Side-by-side comparison
| Capability | ProtoPM Free | Spreadsheet | Field-service apps | Enterprise suites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Project work from start to handover | One person | Service calls and dispatch | Large firms |
| Price to start | $0 · No credit card | $0 | Paid, per user | Sales-led |
| Milestones and inspections | Plumbing 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 | Per-user seats | Seat tiers |
Plumbing jobs it fits
ProtoPM runs jobs that last days to months and have a permit, an inspection and a handover. The shop and the field see the same project, from the permit to the final walkthrough.
- New-build underground, rough-in and finish, as a sub to a general contractor
- Whole-house repipes: permit, open walls, rough-in, then patch and repair
- Water heater replacements
- Sewer line work: camera inspection, permit, excavation and backfill
- Bathroom and kitchen renovations, and fixture replacements
From permit to final test
Pick Plumbing as your company's trade and new projects start from a template you can edit. Repipes, water heaters, fixture replacements and sewer lines each start from their own shorter list. The main plumbing template spreads these milestones across the job's dates:
- Permit.
- Groundworks.
- Rough-in.
- Rough-in inspection.
- Fixtures.
- Final test.
In the field
- Daily logs: crew count, work done, weather and delays for each day.
- Inspections: underground, rough-in and final inspections come pre-filled on the plumbing template. Add the permit number, date and inspector, then mark each passed, failed or re-inspect.
- Punch list at the end: the template adds pressure test, leak check, water heater and shut-offs.
- Files: keep drawings, the permit, a camera report and phone photos of pipe runs from before the walls close.
Money and change orders
- Change log: record extra fixtures, rerouted lines or hidden conditions found when a wall opens, with the cost and schedule impact, before you do the work.
- Budget and actuals in Financials, hidden from the client.
- Invoices: send progress and final invoices; invite the GC or homeowner as a read-only Viewer who can see them.
- Schedule delay reasons: mark a milestone as late because of materials, inspection, weather or an owner decision, so the three-week look-ahead stays truthful.
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 most of your work is service calls (dispatching techs to many short jobs a day, quoting on the spot and taking card payment at the door), a field-service tool such as Jobber or ServiceTitan fits better. ProtoPM is for project work. It doesn't do estimating, takeoffs or dispatch, so keep those tools, and large firms that need ERP integrations or single sign-on fit enterprise suites.
How to start
- Sign up free, or start from the plumber homepage.
- Set your company's trade to Plumbing so new projects start from the plumbing template.
- Create the job (for example, a whole-house repipe) with dates and a budget.
- Invite your crew, and add the GC or homeowner 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 plumbers?
- For project work, ProtoPM: a free plan with a plumbing template for permit, rough-in, inspections and final test, plus daily logs, punch, budgets and change orders. For dispatch-heavy service work, a field-service app fits better.
- Is there free software for plumbing contractors?
- Yes. ProtoPM Free costs $0 with no end date, for unlimited projects and users. No credit card.
- Can I track underground, rough-in and final inspections?
- Yes. The plumbing template adds underground, rough-in and final inspections in Field, and inspection milestones on the schedule.
- Can I handle repipes and water heater swaps, not just new builds?
- Yes. Repipes, water heaters, fixture replacements and sewer lines each have their own starter project type with shorter milestone lists, and every row is editable.
- Does ProtoPM do estimating or dispatch?
- No. ProtoPM runs the job once it's won. Keep your estimating tool for takeoffs, and use a field-service app for dispatching service calls.
Related
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