Simpro Review 2026: The Commercial & Project Management Powerhouse

If you run a residential plumbing company doing simple “break-and-fix” jobs, Simpro is likely overkill for you. You should probably look at Jobber instead.

But if you are a commercial contractor—handling multi-phase projects, progress billing, retainage, and complex asset maintenance—Simpro is one of the few platforms built specifically for your workflow.

In the world of field service, most software is designed for speed (getting to the next house). Simpro is designed for control (managing a 6-month installation project). It is arguably the strongest ServiceTitan alternative for businesses that lean heavily into construction and projects rather than high-volume residential service.

Below, we review Simpro’s capabilities, pricing realities, and how it handles the complex demands of the security, fire protection, and commercial HVAC industries.

Quick Definitions

Progress Billing: The ability to invoice a client for a percentage of the total work completed to date (e.g., “30% of Rough-in phase”), rather than a flat fee per visit.

Retainage (Retention): A portion of the contract price (usually 5–10%) withheld by the client until the project is fully completed and signed off.

Variations: Simpro’s term for “Change Orders.” The documented process of adding or removing work from the original scope.

Plant & Equipment: The module for tracking customer assets (like a specific chiller or fire panel) and their testing/maintenance history over years.

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Feature	Details
🏆 Overall Rating	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.5 / 5.0)
🎯 Best For	Trade Contractors (Fire, Security, HVAC) focused on Projects & Maintenance
💰 Pricing Model	Per User License (~$129/user + Implementation Fee)
✅ The Pros	Project Management: Handles progress billing, retainage, and WIP. Estimating: Advanced takeoffs and multi-stage quoting. Asset Maintenance: Great for fire/security compliance testing.
❌ The Cons	Usability: Interface is click-heavy and feels dated. Setup Cost: Requires paid implementation ($4k+). Not for Fast Service: Too complex for simple residential repair.
🛠 Support	Phone, Live Chat, Simpro Learning Academy
🏁 Final Verdict	Visit Simpro Website

Core Features: Why “Projects” Change Everything

Most HVAC software treats every job like a single calendar event. Simpro separates work into “Service Jobs” (short-term) and “Project Jobs” (long-term).

1. Project Management & Gantt Charts

This is Simpro’s “killer feature.” You can build a project with multiple phases (e.g., Rough-in, Fit-off, Commissioning). The Gantt Chart view allows you to visualize these phases over weeks or months, dragging dependencies and assigning teams to specific blocks of time.

• Estimating: You can pull “Pre-builds” (assemblies of parts and labor) into a quote to generate complex estimates and quotes quickly.
• Variations: If a scope changes, you create a “Variation.” This tracks the extra cost separately, ensuring you get paid for scope creep.

2. Commercial Financials: Progress Claims & Retainage

Standard accounting integrations often fail here. Simpro handles the heavy lifting of construction accounting before syncing to your ledger.

• AIA-Style Billing: While not a native AIA form generator, Simpro supports the logic of progress claims perfectly.
• Retainage Tracking: It automatically calculates the withheld amount on each invoice and alerts you when the retention period is over so you can bill the final balance.

3. Asset Maintenance (Fire & Security)

For electrical software users and fire safety companies, tracking which device was tested is mandatory. Simpro allows you to barcode individual assets (e.g., “Smoke Detector #402 on Level 3”) and maintain a strict pass/fail history for compliance reporting.

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Simpro vs. The Market

How does it compare to the other giants?

Feature	Simpro	ServiceTitan	Jobber/Housecall Pro
Primary Focus	Commercial Projects & Maintenance	Residential Service & Replacement	Residential Service (SMB)
Billing Style	Progress Claims & Retainage	Performance Pay & Flat Rate	Simple Invoicing
Inventory	Multi-Warehouse & Vendor Catalogs	Multi-Warehouse	Basic Truck Stock
Setup Time	2–4 Months	3–6 Months	1–5 Days
Cost	$$$(Quote Based)	$$$$ (Quote Based)	$ (Transparent)

If Simpro feels too complex or expensive for your team, consider looking at these Simpro alternatives.

Simpro vs. ServiceTitan

ServiceTitan is the gold standard for residential sales and marketing (Driving revenue). Simpro is the gold standard for job costing and project control (Protecting margin).

• If you need to market to homeowners to replace water heaters: Choose ServiceTitan.
• If you bid on tender packages for university campus upgrades: Choose Simpro.

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Inventory and Purchasing

Commercial jobs live and die by materials. Simpro’s inventory and parts management is enterprise-grade.

• Vendor Catalogs: You can import supplier price files (like Reece, Wesco, or Ferguson) so your estimates always reflect current costs.
• Purchase Orders (POs): You can raise a PO directly from a job. When the bill comes in, Simpro matches it to the PO to ensure you aren’t overpaying.
• Stock Take: It supports rolling stock takes across multiple trucks and warehouses.

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The “Real Cost” of Simpro

Simpro does not publish pricing online. It is a SaaS model, but it operates like enterprise software.

Estimated Costs (2026)

• License Fees: Typically billed per user. Unlike some tools that charge per “truck,” Simpro often charges for office users (admins/project managers) and field licenses differently. Expect a significant monthly spend, though often slightly lower than ServiceTitan’s minimums.
• Implementation Fees: This is the big hurdle. Simpro almost always requires a paid implementation package.
  • Est. Cost: $3,000 – $10,000+ (One-time).
  • What you get: A dedicated trainer, data migration assistance (customer list, catalogs), and weeks of training sessions.
• Contract: Usually requires an annual commitment.

Warning: Do not try to “self-implement” Simpro. The settings for “Tax Codes,” “Retention Rates,” and “GL Linking” are complex. The implementation fee is worth it to avoid accounting disasters later.

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Integrations

Simpro is designed to be the “source of truth” for operations, pushing financial data to your accounting package.

• Accounting: Deep integration with Xero, QuickBooks Online, and Desktop. For detailed sync limitations, check our QuickBooks integration notes.
• Payments: Integrates with Square and Stripe for collecting payments in the field.
• API: Robust API access allows larger firms to build custom dashboards or link to BI tools for advanced reporting and job costing.

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Pros & Cons Summary

Pros:

• True Project Management: Gantt charts and dependencies are rare in FSM tools.
• Commercial Financials: Handles retainage and progress billing natively.
• Asset Management: Excellent for Fire/Security compliance.
• Vendor Catalog Imports: Saves hours of data entry on material costs.

Cons:

• Steep Learning Curve: It is “click-heavy.” A simple task might take 5 clicks where Jobber takes 1.
• Mobile App Interface: While functional, the mobile app is strictly utilitarian and lacks the consumer-grade polish of Housecall Pro.
• No Native Marketing: It does not have a “Marketing Pro” module for email blasts or postcards.

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FAQ: Simpro Review

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Sources

• Simpro Pricing & Solutions (Verified Jan 2026) – https://www.simprogroup.com/pricing
• Simpro Help Guide: Progress Billing (Verified Jan 2026) – https://helpguide.simprogroup.com/
• Xero App Marketplace: Simpro (Verified Jan 2026) – User reviews on integration depth.
• G2 Reviews: Simpro (Verified Jan 2026) – User sentiment on implementation and support.

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• Last Verified: 2026-01-16