Accounting software for contractors
Built for progress billing: deposits, mid-job draws, materials, and change orders, without the bookkeeping headache.
Free desktop app for Windows, Mac, and Linux. No account, no credit card.
Built for the way contractors actually get paid
A contractor invoice isn't one number on one piece of paper. It's a deposit before any work starts, a draw when the framing is up or the rough-in is done, change orders the homeowner asked for after the bid, materials at cost or with a markup, and a final balance with the deposit and draws already credited. Argo Books handles the books so you can stay on the tools.
Bill a deposit, a mid-job draw, and a final balance
Send a deposit invoice before the first day, a draw invoice when framing or rough-in is signed off, and a final balance with the deposit and draws already credited. Argo Books tracks what's been paid on each, so the closing balance is exactly what's still owed.
Snap a receipt from Home Depot, the lumber yard, or the supply house
Take a photo and Argo Books pulls the vendor, date, and amount automatically. Tag it Materials, Subcontractor, Equipment Rental, or Permit so when the customer asks for an itemized statement, you can answer in two minutes instead of two hours.
Works without internet, your data stays on your computer
Argo Books runs natively on Windows, Mac, and Linux. No internet needed at the job trailer, no monthly subscription climbing every year, no website to log into when the cell signal cuts out. The free tier covers most solo contractors and small crews forever.
Send the final invoice the day you wrap
Walk through with the customer, open Argo Books, and send the final invoice before you pack the truck. Customers can pay through Stripe or Square, so the balance can clear before the deposit on the next job needs to land.
What it actually looks like
A contractor invoice with the deposit and draw already credited.
A receipt from the supply house scanned and tagged in seconds.
Your dashboard with revenue, expenses, and what's outstanding.
What Argo Books isn't
Argo Books is bookkeeping software, not construction-management software. It does not do job costing per project, crew scheduling, or bid and estimating. If you're trying to replace Buildertrend, CoConstruct, or QuickBooks Contractor for those, run them side by side: those for the project, Argo Books for your books. It also doesn't do payroll yet. If those are dealbreakers, that's fair. If they're not, the desktop app is free, the books stay simple, and your data stays on your computer.
Download FreeStart free, upgrade only if you need more
Most solo contractors and small crews stay on the free tier. Premium adds predictive analytics for cashflow planning between jobs, unlimited invoicing, and priority support.
- All core features
- Real-time analytics
- Receipt management
- 25 invoices / month
- AI receipt scanning (10/month)
- AI spreadsheet import (100/month)
- Unlimited invoices & payments
- AI receipt scanning (500/month)
- Predictive analytics
- Biometric login security
- Priority support
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bill a deposit, a mid-job draw, and a final balance?
Yes. Most contractors send three invoices on a multi-week job: a deposit invoice before work begins, a draw invoice at a milestone like framing or rough-in, and a final invoice when the work is signed off.
Argo Books tracks what's been paid on each so the final balance lines up with what the customer still owes.
Can I bill change orders without re-issuing the original invoice?
Yes. Add each change order as its own line item on the next progress invoice, or send a separate change-order invoice.
Keeping changes on their own lines makes it easy for the customer to see exactly what they signed off on versus the original scope.
Can I track materials and labor separately?
Yes. List materials and labor on separate lines of the invoice, or roll materials into a single marked-up line if that's how you priced the bid.
On the expense side, scan the supply-house receipt and tag it Materials, Equipment, or Subcontractor so the report later actually means something.
Does it work without internet at the job site?
Yes. The desktop app runs natively on your computer and does not need an internet connection to record expenses or build an invoice.
You only need internet when you actually send the invoice or take a payment.
Does Argo Books do job costing per project?
Not the way QuickBooks Contractor or a dedicated job-costing tool does. Argo Books tracks expenses by category and revenue by customer and invoice, which covers most solo contractors and small crews.
If you need a true per-project P&L across labor, materials, subs, and overhead, a job-costing tool is a better fit. Many contractors run a simpler bookkeeping tool alongside their estimating or scheduling software.
Is it really free?
Yes, forever. The free tier covers all core features and 25 invoices per month.
Premium ($15 CAD/month) adds predictive analytics, unlimited invoicing, and priority support. No credit card to start.