The best scheduling software for contractors is designed specifically with businesses who have different types of workers working on a variety of projects in mind.
1. Best overall
2. Best for SMBs
3. Best for delivery drivers
4. Best for enterprises
5. Best for work management
6. How we test
While typical scheduling software is generally only capable of creating and managing online bookings, contractors will usually need some extra features to manage multi-location jobs, with support for the whole team to chip in from deployment to carrying out the trade to admin and reporting.
There are so many different types of scheduling software to consider that it can be hard to find the right one, so besides our general scheduling software buying guide, we’ve also featured the best employee scheduling software and this, the best options for contractors. That’s if the best calendar apps don’t tickle your fancy, which are typically free or very cheap and can handle some of the basics.
As well as the type of work, you’ll need to think about the size of your business, because some companies charge a considerable amount to handle large amounts of data, and if you don’t need all of the features, then saving money in a tough economy will certainly help.
With that in mind, here are the best scheduling apps for contractors.
The best contractor scheduling apps of 2024 in full:
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Best overall
Bridgit Bench is a popular scheduling app for contractors and it’s easy to see why with its aesthetically pleasing design that makes it easy to use for all types of contractors. It promises to be the only tool you need to manage your people, eliminating the need for multiple software subscriptions, handling things like actual people versus demand.
Skills, experience, and availability can all be factored into the scheduling functionality of Bridgit Bench, and there are different views to help you visualize your resources. On that, there are analytics to provide an overview and help your business to budget.
Because it’s a cloud-based app, like most other scheduling apps, it presents scalability and is perfect for multi-location companies, which is especially typical of those handling contractors. Expect integrations with other project management tools like Airtable, HR software, and CRM software.
The most noteworthy downside is that the company has no pricing information on its website, and is seemingly reluctant to share details without a full consultation, rendering it impossible to determine whether it represents good value for money.
Best for SMBs
Jobber prides itself on ease of use and convenience, which it claims are qualities that customers would be willing to pay more for. Online booking is easy, and you can send out quotes and follow-ups straight from the app giving everything one place to live.
It’s also packed with HR and project management tools, like dispatch planning and route calculations to make sure that contractors are taking the most efficient route to boost productivity. Each job can then be tracked and monitored, all of which feeds into a dashboard for a wider view of all operations.
The client manager on the business side of the app is mirrored by a client hub for customers, where they can log in to view and approve jobs, send messages, and more. The app can also handle online transactions, helping to reduce a company’s need for other payment gateways.
While Jobber combines many other software-as-a-service (SaaS) offerings into one friendly ecosystem, it comes at a cost. A pair of range-topping plans take the cost to three figures per month, but they do support up to 15 users. The bottom two plans are for one user only and are more restricted in terms of features. All four plans can add additional users for a monthly fee, and there are discounts for annual commitments.
Best for delivery drivers
This app promises to be the best last-mile software around, so the bar is pretty high. Take a look at its website and it’s clear that the last-mile driving team is a huge priority, making it great for businesses with people on the road. Automated routing and live tracking are facilitated by a mobile app designed for company drivers.
Placing on emphasis on deliveries, the app can capture photos and signatures for proof of delivery, and share documentation between the business and its clients. That said, with major delivery companies including Amazon giving workers access to their own proprietary app, GSM Tasks faces immense competition and is best considered by smaller companies.
Back in the office, the user interface is great and it works more like a modern app than basic spreadsheet software, which means drag-and-drop support and customization like custom meta fields.
Pricing is average, if not especially attractive given the lack of a budget level, but all accounts get free onboarding and most of the features needed to run smooth operations.
Best for enterprises
BlueFolder is an entire field service management service that extends beyond the realms of basic scheduling and is a great option for multifaceted businesses that can’t get away with an industry-specialized tool.
The user-friendly interface makes for easy navigation, even for customers without prior experience of such software, and there are online training resources to back that up. Approaching two decades of availability, BlueFolder claims to have tracked over $4 billion in billable services across 30,000 active users, and is a firm favorite of numerous medial and educational establishments, though it caters to a lot more.
The feature base is rich, and includes just about everything you’re likely to need from a job’s creation to its execution and analysis. Like many other contractor scheduling apps, there’s a customer-facing portal, and it can handle invoicing and payments, too.
It’s on the pricier end of the spectrum and is best thought of as a large business and enterprise platform. Pro and Pro Plus are based on three active users, and Enterprise banks on five. The three plans can support additional users with an additional monthly fee. View-only users, and other users set up to just receive notifications but not to access the platform, can be added for a cheaper rate. It’s worth mentioning that, depending on the plan, you’ll likely need to fork out more monthly surcharges to include other features, too.
Best for work management
Smartsheet is a bit of a curveball in this list, because it’s not just a scheduling app. It claims to be an all-encompassing work management solution, helping companies with more limited budgets to fulfill more tasks with fewer subscriptions.
Like a number of other project management tools, to which it can be compared more easily, the user interface is designed to be clean and easy to use, but it still surfaces some key information to save you from having to look around. You can also import existing work from Trello, for example, if you’re looking to migrate. A number of views, like Gantt, calendar, and card, help on this front.
Because it’s a hybrid of project management and scheduling software, you can manage things like resources and use a number of integrations including CRM software and cloud storage, or take advantage of time-saving automations. It also makes reporting easy for analytical purposes.
Pricing is very attractive, and a pair of affordable paid plans sit above a free tier, and below a customizable Enterprise option. As you’d expect, each plan adds more features and removes some limits, and there are discounts available for paying annually. It’s worth noting that the cheaper Pro plan can only accommodate up to 10 users, while the pricier Business plan requires a minimum of three. While the pricing is substantially cheaper than some other contractor scheduling software, it doesn’t fullfill all of the requirements that pricier options do, so make sure to compare and confirm which features you require.
More scheduling software options
Depending on the type of business you run, you may find that other scheduling apps that offer a broader and less specialized service may work for you, which can be cheaper for your business. Here are some other scheduling apps to consider:
Zoho Bookings forms part of an extensive catalog of other Zoho products designed to cater to virtually every other aspect of your business needs. As well as scheduling, you can take payments, track customers, and create reports, but despite its respected name some features like integrations are either missing or reserved for higher-end plans.
Appointlet is another popular scheduling app used by businesses across the globe, but it’s better suited to virtual and online meetings rather than deploying workers to physical locations. It’s attractively designed which is especially important for the customer-facing aspects, and is reasonably priced.
Square Appointments sits somewhere in between online and contractor scheduling, and is a useful tool for small businesses, agencies, and self-employed workers who tend to carry out their work from different locations. Appealing to the likes of hair stylists, therapists, and personal trainers, Square also reckons that home maintenance workers could see the value in its platform which handily ties into its payment gateway services.
How we test
To test for the best scheduling apps for contractors we set up an account with the relevant software platform, whether as a download or as an online service. We then tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and for different types of businesses. The aim was to push each scheduling app to see how useful even its most basic tools were and also how easy it was to get to grips with any more advanced tools, plus how easy it was to navigate more generally. Naturally, pricing options including free tiers are also an important consideration when evaluating a scheduling app’s value for money, which is why we included some alternative options for those with different requirements and budgets.
Read how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar.
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