As a construction project manager, one of the first steps you take is ensuring that your structure has a strong foundation. 👷
Similarly, when you’re building your construction business from the ground up, you need to ensure you have the right tools in place, such as the right construction project management software.
Whether you’re involved in the residential, commercial, or industrial construction industry, construction management tools help you manage project deadlines while staying within the project budget.
According to Finances Online’s Project Management Software Statistics, “8 out of 10 project managers believe that project portfolio management is becoming a critical factor in influencing business success.”(Axelos, 2019)
But which construction software suits your needs best?
In this article, we’ll cover why you need construction project management software and review the fifteen best tools available today.
Time to build on some ideas! ⛏
What is Construction Project Management Software?
Construction project management is the process of planning, organizing, and controlling activities associated with a construction project. It includes scheduling resources, delegating tasks, and monitoring progress to ensure the completion of projects within established deadlines and budgets.
Construction project management also involves overseeing procurement, ensuring that necessary contractual agreements are in place, and managing contractor performance.
What to Look for in Free Construction Project Management Software?
Construction project management software can greatly impact the efficiency and success of your projects. That’s why we’ve developed a comprehensive methodology to help you choose the best tool. Let’s take a closer look:
Key Features
The first aspect we consider is the features offered by the software. The right tool should have functionalities specifically designed to address the unique needs of construction projects. Here are some essential features we believe every robust construction project management software should have:
- Task Management: This allows you to delegate tasks, monitor progress, and manage deadlines effectively.
- Scheduling: The tool should aid in planning and scheduling tasks, resources, and milestones.
- Document Management: A centralized place to manage crucial documents like blueprints, contracts, and permits is vital.
- Budgeting and Cost Control: The software should assist you in tracking expenses and controlling costs.
- Communication and Collaboration Tools: Efficient communication and collaboration among team members should be facilitated by the software.
Pricing
The cost of the software is a crucial factor. The pricing of construction project management software varies, depending on its features, the number of users, and the pricing model. We advise that you weigh the software’s cost against its value to ensure it fits within your budget without compromising on necessary features.
Reviews
Reviews can offer valuable insights into the software’s performance and reliability. We’ve gathered reviews from third-party review sites to give you a better idea of what real users think of the various construction project management software options available.
Integration Capabilities
The software should be able to integrate with other tools that you currently use, like accounting software, email, or CAD tools. This allows for a seamless flow of data and can significantly improve overall productivity.
Trial Periods & Free Plans
Lastly, we suggest checking if the software offers a trial period or free plan. This allows you to test the software in a real-world setting before making a commitment. It’s an excellent opportunity to assess whether the tool meets your needs and is user-friendly.
15 Best Construction Project Management Software (Free & Paid)
1. ClickUp
ClickUp is the world’s highest-rated productivity and construction project management software used by highly-productive teams in both small and large companies.
Here’s why ClickUp is the best project management software for construction
ClickUp offers you unlimited users, unlimited tasks, and tons of other fantastic features for free!
And there are no limits to the project management features you can use with ClickUp.
ClickUp key features
ClickUp has all the features construction project managers would need to manage projects successfully.
Here’s a quick look at some of them:
- Gantt Chart View: ClickUp Gantt charts make it easy to collaborate on construction projects, track dependencies, and manage priorities on a shared visual timeline with your team of contractors.
- Map view: Useful for any contractor, the Map view lets you see where your next job site is and how to get there.
- Comments: Tag team members and Assign Comments to the team, so nothing slips through the cracks, literally.
- Custom Fields: Add columns for your subcontractors’ info, construction locations, budgets, and more.
- Proofing: Review submittals, RFIs (request for information), drawings, and take-offs by dropping comments and updates on any image.
- Column Calculations: Calculate estimates, purchase orders, quantities, and builder materials with Formula Fields
- CRM features to manage your construction projects
- Offline Mode: Stay on top of your projects even if you don’t have an internet connection on the field.
- Mobile Apps: Collaborate with team members while on the job site using our iOS and Android apps.
- ClickUp AI to manage construction projects using AI.
- Templates: Use Templates for Client Relationship Management, Construction, Meeting Minutes, and Architectural Design to speed up your workflow.
ClickUp pros
- Powerful free version with support for unlimited users.
- Enterprise project management features including Automations, resource management, and Dashboards.
- Ensure your construction team completes tasks in the right order with Task Dependencies.
- Create and keep track of your construction company Goals.
- Visualize construction project workflows with ClickUp Mind Maps.
- Use Time Estimates to predict the time taken for each task.
- Create knowledge bases and collaborate with teammates in real-time using ClickUp Docs.
- Attach time to any task with our Global Time Tracker.
- Supports macOS, Windows, and Linux platforms.
- Keep strangers away from your project’s construction site (aka ClickUp) using Privacy, Permissions, and Guests.
ClickUp limitations
- No Table view on the mobile app (yet).
And feel free to explore all the exciting features that this free construction management software has in store for you!
ClickUp pricing
ClickUp offers four pricing plans:
- Free Forever Plan (best for personal use)
- Unlimited Plan (best for small teams ($7/member per month)
- Business Plan (best for mid-sized teams ($12/member per month)
ClickUp Reviews
“I like the different ways I can visualize my project and related tasks. I can mind map my project, see it as a list, on a Kanban board, as a Gantt chart, or even in a table view. The app works with all the different ways I like to think and plan out my projects and tasks, giving me the freedom to plan in a way that works for me.” – G2Crowd
“Life-changing tool. Brings back the much-needed perspective on high-priority tasks. Helps in keeping track of what we accomplished, spent more time during a given year. Cannot live without!” – Capterra Verified Review
ClickUp customer ratings
- G2: 4.7/5 (2000+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.7/5 (2000+ reviews)
2. OrangeScrum
OrangeScrum is an open-source construction scheduling software that helps teams with resource allocation, time management, and collaboration.
But if you want to manage projects efficiently with the free plan, you’ll have to buy add-ons for essential features like document management, construction project templates, and more.
OrangeScrum key features
- Dashboards that provide real-time insights on your team, projects, and resources.
- Time tracking features and timesheets.
- Resource management features for efficient resource allocation.
- Resource scheduling features.
OrangeScrum pros
- Custom task statuses for your project needs.
- Slack integration for quick communication when teams are on the job site.
- Create custom permissions for project owners, team members, and clients.
OrangeScrum limitations
- Gantt chart functionality is an add-on that costs $159.
- The free plan only offers default task statuses.
- Lacks integrations with Zoom, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams.
OrangeScrum pricing
This construction management software offers three pricing plans:
- Community (free)
- Cloud (user-based pricing)
- Enterprise (contact for a custom quote)
OrangeScrum Reviews
“This software is really good, but the only thing I don’t like is that when I started using this tool it was difficult to understand some settings, it has so many options that it became difficult for me to understand what I had to do to continue with the next step of some task.” – G2 Reviews
“The learning process takes a bit, there are configurations a bit complex, but nothing that cannot be solved in a few days of practice.” – G2 Reviews
OrangeScrum customer ratings
- G2: 4.5/5 (20+ reviews)
- Capterra: 4.2/5 (80+ reviews)