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VariationFlow vs Archdesk
Construction project management and ERP software for contractors, subcontractors and owners: estimating, variations, applications for payment, site records and the CVR on one platform, synced with an accounting package rather than replacing the ledger.
Checked 10 October 2026 against Archdesk’s own public pages
Choose Archdesk if
You want one platform across estimating, project management, applications, site records and the CVR for a business running many packages, quoted to your user count or construction volume and set up with implementation support.
Choose VariationFlow if
You want variations captured on site, the NEC4 subcontract, JCT and Construction Act clocks worked out for you as the subcontractor being paid, and a CVR, on a published price you can start free.
Side by side
| VariationFlow | Archdesk | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is built for | VariationFlowUK specialist subcontractors working under main contractors: fit-out, dry lining, flooring, electrical, mechanical, fire protection, roofing and groundworks among them. Domestic builders have a plan of their own. | ArchdeskSubcontractors and specialist contractors who run many packages at once, by its own UK pages, as well as main contractors and owners.Sources12 |
| Pricing | VariationFlowPublished. VariationFlow is £200 a month + VAT with unlimited users; VariationFlow + QA Flow £400; Builder £49 for domestic builders. 6-month minimum term, 20% off annually. | ArchdeskQuoted, not published: a fixed number of users, or unlimited users priced on annual construction volume, with every module, implementation and support included. Its terms bill annually in advance and renew for 12 months. Capterra UK lists a starting price of £690 a month.Sources123 |
| Variations from site | VariationFlowCaptured on site on a phone in about a minute: photos, a voice note, the location and the requester’s signature. Each gets a project reference and goes to the main contractor with a review link that needs no account. | ArchdeskVariations priced against their cost lines and routed for client sign-off online before the work, then carried into the application for payment and the CVR. Offline capture is stated for site forms and the site diary.Sources12 |
| UK contract and payment deadlines | VariationFlowNEC4 subcontract compensation event clocks (61.3 notification, 62.3 and 62.6 quotation), JCT confirmation of verbal instructions, and Construction Act payment dates: due date, payment notice, pay less notice and final date. | ArchdeskPayment notices and pay less notices supported, described from the side of paying a subcontractor, and approvals “including NEC contracts”. JCT, NEC4 compensation events and the Construction Act are not named on its product pages; a March 2026 blog post describes JCT and NEC tools.Sources123 |
| Cost value reconciliation | VariationFlowA CVR per project and period: value from your valuations, cost by head with accruals and provisions, and your QS’s forecast, with a portfolio view across jobs. | ArchdeskA monthly CVR produced from live commitment, valuation and cost records at project and portfolio level, with earned value, cost to complete and cash-flow forecasting.Source |
| Accounts, ERP and CIS | VariationFlowNot an ERP. It holds no ledger, runs no payroll, files no CIS returns and raises no purchase orders. Costs come in from an export of your accounts package. | ArchdeskA construction ERP that sits beside the accounting ledger rather than replacing it, syncing with the main accounting packages. CIS is supported for subcontractor payments.Sources12 |
| Mobile app and no signal | VariationFlowiPhone and Android app that captures with or without signal and sends when the phone is back online, in the crew’s own language. | ArchdeskAn iOS and Android app, Archdesk Lite. Offline capture is stated for site forms and the site diary.Sources12 |
| Free plan or trial | VariationFlowFree for your first job: 1 project and 2 users, no card. | ArchdeskA free plan or free trial is not stated; the ways in are a contact form and a demo.Source |
Questions
- How much does Archdesk cost?
- Archdesk publishes no price list. It quotes per user, or for unlimited users on your annual construction volume, with every module included. Capterra UK lists a starting price of £690 a month. VariationFlow publishes its prices and is free for your first job.
- Is Archdesk built for subcontractors?
- Its UK pages say it is built for subcontractors and specialist contractors running many packages at once, as well as main contractors and owners. Its payment notice and pay less notice support is described from the side of paying a subcontractor.
- What does VariationFlow do for the subcontractor being paid?
- It works out the payment dates on your own applications, from the due date to the final date for payment, flags a pay less notice from the main contractor that appears to be out of time, and tracks the NEC4 subcontract compensation event clocks you have to meet.
Sources
- https://archdesk.com/en-gb/who-we-serve/subcontractors
- https://archdesk.com/en-gb
- https://archdesk.com/en-gb/pricing
- https://archdesk.com/terms-of-service-and-privacy-policy
- https://www.capterra.co.uk/software/159905/archdesk
- https://archdesk.com/en-gb/solutions/variations
- https://archdesk.com/solutions/site-forms
- https://archdesk.com/en-gb/solutions/applications-for-payment
- https://archdesk.com/en-gb/solutions/project-cost-controls
- https://archdesk.com/blog/jct-nec-contracts-uk-guide-2026
- https://archdesk.com/en-gb/solutions/erp
- https://archdesk.com/en-gb/solutions/invoicing
- https://archdesk.com/mobile
- https://archdesk.com/solutions/site-diary
- https://archdesk.com/en-gb/get-started
What this page says about Archdesk comes from the sources above, read on 10 October 2026. “Not stated on their public pages” means we could not find it said there, not that the product lacks it. Archdesk is a trade mark of its owner, who has not reviewed this page. Something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we will correct it.