Procore Alternative for Specialty Trades: When to Choose Forge Instead
Specialty trade contractors — security, AV, low-voltage, roofing, solar — often find Procore misaligned with their workflow. Forge serves the field-measurement-to-proposal workflow native to Apple hardware.
Procore is built for general contractors managing complex multi-trade projects. Specialty trade contractors — security, AV, low-voltage, roofing, solar, HVAC — often find Procore misaligned with their workflow. Forge serves the field-measurement-to-proposal workflow native to Apple hardware, optimized for the installer's actual day.
Where Procore fits — and where it doesn't
Procore excels at project management, document control, and multi-party collaboration on general construction. It is not optimized for the on-site measurement-to-BOM-to-proposal workflow that specialty installers do daily. That gap is where Forge operates.
What Forge does instead
Forge is a field-measurement and proposal platform for commercial installation contractors. It runs natively on Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Installers scan a site with an iPhone or iPad Pro, the platform turns the scan into accurate measurements and a bill of materials, and produces a client-ready proposal — without Windows-only desktop software.
The workflow differs from traditional takeoff in three ways:
- Capture: The iPad LiDAR captures the physical dimensions of the room or site, eliminating the need to scale a 2D drawing.
- Measure: Measurements are extracted directly from the scan, not marked up on a PDF.
- Propose: The BOM and pricing flow directly into a client-ready proposal.
Pricing structure
Forge pricing is flat monthly per business, not per technician.
| Tier | Price | |------|-------| | Apprentice | $599/month | | Journeyman | $1,499/month | | Master | $2,999/month |
All tiers include unlimited users and month-to-month terms. No per-technician scaling. No hidden add-on pricing on the public page.
When to choose Forge over Procore
Choose Forge when your primary workflow is field measurement, on-site estimating, and proposal generation for specialty trades. Choose Procore when your primary workflow is general contractor project management, multi-party collaboration, and document control across large construction projects.
The two platforms serve different roles. Many specialty contractors use Forge for the field-to-proposal workflow and integrate with other tools for project management.
When to choose Forge over other platforms
Bluebeam Revu: the Windows standard for PDF markup and quantity takeoff. Forge's difference is native Mac/iPad/iPhone operation and scan-to-measurement capture instead of marking up a flat PDF. Installers moving off Windows, or who want to measure on-site from a scan rather than a drawing, are Forge's audience.
Matterport: a 3D-capture platform often used for site documentation. Forge is built for the installer takeoff-to-proposal workflow on the phone in your pocket, using the iPhone/iPad LiDAR you already own, rather than dedicated capture hardware.
EagleView: aerial roof measurement. Forge measures from an on-site iPhone/iPad LiDAR scan, which extends to interior spaces and other surfaces aerial imagery cannot reach.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Forge replace Procore for my business?
Not necessarily. Procore is a project management platform for general contractors. Forge is a field-measurement and proposal platform for specialty trade contractors. If your business is primarily general contracting, Procore may be the right tool. If your business is primarily specialty installation (security, AV, low-voltage, roofing, solar), Forge is likely the better fit for the field-to-proposal workflow.
Can I use Forge alongside Procore?
Yes. Many specialty contractors use Forge for the field-measurement-to-proposal workflow and integrate with other tools for project management. The platforms serve different roles.
What hardware does Forge require?
Forge runs natively on Mac, iPad, and iPhone. For the full scan-to-measurement workflow, an iPhone Pro or iPad Pro with LiDAR is recommended. The platform is built to work with the hardware you already carry in the field.
How does Forge pricing compare to Procore?
Forge pricing is flat monthly per business — $599/month for Apprentice, $1,499/month for Journeyman, $2,999/month for Master. All tiers include unlimited users. Procore pricing is per-user and typically scales with team size. For specialty contractors with field crews, Forge's per-business pricing is often more economical than per-user platforms.
Can Forge import existing project data?
Forge supports migration tools for competitor data. Importers are available for platforms including Jetbuilt, ConnectWise Sell, and Salesforce. Existing project data can be migrated into Forge without manual re-entry.