12 Best Invoicing Software for Construction in 2026 (AIA, Retainage, Lien Waivers)

A construction invoice is not a freelancer invoice with a bigger number on it. You are billing against a schedule of values, holding back 5-10% retainage per line item, attaching conditional lien waivers, tracking stored materials separately from installed work, and reconciling change orders that were verbally approved on the jobsite three weeks ago. If your software cannot do those things, your PMs end up rebuilding G702 forms in Excel on Friday nights.

We evaluated 12 invoicing platforms used by general contractors, subs, and remodelers. Every price below was checked against vendor pricing pages in April 2026. Tools that cannot produce AIA-style progress billing or track retainage are flagged.

Quick Comparison: Construction Invoicing Platforms

What Makes Construction Invoicing Different

Before you pick a platform, understand the five workflows generic invoicing tools break on.

1. Progress billing and AIA G702/G703. Commercial and most mid-size residential contracts invoice against a schedule of values (SOV). Each line item is billed as a percent complete, with this-period and stored-materials columns, and retainage calculated per line. The American Institute of Architects G702 (Application for Payment) and G703 (Continuation Sheet) are the default format architects and owners expect. A tool that only does "invoice once, get paid once" cannot handle this.

2. Retainage holdback. Owners typically hold 5-10% of each payment application until substantial completion (and sometimes a separate release at final). Your software needs to withhold, track, and release retainage per project, not as a one-off line item.

3. Lien waivers. Most states require conditional (before payment) and unconditional (after payment) waivers on progress payments. Some states have statutory forms. Missing a waiver costs you the payment. Platforms like Procore, Knowify, and Buildertrend generate these automatically; generic tools do not.

4. Change orders. The verbal "just add it to the invoice" change becomes a dispute three months later. Proper construction invoicing ties change orders to the original contract, updates the SOV, and carries revised totals into every future payment app.

5. Certified payroll and prevailing wage. Public works jobs (federal Davis-Bacon, state prevailing wage) require weekly WH-347 certified payroll reports tied to the labor you are billing. Sage 100 Contractor and Jonas Premier do this natively; QuickBooks requires an add-on like Points North.

If you are doing cash-basis residential handyman work, half of the above does not matter and FreshBooks or Joist is fine. If you are a GC on anything larger than a kitchen remodel, it all matters.

1. Agiled - Best for Small GCs Wanting One Platform

Agiled is an all-in-one business platform combining CRM, invoicing, proposals, contracts, and project management. For a small general contractor or specialty sub, it replaces the tangle of separate tools for sales, billing, and client communication.

Pricing: Solo at $15/mo, Standard at $30/mo, Premium at $49/mo (billed annually). Unlimited clients, invoices, and proposals on paid plans.

What works for construction:

• Custom invoice templates let you build a schedule-of-values layout that approximates AIA G703 columns (scheduled value, previous, this period, stored, total, retainage, balance).
• Recurring invoices for maintenance contracts and service agreements.
• Client portal where owners approve change orders and view payment applications.
• Built-in contracts and e-signature for prime contracts and subcontract agreements.
• Stripe, PayPal, and ACH payment processing tied to invoices.
• Proposals with line-item pricing convert to invoices, so your SOV carries from bid to billing.

Where it falls short: No native AIA G702/G703 form generation - you build the layout as a custom template. No automatic lien waiver generation. Not a full construction ERP, so heavy job costing and committed cost tracking are lighter than Procore or Jonas.

Best for: Remodelers, small GCs, and subs under roughly $2M revenue who want one system for client relationships, proposals, invoicing, and contracts without paying enterprise prices.

Tradeoff: You trade deep construction-specific features (native AIA, certified payroll) for breadth and a much lower price. If 80% of your billing is on jobs where the owner will accept your template, Agiled wins on total cost of ownership.

See also: best CRM for construction, best business management software for construction.

2. Knowify - Best for Subcontractors Doing AIA Billing

Knowify is purpose-built for trade contractors (electrical, mechanical, plumbing, drywall) who bill GCs using AIA forms and need tight QuickBooks integration.

Pricing: Essentials at $68/mo, Advanced at $186/mo, Unlimited at $311/mo. Add-ons for service work and extra users.

Strengths: Native AIA G702/G703 generation with full schedule of values management, retainage tracking per job and per line item, conditional and unconditional lien waiver templates, change order workflows that roll into the next pay app automatically, and two-way sync with QuickBooks Online and Desktop.

Weaknesses: You really want QuickBooks underneath for full accounting. Pricing climbs quickly past a handful of users. UI is functional rather than slick.

Best for: Subs doing $1M-$20M in revenue who submit pay apps to GCs monthly.

3. Buildertrend - Best for Residential Remodelers

Buildertrend is the default choice for custom home builders and larger remodelers. Invoicing is one module of a full project management suite.

Pricing: Essential at $499/mo, Advanced at $799/mo, Complete at $1,099/mo (annual commitment reduces rates).

Strengths: Progress billing against budget, integrated change orders, client-facing selections and approvals, built-in financing options for homeowners, and tight integration with QuickBooks and Xero.

Weaknesses: The price is genuinely high for a two-person office. No native AIA G702 - it uses its own progress billing format that most residential owners accept but that some commercial architects will reject.

Best for: Residential GCs and design-build firms running 5-30 projects simultaneously.

4. JobTread - Best for Flat-Rate Unlimited Users

JobTread charges a flat $349/mo regardless of user count, which makes it dramatically cheaper than Buildertrend for any crew bigger than about four people.

Strengths: Flat-fee pricing, strong estimating that flows into invoicing, budget-vs-actual tracking, customer portal, and an active development team shipping features fast.

Weaknesses: Weaker than Jonas or Sage for certified payroll and union reporting. Newer product, so some edge-case workflows are still maturing.

Best for: Residential and light commercial GCs with 5-50 users who want predictable pricing.

5. Procore - Best for Commercial GCs

Procore is the commercial construction standard for firms above roughly $3M annual volume. Its invoicing module sits inside a full construction management platform covering RFIs, submittals, drawings, and safety.

Pricing: Custom, based on annual construction volume. Expect a five-figure annual contract at minimum.

Strengths: Full AIA G702/G703 with subcontractor pay apps flowing up to owner pay apps, lien waiver management, compliance tracking for insurance certificates, and integration with Sage, Viewpoint, and CMiC accounting.

Weaknesses: Opaque pricing, implementation can run months, and it is overkill for small residential work.

Best for: Commercial GCs and owners managing complex projects where the invoicing workflow is inseparable from the rest of construction management.

See also: best project management software for construction.

6. Contractor Foreman - Best Budget AIA Billing

Contractor Foreman is one of the cheapest tools that produces actual AIA G702 and G703 forms.

Pricing: Basic at $49/mo, Standard at $79/mo, Plus at $125/mo, Pro at $166/mo, Unlimited at $249/mo (annual).

Strengths: Native AIA billing, schedule of values, retainage, lien waivers, change orders, time cards, and daily logs - all at a fraction of Buildertrend pricing.

Weaknesses: UI and mobile app are noticeably less polished than higher-priced competitors. Customer support volume has caused occasional complaints during peak periods.

Best for: Small-to-mid GCs and subs who need real AIA forms but cannot justify $500+/mo.

7. QuickBooks Online Contractor - Best for QBO Shops

If your CPA already uses QuickBooks Online, the Contractor-specific tier adds project profitability, job costing, and progress invoicing.

Pricing: Plus at $99/mo, Advanced at $235/mo (promotional rates vary).

Strengths: Progress invoicing against estimates, job costing by customer and project, 1099 tracking for subs, and a massive ecosystem of add-ons (including AIA billing add-ons like CoConstruct successors).

Weaknesses: "Progress invoicing" is not true AIA - it lacks the stored materials column, proper retainage-per-line, and the continuation sheet layout. Many architects will reject it. For certified payroll, you need an add-on like Points North.

Best for: Small contractors (under $2M) whose owners accept a QuickBooks-style progress invoice and who prioritize accounting integration over construction-specific forms.

8. FreshBooks - Best for Solo Trades on T&M Jobs

FreshBooks is not construction software. It is a generalist invoicing and time-tracking tool that works well for handymen, solo trades, and small service contractors billing time and materials.

Pricing: Lite at $19/mo, Plus at $33/mo, Premium at $60/mo, Select custom.

Strengths: Simple invoice creation, strong mobile app, expense tracking, time tracking, and a proposals module.

Weaknesses: No retainage, no AIA, no lien waivers, no change order workflow. If you ever plan to work on a public project or a commercial job, you will outgrow FreshBooks immediately.

Best for: Solo tradespeople on residential service work and break-fix jobs.

9. Jonas Premier - Best for Mid-Market Commercial

Jonas Premier is a full cloud construction ERP aimed at commercial GCs and subs in the $10M-$100M range.

Pricing: Approximately $229/user/month with implementation fees.

Strengths: Native AIA billing, committed cost tracking, full certified payroll and prevailing wage, union fringe handling, subcontractor compliance, and deep job costing.

Weaknesses: Per-user pricing escalates quickly. Implementation takes months, not weeks. Overkill if you are not running multiple simultaneous commercial projects.

Best for: Mid-market commercial contractors outgrowing QuickBooks.

10. Sage 100 Contractor - Best for Certified Payroll

Sage 100 Contractor (the descendant of Master Builder) is the legacy standard for established contractors who run prevailing wage and union jobs.

Pricing: Roughly $160+/user/mo for cloud hosting; desktop license separately. Implementation and support add meaningful cost.

Strengths: Industry-leading certified payroll (WH-347) and prevailing wage handling, full AIA billing, retainage, job costing, and GL that your CPA already knows.

Weaknesses: Desktop-era UX even on the hosted cloud version. Implementation is heavy. Mobile experience lags modern competitors.

Best for: Established contractors doing public works, Davis-Bacon, or union jobs where certified payroll compliance is non-negotiable.

11. Houzz Pro - Best for Design-Build and Interiors

Houzz Pro evolved from the Ivy design platform and serves interior designers, design-build firms, and high-end residential renovators.

Pricing: Starter at $85/mo, Essential at $139/mo, Pro at $249/mo, Ultimate at $399/mo (annual).

Strengths: Client-facing proposals with 3D visualization, product sourcing and markups, progress invoicing tied to milestones, and a lead pipeline from the Houzz marketplace.

Weaknesses: No native AIA, limited support for commercial or heavy civil workflows, and no certified payroll.

Best for: Interior designers and design-build remodelers billing clients on milestone schedules.

12. Joist - Best Free Mobile Quoting and Invoicing

Joist is a mobile-first free app aimed at solo trades who estimate on the jobsite and email invoices from their phone.

Pricing: Free plan available; Pro at $13/mo, Elite at $26/mo.

Strengths: Fast mobile estimate-to-invoice, built-in payment processing, deposit collection, signature capture, and QuickBooks sync on paid tiers.

Weaknesses: No retainage, no AIA, no lien waivers, no change order tracking. Strictly for simple one-off jobs.

Best for: Solo electricians, plumbers, painters, and handymen who quote and bill on the same day.

How to Choose: A Practical Decision Guide

• You are a solo tradesperson on T&M or flat-rate jobs: Joist (free) or FreshBooks ($19/mo).
• You are a small GC or remodeler under $2M and own every part of the business: Agiled ($15-$49/mo) for all-in-one, or QuickBooks Online Contractor if your CPA insists.
• You are a sub submitting AIA pay apps to GCs: Knowify ($68+/mo) or Contractor Foreman ($49+/mo).
• You are a residential custom builder running 5-20 projects: Buildertrend or JobTread.
• You are a commercial GC above $3M: Procore with Sage or Viewpoint accounting underneath.
• You do public works or union jobs: Sage 100 Contractor or Jonas Premier for certified payroll compliance.

One rule that saves pain: if your owners ever ask for AIA G702/G703 and your tool cannot natively produce it, you will rebuild the form in Excel every single month. Either pick a tool that does AIA, or get a signed agreement from your owner to accept your template before you sign the prime contract.

Features That Separate Construction Invoicing from Generic Invoicing

Schedule of values (SOV). Your prime contract dollar value is broken down by work category (sitework, concrete, framing, MEP, finishes, GCs, fee). Every monthly pay app invoices a percent complete per line. Generic tools let you list line items but not track percent complete across months.

Stored materials. Materials on site but not installed are billable at a reduced rate in most contracts. The G703 has a dedicated column. Generic tools do not.

Retainage per line. Retainage is calculated per line item at 5-10%, held until substantial completion, then often reduced or released. Generic tools treat retainage as a deduction on the total, which breaks reconciliation by the third pay app.

Conditional vs. unconditional lien waivers. Conditional waivers are signed before payment ("I waive my lien rights if I receive this payment"). Unconditional waivers are signed after ("I acknowledge I have received payment"). Some states mandate exact statutory language. A tool without a waiver workflow costs you either payments or lien rights.

Pay-when-paid subcontractor workflow. Your contract with the owner includes a 45-day payment cycle; your contract with subs says "pay-when-paid." You need to generate sub pay apps that reference the owner pay app, hold payment until the owner funds, and release subs minus retainage. Procore, Knowify, Jonas, and Sage handle this. Generic tools do not.

Sales tax by jurisdiction. Construction sales tax is notoriously weird - some states tax labor, some tax materials, some tax the contractor as end user, and rules change at the county and city level. A tool like QuickBooks, Sage, or Jonas handles jurisdictional tax; lightweight tools ignore it.

Certified payroll and prevailing wage. Federal Davis-Bacon and state prevailing wage jobs require weekly WH-347 reports certifying wages paid by classification. Sage 100 Contractor and Jonas Premier generate these from payroll. QuickBooks needs Points North or similar.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is AIA G702/G703 and do I really need it?
G702 is the Application and Certificate for Payment (one page summary). G703 is the Continuation Sheet (the schedule of values detail). Together they are the standard format architects and owners on commercial and mid-to-high-end residential jobs expect. If your owner's contract references AIA billing, yes you need it. If you are billing a homeowner directly, you can usually submit your own progress billing format.

How much retainage is standard in construction contracts?
Most commercial contracts hold 5-10% retainage per pay app until substantial completion. Some contracts reduce retainage to 5% at 50% completion, then release fully at substantial completion minus a small punch-list holdback. State public works rules often cap retainage at 5%.

Can QuickBooks do AIA billing?
Not natively. QuickBooks Online and Desktop do "progress invoicing" against estimates, but the output does not match the G702/G703 format. You can add a third-party AIA add-on (such as Corecon or a specialized connector) or use Knowify/Contractor Foreman alongside QuickBooks.

Do I need separate software for lien waivers?
No - any construction-specific platform (Procore, Knowify, Buildertrend, Contractor Foreman) generates conditional and unconditional waivers tied to pay apps. If you are on a generic tool like FreshBooks or Wave, you will use a separate service or templates.

What is the cheapest software that produces real AIA G702/G703?
Contractor Foreman starts at $49/mo and produces native AIA forms. Knowify Essentials at $68/mo is the next tier up with deeper QuickBooks integration.

How do I handle change orders in invoicing?
A proper change order updates the schedule of values, adds or subtracts line items, and carries the revised contract total into every future pay app. In construction software, this is a workflow (propose, approve, execute). In generic tools, it is manual math every month and a frequent source of disputes.

What software handles certified payroll for Davis-Bacon jobs?
Sage 100 Contractor and Jonas Premier handle certified payroll (WH-347) natively. QuickBooks requires an add-on like Points North or eBacon.

Is there free construction invoicing software?
Joist offers a free tier for solo trades. Wave is free but lacks every construction-specific feature. There is no free tool that does AIA, retainage, and lien waivers properly - it is niche commercial software.

How does pay-when-paid work in software?
Your sub's pay app references the specific owner pay app it depends on. When the owner funds your application, the tool releases the sub payment minus retainage. Without software support, you reconcile this in spreadsheets.

What is the best all-in-one for a small GC who hates switching tools?
If AIA is non-negotiable, Contractor Foreman at $49-$249/mo. If your owners accept custom progress billing templates and you want CRM, proposals, contracts, and invoicing in one system, Agiled at $15-$49/mo is the cheapest all-in-one.

Final Recommendation

There is no single best invoicing tool for construction - the right pick depends on whether you are submitting AIA pay apps, handling certified payroll, or just billing homeowners for a kitchen remodel.

For most small GCs and remodelers who also need CRM, proposals, and contracts in the same system, Agiled gives you the widest functional footprint per dollar. For subs doing AIA billing to GCs, Knowify is purpose-built. For commercial contractors, Procore is the standard. For certified payroll and prevailing wage work, Sage 100 Contractor or Jonas Premier.

The worst outcome is picking a generic invoicing tool, landing a commercial job six months later, and realizing on day one of the first pay app that you cannot produce a G702. Match the tool to the biggest job you plausibly take in the next 18 months, not the one you have today.

Related reading: best CRM for construction, best project management software for construction, best business management software for construction.