Side-by-side comparison
| Capability | ProtoPM Free | Fieldwire Basic |
|---|---|---|
| Price to start | $0 · No credit card | $0 free tier |
| Projects | Unlimited | About 3 |
| Team | Unlimited people + collaborators | About 5 users |
| Drawings and markup | PDFs open in Files; no markup or pins | Plan viewing and markup |
| Offline use | Needs a connection | Mobile app, projects enabled for offline |
| Daily logs and punch list | Included | Tasks and checklists |
| Budget, invoices, change log | Included | Paid plans |
| Storage | 2 GB free; links to Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox files use no storage | Varies by plan |
Fieldwire Basic and ProtoPM Free in short
- Fieldwire Basic is built around drawings: plan viewing, markups, tasks and checklists. Its free tier is about 5 users, 3 projects and 100 sheets.
- ProtoPM Free is built around the job record: schedule, daily logs, punch list, budget and invoices, and change log, with no user or project limit.
- Both are free to start and self-serve. Neither needs a sales call.
Where ProtoPM fits better
- Your crew, subs and clients outgrow 5 users and 3 projects. ProtoPM Free has no caps, and project collaborators are free.
- You want the money in the same place as the field: budget against actuals, invoices to the client, and a change log with cost and schedule impact. Public listings place budget and change-order tools on Fieldwire's paid plans.
- Clients see only their own invoices as Guests, or the job as read-only Viewers, without paying per seat.
- You start a job from a trade template (general contractor, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, carpentry, painting) with milestones, punch items and inspections already set up.
When Fieldwire still wins
- Drawings and markups are the main job. ProtoPM opens PDFs in the Files tab but has no markup or pins on plans.
- You work where there is no signal. Fieldwire's mobile apps let you enable projects for offline use. ProtoPM runs in the browser and needs a connection.
- You need large drawing sets, sheet versions and plan comparison, which are Fieldwire's focus.
Using both
Many teams keep drawings in Fieldwire and run the job's schedule, logs, costs and changes in ProtoPM. In a project's Files tab you can paste a link to a Fieldwire plan, a Google Drive folder or any web link. Links use none of your storage, and the link's own sharing settings decide who can open it. Storage and linked files.
How ProtoPM works
Free covers unlimited projects and people, your first company free (extra companies are an add-on), and 2 GB of storage per company (more is optional, from $5/mo per company). See every feature.
- Sign up and create a project. A title is enough.
- Financials: budget, actuals and invoices.
- Schedule and Field: dates, daily logs and punch items.
- Project Delivery: changes, risks and lessons learned.
How to start
- Sign up free and confirm your email.
- Create a project with just a title.
- Open Schedule, Field or Financials, then invite your crew.
Common questions
- Is there a free alternative to Fieldwire?
- Yes. ProtoPM Free has no user or project limit and includes schedule, daily logs, punch list, budgets, invoices and a change log. No credit card.
- What are Fieldwire Basic's free limits?
- Public listings put Fieldwire Basic at about 5 users, 3 projects and 100 sheets. Check Fieldwire's pricing page for current terms.
- Can ProtoPM mark up drawings?
- No. ProtoPM opens PDFs and images in the Files tab but has no markup or pins on plans. Keep drawings in a plan tool and paste a link to them in the project.
- Does ProtoPM work offline?
- Not yet. It runs in the browser and needs a connection, so enter field logs and punch items where you have signal.
- Can I use ProtoPM and Fieldwire together?
- Yes. Many teams keep drawings in Fieldwire and run schedule, costs and changes in ProtoPM, with a pasted link between them.
Related
Ready to try ProtoPM?
Start free. Upgrade only if you need more.