TL;DR
Buildxact is a respected Australian construction software focused on residential builders who need deep estimating and takeoff tools. Built Simple is a simpler, more affordable alternative for tradies, owner-builders, and small-to-mid builders who want scheduling, estimating, and team tracking without the learning curve — starting at $0 free and topping out at $399/mo compared to Buildxact’s roughly $199–$349/mo entry tiers.
Buildxact vs Built Simple: at a glance
| Feature | Built Simple | Buildxact |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes — Freemium with 1 project | No — 14-day trial only |
| Cheapest paid plan | $79/mo (Tradie) | ~$199/mo (Entry) |
| Built for | Tradies, owner-builders, small-to-mid builders | Residential builders, custom home builders |
| Mobile-first | Yes — designed mobile-first | Desktop-first with mobile companion |
| Estimating & takeoff | Included (up to 25 quotes on Builder tier) | Core strength — deeper takeoff tooling |
| Scheduling | Drag-to-reschedule, weather-aware, dependencies | Built-in scheduling, less weather integration |
| Team & equipment tracking | Included — track crew + gear in one view | Limited — primarily project-focused |
| Defects management | Photo-based capture on site | Available via job notes |
| Trade calculators | 50+ free calculators (concrete, framing, brick, etc.) | Not included |
| Credit card to trial | No | Yes — required |
| Origin | Australian — Melbourne | Australian — Melbourne |
When Buildxact is the right choice
Buildxact has been around since 2014 and has earned its reputation. They’re particularly strong if you fit one of these profiles:
- You’re a custom home builder doing 5–20 builds per year. Buildxact’s estimating depth — takeoff from PDF plans, supplier price lists, detailed cost templates — is where it shines.
- You need supplier price integrations. Buildxact has established relationships with several Australian building supply chains.
- Your team works primarily at a desk and on site occasionally. Their desktop interface is rich; mobile is more of a viewer.
- You’re prepared to invest in onboarding. Buildxact has more depth, which means more setup time.
When Built Simple is the better fit
Built Simple was designed from the ground up for the parts of the AU construction market that bigger software treats as second-class: tradies, owner-builders, and small crews. If you fit these descriptions, we’ll save you money and time:
- You’re a tradie or small crew (1–10 people). Our Tradie plan at $79/mo gives you unlimited projects, scheduling, defects, and calculators. You won’t pay Buildxact’s $199+ for features you don’t need.
- You’re an owner-builder managing your own project. Our Home Projects plan at $39/mo is specifically for you — Buildxact doesn’t have an equivalent tier.
- You run your business from a phone, not a desk. Built Simple’s interface is mobile-first. You can quote, schedule, log defects, and update crew from the back of a ute.
- You want to start free. No credit card required to use our Freemium tier. Try the whole system before you pay anything.
- You want builder-friendly tools beyond just project management. Our 50+ free trade calculators (concrete, brick, mortar, framing, retaining walls, and more) are included with every plan.
Pricing comparison
The biggest practical difference between Built Simple and Buildxact is price — and what you get at each tier.
| Plan | Built Simple | Buildxact (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 — 1 project, 1 estimate, 1 user | Not offered — 14-day trial only |
| Owner-builder | $39/mo — Home Projects tier, 1 project | Not offered |
| Tradie / Entry | $79/mo — Unlimited projects, up to 5 crew | ~$199/mo — Entry tier |
| Builder / Pro | $199/mo — Up to 15 crew, dependencies | ~$249/mo — Pro tier |
| Top tier | $399/mo — Unlimited everything, Mat AI | ~$349/mo — Teams tier |
| Annual savings | ~20% off all tiers | Varies by negotiation |
For an owner-builder running a single project, you’d pay $468 a year with Built Simple Home Projects. Buildxact doesn’t have a tier for you — the cheapest path in would be the Entry plan at ~$2,400/year.
For a tradie running two or three jobs at a time, Built Simple Tradie is $948/year. Buildxact Entry runs ~$2,400/year. That’s a $1,452/year difference — enough to cover materials on a small job.
Features: where each one wins
Estimating & takeoff
Buildxact wins on depth. If you do PDF takeoff every week and need detailed material lists tied to supplier price files, Buildxact’s estimating module is more mature. Built Simple includes estimating (up to 25 quotes on Builder, unlimited on Pro), but if takeoff is 80% of your daily work, Buildxact will feel more purpose-built.
Scheduling
Built Simple wins on simplicity. Our drag-to-reschedule timeline shows colour-coded trades, equipment loads, and weather forecasts in one view. Buildxact’s scheduling exists but feels secondary to estimating. If you spend most of your day reshuffling jobs and chasing weather, our scheduling is faster.
Mobile experience
Built Simple wins clearly. Our app is the same product across phone, tablet, and desktop — designed for builders working on site. Buildxact’s mobile app is functional but the main experience is desktop. If your foreman lives in his ute, this matters.
Team & equipment tracking
Built Simple is the only one that does this natively. See who’s on what, what equipment is allocated where, and what’s available — across every project, in real time. Buildxact tracks team via project assignments but doesn’t have a unified team-and-equipment view.
Defects & site capture
Built Simple wins for trades. Snap a photo, drop a pin on a location, assign to a trade, close it out. Built Simple defects feel like the tool was made for the apprentice on site. Buildxact handles defects via the broader job system.
Calculators
Only Built Simple has these. 50+ free trade calculators — concrete, brick, mortar, framing, retaining walls, gutter, plumbing fall, and more. Use them without logging in. Buildxact doesn’t offer this.
What we don’t have (yet)
Honesty over hype: there are things Buildxact does that Built Simple doesn’t, and we’ll tell you straight up.
- Deep PDF takeoff with supplier price feeds. Buildxact has years of head-start here. Our takeoff is solid but simpler.
- Xero / MYOB integrations. We don’t integrate with accounting platforms — yet. Buildxact does. If your bookkeeper insists on Xero sync, that’s a real tick for Buildxact.
- Long-standing supplier price-list relationships. Buildxact has direct feeds from several Aussie building supply chains. Ours are in roadmap.
If those three things are make-or-break for you, Buildxact is the right choice. If they’re nice-to-haves but not deal-breakers, Built Simple gives you most of the value at a fraction of the price.
Who should pick which
| Your situation | Better fit |
|---|---|
| Owner-builder, one project | Built Simple Home Projects at $39/mo |
| Sole tradie or 2–5 person crew | Built Simple Tradie at $79/mo |
| Small builder, 1–4 builds a year | Built Simple Builder at $199/mo |
| Custom home builder, 5+ builds with detailed takeoff | Buildxact for estimating depth |
| Mid-size builder with bookkeeper insisting on Xero sync | Buildxact |
| Mid-size builder, mobile-first, wants team + equipment tracking | Built Simple Pro at $399/mo |
Try Built Simple free
No credit card. Full access to one project to see if it fits how you work.
Frequently asked questions
Is Built Simple cheaper than Buildxact?
Yes, at every comparable tier. Built Simple starts at $0 (Freemium) and our cheapest paid tier is $79/mo. Buildxact’s cheapest tier is approximately $199/mo. For owner-builders, our $39/mo Home Projects tier has no direct Buildxact equivalent.
Can I import my Buildxact data into Built Simple?
Not via a one-click import. We can help you migrate project data, contacts, and templates manually — get in touch and we’ll walk you through it.
Does Built Simple integrate with Xero or MYOB?
Not currently. Buildxact does integrate with Xero. If accounting sync is a hard requirement, Buildxact is the right pick. If you handle accounting separately (most small builders do), Built Simple won’t cost you anything on that front.
Is Built Simple Australian-owned?
Yes — founded in Melbourne in 2025 by Calum Buchanan, who built the product after years working with builders and tradies. Buildxact is also Melbourne-based; you’re choosing between two AU-headquartered options either way.
How long does it take to learn Built Simple?
Most users have their first project set up within 15 minutes. Buildxact’s deeper feature set typically takes 1–2 weeks to learn well. Our mobile-first simplicity is intentional — if it’s not obvious how to do something, that’s a bug.
What if I outgrow Built Simple?
Our Pro tier scales to unlimited team members, projects, and storage. Most AU SMB builders we work with never hit those limits. If you’re running a 50+ person business with multi-state operations, an enterprise-grade tool like Procore might be a better long-term fit than either Built Simple or Buildxact.
Bottom line
Buildxact is an excellent product for residential builders who need deep estimating depth and Xero integration. Built Simple is the better choice for everyone smaller — owner-builders, tradies, small crews, and mid-size builders who value mobile-first simplicity and want to start free.
The fastest way to know which one fits is to try ours: start free with no credit card, take it for a spin on your next job, and decide for yourself.