We may earn a commission from links on this page, at no extra cost to you. Here’s how we test and our affiliate disclosure.

Best CRM for Home Builders: Buildertrend vs HighLevel

Quick answer: For home builders, these two tools aren’t really the same product. Buildertrend is construction-project software with a CRM bolted on — it wins if your pain is running the build: schedules, budgets, selections, change orders, subs and client portals. HighLevel is a sales-and-marketing CRM — it wins if your pain is the front end: capturing leads, following up by text and email, and booking consultations. Buildertrend moved to custom volume-based quotes in 2026 (previously roughly $339–$829/mo) with unlimited users; HighLevel is flat-rate from about $97/mo. The smartest setup for many builders is actually both: HighLevel to win the job, Buildertrend to deliver it. Below we break down features, pricing, and exactly who each one fits.

Buildertrend vs HighLevel: Quick Verdict

If you only remember one thing: pick by the problem you’re solving, not by feature count. One runs projects; the other runs pipelines.

Factor	Buildertrend	HighLevel
Best for	Running construction projects end-to-end ✅	Lead gen, sales & marketing follow-up ✅
Built for	Home builders & remodelers	Agencies & service businesses (any niche)
Scheduling / Gantt	Yes, construction-grade 🏆	Basic appointment calendar
Budgets, estimates, change orders	Yes 🏆	No
Client / homeowner portal	Yes 🏆	No (marketing funnels instead)
Lead capture funnels & websites	Limited	Yes 🏆
Email/SMS marketing automation	Basic	Advanced 🏆
Pricing (2026)	Custom quote (was ~$339–$829/mo), unlimited users	~$97 / $297 / $497 flat
Free trial	Demo on request	14-day trial

Winner depends on you: Buildertrend 🏆 for construction operations; HighLevel 🏆 for sales and marketing. Keep reading for who should skip each.

Who Should Choose Buildertrend

Choose Buildertrend if the build itself is where you lose time and money. It’s purpose-built for residential construction, so the CRM sits inside a real project-management system.

Buildertrend tracks a lead from first contact, then carries the same job into scheduling, budgeting, daily logs, purchase orders, and a homeowner portal where clients approve selections and see progress photos. It integrates with QuickBooks and Xero, so estimates and invoices don’t live in a separate spreadsheet. In 2026 it charges a flat monthly rate with unlimited users and projects (no per-seat fee) — a big deal once your crew and subs are all in the system.

Who should skip it: solo remodelers doing a handful of jobs a year, or anyone whose real bottleneck is getting leads rather than managing builds. Buildertrend’s marketing tools are thin, and the price only makes sense at volume.

Who Should Choose HighLevel

Choose HighLevel if your problem is leads, follow-up, and booked appointments — not Gantt charts. It’s an all-in-one sales and marketing CRM.

HighLevel gives you landing pages and funnels, a drag-and-drop website builder, a unified inbox (email, SMS, calls, Facebook/Instagram DMs), automated follow-up workflows, calendars with online booking, and payment collection for deposits. For a builder, that means a “get a free home consultation” funnel can capture a lead, text them instantly, nurture them for weeks, and book the call — automatically. For deeper pricing detail, see our HighLevel pricing and hidden-fees breakdown.

Who should skip it: builders who need construction-specific project management — job costing, change orders, subcontractor scheduling, a client selections portal. HighLevel simply doesn’t do that, and forcing it to will frustrate you.

Pricing Compared (2026)

The pricing models are as different as the products.

Buildertrend removed its published tiers in 2026 and moved to custom, volume-based quotes tied to your annual construction volume. As a reference, its previous flat tiers ran roughly Essential ~$339/mo, Advanced ~$499/mo, Complete ~$829/mo, all with unlimited users. Onboarding packages run about $500–$2,000. Annual prepayment typically cuts 15–30%. Check buildertrend.com for a current quote.

HighLevel stays refreshingly simple: about $97/mo (Starter), $297/mo (Unlimited), and $497/mo (Pro / SaaS mode) — flat, with a 14-day trial. That bundles CRM, funnels, email/SMS, automation, and booking into one bill. See current plans at gohighlevel.com/pricing.

The catch: comparing sticker prices is misleading. Buildertrend replaces project-management software; HighLevel replaces a stack of marketing tools. If you’d otherwise pay for both categories separately, running both can still be cheaper than a patchwork of point tools.

The Setup Most Smart Builders Actually Use

You don’t have to pick a side. The two tools overlap only lightly, which is why a growing number of builders run them together: HighLevel handles the front of the funnel (ads, landing pages, lead capture, automated text/email follow-up, booking the consult), then the job hands off to Buildertrend for the back of the funnel (contract, schedule, budget, selections, build, client portal).

If you can only afford one to start, base it on your current bottleneck. Not enough leads? Start with HighLevel. Drowning in project chaos and change orders? Start with Buildertrend. You can always add the second later. For more on stitching tools together, see our guide to automation tools for property and service businesses.

Pros and Cons

	Buildertrend	HighLevel
Pros	Construction-specific; unlimited users; budgets, schedules, change orders, client portal; QuickBooks/Xero	Cheap flat rate; funnels + website + CRM + email/SMS in one; strong automation; 14-day trial
Cons	Custom quote (less transparent); weak marketing tools; overkill for tiny shops	No project management, budgets or selections; learning curve; not construction-aware

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Buildertrend or HighLevel the better CRM for home builders?

It depends on your bottleneck. Buildertrend is the better fit for managing the actual build — scheduling, budgets, change orders, subcontractors, and a homeowner portal. HighLevel is the better fit for winning the job — lead capture funnels, automated email/SMS follow-up, and online booking. Many builders use HighLevel for marketing and Buildertrend for project delivery, because neither tool does the other’s job well.

How much does Buildertrend cost in 2026?

Buildertrend removed its published pricing in 2026 and now issues custom quotes based on your annual construction volume, so you’ll need to request a demo for an exact figure. For reference, its earlier flat tiers were roughly $339, $499, and $829 per month, all with unlimited users and projects. Optional onboarding runs about $500–$2,000, and annual prepayment typically saves 15–30%.

Does HighLevel work for construction businesses?

Yes — but only for the sales and marketing side. HighLevel excels at capturing leads, following up automatically, and booking consultations for remodelers and custom builders. It does not handle construction project management (job costing, change orders, subcontractor scheduling, client selections). For that you’d still need dedicated software like Buildertrend.

Can I use both Buildertrend and HighLevel together?

Absolutely, and many builders do. HighLevel runs the front end — ads, funnels, lead nurture, and appointment booking — while Buildertrend runs the back end once a project is sold. You can connect them with automation tools like Zapier or Make so a closed lead in HighLevel creates a new job in Buildertrend, avoiding double entry.

What’s the cheapest way to start?

If leads are your problem, HighLevel’s ~$97/mo Starter is the lowest-risk entry and includes a 14-day trial. If project chaos is your problem, request a Buildertrend quote — but expect a higher monthly cost justified by unlimited users and construction-grade features. Start with the single tool that fixes your current bottleneck, then add the second as you grow.

Related Guides

Reviewed by Manik Chandra Dhor. We test and compare software independently — see how we test.

Best CRM for Home Builders 2026: Buildertrend vs HighLevel