Construction Software Pricing: How to Budget for Your Next Project Management Tool
You're finally ready to stop managing projects with spreadsheets and email. So you start researching construction software.
Within fifteen minutes, you realize nobody wants to tell you what anything actually costs.
Procore says "contact sales." Buildertrend wants you to schedule a demo. Even smaller platforms make you jump through hoops just to see a price tag.
Here's what nobody tells you upfront: construction software pricing is intentionally opaque because vendors don't want you comparing costs. They want you on a sales call where they can pitch value and customize quotes based on what they think you can pay.
Let's cut through the sales tactics and talk about what construction project management software actually costs.
What Construction Software Actually Costs (Real Numbers)
Procore: Starts from ~$40,000/year for a $50M construction volume
Pricing model: Based on Annual Construction Volume (ACV). Typically 0.08%–0.2% of your total project volume.
Starting price: Around $375/month (but that's misleading)
Realistic cost: $10,000–$25,000/year for small to mid-sized contractors; $25,000–$60,000+ for larger operations
The catch: A $20M project might cost $16,000–$40,000 annually. Users report 10%–14% annual renewal increases. You're paying enterprise prices whether you use 30% or 100% of the features.
Buildertrend: $6,000–$12,000 Annually
Pricing model: Tiered monthly subscriptions
Published tiers:
- Essential: $499/month ($5,988/year)
- Advanced: $699/month ($8,388/year)
- Complete: $799/month ($9,588/year)
Realistic cost: Most residential builders pay $8,000–$10,000 annually
The catch: Built for residential work with client portals and selection tools. If you're doing commercial work, you're paying for features you don't need. Some users report pricing jumping from $199 to $900+/month after initial periods.
Autodesk Construction Cloud (Build): $1,640 Per User/Year
Pricing model: Per-user subscriptions
Starting price: Around $1,640/year per user for Autodesk Build
Realistic cost: $8,000–$30,000 annually for a 10-person team
The catch: Per-user pricing adds up fast. Best value if you're already using Revit, AutoCAD, or Civil 3D. Some features are "stuck behind paywalls" according to users.
SubmittalLink: $1,800–$3,000 Annually
Pricing model: Transparent flat-rate based on construction volume
Published pricing:
- Starter: $150/month ($1,800/year) for companies under $5M volume
- Pro: $250/month ($3,000/year) for $5M–$25M volume
- Enterprise: Custom price for $25M+ volume
What's included: Unlimited users, projects, storage. All features (submittals, RFIs, drawings, punch lists, daily reports, change orders).
The catch: It's focused: submittals, RFIs, and document controls, which is exactly why it costs 80% less than comprehensive platforms.
The Hidden Costs Nobody Warns You About
The subscription fee is just the beginning.
Training Costs: Your team needs to learn the system. Procore and Buildertrend require significant training investment. Simpler tools get teams productive faster.
Integration Expenses: Want it to talk to QuickBooks? Your estimating tool? Those integrations can sometimes cost extra.
Annual Increases: Budget for 5%–15% annual price hikes. Many contractors report surprise renewal increases.
How to Actually Budget
Don't just look at the monthly subscription. Calculate total first-year cost:
Example: Mid-sized contractor choosing Procore
- Subscription: $25,000
- Implementation: $6,000 (60 hours)
- Training: $3,000
- Integrations: $2,000
- Total Year 1: $36,000
Same contractor choosing SubmittalLink
- Subscription: $3,000
- Implementation: $0
- Training: Minimal and $0
- Integrations: $0
- Total Year 1: $3,000
Then calculate cost per project. If you're doing 10 projects/year at $25,000 annual software cost, that's $2,500 per project. Can you pass that to clients? Does it fit your overhead?
Questions to Ask Before Buying
- What's the all-in cost for a company doing [your volume] annually? Don't accept "it depends." Push for a realistic range.
- What have annual price increases looked like over the past 3 years? Your $20K subscription might become $28K in year three.
- What does implementation actually take? Hours, not marketing speak.
- Can I export my data if we leave? Never get locked in.
- Do you charge per user? Calculate costs at current team size plus 30% growth.
- What's NOT included in the base price? Find hidden costs before signing.
Match Budget to Pain Point
- If your pain is submittal and RFI chaos: You don't need a $25K platform. Purpose-built tools like SubmittalLink solve that problem for $1,800–$3,000/year.
- If you need full project management for large commercial work: Procore or Autodesk deliver comprehensive functionality. Budget $15K–$50K+ annually.
- If you're a residential builder needing client features: Buildertrend is built for your workflow. Budget $8K–$12K annually.
- If you're managing simple projects on tight margins: Good spreadsheets might work until your volume justifies the investment.
Here's what most articles won't tell you: expensive doesn't mean better, and comprehensive doesn't mean necessary.
The construction software industry makes money by selling you on the idea that you need everything: project management, financials, scheduling, client portals, safety tracking, the whole suite.
Sometimes you do. Often you don't.
Budget smart:
- Identify your actual pain point
- Calculate total first-year cost including hidden expenses
- Project 3-year costs with likely increases
- Pick the smallest tool that solves today's problem
You can always upgrade later. But you can't get back money spent on software your team didn't use.
Looking for transparent pricing on construction document management? See SubmittalLink's straightforward pricing, $150–$250/month, unlimited users, no hidden fees, no sales calls required. Sometimes simple is exactly what you need.
Disclaimer: This comparison is based on publicly available information, user reviews, and our experience as of January 2026. It is intended to provide a general overview – always do your own research and get up-to-date info directly from the vendors before making a decision. All opinions expressed regarding Procore, Buildertrend and ACC are those of the authors (from a SubmittalLink perspective) and may not reflect the official views of Procore, Buildertrend or Autodesk. Pricing anecdotes are for illustration; actual quotes will vary. All product names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.