Honest Comparison
SubTrade vs Raken: Field reporting, or the whole operation?
Raken is a well-liked field app for daily reports, time cards, photos, and toolbox talks. SubTrade does all of that, just as easily, and then keeps going: change orders, crew scheduling, drawings, and real-time job costing, all in one app that stays simple to use.
No credit card required. An honest comparison for trade subs.
The short answer
Which one fits you
You only ever need daily reports and time cards, and you are happy running change orders, scheduling, and costing in other tools.
You want the same easy field reporting plus the whole operation, change orders, scheduling, drawings, and live job costing, in one simple app.
The spec sheet
At a glance
SubTrade does everything Raken does in the field, just as simply, and then covers the rest of the operation too. Here is how they line up.
| SubTrade | Raken | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Trade subcontractors, the full operation | Field reporting and time cards |
| Daily logs & photos | Yes, just as easy | Yes, a core strength |
| Time tracking | Yes, same ease, plus job costing | Yes, time cards |
| Change order management | Core, field-first | Limited, not a focus |
| Crew scheduling | Yes | Limited |
| Drawings & markups | Yes | Limited |
| Real-time labor cost & margin | Core feature | Time data, less margin focus |
| Pricing | From $299/mo CAD, all-in | Quote-based, per user |
Pricing as publicly available. Raken is quote-based, confirm on their site.
Built for your side of the job
Where SubTrade wins for subcontractors
SubTrade matches Raken on easy field reporting, then covers the rest of the operation, without making the app any harder to use.
The Whole Job, Still Simple
Change orders, scheduling, drawings, and costing alongside your daily logs, and the app stays as easy as Raken to actually use.
Change Orders That Pay
Priced and sent from the field before the extra is done, so the revenue does not slip away.
Real-Time Margin
Labor cost and margin per project, not just hours captured on a time card.
Scheduling & Drawings
Crew scheduling and current drawings live in the same place as your logs and photos.
Just As Easy In The Field
GPS and time-stamped daily logs with photos, every bit as quick as Raken, so you give up nothing on ease.
Built By A Real Sub
Out of a working commercial drywall company in Calgary. Every feature survived a real jobsite.
In fairness
Where Raken wins
Raken is polished and genuinely easy for field documentation. If daily reporting is the only thing you will ever need, it does that one job nicely. SubTrade is built for the same ease, so the question is less about who reports better and more about whether you want the rest of the operation in the same simple app.
Pricing comparison
What you actually pay
Raken is quote-based and priced per user, focused on field reporting. SubTrade is $299 per month CAD all-in, covering reporting and change orders, scheduling, drawings, and job costing.
For a sub running the whole job, SubTrade replaces several separate tools with one simple app, without adding the complexity that usually comes with more features.
Built for the trades, by the trades. Confirm current competitor pricing before relying on these figures.
Who should choose SubTrade?
- You like Raken's daily reports
- But you stitch it together with other apps
- For change orders, scheduling, and costing
- You want the whole operation in one app
Questions, answered straight
SubTrade vs Raken FAQ
Is SubTrade a good Raken alternative?
Yes, if you need more than daily reports. SubTrade includes daily logs plus change orders, scheduling, drawings, and job costing in one app.
Does SubTrade do daily reports like Raken?
Yes. GPS and time-stamped daily logs with photos, plus the broader sub toolkit Raken does not focus on.
Comparisons reflect general product positioning and publicly available information; check each vendor for current features and pricing. Raken is a trademark of its respective owner.