Foundation vs Tenon
Foundation
foundationchm.comTenon
usetenon.comSide by side
| Figure | Foundation | Tenon |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $183.33/mo | $49/mo |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 2 | 3 |
| Spec score · Home Builder Software | 7.9 (#12) | 7.5 (#18) |
Plans
In their own words
Foundation
Foundation is a custom home management app for builders and remodelers, bringing schedules, budgets, draws, contracts, selections, and client communication into one system. Scheduling includes Gantt-style timelines with movable phases and tasks, templates, and a cross-project crew calendar. Financial tools cover budget tracking, cost-plus budgets, draw requests, homeowner payments by ACH or card, and a payment ledger; QuickBooks sync is also listed. Users can upload plans, measure quantities and areas, count fixtures, and export takeoff quantities as CSV. AI features include estimates and specifications from plans, selections from vendor quotes, and a budget assistant. Digital signing, private-link bid packages, spec sheets, and subcontractor insurance tracking support contracts and procurement. Homeowners have a portal, and subcontractors can use token links. Foundation runs in a browser on phones, tablets, and desktops, including iPhone, Android, and iPad; it can be added to a home screen without an app store download. The monthly base plan is $199 a month plus an $8 service fee, totaling $207 monthly. An annual plan is $2,200 a year plus an $80 service fee, totaling $2,280. A 14-day free trial is available.
Tenon
Tenon is construction management software for working contractors, bringing project and business workflows into one system. Its tools cover estimates, proposals, Gantt scheduling, daily logs, budgets, invoicing, change orders, RFIs, and client portals. Sage, the AI assistant, answers project questions, cites records, drafts change orders and proposals, and uses per-user permissions. Native iOS and Android apps provide field logs, timers, and RFIs; the iOS app also supports Apple Watch and CarPlay. Tenon lists QuickBooks sync for invoicing and an MCP integration for Claude.ai and other MCP clients. Field workers, subcontractors, and clients are free on every plan, while paid seats are for office users. Starter costs $49 a month billed per user and includes up to three Builder seats and unlimited Field seats; Pro is $129 a month billed per user, and Enterprise is $249 a month billed per user. There is no free plan, but a 30-day trial is offered. Customer data is stored in AWS Canada (ca-central-1); customers can export it to CSV, PDF, or JSON, and Tenon says it does not hold data after cancellation. SOC 2 Type II is in audit.