in-one project + business management platform at an affordable price.
User ratings favor Contractor Foreman (4.5 vs 4.4).
Contractor Foreman has a lower starting price (From $49/mo).
Decision matrix — which one is right for you?
Pick Buildxact if…
- → Your situation matches Buildxact's target profile: Residential custom home builders and remodelers wanting strong estimating with project management
- → You want to try before buying — Buildxact offers a 14-day free trial; Contractor Foreman requires a demo
- → Integration ecosystem matters — Buildxact has 3 native integrations vs Contractor Foreman's 1
- → You want a more mature, stable platform — Buildxact was founded in 2011 (15 years) vs Contractor Foreman's 2017
Pick Contractor Foreman if…
- → Your situation matches Contractor Foreman's target profile: Small-to-mid construction and remodeling contractors that want a broad all-in-one project + business management platform at an affordable price
- → Budget is the constraint — Contractor Foreman starts at $49/mo vs $179/mo for Buildxact
- → You serve multiple trades — Contractor Foreman covers 4 verticals vs Buildxact's 2
Pricing side-by-side
| Tier | Buildxact | Contractor Foreman |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Entry — $179/mo | Basic — $49/mo |
| Tier 2 | Pro — $249/mo | Plus — $166/mo |
| Tier 3 | Teams — $349/mo | Unlimited — $332/mo |
Buildxact starts at $179/mo on Entry and scales to $349/mo on Teams. Contractor Foreman starts at $49/mo on Basic and scales to $332/mo on Unlimited. Contractor Foreman is $130/mo cheaper at the entry tier. At scale (5+ users), both platforms typically converge in price as you climb the tier ladder.
Pros & cons
Buildxact
- + 14-day free trial, no credit card required
- + Native QuickBooks integration (bidirectional sync)
- + Broad feature coverage (8 core features)
- + 15 years of product maturity (founded 2011)
- − Smaller user community than Buildertrend
- − UI less polished
- − Limited integration ecosystem
- − Primarily Australian/NZ heritage with growing US presence
Contractor Foreman
- + Lower entry price — From $49/mo
- + Higher aggregate user rating (4.5 / 5)
- + Native QuickBooks integration (bidirectional sync)
- − Construction-PM-focused rather than service-dispatch FSM
- − The broad feature set can feel busy
- − Key features are gated across tiers (QuickBooks Online needs Plus)
- − No free trial (Buildxact offers 14 days)
Implementation timeline comparison
Buildxact
4-8 weeks self-service or with optional paid onboarding
Contractor Foreman
1-3 weeks self-service onboarding
Enterprise-tier platforms ($250+/user/mo) typically require 3-6 months with dedicated admin time, custom pricebook setup, and phased rollout to field techs. Mid-tier platforms reach operational status in 4-8 weeks with optional paid onboarding. Entry-tier platforms are designed for self-service onboarding in 1-3 weeks. Always plan for 2-4 weeks of parallel operation with your existing system before cutting over.
Feature comparison
Only in Buildxact
- + estimating
- + takeoffs
- + customer portal
- + change orders
- + budgeting
- + supplier pricing integration
Both have
- ✓ project management
- ✓ scheduling
Only in Contractor Foreman
- + job management
- + estimates quotes
- + invoicing
- + quickbooks integration
Integrations
Only in Buildxact
- + xero
- + dropbox
Both integrate with
- ✓ quickbooks
Only in Contractor Foreman
— None unique —
Which fits better in each trade
| Trade | Buildxact fit | Contractor Foreman fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Contractors | 9 / 10 | 9 / 10 | Tie |
| Roofing | 6 / 10 | 7 / 10 | Contractor Foreman |
Vertical-fit scores combine feature coverage, customer base concentration, and the tool's own positioning for the trade. See methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, Buildxact or Contractor Foreman?
Neither is universally better — they target different buyers. Buildxact is best for Residential custom home builders and remodelers wanting strong estimating with project management. Contractor Foreman is best for Small-to-mid construction and remodeling contractors that want a broad all-in-one project + business management platform at an affordable price. See the decision matrix above for situation-specific guidance, or jump to the per-vertical winner table if you're in a specific trade.
Is Buildxact cheaper than Contractor Foreman?
Contractor Foreman has a lower starting price (From $49/mo vs From $179/mo). However, total cost depends on team size, features needed, and tier — see the full pricing breakdown above.
Can Buildxact and Contractor Foreman integrate with QuickBooks?
Buildxact integrates with QuickBooks natively. Contractor Foreman integrates with QuickBooks natively. Both work with QuickBooks Online; confirm QuickBooks Desktop support before signing if your accountant uses Desktop.
Do Buildxact or Contractor Foreman offer a free trial?
Buildxact: 14-day free trial, no credit card required. Contractor Foreman: no free trial advertised; demo on request.
How long does Buildxact vs Contractor Foreman take to implement?
Buildxact: 4-8 weeks self-service or with optional paid onboarding. Contractor Foreman: 1-3 weeks self-service onboarding. Implementation length scales with pricing tier — enterprise platforms ($250+/user/mo) require 3-6 months with dedicated admin time; mid-tier platforms typically reach operational status in 4-8 weeks with optional paid onboarding.
Can I migrate from Buildxact to Contractor Foreman (or vice versa)?
Yes, but expect data normalization work. Customer records and active jobs typically import cleanly via CSV. Historical job data, recurring service agreements, and custom pricebooks rarely transfer perfectly — most shops leave historical data in the source system as archival reference rather than migrating it. Budget 2-4 weeks of parallel operation between the two systems during the cutover.
Buildxact vs Contractor Foreman: which has better customer support?
Both Buildxact and Contractor Foreman offer email support across all tiers, with phone and live chat typically reserved for higher tiers. Response time SLAs vary by tier — entry-tier customers usually get 24-48 hour email response; enterprise customers get dedicated account managers with same-day response. Read recent G2 reviews specifically for support-quality signals before committing.
Which is better for solo contractors vs growing teams?
For solo contractors and 2-3 person teams, the lower-priced option (Contractor Foreman) typically wins on cost without sacrificing core features. For growing teams (5-15 employees), evaluate based on which platform's upper tiers include the features you'll need at your 12-18 month projected scale rather than buying for today's team size. For established 15+ employee operations, the depth of enterprise features (reporting, multi-location, marketing attribution) matters more than entry-tier price.
Need a deeper look?
See our full reviews with detailed pricing tiers, integration depth, and weaknesses.