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Independent software coverage for contractors · No vendor influence
Updated quarterly / Reader-supported
Methodology v3.1 · Updated Apr 2026

How we
actually
cover things.

Every review, comparison, and roundup on this site runs through the same pipeline. No exceptions for sponsors. No softening for affiliate partners. Coverage reflects what contractors actually say in aggregate — not what vendors want us to say.

01

Pull live pricing

Every price on the site comes from the vendor's pricing page on the date of publication. If the vendor hides pricing behind a demo, we say so — we don't invent a number. We re-verify quarterly and timestamp the check.

02

Aggregate contractor feedback

G2 and Capterra, filtered for reviewers with contractor-relevant profiles. We read dozens of reviews per tool. A single complaint is an anecdote. A pattern across multiple reviewers gets named in the piece.

03

Check the subreddits

r/HVAC, r/Plumbing, r/Electricians, r/Contractors, r/Roofing, r/Landscaping. The complaints that never reach Capterra tend to live here — along with the recommendations contractors make to each other when nobody's watching.

04

Name the wrong buyer

Every product has a contractor it's the wrong tool for. If we can't identify them, the research isn't complete. We call that out explicitly — "not for" is as important as "right for" in our coverage.

05

Verdict leads the piece

Every review opens with a verdict — Top Pick, Recommended, Conditional, or Skip — plus a one-line summary. The body explains why. Scroll away if you want; the summary's already paid off.

06

Refresh quarterly

Pricing shifts. Features ship. A timestamped freshness note tells you when we last re-verified the piece — and when we'll check again.

What the ratings mean Four calls. No grade inflation.
TOP PICK

We'd recommend this to a contractor we know, in the right profile, without hedging. Usually the strongest fit for a specific team size and trade.

RECOMMENDED

Solid. Well-built. Worth using — and in some cases worth preferring to a Top Pick if your profile tilts toward its strengths.

CONDITIONAL

Buy it only if you fit a narrow, specific profile. For everyone else, better options exist. We'll name the profile that makes it a fit.

What we don't do
  • We don't write sponsored reviews. Ever.
  • We don't rank tools by how much they pay in affiliate commissions.
  • We don't inflate grades to keep vendors happy.
  • We don't publish a "review" after a 15-minute demo.
  • We don't recommend software you don't need yet.
  • We don't lift copy from vendor pages.

If you spot coverage that feels like it violates any of the above, email us. We'll look, we'll fix, and we'll credit the correction.