Stairkey

Stairkey is a workspace for contractors and real estate teams that brings CRM, scheduling, estimates, invoicing, portals, email, websites, storage, accounting, and administration together. An approved quote can become a job with tasks, a schedule, a crew, and a materials list. Contractors can use the Takeoff Builder to calculate quantities from room dimensions, openings, finishes, and formulas. Realty tools cover property records, listing history, showings, open-house sign-in, listing presentations, condition templates, and deal context. Optional double-entry accounting supports invoices, expenses, reconciliation, and reporting. Its assistant can draft quotes, tasks, expense entries, and messages, but does not save or send content until the user approves it. AI is off until enabled and priced per use; reading a receipt is given as a 15¢ example. Team controls include two-factor authentication, recovery codes, device management, and session controls, and administrators can export tenant data. Stairkey supports HST and GST, with year-end exports including T5018 and T4A summaries and a T2125-mapped package. It works on Android, iOS, and the web. The first month is free with every feature unlocked and no credit card required.

Stairkey combines quoting, job coordination, realty tools, and optional accounting in one workspace. The first month has no credit card requirement; afterward, listed seats and add-ons carry monthly costs, and AI is separately metered.

Stairkey may suit contractor and real estate teams that want operational tools in one workspace. It also fits teams that need job workflows, accounting options, portals, or Canadian tax-related exports.

Stairkey is a business workspace for contractors and real-estate teams, with tools that connect estimates, jobs, property records, and administration. It suits companies that want those workflows in one system, particularly Canadian businesses. The breadth is useful, but paid seats, add-ons, and metered AI make its total cost depend on how a team uses it.

Overview

The strongest case for Stairkey is its range: CRM, scheduling, estimates, invoicing, portals, email, websites, storage, accounting, and administrative tools share a workspace. An approved quote can turn into a job with tasks, a schedule, a crew, and a materials list, helping teams carry a sale into execution without rebuilding the work plan.

That reach is also the trade-off. A business that needs only estimates and invoices may be paying for a broader operating system than it needs, while the seat charges and optional modules require a close look at the monthly bill. The first month is free with every feature unlocked and no credit card requirement, giving teams room to assess the workflow before paying.

Key features

For contractors, the Takeoff Builder calculates quantities from room dimensions, openings, finishes, and formulas. It gives estimating a structured link to project measurements; its value is greatest for teams that routinely prepare takeoffs, rather than those handling simple quotes. Calendar scheduling, change orders, and client and subcontractor portals support coordination after a job is approved.

Stairkey also includes a notable set of realty tools: property records, listing history, showings, open-house sign-in, listing presentations, condition templates, and deal context. That combination can suit businesses whose work crosses property and renovation workflows. A contractor with no real-estate activity may find much of this scope unnecessary.

Double-entry accounting is optional and covers invoices, expenses, reconciliation, and reporting. The AI assistant can draft quotes, tasks, expense entries, and messages, with user approval required before anything is saved or sent. AI is off until enabled and priced per use; reading a receipt is given as an example at 15¢. That approval step keeps generated work under user control, while metering means frequent use adds a variable charge.

Team security controls include two-factor authentication, recovery codes, device management, and session controls. Administrators can export full tenant data for backups, migrations, or recordkeeping. Canadian tax support includes HST and GST on quotes and invoices, plus year-end T5018 and T4A summaries and a T2125-mapped package, a useful fit for businesses handling those Canadian reporting needs.

Pricing

The first month is free, with every feature unlocked and no credit card required. After that, Stairkey charges by seat and add-on; AI usage is billed separately. The listed prices are in CAD per month:

• Owner seat: C$20 a month. Includes every core feature, one owner, and $20 of monthly usage; the bill starts at $20/mo, rises with the storage plan, and is capped at $100/mo. This is the core account for an owner who needs the full workspace.
• Member seat: C$10 a month. Has the same features as an owner seat and includes $10 monthly usage, with a $10/mo floor and a $30/mo cap. It gives additional team members the full feature set at a lower starting charge, though its cap is lower as well.
• Accountant role: free. Does not count against the seat limit and includes a $20 usage room; metered use can be billed up to $20/mo. This is the lowest-cost role for an accountant, but usage can still create a charge.
• Website add-on: C$10 a month. Adds a public website and $10 shared team usage while active; fees prorate when activated. It makes sense for a team that wants Stairkey’s website function, but adds a recurring fee.
• Accounting add-on: C$20 a month. Adds double-entry books and $20 shared team usage while active; fees prorate when activated. Teams that do not need the included accounting functions can leave this module off.

These seat and add-on charges make Stairkey less suited to a business seeking a permanently free plan. Teams should also account for AI’s separate per-use billing; the included monthly usage amounts and caps differ by role and module.

Platforms

Stairkey is available on Android, iOS, and the web. Its mobile workflow is aimed at quoting, checking the day’s work, and sending invoices from a job site, which is useful for teams that need office functions while away from a desk.

Who it's for

Stairkey is best for small businesses that want contractor operations and realty tools in the same workspace, especially in Canada, where its tax exports and HST/GST support are relevant. The linked quote-to-job process, portals, and optional accounting can cover several steps from winning work through administration. It is a weaker fit for solo users looking for a free tool, firms that need only basic estimates, or businesses that will not use its broader features and add-ons.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Approved quotes can generate organized jobs, connecting sales to tasks, schedules, crews, and materials.
• Pros: Contractor and realty tools sit together, with client and subcontractor portals for project coordination.
• Pros: Canadian tax support and year-end export formats address specific needs for Canadian businesses.
• Pros: The first month unlocks every feature without requiring a credit card.
• Cons: There is no ongoing free plan, and seat costs start after the first month.
• Cons: Website and accounting functions are add-ons, so businesses that need them pay extra monthly fees.
• Cons: AI charges are separate and usage-based, making that part of the bill depend on activity.
• Cons: The combined contractor and realty scope may be unnecessary for a business with a narrower workflow.

Alternatives

For a wider comparison, see Remodeling Contractor Software.

Choose Buildshop if a free plan with estimates, invoices, tasks, contact management, messaging, a project portfolio, and a bid center is a better starting point than Stairkey’s paid seats. Choose Buildxact if its free Go plan’s five complimentary credits, AI estimating, proposals, and Home Depot material ordering better match the work. Houzz offers a free plan with a 3D floor planner, estimates, and invoicing. Workhand is a free option when a small operation can work within one active job, one teammate, and monthly limits of three estimates and three invoices.

BuildBook, BuildTools Bidding, Build Method, and Buildern are also options to compare.

Verdict

Stairkey is a strong fit for a Canadian contractor or property-focused business that wants estimates, job coordination, realty workflows, and optional accounting connected in one workspace. The quote-to-job handoff and Canadian tax support are compelling reasons to choose it. Look elsewhere if a free ongoing plan or a focused estimating tool matters more than breadth, and check the seat, add-on, and AI charges against the way your team will use it.