Buildxact vs Buildertrend
Buildxact wins on fast, low-cost takeoff and estimating; Buildertrend wins on end-to-end build management and its client portal — but both run the actual books in QuickBooks or Xero, which is the gap Stairkey closes by building double-entry accounting and HST/GST in.
Buildxact and Buildertrend solve different halves of the same job. Buildxact is takeoff-and-estimating-first: fast digital takeoff, material price libraries, and quoting that solo operators and small builders can pick up quickly, at a published flat per-plan price. Buildertrend is full build-management: scheduling, daily logs, selections, change orders, and a polished homeowner portal for residential builders running multiple jobs — sold by custom quote rather than a published price.
Most head-to-head pages in this space are written by one of the two vendors and conclude that vendor wins every row. This one is written by Stairkey, a competing tool — so we'll say plainly where each of these genuinely wins, and where an all-in-one that does takeoff AND the books, at a transparent capped price, is the better fit.
At a glance
- Buildxact
- $169/mo (Entry, billed annually)
- Buildertrend
- Quote-only — reportedly ~$499–$1,099/mo
- Stairkey
- $20/mo, capped
- Buildxact
- Published, flat per-plan
- Buildertrend
- Sales quote; reported to rise at renewal
- Stairkey
- Published, flat, usage-capped
- Buildxact
- No — syncs to Xero/QBO/MYOB
- Buildertrend
- No — syncs to QuickBooks/Xero
- Stairkey
- Yes — native double-entry GL
- Buildxact
- GST/VAT framing; tax via connected books
- Buildertrend
- Basic; reconciled in QuickBooks/Xero
- Stairkey
- Native HST/GST built in
- Buildxact
- Yes — fast, well-regarded
- Buildertrend
- Yes
- Stairkey
- Yes — measured takeoff
- Buildxact
- Lighter (POs, work orders)
- Buildertrend
- Yes — deep, end-to-end
- Stairkey
- Yes — scheduling & dispatch
- Buildxact
- Not a focus
- Buildertrend
- Yes — strong homeowner portal
- Stairkey
- Yes
- Buildxact
- Mobile cited as weak
- Buildertrend
- Yes
- Stairkey
- Yes — phone-first, offline cache
- Buildxact
- No (5 AI credits on free tier)
- Buildertrend
- No
- Stairkey
- Yes
- Buildxact
- No
- Buildertrend
- No
- Stairkey
- Yes
- Buildxact
- Fast estimating for small builders
- Buildertrend
- Residential build management
- Stairkey
- Small contractors wanting one tool, books included
Who each one is for
estimating and takeoff are your priority — you want fast, accurate bids with supplier price libraries, unlimited users on a flat published plan, and you're fine running Xero, QuickBooks, or MYOB alongside for the actual books.
you run residential build projects and need deep end-to-end management — scheduling, daily logs, selections, change orders, and an excellent branded homeowner portal — with a mature QuickBooks/Xero sync and broad integrations, and a custom quote fits your budget.
you want takeoff, estimates, projects, invoicing, and real double-entry accounting with native HST/GST in one flat capped-price tool — without bolting on QuickBooks — plus a phone-first crew portal, AI photo/voice task capture, and, for realtor-contractors, a built-in real estate module.
Pricing
Prices verified June 18, 2026. Quote-gated vendors change pricing without notice — confirm before you buy.
Entry $169/mo (1 user, billed annually ~15% off vs monthly); Pro $279/mo (2 users) and Teams $439/mo (4 users) above it, additional users cost extra. Bookkeeping needs a separate Xero, QuickBooks, or MYOB subscription.
Volume-based custom quotes; third-party trackers report roughly $339–$1,099/mo (commonly cited $499/$799/$1,099/mo) with annual all-in often $8k–$10k+, and renewals are widely reported to rise. Confirm current pricing directly with Buildertrend.
Optional +$20/mo accounting add-on adds extra usage allowance. First month free, no credit card — transparent, flat, and usage-capped so there are no surprise bills.
Where the others win
Both rivals beat Stairkey in real ways. Buildxact's takeoff and estimating are fast, mature, and backed by deep supplier price libraries and live dealer pricing that auto-update costs — a younger product hasn't matched that catalog depth. Buildertrend has the more polished, complete build-management suite, a standout homeowner portal, and a far larger integration marketplace (Gusto payroll, Home Depot Pro Xtra, financing, CRMs) plus dedicated onboarding. Stairkey is the newer, smaller-brand option with a smaller third-party integration marketplace; it has no built-in telephony or automated SMS dispatch, no aerial roofing measurement, and it is not a full payroll system (it handles contractor tax slips, year-end, and mileage, not payroll runs). It is focused on North America and strongest on Canadian HST/GST. Stairkey's edge isn't the longest feature list — it's takeoff plus real books in one workspace at a transparent capped price.
Common questions
Does Buildxact or Buildertrend include accounting?
Neither has its own double-entry books. Buildxact syncs to Xero, QuickBooks Online, or MYOB; Buildertrend syncs to QuickBooks Online or Xero. In both cases the general ledger and sales tax live in a separate accounting subscription. Stairkey includes native double-entry accounting with HST/GST in the same workspace.
Is Buildxact cheaper than Buildertrend?
Generally yes. Buildxact publishes flat per-plan pricing from about $169/mo (Entry, billed annually), while Buildertrend is quote-only and is widely reported to start around $339/mo (commonly cited $499–$1,099/mo by tier) and rise at renewal. Remember both still need a separate accounting subscription on top.
Which is better for handling Canadian HST/GST?
Buildxact's tax framing reflects its Australia/NZ/UK origin (GST/VAT) and defers transaction tax to the connected books; Buildertrend's tax handling is basic and reconciled in QuickBooks or Xero. Stairkey is built for North America with native HST/GST and Canadian year-end and contractor tax-slip workflows in-product.