Is Contractor Foreman a bad product?
Not at all — it's a legitimately strong value. Contractor Foreman packs a broad feature set covering much of the project lifecycle at a low entry price, and it integrates with QuickBooks. If you want maximum features per dollar and don't mind learning the forms and menus, it's a fair choice. Charlie is a different bet: voice-first, so there's nothing to learn, with deeper certified-payroll compliance and free crew seats.
Isn't Contractor Foreman cheaper?
To start, yes — Contractor Foreman's entry plans run around $49/mo (approx, as of 2026, varies by plan), which is genuinely lower than Charlie. Full Charlie is $349/mo and single apps start at $149/mo. The math changes with crew: Charlie's crew seats are free and unlimited, while Contractor Foreman is priced by users, so a growing field team narrows the gap. Pick on fit, not just the sticker.
What does "run it by voice" actually mean?
Instead of opening a screen and filling out a form, you talk to Charlie — "clock the crew onto the Riverside job," "start today's daily log," "generate the certified payroll." It works by tap too, on any device, so neither one is a fallback. The point is there's nothing to learn: if you can describe the job, you can run the software.
How is Charlie's certified payroll different?
Certified payroll and prevailing wage are limited in most all-in-one platforms. Charlie treats them as first-class: a filed WH-347 with a statement of compliance, fringe on all hours, and the right Davis-Bacon overtime rules — generated from the hours your crew already clocked. On a prevailing-wage job that's the paperwork that keeps you compliant and paid.
Does Charlie sync with QuickBooks too?
Yes. Charlie connects to QuickBooks Online over Intuit's official OAuth connection — receipts post as expenses and certified pay applications post as invoices. So you keep your books where they are and let Charlie handle the construction layer on top.
Do I have to buy the whole suite?
No. Single Charlie apps — like Office Manager or Estimating — start at $149/mo, so you can start with the one piece you need most. Full Charlie at $349/mo is the whole suite with free unlimited crew seats. Same data either way, no migration when you upgrade.
Charlie