# The Best Apps for Contractors: A Beginner’s Guide
As a contractor, you are constantly moving, walking, and standing while doing a variety of tasks. Whether you are a specialist or a general contractor, you need tools and apps to make your work more efficient. In this article, we will list the eight best apps for contractors that will help you level up your game.
## The Calculator
One of the most necessary apps for contractors is the Calculator, which is pre-installed on your phone. It measures the total boards you will need to offset every foot or 16” and helps you calculate potential expenses for the slab by the square foot. The Calculator may seem like a simple tool, but it is essential for contractors to run their numbers.
## The Measure
Another free app that is less known but equally essential for contractors is the Measure app. Like the Calculator, the Measure app is pre-installed on iPhones and has two critical features. It automatically measures based on points, using augmented reality (AR) to graph and measure objects by dropping points and spitting out calculations. It also works as a level, measuring side planes like walls or boards.
## The Hubstaff
Managing a team of workers in construction is challenging, especially when team leads and managers are required to move between different projects and locations. The Hubstaff app is a GPS tracking app that helps manage construction teams’ time in an easy, automated fashion. The app shows you when your team members are clocked in and where they are, tracks and schedules attendance, sets geofenced “job-sites,” and tracks invoices and payroll.
## The Plan Grid
The Plan Grid app is built for the mobile architect and connects design and construction in a free mobile hub. This app allows you to make updates in real-time and seamlessly integrates with other software. You can build, alter, and draw plans or blueprints, making it easier for contractors to collaborate and communicate with architects and designers.
## The Solocator
The Solocator app helps contractors with location-specific problems in construction and maintenance. It stamps photos with dates, times, directions, GPS data, and altitudes, eliminating the need for a detailed description and instead placing the information on the photograph itself. This app is particularly useful when a particular problem’s location is unknown, making it easier to find and fix the issue.
## The Autodesk BIM 360
The Autodesk BIM 360 app is a cloud integration software that focuses on connecting different pieces and people working on a project. It is an open platform that is meant to be integrated with the construction software already being used, saving time and money with its open efficiency. This app keeps all parts connected, making it easier for contractors to track the project’s flow.
## The FingerCad
The FingerCad app is a Computer Assisted Design program that targets the mobile-minded. It features all the standard CAD software elements, allowing you to draw and build blueprints on your phone. While this app is typically more appropriate for architects than small-time contractors, it is still useful for those just starting on their leg work solo.
## The Fieldwire
The Fieldwire app is an integrated cloud-based app that has limitless data and does not require an internet connection for partial usage. It has messaging software, drawing editing, and overlays, allowing contractors to sink things from DropBox to add new images. You can add files, photos, videos, and 360 images to the plan. Meetings, observations, and discussions can also be included and touched on within the app.
In conclusion, contractors can benefit from these eight apps that can make their jobs easier and more efficient. The Calculator, Measure, Hubstaff, Plan Grid, Solocator, Autodesk BIM 360, FingerCad, and Fieldwire apps are essential tools that every contractor should have in their toolbox. With these apps, you can level up your game and take your contracting work to the next level.
