How we pick tools
What gets listed
- The AI rule: a tool appears in the main directory only if it has a named AI or machine-learning feature that is released (GA) or in beta and documented on the vendor's own website. Announced-only features, general "smart" marketing, and third-party claims don't count. Tools that fail the rule go on the watch list as "Not AI yet" (noindexed, not in categories or the sitemap) until the vendor documents a qualifying feature.
- A real product a builder, dealer or trade contractor can buy or request today (otherwise it goes on the watch list as "Not sold off-the-shelf").
- An official website we can check.
- A clear construction use.
Prominence rubric (how we sort)
Each tool gets a prominence score from 1 to 100 that reflects real market recognition, judged from brand reach, install base or customer counts the vendor publishes, years in market, and how often contractors and dealers name it. Lists are sorted by this score overall and inside every category, with ties broken alphabetically.
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 90–100 | Category-defining brands most contractors already know (e.g. Procore, Bluebeam, Buildertrend, SketchUp, Home Depot). |
| 75–89 | Widely adopted leaders in their niche with large published install bases (e.g. Togal.AI, Fieldwire, DroneDeploy, RSMeans, PlanSwift). |
| 55–74 | Established vendors well known within a trade or the LBM channel (e.g. Epicor BisTrack, DMSi, JobNimbus, Kreo). |
| 35–54 | Growing specialist tools with real customers but narrower recognition. |
| 1–34 | New or emerging tools, often launched in the last year. |
Prominence is an editorial judgment of recognition, not a quality score. It is reviewed during the daily refresh.
How we write listings
- Headline and 2–3 key features are paraphrased from the vendor's own pages, and each links to its source.
- "From $X/mo" appears only when the vendor's pricing page states that price; the pricing link is on every tool page.
- Logos and homepage screenshots come from the vendor's public site, with the capture date shown. They belong to their owners and are shown for identification.
- If we can't verify a vendor's site, the listing is flagged as partly unverified.
- Each AI feature is labeled Available (GA), Beta or Announced, with a link to the vendor page. Tools are badged "AI-powered" (built around AI) or "AI added" (an established product that added AI).
FAQ
Do sponsors rank higher? Sponsored tools are pinned and labeled "Sponsored". The prominence score of every other tool is unaffected.
Why no star ratings? We have not hands-on tested every tool, so we show facts (free trial, price posted, sign up online) instead of scores.