Short answer
- Smarter Tracks: best for small and mid-size contractors. Crews check tools out and in from their phones with no tags or labels, every tool keeps a history of who had it and which job it was on, and one flat monthly price covers the crew.
- ShareMyToolbox: best for barcode/QR tracking with unlimited tools, kits and consumables.
- Sortly: best for simple inventory when you also track supplies and materials; free plan available.
- Milwaukee ONE-KEY: best free option if most of your tools are Milwaukee.
- Hilti ON!Track: best for large contractors who want Bluetooth tags and gateways.
- GoCodes: best for QR tags with GPS location on scan.
- ToolWatch by AlignOps: best for enterprise tool cribs and warehouses.
- EZOfficeInventory: best for larger inventories, with unlimited users.
- Asset Panda: best for teams that want to build custom asset workflows.
What it costs by crew size (monthly list price)
Contractor tool software is priced three ways: per user (ShareMyToolbox, GoCodes), per item (Sortly, EZOfficeInventory, GoCodes), or flat per plan (Smarter Tracks). Which is cheapest depends on how many people need to log in and how many tools you have. Assumes everyone on the crew needs their own login.
| Software | 5 users | 15 users | 30 users | 75 users | Item / tool limit |
|---|
| Smarter Tracks | $185 | $185 | $315 | $315 | 150 tools (Starter), 750 (Pro); custom above |
| ShareMyToolbox (Business) | $150 | $250 | $400 | $850 | Unlimited |
| GoCodes (annual, shown per month) | $83 | $179 | $275 | $575 | 500 / 1,000 / 2,000 / 2,000 assets; QR tags included |
| Sortly | $149 ($74 billed yearly) | Quote (Enterprise, 12+ users) | Quote | Quote | 2,000 items (Ultra) |
| EZOfficeInventory (Essential) | From $81.41 for 500 items; unlimited users | Priced by item count |
| Milwaukee ONE-KEY | Free app (tools/tags bought separately) | n/a |
| Hilti ON!Track, ToolWatch, Asset Panda | Quote-based | Quote |
How these were worked out (vendor list prices, October 2026). ShareMyToolbox: $100/month for the first admin + $10 per additional user, sold in blocks of 5 (it also offers unlimited free view-only users, which lowers the cost if most of the crew only needs to view their assigned tools). GoCodes: 5 users = Premium $1,000/yr; 15 = Premium Elite $1,750/yr + 5 users $400/yr; 30 = Professional $2,500/yr + 10 users $800/yr; 75 = Professional + 55 users $4,400/yr. Sortly: Ultra includes 5 user licences; Enterprise from 12. Smarter Tracks: Starter covers up to 15 users, Pro up to 75.
Pick by your situation
| If you are… | Best fit |
|---|
| A 5–75 person contractor whose hand and power tools move between people, trucks and job sites, and you mainly need to know who has each tool | Smarter Tracks (no tags, flat price) |
| Running a tool room with hundreds of tools you're happy to label and scan | ShareMyToolbox or GoCodes |
| Tracking supplies, materials and consumables as well as tools, on a tight budget | Sortly (free plan, from $24/month billed yearly) |
| Mostly on Milwaukee tools | Milwaukee ONE-KEY (free app) |
| A large contractor wanting tags, gateways and formal asset control | Hilti ON!Track or ToolWatch |
| Tracking machines, trailers and vehicles | Tenna (GPS telematics) |
Tool inventory vs tool tracking vs tool checkout
- Tool checkout (custody): who has each tool now and who had it before. The core need for most contractors, because tools change hands daily.
- Tool inventory: what you own and how many, including consumables and reorder points. Sortly and EZOfficeInventory are inventory-first.
- Location tracking: where a tool physically is, via GPS or Bluetooth hardware (Hilti ON!Track, ONE-KEY, Tenna).
The options in more detail
1. Smarter Tracks: best for small and mid-size contractors
Built first for a mechanical contracting business. Every tool is assigned to a person, truck or location; when it changes hands, the app logs who, when, which job site, and whether it stays on the truck or at the site. Tools carry photos and specs so the right model gets sent, damaged tools are flagged before the next person relies on them, and foremen audit from their phones. No tags, labels or scanners. Free trial (3 users, 5 tools, no card), Starter $185/month (15 users, 150 tools), Pro $315/month (75 users, 750 tools), custom plans above that; no per-user fees, no long-term contract. Less of a fit if you need live GPS, consumables inventory, or more than 750 tools on a standard plan.
2. ShareMyToolbox: best for barcode/QR with unlimited tools
Scan-based borrowing and returns with GPS on each scan, unlimited tools, kits and consumables, and strong reporting. Free plan (up to 100 tools); Business $100/month + $10 per additional user.
3. Sortly: best for simple inventory of tools plus supplies
General inventory with barcode/QR labels. Free plan (100 items, 1 user); Advanced $49/month (2 users, 500 items; $24/month billed yearly); Ultra $149/month (5 users, 2,000 items; $74 billed yearly).
4. Milwaukee ONE-KEY: best free option for Milwaukee fleets
Free app; Bluetooth built into connected Milwaukee tools, with tags for other items.
5. Hilti ON!Track: best for large contractors
Software plus Bluetooth tags and gateways, with GPS trackers for equipment. Quote-based.
6. GoCodes: best for QR tags with GPS on scan
QR tags with GPS on scan, check-in/check-out and maintenance scheduling. From $500/year (200 assets, 3 users).
7. ToolWatch by AlignOps: best for enterprise tool cribs
Enterprise tool and equipment management with job costing and purchasing. Quote-based.
8. EZOfficeInventory: best for larger inventories
Check-in/check-out, audits and inventory with barcode, QR or RFID, unlimited users, from $81.41/month for 500 items.
9. Asset Panda: best for custom asset workflows
Configurable asset management with a mobile app and barcode scanning. Quote-based.
Disclosure: Bac Tech LLC makes Smarter Tracks, one of the apps compared here. Prices and features of other products come from each vendor's own website (checked October 2026); where another product is the better fit, we say so. Last updated October 24, 2026, by Brock Coburn.
FAQ
What is the best tool inventory software for contractors?
For small and mid-size contractors who mainly need to know who has each tool, Smarter Tracks: phone check-out with no tags and flat pricing. For barcode/QR scanning with unlimited tools, ShareMyToolbox. If you also track supplies and materials, Sortly. For Milwaukee fleets, the free ONE-KEY app.
What is the best tool tracking software for contractors?
Smarter Tracks for small and mid-size crews that don't want tags; ShareMyToolbox and GoCodes for scan-based tracking; Hilti ON!Track and ToolWatch for large contractors; Milwaukee ONE-KEY as the free choice for Milwaukee tools; Tenna for heavy equipment.
What is the best tool checkout system for contractors?
Smarter Tracks if you want crews to check tools out on their phones with nothing to label. ShareMyToolbox if you prefer scanning barcodes or QR labels. ToolWatch for staffed enterprise tool cribs.
How much does tool inventory software cost for contractors?
For a 15-person crew at list price: Smarter Tracks $185/month flat, ShareMyToolbox about $250/month, GoCodes about $179/month (billed yearly); Sortly needs an Enterprise quote above 8 users; EZOfficeInventory starts at $81.41/month for 500 items with unlimited users. ONE-KEY is free; Hilti ON!Track, ToolWatch and Asset Panda are quote-based.
Do contractors need barcodes or tags to track tools?
No. Barcodes, QR codes and Bluetooth tags help with scanning and location, but they need a label or tag on every tool. A no-tag app like Smarter Tracks records custody in the app instead.
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