Stairkey vs Contractor Foreman
Both are value plays, aimed differently. Contractor Foreman gives you the most modules per dollar ($49/mo Basic, 20+ modules) but keeps the books in QuickBooks — with the sync gated to its $166/mo Plus tier. Stairkey has fewer modules but builds the ledger in at $20/mo capped. Pick by whether you want maximum module count or the books included.
Contractor Foreman built its name on one pitch: the most construction-management modules for the lowest published price — estimates, scheduling, daily logs, safety meetings, time cards, and more from $49/mo. The catch sits in the fine print: it doesn't keep your books, and the QuickBooks Online sync that most shops eventually need is gated to the Plus tier at $166/mo (QuickBooks Desktop, Unlimited only at $332/mo). Stairkey's pitch is narrower and flatter: fewer modules, published capped pricing, ledger included.
Bias declared: this page is written by the Stairkey team. Contractor Foreman's tier facts below match its published ladder at our last verification, and we're specific in the concession about where its breadth genuinely beats us.
At a glance
| Contractor Foreman | Stairkey | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $49/mo (Basic) | $20/mo, capped at $100 |
| Tier ladder | $49 / $105 / $166 / $221 / $332 | Flat core + optional add-ons |
| Built-in accounting | No — QBO sync gated to Plus ($166/mo)+ | Yes — native double-entry GL (+$20/mo add-on) |
| Sales tax (HST/GST) | Via QuickBooks | Native HST/GST, year-end package |
| Module count | 20+ — the headline feature | Focused set: estimate → schedule → invoice → books |
| Estimating & takeoff | Yes | Yes — measured takeoff + approvals |
| Client / crew portal | Yes | Yes — phone-first crew portal, offline cache |
| AI capture (photo/voice → tasks) | No | Yes |
| Real estate / deal module | No | Yes — buying, listing, deal P&L |
| Best for | Crews that want every module cheap | Small crews that want the books included |
Who each one is for
you want the widest module set — daily logs, safety meetings, time cards, submittals — at the lowest sticker, you're comfortable in QuickBooks for the books, and you'll either live without the sync or budget for the $166/mo Plus tier where it unlocks.
your core loop is estimate → schedule → invoice → get the books right, and you'd rather pay $20–$40/mo capped with the double-entry ledger and HST/GST built in than run a second accounting subscription and mind a sync.
Pricing
Prices verified July 2, 2026. Quote-gated vendors change pricing without notice — confirm before you buy.
Ladder: Basic $49, Standard $105, Plus $166, Pro $221, Unlimited $332. QuickBooks Online sync starts at Plus; QuickBooks Desktop requires Unlimited. QuickBooks itself is a separate bill.
Accounting add-on +$20/mo (=$40/mo); usage capped at $100/mo. First month free, no credit card.
Where the others win
Contractor Foreman genuinely wins on breadth-per-dollar: safety meetings, daily logs, time cards, submittals, RFIs — a construction-admin surface Stairkey doesn't cover, at a price nobody else in construction management touches. It's been at this longer, its module list keeps growing, and for a crew that will actually use that breadth it's excellent value even with QuickBooks alongside. Stairkey is newer, with a deliberately smaller module set; we have no daily-log/safety-meeting/submittal machinery, no payroll (contractor tax slips and year-end only), and a smaller integration ecosystem. If module count is how you're scoring this, Contractor Foreman wins the scorecard — our counter is only that the books, not the module count, are usually what's actually broken.
Common questions
Isn't Contractor Foreman cheaper than Stairkey?
At the Basic sticker, Contractor Foreman is $49/mo vs Stairkey's $20/mo core — Stairkey is lower. The real-world comparison: Contractor Foreman shops that need the QuickBooks sync are at $166/mo (Plus) plus QuickBooks from $38/mo; Stairkey with accounting included is $40/mo, capped at $100/mo.
Does Stairkey have daily logs, safety meetings, or submittals?
No. That construction-admin layer is Contractor Foreman's genuine strength, and if your jobs require it, it's the better fit. Stairkey covers the commercial core — estimates, takeoff, scheduling, tasks, portals, invoicing — plus the accounting layer those tools leave to QuickBooks.
Which handles Canadian taxes better?
Stairkey — HST/GST is native to its ledger, with Canadian year-end workflows and contractor tax slips. Contractor Foreman applies line-item taxes and relies on the QuickBooks sync (Plus tier and up) for actual tax accounting.