Time tracking apps · WorkMax vs SmartCrew
WorkMax vs SmartCrew (2026): Pricing, Features & Best Alternatives
Andrew Drish, founder
Published . Updated
WorkMax is construction time tracking from Foundation Software, built for commercial contractors and sold as separate modules for time, forms, equipment and project insight, with prices by quote. SmartCrew is built only for heavy civil and dirtwork companies with 5 to 100 employees: the timecard, the machines, the haul tickets, the daily report and the job's profit in one app. If you're weighing a WorkMax alternative, the real question is simple. Do you want to buy your field system one module at a time, or in one piece?
| What SmartCrew does | WorkMax | SmartCrew |
|---|---|---|
| Time Tracking | ||
| GPS-powered clock-ins | YesTIME module | Yes |
| Geofencing around the job site | YesTIME module | Yes |
| Live crew locations | YesTIME module | Yes |
| Hours by job and cost code | YesTIME module feature sheet | Yes |
| Pick the machine at clock-in | LimitedAssets tracked with time; clock-in flow not shown | Yes |
| Payroll-ready timecards | YesSupervisors approve time entries on mobile | Yes |
| Supervisor dashboard | YesSupervisors can punch groups in and out | Yes |
| Clock in/out reminders | Not listed | Yes |
| Job Costing | ||
| Daily job profitability | LimitedCosts vs estimates, not profit; INSIGHT | Yes |
| Bid budgets vs. actual costs | Add-onINSIGHT module (activated separately) | Yes |
| Change orders & extras | Add-onFORMS module (activated separately) | Yes |
| Custom reports | YesINSIGHT module adds custom dashboards and reports | Yes |
| Equipment Management Premium | ||
| Equipment hours & locations | Add-onASSETS module (activated separately) | Yes |
| DOT & daily inspections | LimitedCustom inspection forms; FORMS module | Yes |
| Maintenance tracking | Add-onASSETS module (activated separately) | Yes |
| Service requests from the field | Not listed | Yes |
| Utilization rates | Add-onASSETS module (activated separately) | Yes |
| Shop queue | Not listed | Yes |
| Daily Reports | ||
| Daily progress & production logs | Add-onFORMS module (activated separately) | Yes |
| Jobsite photos & field notes | Add-onFORMS module (activated separately) | Yes |
| Automatic daily reports for the office | LimitedForms routed automatically; FORMS module | Yes |
| Materials & Hauling | ||
| Digital hauling tickets | Not listed | Yes |
| Material & fuel logs | LimitedInventory in ASSETS; no fuel log found | Yes |
| AI reader for tickets & receipts | Not listed | Yes |
| Deliveries & production tracking | LimitedTask progress only; INSIGHT | Yes |
| Scheduling Premium | ||
| Drag-and-drop crew scheduling | Not listed | Yes |
| Job & equipment assignments | Add-onASSETS module (activated separately) | Yes |
| Schedule updates & notifications | Not listed | Yes |
| Sales & CRM Premium | ||
| Leads & sales pipeline | Not listed | Yes |
| Bid & opportunity tracking | Not listed | Yes |
| Follow-ups & reminders | Not listed | Yes |
| Crew Communication Premium | ||
| Dispatch with instant alerts | Add-onSeparate Foundation Software product | Yes |
| Crew & team messaging | Not listed | Yes |
| Job-specific chat channels | Not listed | Yes |
| Company announcements | Not listed | Yes |
| Safety & Compliance | ||
| Job Safety Analyses (JSAs) | LimitedCustom safety forms | Yes |
| Toolbox talks & safety meetings | LimitedCustom safety forms | Yes |
| Incident reports | LimitedGeneric safety report forms (FORMS module) | Yes |
| Files & Integrations | ||
| Plans, photos & job documents in the cloud | YesFAQ: 1 GB of data storage per user | Yes |
| File sharing & permissions | Not listed | Yes |
| QuickBooks Online integration | YesQuickBooks Online listed | Yes |
WorkMax doesn't list: clock in/out reminders, service requests from the field, shop queue, digital hauling tickets, AI reader for tickets & receipts, drag-and-drop crew scheduling, schedule updates & notifications, leads & sales pipeline, bid & opportunity tracking, follow-ups & reminders, crew & team messaging, job-specific chat channels, company announcements, file sharing & permissions.
No: they do not offer it. Their own website says so, or it isn’t in the full feature list they publish (linked). Add-on: a paid add-on, a separate product or a higher plan. Limited: they have something close but narrower. Not listed (n/l on small screens): we searched their site and help pages and couldn’t find it, but they don’t publish a full list we could check.
This chart is SmartCrew’s feature list, so it doesn’t show what other products do that SmartCrew doesn’t (like estimating, payroll or hardware time clocks). Each comparison covers that in “where they’re the better pick”. SmartCrew’s Fleet Management, Sales CRM, and Scheduling & Communications are Premium categories; feature availability varies by plan.
Where each mark comes from
- WorkMax, checked October 26, 2026: workmax.com/solutions/workmax-time, workmax.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/WorkMax-TIME-Features.pdf, workmax.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/WorkMax_Time_Features_Temp.pdf, workmax.com/solutions/workmax-insight, workmax.com/solutions/workmax-forms, workmax.com/resources/blog/the-workmax-construction-field-management-platform, workmax.com/solutions/workmax-assets, workmax.com/resources/faqs, workmax.com/solutions/other-products, workmax.com, workmax.com/solutions/integrations/quickbooks-online-integration
The short version
- WorkMax sells four modules (TIME, FORMS, ASSETS and INSIGHT) plus a payroll service. SmartCrew is one app, built only for heavy civil and dirtwork.
- WorkMax doesn't publish prices. Every user needs a license in each module they use, admins and managers included.
- WorkMax's ASSETS module is a real strength: GPS-enabled equipment tracking, preventive maintenance and utilization. Inspections are built with its forms builder.
- Crew scheduling and dispatch, safety management and estimating are separate Foundation Software products, not WorkMax modules.
- SmartCrew starts at $99/month. Contact us for team pricing.
WorkMax is built for big commercial contractors. SmartCrew is built for dirtwork.
WorkMax says its features are designed for the unique demands of a commercial jobsite, and its pricing page talks about teams from 10 to 1,000 workers. Its payroll service handles certified payroll, union tracking and multi-state compliance. For a big commercial contractor on Foundation, WorkMax is the better pick.
SmartCrew is built for one thing: heavy civil and dirtwork contractors with 5 to 100 employees. Excavation, grading, sitework, underground utilities, paving, road construction, demolition, septic, directional drilling and land clearing. That's all we do.
Where WorkMax falls short on a dirtwork job:
- Four modules, four line items. TIME, FORMS, ASSETS and INSIGHT are each licensed per user, and every user needs a license in each module they use, admins and managers included.
- Not listed: haul tickets, a shop queue or crew messaging. Even with all four modules, we couldn't find them on WorkMax's site.
- Scheduling is a different product. Crew scheduling and dispatch, safety and estimating are separate Foundation products.
- No published price. Every quote goes through a rep.
What WorkMax is, and who it's for
WorkMax is a construction workforce platform from AboutTime Technologies, which now goes by WorkMax. It's the cloud successor to AboutTime's older on-premise software. In 2023 Foundation Software bought it. Foundation is a construction accounting and payroll company.
WorkMax says it's built for contractors managing multiple crews and job locations, on commercial jobsites. Its pricing page talks about teams from 10 to 1,000 workers, and its payroll service handles certified payroll, union tracking and multi-state rules. Those are bigger-company problems, and WorkMax takes them seriously.
The product is four modules, not one app. TIME collects hours with GPS, geofencing and facial recognition. FORMS is a forms builder for daily work logs, change orders, safety reports and inspections. ASSETS tracks equipment, tools and inventory. INSIGHT compares progress and cost against your estimates.
How much does WorkMax cost?
WorkMax doesn't publish a price. Its pricing page asks about your crew, and a specialist comes back with a custom quote. The FAQ does explain how that quote is built, so here it is from WorkMax's own pages.
| Topic | What WorkMax says |
|---|---|
| Price | Custom quote. Each module is priced by the number of users on it. |
| Who needs a license | Every user, whatever the role: employee, admin or manager. |
| Adding a module | FORMS, ASSETS and INSIGHT are added through your WorkMax rep or support. |
| Storage | 1 GB of data storage per user. |
| Support | Included in WorkMax pricing. The old on-premise AboutTime charged a yearly 20% support and maintenance fee. |
| Setup | Integrations take a few days to a few weeks, depending on your system and data. |
Sources: WorkMax pricing, FAQ, integrations and WorkMax vs AboutTime, checked October 22 and 26, 2026. Terms change.
SmartCrew starts at $99/month, and it's built to be well below the cost of enterprise construction software. Contact us for team pricing.
The key difference: modules you add one at a time vs one app for the dirtwork day
WorkMax gets closer to the iron than most time tracking apps. It still splits the day into modules, and it stops short of the load. When we went looking for software for our own crews, everything landed in one of two camps. Time tracking apps were too basic. Enterprise software was too complicated, confusing, and expensive. WorkMax sits between them. Here's what that means on a dirt job.
Machines and the shop
This is where WorkMax is strongest. Its ASSETS module tracks equipment by GPS, assigns it to people and jobs, schedules preventive maintenance and points out underused assets. It's activated separately. Inspections are custom forms you build in FORMS, not DOT inspections, and we couldn't find service requests from the field or a shop queue.
In SmartCrew, the machine's record holds its hours, mileage, last and next service, and inspection log. The operator does the DOT or daily inspection on his phone, reports a problem as a service request, and the shop works it from the queue.
Trucks and loads
We couldn't find haul or load tickets on WorkMax's module pages. A forms builder can hold almost anything if somebody in the office builds it. But that's a project, not a feature. SmartCrew's hauling log comes ready for tickets: truck, project, import or export, material, yards and pit, with an AI reader that enters a paper ticket from a photo.
Knowing your profit every day
WorkMax's INSIGHT module compares project costs against estimates and tracks the pace of the work. It's another separate module. SmartCrew's job page shows revenue, expenses and profit every day, with budget against spent for labor, materials, equipment, other costs and change orders.
What the crew deals with
WorkMax's TIME has patented facial recognition and works offline, both good things on a job site. We couldn't find crew messaging or clock-in reminders on its site, and scheduling is sold as a separate Foundation product. In SmartCrew your guys get clock in and out reminders, their assignments and job chat channels in the app they clock in on. (Scheduling and crew communication are Premium categories.)
SmartCrew's equipment list with each machine's hours and rate, and a dump truck's record with its DOT inspection log. (Demo data.)
On the phone, one reports menu holds service requests, the hauling log, receipts and DOT inspections, and an incident report takes photos. (Demo account.)
WorkMax vs the other time tracking apps
WorkMax sits in the time tracking group with BusyBusy, ClockShark, ExakTime and QuickBooks Time. Its ASSETS and FORMS modules give it more marks on the equipment and daily report rows than most of them, but many of those marks are add-ons. Every mark comes from each company's own site.
Built to track hours. Great at the timecard, but the rest of the business (machines, loads, job profit) lives somewhere else.
9 apps in this chart. Scroll sideways to see them all.
| What SmartCrew does | SmartCrewSmartCrew | WorkMaxWorkMax | BusyBusyBusyBusy | ClockSharkClockShark | ExakTimeExakTime | QuickBooks TimeQB Time | WorkyardWorkyard | ConnecteamConnecteam | JibbleJibble | Rhumbix (Autodesk)Rhumbix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time Tracking | ||||||||||
| GPS-powered clock-ins | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add-on |
| Geofencing around the job site | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on | Yes | Add-on |
| Live crew locations | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add-on | Yes | Limited |
| Hours by job and cost code | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add-on | Yes | Limited | Yes |
| Pick the machine at clock-in | Yes | Limited | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Limited | Limited | Limited | No | Limited |
| Payroll-ready timecards | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Supervisor dashboard | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Clock in/out reminders | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not listed |
| Job Costing | ||||||||||
| Daily job profitability | Yes | Limited | Limited | Add-on | No | Not listed | Limited | Limited | Not listed | No |
| Bid budgets vs. actual costs | Yes | Add-on | Yes | Add-on | Limited | Limited | Add-on | Limited | Limited | Limited |
| Change orders & extras | Yes | Add-on | No | Limited | No | Not listed | Limited | No | No | Yes |
| Custom reports | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Add-on | Limited | Yes | Limited | Limited | Add-on |
| Equipment Management Premium | ||||||||||
| Equipment hours & locations | Yes | Add-on | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Not listed | Limited | Limited | No | Limited |
| DOT & daily inspections | Yes | Limited | Limited | Not listed | Limited | Not listed | Add-on | Limited | No | Not listed |
| Maintenance tracking | Yes | Add-on | Add-on | Not listed | Limited | Not listed | Add-on | Limited | No | No |
| Service requests from the field | Yes | Not listed | Add-on | Not listed | Limited | Not listed | Add-on | Limited | No | No |
| Utilization rates | Yes | Add-on | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | No | No | No | Limited |
| Shop queue | Yes | Not listed | Add-on | Not listed | No | Not listed | Not listed | No | No | No |
| Daily Reports | ||||||||||
| Daily progress & production logs | Yes | Add-on | Add-on | Limited | Limited | Limited | Add-on | Yes | No | Yes |
| Jobsite photos & field notes | Yes | Add-on | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited | Yes |
| Automatic daily reports for the office | Yes | Limited | Add-on | Not listed | Limited | Not listed | Limited | Add-on | Not listed | Add-on |
| Materials & Hauling | ||||||||||
| Digital hauling tickets | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | No | Not listed | No | No | No | Not listed |
| Material & fuel logs | Yes | Limited | Limited | Limited | Limited | Not listed | Limited | Not listed | No | Limited |
| AI reader for tickets & receipts | Yes | Not listed | No | Not listed | No | Not listed | No | No | No | No |
| Deliveries & production tracking | Yes | Limited | Limited | Not listed | No | Not listed | Add-on | No | No | Limited |
| Scheduling Premium | ||||||||||
| Drag-and-drop crew scheduling | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Yes | Limited | Yes | Add-on | Yes | Not listed | No |
| Job & equipment assignments | Yes | Add-on | Yes | Limited | Limited | Limited | Limited | Yes | Not listed | No |
| Schedule updates & notifications | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Yes | Add-on | Yes | Add-on | Yes | Not listed | No |
| Sales & CRM Premium | ||||||||||
| Leads & sales pipeline | Yes | Not listed | No | Limited | No | Not listed | No | No | No | No |
| Bid & opportunity tracking | Yes | Not listed | No | Limited | No | Not listed | No | No | No | No |
| Follow-ups & reminders | Yes | Not listed | No | Not listed | No | Not listed | No | No | No | No |
| Crew Communication Premium | ||||||||||
| Dispatch with instant alerts | Yes | Add-on | Limited | Limited | Limited | Limited | Add-on | Yes | No | No |
| Crew & team messaging | Yes | Not listed | Add-on | Yes | Limited | Limited | Limited | Add-on | No | Limited |
| Job-specific chat channels | Yes | Not listed | Limited | Yes | Not listed | Add-on | No | Add-on | No | Not listed |
| Company announcements | Yes | Not listed | Yes | Not listed | Add-on | Not listed | No | Add-on | No | No |
| Safety & Compliance | ||||||||||
| Job Safety Analyses (JSAs) | Yes | Limited | Add-on | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Add-on | Limited | No | Add-on |
| Toolbox talks & safety meetings | Yes | Limited | Add-on | Not listed | Limited | Not listed | Add-on | Limited | No | Add-on |
| Incident reports | Yes | Limited | Add-on | Limited | Yes | Not listed | Add-on | Yes | No | Limited |
| Files & Integrations | ||||||||||
| Plans, photos & job documents in the cloud | Yes | Yes | Add-on | Yes | Limited | Limited | Limited | Add-on | No | No |
| File sharing & permissions | Yes | Not listed | Add-on | Not listed | Limited | Not listed | Not listed | Add-on | No | No |
| QuickBooks Online integration | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Limited |
No: they do not offer it. Their own website says so, or it isn’t in the full feature list they publish (linked). Add-on: a paid add-on, a separate product or a higher plan. Limited: they have something close but narrower. Not listed (n/l on small screens): we searched their site and help pages and couldn’t find it, but they don’t publish a full list we could check. Tap a name for the full comparison.
This chart is SmartCrew’s feature list, so it doesn’t show what other products do that SmartCrew doesn’t (like estimating, payroll or hardware time clocks). Each comparison covers that in “where they’re the better pick”. SmartCrew’s Fleet Management, Sales CRM, and Scheduling & Communications are Premium categories; feature availability varies by plan.
In plain words: what each app does not offer
- WorkMax doesn't list: clock in/out reminders, service requests from the field, shop queue, digital hauling tickets, AI reader for tickets & receipts, drag-and-drop crew scheduling, schedule updates & notifications, leads & sales pipeline, bid & opportunity tracking, follow-ups & reminders, crew & team messaging, job-specific chat channels, company announcements, file sharing & permissions.
- BusyBusy does not offer: change orders & extras, AI reader for tickets & receipts, leads & sales pipeline, bid & opportunity tracking, follow-ups & reminders. BusyBusy doesn't list these either: digital hauling tickets.
- ClockShark doesn't list: pick the machine at clock-in, equipment hours & locations, DOT & daily inspections, maintenance tracking, service requests from the field, utilization rates, shop queue, automatic daily reports for the office, digital hauling tickets, AI reader for tickets & receipts, deliveries & production tracking, follow-ups & reminders, company announcements, Job Safety Analyses (JSAs), toolbox talks & safety meetings, file sharing & permissions.
- ExakTime does not offer: daily job profitability, change orders & extras, shop queue, digital hauling tickets, AI reader for tickets & receipts, deliveries & production tracking, leads & sales pipeline, bid & opportunity tracking, follow-ups & reminders. ExakTime doesn't list these either: utilization rates, job-specific chat channels, Job Safety Analyses (JSAs).
- QuickBooks Time doesn't list: daily job profitability, change orders & extras, equipment hours & locations, DOT & daily inspections, maintenance tracking, service requests from the field, utilization rates, shop queue, automatic daily reports for the office, digital hauling tickets, material & fuel logs, AI reader for tickets & receipts, deliveries & production tracking, leads & sales pipeline, bid & opportunity tracking, follow-ups & reminders, company announcements, Job Safety Analyses (JSAs), toolbox talks & safety meetings, incident reports, file sharing & permissions.
- Workyard does not offer: utilization rates, digital hauling tickets, AI reader for tickets & receipts, leads & sales pipeline, bid & opportunity tracking, follow-ups & reminders, job-specific chat channels, company announcements. Workyard doesn't list these either: shop queue, file sharing & permissions.
- Connecteam does not offer: change orders & extras, utilization rates, shop queue, digital hauling tickets, AI reader for tickets & receipts, deliveries & production tracking, leads & sales pipeline, bid & opportunity tracking, follow-ups & reminders. Connecteam doesn't list these either: material & fuel logs.
- Jibble does not offer: pick the machine at clock-in, change orders & extras, equipment hours & locations, DOT & daily inspections, maintenance tracking, service requests from the field, utilization rates, shop queue, daily progress & production logs, digital hauling tickets, material & fuel logs, AI reader for tickets & receipts, deliveries & production tracking, leads & sales pipeline, bid & opportunity tracking, follow-ups & reminders, dispatch with instant alerts, crew & team messaging, job-specific chat channels, company announcements, Job Safety Analyses (JSAs), toolbox talks & safety meetings, incident reports, plans, photos & job documents in the cloud, file sharing & permissions. Jibble doesn't list these either: daily job profitability, automatic daily reports for the office, drag-and-drop crew scheduling, job & equipment assignments, schedule updates & notifications.
- Rhumbix (Autodesk) does not offer: daily job profitability, maintenance tracking, service requests from the field, shop queue, AI reader for tickets & receipts, drag-and-drop crew scheduling, job & equipment assignments, schedule updates & notifications, leads & sales pipeline, bid & opportunity tracking, follow-ups & reminders, dispatch with instant alerts, company announcements, plans, photos & job documents in the cloud, file sharing & permissions. Rhumbix (Autodesk) doesn't list these either: clock in/out reminders, DOT & daily inspections, digital hauling tickets, job-specific chat channels.
From each company's own website and help pages, checked on the dates below. "Does not offer" means their own website says so, or it isn't in the full feature list they publish. "Doesn't list" means we searched their site and couldn't find it, but they don't publish a full list we could check.
Where each mark comes from
- WorkMax, checked October 26, 2026: workmax.com/solutions/workmax-time, workmax.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/WorkMax-TIME-Features.pdf, workmax.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/WorkMax_Time_Features_Temp.pdf, workmax.com/solutions/workmax-insight, workmax.com/solutions/workmax-forms, workmax.com/resources/blog/the-workmax-construction-field-management-platform, workmax.com/solutions/workmax-assets, workmax.com/resources/faqs, workmax.com/solutions/other-products, workmax.com, workmax.com/solutions/integrations/quickbooks-online-integration
- BusyBusy, checked October 28, 2026: busybusy.com/features/gps-time-tracking, busybusy.com/features, busybusy.com/features/job-costing-solutions, busybusy.com/equipment-time-tracking-app, busybusy.com/features/payroll-tools, helpcenter.busybusy.com/en/articles/9573478-use-supervisor-tools-to-make-life-easy, busybusy.com/features/budgets-projects-cost-codes, busybusy.com/features/construction-reports, busybusy.com/modules/operations/equipment-inspections, busybusy.com/modules/operations/work-orders, busybusy.com/features/progress-tracking, busybusy.com/features/photos-notes, busybusy.com/construction-daily-reports, helpcenter.busybusy.com/en/articles/9573479-schedule-the-work-week-in-busybusy, busybusy.com/features/scheduling, busybusy.com/features/team-messaging, helpcenter.busybusy.com/en/articles/9573348-positions-permissions-settings, busybusy.com/safety/job-safety-analyses-app, busybusy.com/safety/training-app, busybusy.com/features/incident-reporting, busybusy.com/features/documents, busybusy.com/integrations/quickbooks-online
- ClockShark, checked October 28, 2026: clockshark.com/tour/gps-time-clock-app, clockshark.com/tour/geofence-time-tracking, clockshark.com/tour/map-field-employee-location-tracking, clockshark.com/resources/labor-costs-quickbooks-clockshark, clockshark.com/pricing, clockshark.com/tour/timesheet-reminders, clockshark.com/tour/job-costing, help.clockshark.com/how-to-handle-change-orders-using-quotes-and-invoices, clockshark.com/tour, clockshark.com/tour/clock-out-questions, clockshark.com/tour/conversations, clockshark.com/tour/employee-scheduling, clockshark.com/tour/customer-manager, get.clockshark.com/modern-way-to-manage-your-field-team, clockshark.com/tour/file-attachments, clockshark.com/integrations/quickbooks-time-tracking
- ExakTime, checked October 28, 2026: arcoro.com/exaktime/pricing-plans, arcoro.com/exaktime, arcoro.com/exaktime/our-solutions/gps-time-tracking-app, arcoro.com/exaktime/our-solutions/powerful-reporting, support.arcoro.com/hc/en-us/articles/1260804480690-Guides-to-Equipment-for-ExakTime, support.arcoro.com/hc/en-us/articles/1260804479730-Start-Using-The-ExakTime-System-In-Just-15-Minutes, support.arcoro.com/hc/en-us/articles/40641192964507-9-2025-ExakTime-Release-Notes-GeoFence-Activity-Alerts, arcoro.com/llm-context-page, support.arcoro.com/hc/en-us/articles/7647931096987-Overview-for-Using-Advanced-Analytics, support.arcoro.com/hc/en-us/articles/4413156323355-Using-Equipment-Reports-for-ExakTime, support.arcoro.com/hc/en-us/articles/24982369416091-What-are-Library-Forms-for-ExakTime, support.arcoro.com/hc/en-us/articles/26031334798107-Gathering-Info-from-Field-Employees-with-Fields-Notes-Forms-and-Clock-In-Out-Comments-for-ExakTime-Mobile, support.arcoro.com/hc/en-us/articles/4413165192347-Using-Expense-Reports-for-ExakTime, support.arcoro.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407630208795-Managing-Schedules-with-Calendar-View, support.arcoro.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407625105563-Scheduler-Notification-Settings-for-ExakTime, support.arcoro.com/hc/en-us/articles/7601304493595-Setting-Up-and-Using-Custom-Alerts-and-Notifications-for-ExakTime, support.arcoro.com/hc/en-us/articles/13116025444635-Sending-Alerts-Notifications-from-ExakTime-Connect, arcoro.com/platform/grow/learning-management, support.arcoro.com/hc/en-us/articles/25556658085659-Premade-Forms-for-ExakTime, arcoro.com/platform/manage/construction-hris, arcoro.com/exaktime/partner/quickbooks
- QuickBooks Time, checked October 28, 2026: quickbooks.intuit.com/time-tracking/gps, quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/track-location/use-quickbooks-time-gps-tracking-admin-manager/L7fLoZNZk_US_en_US, quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/track-worker-hours/use-quickbooks-time-quickbooks-online-quickbooks/L5NIFCKG6_US_en_US, quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/customize-forms/set-manage-custom-fields-quickbooks-time/L6b8NDU6n_US_en_US, quickbooks.intuit.com/time-tracking/construction, quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/product-preferences/set-company-team-member-clock-reminders-quickbooks/L8v9UDFUv_US_en_US, quickbooks.intuit.com/time-tracking/pricing, quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/list-reports/quickbooks-time-reports/L0WYtn0mw_US_en_US, quickbooks.intuit.com/time-tracking/elite, quickbooks.intuit.com/time-tracking/employee-scheduling, quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/feature-preferences/quickbooks-time-activity-feed/L5RV549yf_US_en_US
- Workyard, checked October 28, 2026: workyard.com/ai-instructions, workyard.com/pricing, workyard.com/smart-forms/equipment-tracking, workyard.com/reporting, help.workyard.com/en/articles/7041924-workyard-mobile-app-automated-alerts, workyard.com/smart-forms/construction-management, help.workyard.com/en/articles/17668011-build-custom-reports-with-reporting-agent, workyard.com/smart-forms/production-tracking, help.workyard.com/en/articles/16092826-send-form-submissions-to-the-right-people-forms-notification-routing, workyard.com/contractor-scheduling-software, workyard.com/smart-forms/safety-management, help.workyard.com/en/articles/5236837-how-to-connect-workyard-to-quickbooks-online
- Connecteam, checked October 28, 2026: connecteam.com/pricing, help.connecteam.com/en/articles/3597710-how-to-create-a-geofence, help.connecteam.com/en/articles/5675206-starting-guide-to-breadcrumbs-live-location-tracking, connecteam.com/industries/construction-app, connecteam.com/employee-time-clock-app, connecteam.com/operations, connecteam.com/industries/construction-app/construction-time-tracking, connecteam.com/employee-scheduling-app, connecteam.com/forms-checklist-app, help.connecteam.com/en/articles/6400563-job-scheduling-must-have-capabilities, connecteam.com/industries/construction-app/construction-scheduling-app, help.connecteam.com/en/articles/4100339-starting-guide-to-the-job-scheduler, connecteam.com/employee-communication-app/updates, connecteam.com/industries/construction-app/construction-compliance, connecteam.com/industries/construction-app/construction-documentation-and-communication, connecteam.com/integrations/quickbooks-integration
- Jibble, checked October 28, 2026: jibble.io/construction-time-tracking, jibble.io/features, jibble.io/auto-clock-in-out-app, jibble.io/project-time-tracker, jibble.io/help/track-time-with-location, jibble.io/help/sending-timesheets-to-quickbooks-online
- Rhumbix (Autodesk), checked October 28, 2026: intercom.help/rhumbix-helpcenter/en/articles/11014517-cico-client-configuration-options, rhumbix.com/solutions/timekeeping, rhumbix.com/usecase/field, rhumbix.com/pricing, intercom.help/rhumbix-helpcenter/en/articles/6369205-cost-code-status, rhumbix.com/solutions/change-orders, intercom.help/rhumbix-helpcenter/en/articles/8438022-equipment-tracking-dashboard, rhumbix.com/solutions/production_tracking, intercom.help/rhumbix-helpcenter/en/articles/6369215-daily-reports-create-on-mobile-app, intercom.help/rhumbix-helpcenter/en/articles/6512986-end-of-day-exception-report, rhumbix.com/solutions/integrations
When WorkMax still makes sense
WorkMax makes sense for a big commercial contractor with a real payroll department and a lot of systems to connect.
Pick SmartCrew if
- You want one app for time, machines, inspections, haul tickets, daily reports and job profit, not four modules.
- Your trucks haul dirt and rock, and haul tickets are a big part of your paperwork.
- You want service requests from the field and a shop queue for your mechanic.
- You want crew chat and drag-and-drop scheduling in the same app.
- You have 5 to 100 employees and use QuickBooks Online.
Pick WorkMax if
- Your books run on Foundation, or you want certified payroll, union tracking and multi-state payroll from the same company.
- You run a big commercial workforce, toward the 1,000 workers WorkMax's pricing page talks about.
The best WorkMax alternatives in 2026
The best WorkMax alternative depends on which module you're really buying it for. If it's the time clock, there are simpler time apps with published prices. If it's the equipment and the field, look at software built for that work.
- SmartCrew, for dirtwork and heavy civil companies with 5 to 100 employees that want time, machines, inspections, loads and job profit in one app. That's us, so read this list knowing that.
- ExakTime, now sold as Arcoro Time, with certified payroll reports, payroll on its top plan and published per-employee prices. See ExakTime vs SmartCrew.
- ClockShark, with published prices and drag-and-drop scheduling on every plan, on a three-year term. See ClockShark vs SmartCrew.
- BusyBusy, which starts with a free plan and sells safety and operations modules on top. See BusyBusy vs SmartCrew.
- QuickBooks Time, for an office that runs on QuickBooks Online, which it requires. See QuickBooks Time vs SmartCrew.
- HCSS HeavyJob, if you're a large heavy civil contractor that self-performs with its own crews and equipment and wants estimating, field and fleet from one enterprise vendor. See HCSS HeavyJob vs SmartCrew.
WorkMax covers time and equipment for commercial crews. Heavy civil buyers should also open the hcss alternative, the b2w alternative, and the hcss heavybid alternative.
Switching from WorkMax
Most of the work is moving your jobs, cost codes and equipment list, and we handle that. One honest check first. If your accounting is in Foundation, SmartCrew connects to QuickBooks Online today and we're working on Foundation, so ask where that stands on the call.
List your modules and renewal dates
Write down which WorkMax modules you pay for and when each renews. That tells you what SmartCrew replaces, and when.
We move your jobs, cost codes and machines
Our team sets up your account, migrates your information and organizes your workflows, so nobody retypes the equipment list.
Start with clock-ins and machines
Your guys pick the job, the activity code and the machine when they clock in. Inspections happen on the same phone.
Add hauling, reports and job costing
Turn on the rest when you're ready. We train your people as you go, and most companies are up and running within a few weeks.
Questions people ask
Who owns WorkMax?
Foundation Software, a construction accounting and payroll company. It bought AboutTime Technologies, the developer of WorkMax, in a deal announced May 4, 2023.
Is WorkMax the same as AboutTime?
Pretty much. AboutTime Technologies' own site says it is now WorkMax, and WorkMax is the cloud successor to AboutTime's on-premise software. WorkMax's pricing includes support and maintenance, where the old product charged a yearly fee.
How much does WorkMax cost per user?
WorkMax doesn't publish prices. It gives a custom quote, with each module priced by the number of users on it, and every user needs a license, admins and managers included. Ask for the price of each module separately.
Does WorkMax track heavy equipment?
Yes, through its ASSETS module: GPS-enabled tracking, assignment to people and jobs, preventive maintenance and usage. It's activated separately. We couldn't find DOT inspections, service requests or a shop queue; inspections are built with its forms builder.
Does WorkMax have haul tickets?
We couldn't find haul or load tickets on WorkMax's site. Its FORMS module is a forms builder, so a company could try building its own ticket form. SmartCrew has digital hauling tickets with an AI reader that fills them in from a photo.
Does WorkMax do crew scheduling?
There's no scheduling module on WorkMax's site. Foundation Software sells Labor Dispatch and Resource Management as a separate product, listed on WorkMax's other products page.
Does WorkMax work with QuickBooks?
WorkMax has a QuickBooks Online integration page, and its ConnectMax tool links to more than 100 accounting, ERP and payroll systems. SmartCrew integrates with QuickBooks Online today, and we're working on QuickBooks Desktop, Foundation, ADP and more.
What's a good WorkMax alternative for a small excavation company?
For a 5 to 100 person dirtwork company, SmartCrew puts time, machines, inspections, haul tickets, daily reports and job profit in one app. If you mainly want a time clock with published prices, ClockShark, BusyBusy and ExakTime list theirs.
Sources
- WorkMax home page checked October 26, 2026
- WorkMax pricing checked October 26, 2026
- WorkMax FAQs checked October 26, 2026
- WorkMax TIME checked October 26, 2026
- WorkMax ASSETS checked October 26, 2026
- WorkMax INSIGHT checked October 26, 2026
- WorkMax FORMS checked October 26, 2026
- WorkMax other Foundation products checked October 26, 2026
- WorkMax integrations checked October 22, 2026
- WorkMax QuickBooks Online integration checked October 22, 2026
- WorkMax payroll and HR checked October 22, 2026
- About WorkMax checked October 22, 2026
- AboutTime Technologies is now WorkMax checked October 22, 2026
- WorkMax vs AboutTime comparison checked October 22, 2026
- Thoma Bravo: Foundation Software acquires AboutTime Technologies (May 4, 2023) checked October 22, 2026
- WorkMax on Capterra checked October 22, 2026
- WorkMax on the US App Store checked October 22, 2026
- Arcoro Time (formerly ExakTime) pricing checked October 26, 2026
- ClockShark pricing checked October 26, 2026
- BusyBusy pricing checked October 22, 2026
- QuickBooks Time pricing checked October 26, 2026
- HCSS: about HCSS (LLM info page) checked October 22, 2026