This page compares Buildertrend and Planyard for US builders and contractors. See how they differ in focus, rollout speed, ease of use, and pricing transparency.
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Current public ratings from Capterra and the Xero App Store.
| Program | Rating | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Buildertrend (Capterra) | 4.5 / 5.0 |  Highly rated by US residential builders for scheduling, selections, and client portal features. |
| Planyard (Capterra) | 4.6 / 5.0 | Valued for easy budgeting, approvals, and integration with accounting systems. |
| Planyard (Xero App Store) | 4.8 / 5.0 | Positive reviews highlight reduced manual entry and real-time job cost visibility. |
| Aspect | Buildertrend | Planyard |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | All-in-one project and client management | Financial control and job costing next to accounting |
| Best for | Residential builders, remodelers, and design-build firms | Commercial contractors, developers, and general contractors |
| Scheduling & client portal | Built-in scheduling, selections, and homeowner communication |
 Not a focus; integrates easily with other scheduling tools |
| Forecasting & job costing | Job budgets and reports; deeper forecasting often external |
Live cost-to-complete forecasting and CVR |
| Approvals and audit trail | Basic approval steps; focused on project workflows |
Multi-step approvals and 3-way match before posting to accounting |
| Integrations | QuickBooks Online, Xero, Gusto, Home Depot Pro Xtra, and more | Xero, QuickBooks Online, and Sage (US rollout in progress) |
| Pricing | By quote; plans depend on selected modules and support tier |
Transparent per-user monthly pricing and a free trial |
| Time to implement | Days to weeks depending on setup and data migration |
Days to pilot; quick onboarding with standard templates |
Key features that matter most to US builders and contractors.
Buildertrend: Job budgets and dashboards for tracking costs. Forecasting often exported to spreadsheets for detailed margin analysis.
Planyard: Real-time CVR and forecasting update automatically as orders and invoices are approved.
Buildertrend: POs and change orders integrated with schedules and client updates.
Planyard: PO creation, multi-step approvals, and direct sync to accounting once approved.
No credit card required. No sales or IT support needed.
Buildertrend: Change orders visible to clients; integrated with project budgets and schedules.
Planyard: Tracks change orders and updates project forecasts instantly without spreadsheets.
| Product | Typical duration | Steps |
|---|---|---|
| Buildertrend | Days to weeks |
|
| Planyard | Days to pilot |
|
Planyard offers transparent per-user pricing starting from $40/month per project manager, with a free 14-day trial. Buildertrend pricing is provided by quote and includes setup and support tiers.
Cost Estimating
Estimating and Budget Control
Estimating, Cost Control, and Purchase Orders Management
Full Functionality
Buildertrend is the all-in-one platform for US residential builders, combining scheduling, selections, and client communication in one place. Planyard is the financial control layer that keeps budgets, commitments, and forecasts accurate next to your ledger. Use Buildertrend for client experience, or pair it with Planyard for deeper cost control and profitability forecasting.
Sources and last updated: Capterra listings, Xero App Store reviews, Buildertrend and Planyard feature and pricing pages. Last reviewed 5 November 2025.
Planyard gives contractors real-time cost control that connects to Xero and QuickBooks, while Buildern offers a broader all-in-one platform with estimating, scheduling and take-off tools. Buildern suits North American builders; Planyard fits teams that need finance-first cost management across markets.
Payapps digitises valuations; Planyard adds budgets, forecasting/CVR, POs, variations and retentions in one tool.
We've got your questions covered. If you can't find the answer below, then feel free to contact us via the chat.
Both products can be live within days. Planyard pilots quickly on a single project, while Buildertrend onboarding includes support-led configuration for selected modules.
No. It integrates with QuickBooks Online and Xero to exchange budgets, invoices, and cost data but is not a ledger replacement.
Yes. It connects directly to QuickBooks or Xero for financial tracking and is used by GCs and developers who want deeper job costing than Buildertrend offers.
Planyard provides live cost-to-complete forecasting and CVR inside the app. Buildertrend includes job budget reporting but most teams export data for detailed forecasting.
Yes. Some US teams use Buildertrend for client and project communication and Planyard for job costing, forecasting, and approvals next to accounting.
No credit card required. No sales or IT support needed.