Side-by-side comparison
| Capability | ProtoPM Free | Spreadsheet | Estimating tools | Enterprise suites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Project work from start to handover | One person | Quotes, estimates and proposals | Large firms |
| Price to start | $0 · No credit card | $0 | Paid | Sales-led |
| Milestones and inspections | Painting template | Manual | Varies | Yes |
| Daily logs and punch list | Included | Manual | Job notes | Yes |
| Change orders and budget | Included | Manual | Quotes and invoices | Yes |
| Crew and client access | Unlimited people + collaborators | Shared file | Varies | Seat tiers |
Painting jobs it fits
ProtoPM runs jobs that last days to weeks and end in a walkthrough. The office and the crew see the same project, from prep to the last touch-up.
- Interior repaints, room by room or whole house
- Exterior repaints, starting with the pressure wash
- Kitchen cabinet refinishing
- Commercial repaints and tenant turnovers
From prep to walkthrough
Pick Painting as your company's trade and new projects start from a template you can edit. Exterior and cabinet jobs have their own lists (exterior starts with a pressure wash, cabinets with removing the doors). The interior template spreads these milestones across the job's dates:
- Protect and prep.
- Repairs.
- Prime.
- Finish coats.
- Touch-ups.
- Walkthrough.
In the field
- Daily logs: crew count, rooms or elevations done, weather and delays for each day.
- Punch list at the end: the template adds scuffs, masking, drips and leftover paint, so the walkthrough list is ready before the client arrives.
- Photos: take before, prep and after shots from your phone and keep them with the job.
- Fewer tabs by default: painting companies start with Inspections, Risks and Lessons hidden, since most repaints need no permit. Turn them on in Settings if you want them.
Money and change orders
- Change log: record extra rooms, added coats or a colour change after sign-off, with the cost and schedule impact, before you do the work.
- Budget and actuals in Financials, hidden from the client.
- Invoices: send deposit, progress and final invoices; invite the owner or property manager as a read-only Viewer who can see them.
- Client status report: a client-safe PDF with progress and milestones, and no budget.
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.
Why teams pick ProtoPM
- $0 Free plan with no end date. No credit card.
- Sign up yourself. No demo call.
- Plain tabs for schedule, field, costs and changes.
- Projects and users are unlimited on Free; core modules never cost extra. Optional company add-ons start at $5 CAD/mo when you need extras like more storage or branded documents — nobody pays per user.
When another tool wins
If you need on-site estimating, colour-and-product quoting or e-signed proposals, a painter-focused estimating tool fits better. ProtoPM is for running the job once it's won. It doesn't do estimating, takeoffs or quoting, so keep those tools, and large firms that need ERP integrations or single sign-on fit enterprise suites.
How to start
- Sign up free and confirm your email.
- Set your company's trade to Painting so new projects start from the painting template.
- Create the job (for example, an interior repaint) with dates and a budget.
- Invite your crew, and add the owner as a read-only Viewer.
Prefer a spreadsheet?
Start with a free Excel template (no account needed), then move the job into ProtoPM when the crew needs it.
Common questions
- What is the best project management software for painters?
- For running repaint jobs, ProtoPM: a free plan with a painting template for prep, repairs, prime, finish coats, touch-ups and walkthrough, plus daily logs, a touch-up punch list, budgets and change orders. For estimating and quoting, a painter-focused estimating tool fits better.
- Is there free software for painting contractors?
- Yes. ProtoPM Free costs $0 with no end date, for unlimited projects and users. No credit card.
- Can I use it for exterior and cabinet jobs?
- Yes. Exterior painting and cabinet refinishing each have their own starter project type, and every milestone is editable.
- Can I keep a final touch-up list for the walkthrough?
- Yes. The punch list holds touch-up items such as scuffs, masking and drips, with an assignee and a due date, and it comes pre-filled from the painting template.
- Does ProtoPM do estimating or quoting?
- No. ProtoPM runs the job once it's won. Keep your estimating tool for quotes and proposals.
Related
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