Best AI bookkeeping software for contractors

For most small trades businesses, QuickBooks Online Plus is the safest pick because it tracks profit by job, turns estimates into invoices, and reads receipts from your phone. If money is tight, Wave has a free plan with estimates and invoices, and Xero or Dext are worth a look if your bookkeeper already uses them.

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The picks at a glance

ToolBest forStarting priceFree plan or trialChecked on
QuickBooks OnlineCrews that need job costing and estimates in one placeUS$38/mo (Simple Start). Job profit tracking starts on Plus, US$140/moUS: free plan (2 invoices a month, no mobile app). 30-day free trialOct 20, 2026
WaveSolo trades and new businesses on a tight budgetUS$0 (Starter). Pro is US$19/mo, or US$190/yrYes, free Starter planOct 20, 2026
XeroOwners whose accountant already works in XeroUS$27/mo (Early). Project tracking is on Established, US$97/moFree one-month trialOct 20, 2026
DextPiles of supplier bills and receipts, on top of your accounting appUS$302.50/yr billed annually. Canada: see Dext’s pricing page14-day free trial, no cardOct 20, 2026

Prices are each maker’s regular list price in US dollars, read on the date shown. We never convert currencies. Intro discounts change often, so we left them out.

1. QuickBooks Online: best overall for contractors

Why it fits contractors. The Plus plan tracks project profitability, so you can see whether each job made money. Its AI tools (Intuit calls them Intuit Intelligence) sort expenses into categories and learn how you code transactions. Estimates support mobile signatures and convert into invoices, and the mobile app lets you snap receipts, track mileage with your phone’s GPS, and send an invoice when the job wraps. You can also add employee time to invoices. The top plan, Advanced, US$340/mo in the US (checked October 20, 2026), adds what Intuit calls a construction financials tool and AI that sets up projects and allocates costs. That’s more than most crews of 20 or fewer need.

Watch out. Job profit tracking isn’t on the cheaper plans. In the US you need Plus (US$140/mo), and the free plan has no mobile app. Also, a Canadian FAQ says the big intro discounts only apply if you buy right away, not if you start with the free trial.

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2. Wave: best free option

Why it fits contractors. The free Starter plan includes unlimited estimates, invoices, and bookkeeping records, and you can invoice from the mobile app. Wave lets you take deposits on estimates to lock in a job. The Pro plan adds automatic bank imports, auto-categorizing of bank transactions, and unlimited receipt capture. That’s handy when your receipts are scattered across the truck.

Watch out. Wave has no job costing or project profit tracking on its pricing page, so it suits simple, invoice-and-get-paid shops more than crews running several jobs at once. On the free plan, receipt scanning is a paid add-on.

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3. Xero: best if your accountant uses it

Why it fits contractors. Every plan lets you send quotes and invoices, and receipts can be scanned and sent from your phone. Xero includes Hubdoc for capturing bills and documents. Its AI helper, JAX, is pitched as automating everyday bookkeeping work. In the US, the Established plan includes tracking time and costs by project. In Canada, project tracking is an add-on for every plan. The US dollar price for that add-on wasn’t on the page we read, so it isn’t shown.

Watch out. The US Early plan caps you at 20 invoices and 5 bills, which a busy crew can go through fast. Project tracking in the US only comes with the US$97/mo plan.

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4. Dext: best for drowning in paperwork

Why it fits contractors. Dext isn’t a full accounting app. It reads your receipts and supplier bills, pulls out the numbers, and sends them to your accounting software. Its business plan covers 5 users and 250 documents a month, so your crew can snap their own receipts. You can send documents by the app, by email, or by WhatsApp. Line item extraction, a paid extra past a small free allowance, splits one supplier bill across cost codes, which helps when a single lumber-yard bill covers three jobs.

Watch out. You still need accounting software like QuickBooks Online or Xero, so Dext is a second bill. The 250-document cap and the extra charges for line items can add up in a busy month.

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How to choose

Questions people ask

What is the best accounting software for a small contractor?
For most small trades businesses, QuickBooks Online Plus. It tracks profit by job, turns estimates into invoices, and handles receipts from your phone. If you don’t need job costing yet, Wave’s free plan covers estimates and invoices.

Is there free bookkeeping software for contractors?
Yes. Wave’s Starter plan is free and includes unlimited estimates and invoices. QuickBooks also has a free US plan, but it’s limited to 2 invoices a month (unless you use QuickBooks Payments) and doesn’t include the mobile app.

Does QuickBooks do job costing for contractors?
Yes, from the Plus plan up. Plus tracks project profitability, and Advanced adds AI that creates projects and allocates costs, plus a construction financials tool.

Can I send invoices and estimates from my phone?
Yes, with all four. QuickBooks, Wave, and Xero let you invoice on the go, and Dext lets your crew snap receipts and bills from the job site.

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Sources (all checked Oct 20, 2026)