Software · head to head
PlanGrid vs Buildertrend
PlanGrid
Software
Construction productivity software for the field
- From
- $39/month
- Rated
- -
Buildertrend
Software
Construction project management for home builders and remodelers
- From
- $99/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: PlanGrid autodesk states PlanGrid is no longer available for purchase by net-new customers, with new buyers directed to Forma Build; Buildertrend pricing is by quote only, with no rate, plan name or minimum published on the pricing page
- They diverge on capability: PlanGrid covers Blueprint management, Buildertrend covers Project scheduling.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which PlanGrid and Buildertrend actually diverge.
| Attribute | PlanGrid | Buildertrend |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $39/month | $99/month |
| Founded | 1982 | 2006 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 PlanGrid
- Blueprint management
- Issue tracking
- Photo documentation
- Punch lists
- RFI management
- Autodesk BIM 360
- Procore
- Box
Only in Buildertrend
- Project scheduling
- Customer management
- Financial tracking
- Selections management
- Change orders
- QuickBooks
- Xero
- Zillow
Both cover
- Data encryption
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
PlanGrid
- Giving field crews real-time access to construction plans, issues and photosnot Buildertrend
- Capturing site forms and photos from a tablet on a job sitenot Buildertrend
- Managing organization licences for a construction document appnot Buildertrend
Buildertrend
- Running scheduling, budgets, change orders and client communication for a residential construction businessnot PlanGrid
- Giving homeowners a client portal to approve selections and view progressnot PlanGrid
- Consolidating estimating, purchase orders and job costing for custom home builders and remodelersnot PlanGrid
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
PlanGrid
- Autodesk states PlanGrid is no longer available for purchase by net-new customers, with new buyers directed to Forma Build
- PlanGrid access is now sold only through Forma Build, so pricing is set by the Forma Build subscription rather than PlanGrid itself
- Mobile users must access PlanGrid projects through the Autodesk Forma mobile app rather than a standalone PlanGrid app
- The PlanGrid desktop app requires Windows 10 or higher
- The Admin Console for managing users and licences is a separate site restricted to designated organization admins
Buildertrend
- Pricing is by quote only, with no rate, plan name or minimum published on the pricing page
- Getting a price requires completing a multi-step form declaring builder type and annual construction volume, then booking a call with a sales representative
- The only published discount is 10% off for paying annually upfront
Pricing, plan by plan
PlanGrid
$39/month- Build$39/month
- Sheet management
- Issue tracking
- RFIs
- EnterpriseFree
- Advanced analytics
- Custom integrations
- Priority support
Buildertrend
$99/month- Core$99/month
- Project scheduling
- Daily logs
- Photo management
- Pro$299/month
- Everything in Core
- Proposals & estimates
- Customer portal
- Premium$499/month
- Everything in Pro
- Financials
- Time clock
Which should you pick?
Choose PlanGrid if
- You need blueprint management.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want issue tracking.
Choose Buildertrend if
- You need project scheduling.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want customer management.
Questions people ask
- Is PlanGrid or Buildertrend better?
- Neither clearly leads. PlanGrid starts at $39/month and Buildertrend at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, PlanGrid or Buildertrend?
- PlanGrid starts at $39/month and Buildertrend at $99/month.
- Does PlanGrid or Buildertrend run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is PlanGrid best used for?
- PlanGrid is most often used for giving field crews real-time access to construction plans, issues and photos, capturing site forms and photos from a tablet on a job site, managing organization licences for a construction document app. Of those, giving field crews real-time access to construction plans, issues and photos and capturing site forms and photos from a tablet on a job site are not what Buildertrend is typically brought in for.
- What can PlanGrid do that Buildertrend cannot?
- PlanGrid covers Blueprint management, Issue tracking, Photo documentation, Punch lists. Buildertrend covers Project scheduling, Customer management, Financial tracking, Selections management. Both handle Data encryption, Web support, Ios support, Android support.