FastEST vs Workyard
Head-to-head comparison of pricing, features, integrations, and use-case fit.
FastEST
Mechanical, plumbing, and HVAC estimating software (FastPIPE, FastDUCT, FastWRAP)
- Starting price
- From $250/mo
- Aggregate rating
- —
- Best team size
- 1-100
- Free trial
- No
Workyard
GPS time tracking and workforce management for construction and trades
- Starting price
- From $6/mo
- Aggregate rating
- 4.7 / 5
- Best team size
- 5-200
- Free trial
- No
What actually separates them
Only the points where FastEST and Workyard genuinely differ, from our verified data. Everything they share is further down.
- → Entry price: Workyard starts at From $6/mo, FastEST at From $250/mo, so FastEST is 42x the entry cost.
- → Trades served: Workyard covers Electrical, General Contractors, Landscaping & Lawn Care, Roofing. The other does not.
- → Features the other lacks: FastEST has estimating, material_takeoffs, takeoffs; Workyard has gps_tracking, time_tracking, scheduling.
Quick verdict
FastEST: Plumbing, mechanical, and HVAC contractors who want dedicated, trade-specific estimating for piping, ductwork, and insulation with a choice of SaaS or perpetual licensing.
Workyard: Construction and trades contractors that want accurate GPS-based labor tracking and job costing to feed payroll, alongside their FSM.
Workyard has a lower starting price (From $6/mo).
Decision matrix — which one is right for you?
Pick FastEST if…
- → Your situation matches FastEST's target profile: Plumbing, mechanical, and HVAC contractors who want dedicated, trade-specific estimating for piping, ductwork, and insulation with a choice of SaaS or perpetual licensing
Pick Workyard if…
- → Your situation matches Workyard's target profile: Construction and trades contractors that want accurate GPS-based labor tracking and job costing to feed payroll, alongside their FSM
- → Budget is the constraint — Workyard starts at $6/mo vs $250/mo for FastEST
- → You serve multiple trades — Workyard covers 6 verticals vs FastEST's 2
Pricing side-by-side
| Tier | FastEST | Workyard |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | SaaS (per user) — Custom | Starter — $6/mo |
| Tier 2 | Perpetual license — Custom | Pro — $13/mo |
FastEST starts at $250/mo on SaaS (per user). Workyard starts at $6/mo on Starter and scales to $13/mo on Pro. Workyard is $244/mo cheaper at the entry tier. At scale (5+ users), both platforms typically converge in price as you climb the tier ladder.
Pros & cons
FastEST
- + Native QuickBooks integration (bidirectional sync)
- − Per-user SaaS or a sizable perpetual cost makes it a real investment, and the suite splits across separate modules (FastPIPE/FastDUCT/FastWRAP) for different scopes
- − It is estimating-specific, not a full operations platform
Workyard
- + Lower entry price — From $6/mo
- + Native QuickBooks integration (bidirectional sync)
- + Covers 6 trade verticals — strong multi-vertical fit
- − Workforce/time-tracking and scheduling tool, not a full FSM (no invoicing/CRM depth — pair it with one)
- − Automatic geofenced clock-ins can misfire when crews drive past job sites
Implementation timeline comparison
FastEST
3-6 months for full deployment with dedicated implementation manager
Workyard
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 FastEST
- + estimating
- + material takeoffs
- + takeoffs
- + proposals
- + supplier pricing integration
- + reporting
Both have
Only in Workyard
- + gps tracking
- + time tracking
- + scheduling
- + job costing
- + quickbooks integration
- + team management
Integrations
Only in FastEST
— None unique —
Both integrate with
- ✓ quickbooks
Only in Workyard
— None unique —
Which fits better in each trade
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, FastEST or Workyard?
Neither is universally better — they target different buyers. FastEST is best for Plumbing, mechanical, and HVAC contractors who want dedicated, trade-specific estimating for piping, ductwork, and insulation with a choice of SaaS or perpetual licensing. Workyard is best for Construction and trades contractors that want accurate GPS-based labor tracking and job costing to feed payroll, alongside their FSM. 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 FastEST cheaper than Workyard?
Workyard has a lower starting price (From $6/mo vs From $250/mo). However, total cost depends on team size, features needed, and tier — see the full pricing breakdown above.
Can FastEST and Workyard integrate with QuickBooks?
FastEST integrates with QuickBooks natively. Workyard integrates with QuickBooks natively. Both work with QuickBooks Online; confirm QuickBooks Desktop support before signing if your accountant uses Desktop.
Do FastEST or Workyard offer a free trial?
FastEST: no free trial advertised; demo on request. Workyard: no free trial advertised; demo on request.
How long does FastEST vs Workyard take to implement?
FastEST: 3-6 months for full deployment with dedicated implementation manager. Workyard: 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 FastEST to Workyard (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.
FastEST vs Workyard: which has better customer support?
Both FastEST and Workyard 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 (Workyard) 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.
Should your product be in this comparison?
We review FastEST and Workyard against their own published pricing and terms, and we publish the cons next to the pros. If you build a competing product and it is not covered here, send it to us and it gets the same treatment.
Listings are free. No vendor can pay for placement, for a score, or to have a documented con removed. Read this page first and decide whether you want that.