Top Construction Budget Software for Project Managers

As a project manager in construction, you know budget battles better than anyone. Complex costs, sudden changes, the pressure to deliver on time AND on budget... it can feel overwhelming and a double whammy! But what if you had the right tools to take the chaos out of construction budgets?  

With top-tier construction budget software, you can predict costs accurately, track expenses in real-time, and take back control of your project's finances. But before we explore your options, let’s first discuss what is a construction budget software.

Understanding Construction Budget Software

Construction budget software is a specialized tool designed to help you plan, track, and manage your project's costs. It provides features for building accurate budgets, monitoring spending in real-time, and generating detailed financial reports. This software gives you the control and visibility you need to make informed financial decisions and keep your project on track.

Construction budget software is NOT an insane spreadsheet that looks like this!

Top Construction Budgeting Software for Project Managers

1. Mastt

• Year Launched: 2019
• Price: Starting at $100 per project per month
• Ease of use: Easy
• Good for: Project Owners, Project Managers, Owner’s Representatives

Mastt is a new cloud-based software that offers real-time visibility and control over projects, programs and portfolios, making it ideal for managing multiple construction projects simultaneously. Its key features include customizable dashboards that provide project insights at a glance and automated reporting tools that save time and reduce manual errors.  

Launched in 2019, Mastt quickly became recognized for its user-friendly interface and its ability to provide integrated dashboards and project controls in one system, ensuring that project managers have the most accurate reporting and up-to-date information at their fingertips.

2. Kahua

• Year Launched: 2009
• Price: Starting at $50,000 for implementation
• Ease of use: Medium to Difficult
• Good for: Large Government and Project Owners

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Kahua provides an ERP style platform that caters to the specific needs of organizational level budget management, featuring highly customized sales-force like capability for different roles and project stages. Its comprehensive change management system and robust document control capabilities help maintain stringent oversight of budget adjustments and contractual documents, essential for effective cost management.  

Since its launch in 2011, Kahua has been enhancing project transparency and improving financial accountability across construction projects.

3. PMWeb

• Year Launched: 2007
• Price: Starting at $20,000 for implementation
• Ease of use: Difficult
• Best for: Enterprise-level organizations, construction managers, and contractors

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PM Web offers an older yet comprehensive suite that integrates detailed portfolio management, contract management, and advanced capital planning tools. PM Web is designed to consolidate various aspects of project management, facilitating a holistic approach to budget and cost control.  

This software is particularly valued for its depth in features that cater to all phases of project management, from initial planning to final execution, making it a top choice for project managers looking for an all-in-one solution.

4. ProjectMates

• Year Launched: 2000
• Price: Starting at $2,000/month
• Ease of use: Difficult
• Good for: Large Government and Project Owners who cant afford a big budget

ProjectMates excels in streamlining capital project management with tools that automate and customize workflows, significantly enhancing operational efficiency. Since its inception in 2000, it has been a frontrunner in offering real-time budget tracking which ensures financial data is always current and accessible, reducing the risk of budget overruns and improving financial accuracy.

5. InEight

• Year Launched: 2008
• Price: Starting at $30,000 for implementation
• Ease of use: Medium
• Good for: General Contractors

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Known for its good fit for general contractors (owned by Kiewit a Fortune 500 privately held American construction company), InEight provides project managers with the tools to forecast costs accurately and assess the financial impact of potential project scenarios.  

6. Ingenious Build

• Year Launched: 2015
• Price: Starting at $10,000
• Ease of use: Medium
• Good for: General Contractors

Targeting small to mid-sized firms as an alternative to Procore, Ingenious Build focuses on simplifying the budgeting process with an intuitive interface that facilitates quick adoption and ease of use for general contractors. Key features include detailed budget forecasting and monitoring, making it a valuable tool for firms looking to improve their financial oversight without complex integrations.

7. e-Builder

• Year Launched: 1995
• Price: % of Total Construction Spend
• Ease of use: Medium to Difficult
• Good for: Project Owners, General Contractors

e-Builder is one of the early pioneers in construction management software, offering tailored solutions that emphasize process optimization and regulatory compliance. Its robust cost management module provides essential tools for tracking financial performance and ensuring projects remain within budget and on schedule, attributes that have solidified its reputation since 1995.

8. BuilderTrend

• Year Launched: 2006
• Price: % of Total Construction Spend
• Ease of use: Medium to Difficult
• Good for: General Contractors (Residential)

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Particularly popular among residential and multi family home builders and remodelers, BuilderTrend combines powerful budgeting and proposal tools with effective customer management and integrated change orders. Since 2006, it has helped streamline the financial aspects of construction projects, ensuring greater accuracy in budget planning and enhanced customer satisfaction through transparent financial management.

9. Viewpoint Vista

• Year Launched: 2003
• Price: % of Total Construction Spend
• Ease of use: Medium to Difficult
• Good for: General Contractors

Viewpoint Vista offers an integrated financial management solution that works seamlessly with other Vista tools to provide comprehensive financial oversight. It enables project managers to track costs and resources efficiently, offering insights that help in making informed budgetary decisions. Launched in 2003, its integrated approach and robust feature set make it an invaluable asset for comprehensive project financial management.

10. Aurigo

• Year Launched: 2003
• Price: % of Total Construction Spend
• Ease of use: Medium to Difficult
• Good for: General Contractors, Project Owners

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Aurigo specializes in large-scale project management, providing detailed forecasting and comprehensive reporting capabilities. Its collaborative tools ensure that all stakeholders are aligned, which is crucial for managing complex budgets and schedules. Since its launch in 2003, Aurigo has been instrumental in delivering financial accuracy and transparency in project management.

Why Project Managers Need the Best Construction Budget Software?

Project managers know that sinking feeling when a budget goes off the rails – the scramble to find the cause, the tough conversations, and the impact on deadlines and quality. Traditional budget methods are just too slow and error-prone for today's complex projects.  

The best construction budgeting software gives you real-time control, predicts problems before they happen, and streamlines your whole financial process. It's about replacing stress with confidence.

Things to Consider when Buying Construction Budget Software for Project Managers

Before choosing a construction budget software for project managers, it's important to understand your specific application and the core features that any good system should offer to solve those challenges. This will help match the right software to your individual, project or organization and needs. Here are some of the key features to look for:

• Consider your situation. Are your projects large and complex? Perhaps your organization prepares many reports? Do you need a system now? What is your budget?
• What is your role? Are you a general contractor, project owner, client-side project manager, or owner’s rep? Depending on your role, you will have different budgeting needs. For example, Procore is great for general contractors, but Mastt is best for owner’s reps and project owners.
• Reporting Requirements. Do you need in-built project progress reporting functionality so you can generate and distribute reports tailored to diverse audiences, including team members and stakeholders.
• Easy of use. Do you team have experience with any existing system or are they coming off spreadsheets?
• Timeframe. Some systems are fast to start on however others require a heavy lifting, and would take a long time for an entire company or team to adapt.

Considering these challenges first will help identify the features you need to solve your construction budget dilemma.

Conclusion

The construction industry is built on precision and planning. Your budget should be no different. With the right construction budget software, you can stop fighting spreadsheets and start building confidently. Choose a tool from the list above and take the first step towards streamlined budgets, better insights, and more profitable projects.

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