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Construction · head to head

Fieldwire vs Foundation Software

Fieldwire logo

Fieldwire

Construction

Field management software for construction teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Foundation Software logo

Foundation Software

Construction

Job cost accounting and construction payroll for contractors running certified and union jobs

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Fieldwire has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Fieldwire free tier limited to 5 team members and 3 projects maximum; Foundation Software no pricing is published anywhere, so shortlisting requires sitting through a sales process before you know whether the product is within budget at all.
  • They diverge on capability: Fieldwire covers Task management, Foundation Software covers Job costing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fieldwire and Foundation Software actually diverge.

Attributes where Fieldwire and Foundation Software differ
AttributeFieldwireFoundation Software
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, AndroidWindows, Web, iOS, Android
Founded2013Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Construction).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Fieldwire

  • Task management
  • Digital blueprints
  • Punch lists
  • Inspections
  • Photo documentation
  • Procore
  • Autodesk BIM 360
  • Box

Only in Foundation Software

  • Job costing
  • Certified payroll
  • Union payroll
  • AIA billing
  • Equipment costing
  • Service dispatch
  • Mobile time entry
  • Executive dashboards

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Fieldwire

  • Construction task tracking and field coordinationnot Foundation Software
  • Punch list management on mobile devicesnot Foundation Software
  • Project documentation organisationnot Foundation Software
  • Field team communicationnot Foundation Software

Foundation Software

  • A union electrical or mechanical contractor whose payroll spans several trades and fringe schedules in the same weeknot Fieldwire
  • A general contractor bidding federally funded work that requires weekly certified payroll filingsnot Fieldwire
  • A contractor whose QuickBooks file has outgrown job costing and who is reconciling work in progress in spreadsheetsnot Fieldwire
  • A firm with owned plant that needs equipment hours costed back to jobs to see true contract marginnot Fieldwire

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Fieldwire

  • Free tier limited to 5 team members and 3 projects maximum
  • Basic plan limited to 100 sheets
  • Advanced features (RFIs, submittals, change orders, budget management) restricted to higher tiers
  • BIM viewer availability gated to Business tier and above

Foundation Software

  • No pricing is published anywhere, so shortlisting requires sitting through a sales process before you know whether the product is within budget at all.
  • Implementation, data conversion and training are billed separately from the licence and routinely run into five figures, which buyers comparing monthly software subscriptions do not budget for.
  • The payroll compliance engine is built for United States federal and state law, so the product has essentially no value to contractors outside the US.
  • The interface is a long-lived Windows-style application, and staff hired from cloud-native tools find it slow to learn compared with Buildertrend or Procore.
  • Project management, document control and field collaboration are weaker than the dedicated construction platforms, so most sites end up running Foundation for money and something else for the job, and paying twice.

Pricing, plan by plan

Fieldwire

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Fieldwire review.

Foundation Software

On request
  • FOUNDATION$undefined/year
    • Modular licensing, priced by modules and user count
    • Cloud hosted or installed on your own server
    • Separate one-off implementation, data conversion and training fee

Which should you pick?

Choose Fieldwire if

  • You need task management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want digital blueprints.
Fieldwire review

Choose Foundation Software if

  • You need job costing.
  • You work on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want certified payroll.
Foundation Software review

Questions people ask

Is Fieldwire or Foundation Software better?
Neither clearly leads. Fieldwire starts at Free and Foundation Software at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fieldwire or Foundation Software?
Fieldwire has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Fieldwire and On request for Foundation Software.
Does Fieldwire or Foundation Software run on more platforms?
Fieldwire runs on iOS, Android. Foundation Software runs on Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Fieldwire for free?
Yes. Fieldwire has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Foundation Software starts at On request.
What is Fieldwire best used for?
Fieldwire is most often used for construction task tracking and field coordination, punch list management on mobile devices, project documentation organisation, field team communication. Of those, construction task tracking and field coordination and punch list management on mobile devices are not what Foundation Software is typically brought in for.
What can Fieldwire do that Foundation Software cannot?
Fieldwire covers Task management, Digital blueprints, Punch lists, Inspections. Foundation Software covers Job costing, Certified payroll, Union payroll, AIA billing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fieldwire: Is there a free version of Fieldwire?

Yes. Fieldwire's Basic plan is free for up to 5 users, 3 projects, and 100 sheets. It includes core features like plan viewing, task management, specifications, files, photos, and checklists.

Source
Foundation Software: How much does Foundation Software cost?

The vendor publishes no rates. Pricing is assembled per contractor from module selection and user count, with a separate implementation fee, and is only given after a discovery call.

Fieldwire: What are the per-user costs for paid Fieldwire plans?

Pro costs $39 per user per month (annual billing), Business costs $64 per user per month, and Business Plus costs $89 per user per month. All paid plans include unlimited sheets and unlimited projects regardless of plan tier.

Source
Foundation Software: Does it replace Procore?

No. Foundation is the accounting and payroll system; Procore is project management. They integrate, and many contractors run both.

Fieldwire: How many users can I have on a free Fieldwire account?

The Basic plan (free) supports up to 5 users with 3 projects. Pro and higher plans scale without hard user limits; you pay per user added.

Source
Foundation Software: Can it handle certified payroll for multiple states?

Yes, it produces state-specific certified payroll formats as well as the federal WH-347, which is the main reason multi-state contractors buy it.

Fieldwire: Does Fieldwire offer discounts for annual billing?

The pricing page lists annual billing rates for the standard plans shown. Custom contracts are available through sales with options for unlimited users, tailored training, dedicated success teams, API access, and single sign-on.

Source
Foundation Software: Is there a cloud version?

Yes, it is offered hosted as well as on-premise, but the hosted version is the same application delivered remotely rather than a rebuilt browser product.

Fieldwire: What is included in the Business Plus plan that isn't in lower tiers?

Business Plus ($89/user/month) adds RFIs, submittals, change orders, and budget management features compared to the Business tier. Business itself adds custom forms, app integrations, BIM viewer, and custom task fields compared to Pro.

Source
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