Enterprise construction software costs $50–200 per user per month. It needs weeks of setup and an IT person. Most small crews don't have that.
This guide covers what to look for in construction software for small business—and what to skip.
What Makes Software a Bad Fit for Small Construction Businesses?
Tools built for large companies assume you have:
- Office staff to run the software
- Project managers who stay in the trailer
- IT for setup and support
- $200+ per employee per month for software
If that doesn't describe you, the software probably won't either.
What Construction Software for Small Business Should Do
Focus on three things:
1. Project Organization You Can Use on a Phone
You're running a handful of jobs, not 50. You need a clear view of what's active, what's due, and where to find details. No Gantt charts. No resource allocation. Just a simple list that works on a small screen.
FORMA shows every project in one place. Status, recent activity, what needs attention. No manual required.
2. Expense Tracking That Takes Seconds
Forgot to log a $200 material run? That's margin gone. Good software makes logging fast enough that you actually do it.
FORMA: open app, add expense, assign to project. Done in under 15 seconds. No spreadsheets. See where money goes per job.
More on contractor financial tracking.
3. Tasks You Can Actually Follow
You need what's due today and this week. Not dependencies, critical paths, or complex calendars.
FORMA's tasks: create, set a date, check off. One view for everything due today across all projects.
See construction time tracking and task management that fits small crews.
Pricing: Why Per-User Models Hurt Small Crews
Enterprise pricing often looks like this:
- $50–200 per user per month
- $2,000–10,000 setup
- Annual contracts
- Training and support add-ons
A 3-person crew pays $150–600/month before setup. That adds up fast when you're competing on price.
Construction software for small business should use flat pricing. FORMA is $8.99/month total—not per user. One price for the whole team.
Setup Should Be None
Enterprise tools need:
- Weeks of configuration
- Team training
- IT to get it running
Small crews don't have that time. You need: download, create a project, start using it. No setup. No training.
FORMA also works offline—basements, rural sites, bad cell coverage. Built for field work. Read about our offline construction project management app.
FORMA for Small Construction Businesses
Built for contractors without big teams or big budgets:
- Projects: All jobs in one place, by status
- Expenses: Log costs from your phone in seconds
- Tasks: See what's due today, nothing buried in menus
- Photos: Document work, mark up images, organize by job
- Offline: Works without internet
- Pricing: $8.99/month flat, no per-user fees
How to Choose Construction Software for Small Business
Ask these before signing up:
- Can I afford it long-term? Per-user pricing scales poorly. Prefer flat rate.
- Can I start today? If setup takes weeks, it's not for small crews.
- Does it work on my phone? You're in the field.
- Does it work offline? Job sites often don't have signal.
If any answer is no, keep looking.
Get Started
Download FORMA from the App Store. Start free, upgrade when you need more. No setup, no training, no per-user surprises.
See FORMA features · View pricing · Construction management software guide