
CapEx management software helps organizations plan, track, and control capital expenditures across their property portfolios. The right solution replaces spreadsheets with centralized workflows, real-time visibility, and audit-ready documentation. This guide compares the leading options for real estate operators evaluating capital planning tools.
Before comparing solutions, understand the core capabilities that separate purpose-built CapEx tools from generic project management software.
Essential features:
Questions to ask:
Best for: Real estate operators managing renovation and capital improvement projects across property portfolios.
Banner is purpose-built for commercial real estate capital expenditure management. It connects capital planning with project execution, giving finance and operations teams shared visibility into budgets, timelines, and project status.
Key strengths:
Considerations: Focused on real estate and construction workflows rather than general enterprise CapEx.
Best for: Organizations with heavy construction management needs alongside capital planning.
Procore acquired Honest Buildings in 2019, adding owner-focused capital planning to its construction management platform. It's strong for organizations running large construction projects who want one platform for project management and financial tracking.
Key strengths:
Considerations: Can be complex for organizations primarily focused on renovation and improvement projects rather than ground-up construction. Pricing reflects enterprise positioning.
Best for: Finance teams at large enterprises needing deep financial planning capabilities.
Finario positions itself as purpose-built for enterprise CapEx planning, emphasizing financial workflow and FP&A integration over project execution. It's designed for organizations where finance drives the capital planning process.
Key strengths:
Considerations: Less emphasis on project execution and field operations. Better suited for financial planning than managing renovation projects.
Best for: Organizations already using Yardi for property management who want integrated capital tracking.
Yardi's CapEx module extends its property management platform with capital planning capabilities. The integration advantage is significant for existing Yardi users who want capital data flowing into their property financials automatically.
Key strengths:
Considerations: Requires Yardi ecosystem commitment. May lack depth compared to purpose-built CapEx solutions.
Best for: Commercial real estate organizations using MRI for property and investment management.
MRI offers capital planning as part of its broader real estate software suite. Like Yardi, the value proposition centers on integration with existing MRI modules.
Key strengths:
Considerations: Best value for existing MRI customers. Standalone evaluation should compare depth of CapEx-specific features.
Best for: Facilities management teams focused on building lifecycle and maintenance planning.
Planon approaches capital planning from a facilities and workplace management perspective. It's strong for organizations where facilities teams drive capital decisions based on building condition and maintenance data.
Key strengths:
Considerations: Facilities-centric rather than real estate investment-centric. May require complementary tools for financial planning depth.
Best for: Owner organizations managing large capital programs with multiple projects.
Kahua focuses on capital program management for owners, particularly in education, healthcare, and government sectors. It emphasizes program-level visibility across multiple concurrent projects.
Key strengths:
Considerations: Designed for large capital programs. May be more than needed for routine renovation management.
Best for: Public sector and institutional owners managing complex capital programs.
e-Builder (now part of Trimble) serves owners managing capital construction programs, with particular strength in public sector, education, and healthcare. It emphasizes compliance and documentation requirements common in these sectors.
Key strengths:
Considerations: Enterprise-focused with pricing to match. Best suited for large capital programs rather than ongoing property operations.
Best for: Teams wanting flexible project tracking without specialized CapEx features.
Smartsheet is a general-purpose work management platform that some organizations adapt for capital project tracking. It offers flexibility but requires configuration to support CapEx workflows.
Key strengths:
Considerations: Lacks purpose-built CapEx features like financial forecasting, approval workflows, and capital-specific reporting. Teams often outgrow it as portfolios scale.
Best for: Small portfolios or organizations just beginning to formalize capital planning.
Many organizations still manage CapEx in spreadsheets. While this works at small scale, limitations emerge quickly as portfolios grow and stakeholders multiply.
Key strengths:
Considerations: Manual processes, version control issues, error-prone formulas, and lack of audit trails create risk as scale increases. Most organizations eventually migrate to purpose-built solutions to address these limitations.
Start by documenting your current process and pain points. Common drivers for CapEx software adoption include:
CapEx software should connect with your existing systems:
Map your approval hierarchy and project workflow. Ensure the software can support:
Beyond license fees, factor in:
What is CapEx management software?
CapEx management software helps organizations plan, approve, track, and report on capital expenditures. It typically includes budget planning, approval workflows, project tracking, and financial reporting capabilities. Purpose-built solutions replace spreadsheets with centralized, auditable processes.
How much does CapEx management software cost?
Pricing varies widely based on portfolio size and feature requirements. Entry-level solutions may start at a few hundred dollars per month, while enterprise platforms can cost tens of thousands annually. Most vendors price based on number of users, properties, or projects managed.
Can I use project management software for CapEx tracking?
General project management tools like Asana, Monday, or Smartsheet can track capital projects but lack CapEx-specific features like financial forecasting, approval workflows tied to dollar thresholds, and capital reporting. Most organizations with significant capital programs find purpose-built solutions more effective.
What's the difference between CapEx software and construction management software?
Construction management software focuses on executing construction projects—scheduling, field coordination, contractor management, and document control. CapEx software focuses on the financial lifecycle—budgeting, approval, tracking spend against budget, and portfolio-level planning. Some solutions, like Procore, span both areas.