Werx vs. QuickBooks: The Billing QuickBooks Can't Do
Updated for 2026
Werx and QuickBooks compared on price, features, and fit.
First, the honest part: this is not really either-or. QuickBooks Online is great accounting, and you should keep it. Werx works with QuickBooks, not instead of it. Here is the gap. On Simple Start, Essentials, and Plus, QuickBooks does not do AIA-style G702/G703 billing, a schedule of values, retainage, or stored materials. Its Projects feature is surface-level job costing with no cost codes. Most contractors on those plans build pay apps in Excel and re-key the totals. In August 2026 Intuit did add construction tools to Advanced, including what it calls AIA-style invoicing by phase and milestone. Credit where it is due. But Advanced runs $340/mo, and Intuit's own wording never mentions G702, G703, retainage, or stored materials. Werx covers that gap for $49/mo on top of whatever QuickBooks plan you already pay for: native AIA and progress billing, retainage, stored materials, change orders, and real job costing, then syncs two-way back to QuickBooks Online. Honest take: keep QuickBooks for the books. Add Werx for the construction billing, and skip the $340 tier.
What you actually pay
QuickBooks runs your books. Werx adds the construction billing on top.
Werx starts at
/mo · works with your QuickBooks
Native AIA-style and progress billing, retainage, change orders, and budget-to-actual job costing, then a two-way sync back to QuickBooks Online. Add crew users at $6/mo each. No contract.
QuickBooks starts at
/mo (Plus, the job-costing tier)
QuickBooks Online Plus is $140/mo, the lowest tier with the Projects feature. Plus does not do AIA-style G702/G703 billing, a schedule of values, retainage, or stored materials. Advanced is $340/mo and added AIA-style invoicing by phase in August 2026, but that is nearly seven times the cost of adding Werx.
✦ The Werx Win
- QuickBooks is the books of record. Werx adds the construction billing and syncs back to it.
- Werx does native AIA-style billing, retainage, stored materials, and change orders on every plan.
- Werx gives you real job costing with cost codes. QuickBooks Projects is surface-level.
- Adding Werx to Plus is $189/mo all in. QuickBooks Advanced alone is $340/mo.
- No more Excel pay apps and re-keying totals. Werx automates it and reconciles back to QuickBooks.
QuickBooks alone vs. QuickBooks plus Werx
Keep QuickBooks for accounting. Add Werx for the billing it can't do.
| Core Feature | Werx Construction | QuickBooks |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | Construction billing + job costing | Accounting / books of record |
| Accounting & General Ledger | Syncs to QuickBooks | Full accounting (its strength) |
| AIA-style G702/G703 Billing | Every plan, from $49/mo | Advanced only, $340/mo |
| Schedule of Values | Included | Not native |
| Retainage Tracking | Included | Not native |
| Stored Materials | Included | Not native |
| Change Orders | Included (every plan) | Advanced only, $340/mo |
| Job Costing | Included (budget-to-actual) | Surface-level (Plus $140+) |
| Cost Codes | Included | Not supported |
| WIP Reporting | Supported | Advanced only, $340/mo |
| Two-Way QuickBooks Sync | Yes (built in) | It is QuickBooks |
| Starting Price for Job Costing | $49/mo (works with QBO) | $140/mo (Plus tier) |
| Free Trial | 14 days, no card | 30 days |
Where QuickBooks ends and Werx begins
AIA-style and progress billing, done for you
QuickBooks can't generate a G702/G703 style pay app, track a schedule of values, or hold retainage across periods. Werx does all of it natively, then sends the totals back to QuickBooks.
Job costing with real cost codes
QuickBooks Projects shows totals, not true budget-to-actual by cost code. Werx tracks every dollar against budget so you catch overruns mid-job.
Add billing, don't replace your books
You keep QuickBooks for accounting, payroll, and tax. Werx layers the construction billing on top and syncs two-way, so nothing gets re-keyed.
Industry-specific wins
Werx adds project billing on top of the QuickBooks you already run.
General Contractors
Send AIA-style pay apps your GC accepts first time, then sync the approved totals to QuickBooks.
Electrical
Multi-phase work with change orders and AIA-style billing per phase, with job costs by cost code.
Plumbing
Bill progress draws on new construction and reconcile back to your books automatically.
HVAC
Progress billing on big installs, with budget-to-actual margin QuickBooks Projects can't show.
Roofing
Retainage and stored materials on pay applications, synced cleanly to QuickBooks.
Remodeling
Handle change orders and allowances, then push the numbers to QuickBooks with no double entry.
Common questions about Werx and QuickBooks
What contractors ask when comparing QuickBooks and Werx.
Does QuickBooks do AIA billing?
Do I have to replace QuickBooks with Werx?
What does QuickBooks cost for contractors?
Why not just upgrade to QuickBooks Advanced?
Is QuickBooks Desktop being discontinued?
How good is QuickBooks job costing?
How does the sync work?
See the difference for yourself
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