Disclosure
We make Aequo Build, an AP layer for contractors on QuickBooks Online. It is not a general ledger and does not replace any product below. Competitor details come from each vendor’s own website as of the date above.
Stay on QuickBooks or switch: the decision
Stay on QuickBooks Online when the ledger works and the pain is in workflows around it; switch when the ledger itself cannot carry construction accounting — job cost by phase, payroll rules, and WIP in one system.
| Signal | QuickBooks Online + add-ons | Construction accounting system |
|---|---|---|
| Your CPA and bank are comfortable with QuickBooks financials | Fits | Not required |
| Pain is invoice intake, coding, approvals, lien waivers, retainage | Fits — add an AP layer | Also solves, with more change |
| Need phases, cost types, committed cost in the ledger itself | Partial (add-on holds the detail) | Fits |
| Certified payroll, union payroll, multi-state prevailing wage | Needs a payroll add-on or service | Fits (most list it) |
| Bonding and WIP schedules every month | Spreadsheet or QuickBooks Online Advanced (2026) | Fits |
| Equipment costing, multiple entities, inter-company | Strains QuickBooks | Fits |
| Budget for implementation and conversion | Low | Higher — quote-based pricing, data migration, training |
What QuickBooks Online already covers for contractors
QuickBooks Online Plus and Advanced cover projects, job costing by project, classes, progress invoicing, and project profitability; Intuit added construction financials to Advanced in August 2026.
- Projects with project profitability (Plus and Advanced); project estimates and estimates vs actuals (Advanced).
- Classes and locations: 40 on Plus, unlimited on Advanced.
- Progress invoicing from estimates.
- August 2026: Intuit announced job costing, budget-versus-actuals, AIA-style invoicing tied to phases and milestones, change orders, and WIP reporting in QuickBooks Online Advanced.
- Gaps that remain for many contractors: retainage on vendor bills, committed cost, lien-waiver and insurance gates before payment — see job costing in QuickBooks Online.
Option 1: QuickBooks Online plus construction add-ons
Add-ons keep QuickBooks as the ledger and handle one workflow each — project management, estimating and billing, AP, or payroll — syncing transactions back.
| Product | What it is | QuickBooks relationship | Pricing (per vendor site) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buildertrend | Construction project management | Integrates with QuickBooks (and Xero) | Quote-based |
| Knowify | Job management, AIA G702/G703 billing, WIP on higher tiers | Two-way sync with QuickBooks Online Plus/Advanced | Published tiers; Enterprise by quote |
| Aequo Build | Construction AP: invoice capture, job-cost coding, approvals, lien waivers, retainage, subcontractor compliance | Syncs vendors, bills, and POs to QuickBooks Online | From $599/month, unlimited users |
Option 2: move to a construction accounting system
These products replace QuickBooks as the general ledger and build job cost, construction payroll, and WIP into the accounting core.
| Product | Positioning (vendor’s own words, summarized) | Construction features listed by the vendor | Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sage 100 Contractor | Construction accounting positioned as a step up from QuickBooks | Job cost, certified payroll, AIA billing, lien waivers | Not published on product page |
| Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate | End-to-end construction and property management ERP | Job cost, property management | Not published |
| Sage Intacct Construction | Cloud financials for construction | Job costing, revenue recognition, retention billing, WIP with over/under billing | Not published |
| FOUNDATION | Construction accounting and payroll; pitches upgrading from QuickBooks | Job cost, detailed WIP reports, certified payroll reports | Quote-based |
| Trimble Viewpoint Vista | Construction ERP | Job cost, WIP | Not published |
| Trimble Viewpoint Spectrum | Cloud construction ERP | Job cost, payroll for multiple unions | Not published |
| Premier Construction Software | Cloud construction ERP | Job costing, real-time WIP visibility | Custom pricing |
Feature lists reflect what each vendor shows on the pages cited below; absence from this table does not mean a product lacks a feature.
How to choose
Write down the three problems that cost you the most money or time today, then pick the smallest change that fixes them.
- If the problems are AP workflow (lost invoices, miscoding, missing waivers, retainage errors), fix them on QuickBooks first — it is the cheapest and fastest change.
- If the problems are payroll (certified, union, multi-state), start with a construction payroll provider; it may be the only piece you need.
- If your surety or bank needs monthly WIP and job cost by phase from the ledger, and you run many concurrent jobs or multiple entities, evaluate a construction ERP.
- Ask every vendor for a demo with your own data, the full implementation cost, and how the ledger is converted.
- Involve your CPA before switching ledgers; they will close the books in it.
Aequo Build
Where Aequo Build fits: the AP layer on top of QuickBooks Online
Aequo Build is not a general ledger and does not replace QuickBooks Online. It handles construction accounts payable before bills reach QuickBooks: invoice capture, coding to job, phase, cost code, and cost type, matching to subcontracts and POs, field approvals, retainage holds, and lien-waiver, insurance, and W-9 checks before payment. Approved bills sync to QuickBooks Online.
Aequo Build starts at $599/month with unlimited users. It works with QuickBooks Online today; QuickBooks Desktop and construction ERPs are not supported.
Frequently asked questions
Is QuickBooks good enough for construction accounting?
For many small and mid-sized contractors, yes — QuickBooks Online Plus or Advanced handles projects, job costing by project, and progress invoicing. It falls short on phases, committed cost, retainage on vendor bills, certified payroll, and (before 2026) WIP, which add-ons or a construction ERP fill.
What is the best construction accounting software?
There is no single best. Contractors happy with QuickBooks usually add tools around it; contractors needing payroll, WIP, and phase-level job cost in one ledger look at Sage 100 Contractor, Sage Intacct Construction, Foundation, Viewpoint, or Premier.
Is there construction accounting software that works with QuickBooks?
Yes. Project-management and billing tools such as Buildertrend and Knowify, and AP tools such as Aequo Build, sync with QuickBooks Online and keep it as the ledger.
How much does construction accounting software cost?
Most construction ERPs do not publish prices and quote per company. QuickBooks Online publishes plan prices on Intuit’s site, and some add-ons publish tiers.
Related guides and tools
Sources
- Intuit QuickBooks — Plans and pricing
- Intuit QuickBooks — Job costing
- Intuit — What’s new in QuickBooks Online Advanced, August 2026
- Sage 100 Contractor (Sage)
- Sage 300 Construction and Real Estate (Sage)
- Sage Intacct Construction (Sage)
- Sage — Construction WIP reporting (blog)
- FOUNDATION Software
- Trimble Viewpoint Vista
- Trimble Viewpoint Spectrum
- Premier Construction Software
- Buildertrend — QuickBooks integration
- Knowify — QuickBooks integration
Part of the Construction AP Knowledge Centre.