# Page 2 | RIB BuildSmart Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Page 2 - Is RIB BuildSmart the right Accounting solution for you? Explore 83 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/156457/BuildSmart/reviews --- RIB BuildSmart 4.3 (83) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/156457/BuildSmart/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Page 2 - Reviews of RIB BuildSmart ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 26-50 of 83 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use FM Faustino M. Projects QS Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Efficient Feedback" January 12, 2026 4.0 What makes the experience is the readily available support system, and continues learning material issued from time to time Pros Financial and procurement reports which are readily available. Procurement system enables easy project procurement planning Candy integration with Build smart ensures for cashflow and resource management Ability to access it from anywhere and anytime and easy with which you can work on the system. Approval system promotes accountability in managing projects. Project related invoicing eases cashflow management Cons PDF default on report printing Inability to raise quotations on build smart and linking them to an invoice. Switched from [Standard ERP](https://www.capterra.com/p/92308/Standard-ERP/) We were looking for a system more suited to Construction Activities, where procurement can be controlled through the approval system and procurement Schedules are updated as the requisition Transend from a requisition to Purchase Order to Goods Received note and finally to a recorded cost on the contract. Review Source Response from RIB Software March 22, 2026 Hello Faustino, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback on BuildSmart. We are glad to hear that our support team and learning resources have made a positive difference. It is also great to know that the financial and procurement reports, approval workflows, and project invoicing are helping with project oversight and cash flow management. The integration with Candy is something many clients value, so it is great to hear it is working well for you too. We also appreciate you pointing out the report printing default and the quotation functionality. Feedback like this helps us continue improving the system. Rekha J. System Administrator Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Costing Tool , Robust" December 18, 2025 5.0 Satisfactory, Project-wise cost control, Budget vs actual tracking, Approval workflows, Vendor performance tracking Pros Procurement in BuildSmart refers to the end-to-end process of planning, purchasing, receiving, and paying for materials and services within the BuildSmart ERP system Cons Wages: Less usage, Users often face some practical limitations, especially at site level. High chance of data entry errors. Review Source Response from RIB Software March 27, 2026 Hello Rekha, Thank you for sharing your experience. We’re glad to hear that project cost control, budget tracking, approval workflows, and vendor performance monitoring are helping your team manage projects effectively. We also appreciate your feedback on wages and site-level data entry. This helps us identify areas to improve usability and accuracy for all users. DG Dale G. Quantity Surveyor Construction Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "RIB Candy and Buildsmart review" January 12, 2026 3.0 I come from a consulting QS back ground, where i used similar softwares, the software was more aimed at QS's, but was easier to manage and use than Candy. Candy is the leader in most construction based companies, and is widely used, but this can be improved. One major factor that could influence the South African market, would be the implementation of CostX, but due to the agreement made 25+ years ago, I do not think CostX will have a foothold in South Africa, with other software's claiming the limelight I am not sure how this influences 'RIB BuildSmart', but would affect RIB overall i would think Pros • Customer support is available to assist, where needed. • Tutorials on the different functionalities, but this is also over complicated and some webinars/training sessions are 'pay-to-learn' (The pay-to-learn may of only been the 'RIB Candy' webinars I have seen) Cons • Lengthy processes for tasks and menial tasks that do not provide value to a client. (Trying to over complicate the wheel) • Difficulty to extract the information you need • QTO!!!! it is a good program, with a lot of functionality, but it is very much under-utilized, the measuring component of the program needs a lot of improvement before I would consider using this in my private life or in a company one day (From a QS perspective). Switched from [RIB CostX](https://www.capterra.com/p/75416/CostX/) Change of working environment and employment to new company Review Source BT BINU T. Assistant general Manager Civil Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "My experience with RIB BUILDSMART" April 7, 2026 5.0 It is very user friendly software, Its structure giving cost breakdown details by way of ledger codes. It gives stock balances and helpful for monitoring purchase control etc. Pros CANDY with RIB BUILDSMART is very much helpful from estimating planning, cost control and project progress monitoring etc. It is very excellent software for construction industry. Cons Provision to upload actual cost to CANDY and able to check the cost and allowable. it helping for cost control and find out where it overshooting form the budget. Switched from [Tally](https://www.capterra.com/p/10032029/Tally/) Ut is helpful for cost control and project progress monitoring etc Review Source CB CRAIG B. CEO Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The pleasure of using RIB Buildsmart" July 1, 2025 5.0 Excellent in all respects, from the marketing and presentations, installation and maintenance of the system, as well as ongoing user backup. In other words, great service from the initial contact and onwards from there, including after sales service Pros the way it integrates with CCS Candy, as well as the fact that it perfectly suits the requirements of the construction industry, no matter how big or small the company or it's contracts are Cons The cost is relatively high, but that must be weighed against the benefits that the system provides. Switched from [Pastel](https://www.capterra.com/p/176456/Pastel/) Pastel was not suited to the construction environment, as it made no provision for subcontractors Review Source Response from RIB Software July 2, 2025 Hi Craig, Thank you so much for your thoughtful review and for highlighting the value RIB BuildSmart brings to the construction industry. We're especially glad to hear that the integration with RIB Candy and the support you’ve received from marketing and installation, to ongoing user backup has made a positive impact on your experience. We appreciate your feedback on pricing and are pleased to know that you see the value it brings to your business. Your insights are incredibly helpful to others in the industry, and we remain committed to supporting you every step of the way. Wishing you continued success in all your projects! PS Prudence S. Office Supervisor Civil Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "RIB Quality System" April 30, 2026 5.0 Purchasing experience and the traceable of old information from the system. Purchase Order approval system Pros It combines all organization transactions in one quality system and easily to work on RIB Buildsmart Cons Suppliers' information added on the system, particularly vat number it must give notification of expiry date. Review Source NS Nadine S. Chief Operating Officer Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great software for construction " July 1, 2025 5.0 It’s a great program to understand your contract costing. On the finance side the capturing of information is user friendly. Pros The costing reports that are available give detailed information about where you are making or losing money on the contracts. Cons Sometimes it logs you out and you don’t know so you carry on working only to realise later none of those items have been captured Switched from [PASTEL Moving Software](https://www.capterra.com/p/143849/PASTEL-Moving-Software/) It did not do a good job costing contracts and the reports were inadequate Review Source Response from RIB Software July 8, 2025 Dear Nadine, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with BuildSmart. We are pleased to hear that you find the detailed costing reports valuable in understanding your contract performance and that the finance features are user-friendly. We understand your frustration with the system occasionally logging you out without notification, leading to lost work. We have escalated this feedback to our technical team. If this issue persists, please don't hesitate to contact us directly via the support portal so we can investigate the root cause and provide a permanent solution. We appreciate your continued support and are committed to ensuring BuildSmart meets your needs every step of the way. Warm regards, The RIB Team MA Michelle A. Debtors Administrator Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Buildsmart Review " July 9, 2025 4.0 Overall good experience. Getting used to the new look and feel of the upgrade. Learning new features and benefits Pros Personalizing your home page to make it easier when choosing different options and easier to navigate Cons System doesnt always recognize when changing between entities. System kicks you out often if you havent used it for a few minutes Review Source Response from RIB Software February 9, 2026 Thank you for your feedback. We’re pleased to hear you’ve had a positive overall experience and are enjoying the new look, features, and the ability to personalize your home page. We also appreciate your comments regarding entity switching and session timeouts. This feedback has been noted and will be shared with our product team as we continue to improve performance and usability. LV Louis V. Project Manager Civil Engineering Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "RIB review" January 5, 2026 5.0 Great full suite for project management. Can be specific and hard to implement but reliability outweighs this. Pros Usable and reliable software with constant results. Consistency is experienced in every interactuon. Cons Outdated compared to newer software. Limited users allowed based on subscription. Expensive to implement full suite. Review Source Response from RIB Software March 27, 2026 Hello Louis, We appreciate your review. We are glad to learn that you like the stability and dependability of the system. We also value your input regarding implementation. Planning and change management are necessary when implementing a new system in construction companies, but the main objective is to create a solid foundation that facilitates long-term control and cooperation across projects. Once again, we appreciate your insightful comments. HS Harvey S. QS Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A review of RIB Buildsmart in South Africa" October 8, 2025 5.0 I am happy with RIB Buildsmart, we use it everyday and when you understand the capabilities, it can be a very useful software. Pros RIB Buildsmart is a must have in the South African construction industry, it ensures accuracy and uniformity, which increases control over the construction project and period. Cons RIB Buildsmart can be an overwhelming system to implement if you are unfamiliar with it. Time needs to be spent on training individuals, especially if nobody in the company is familiar with the software. Review Source Response from RIB Software February 9, 2026 Thank you for sharing your experience with RIB BuildSmart. We’re pleased to hear it plays a key role in your day-to-day operations, delivering the accuracy, uniformity, and control required in the South African construction environment. You are absolutely right that BuildSmart is a powerful system, and with that capability comes the need for proper onboarding and training. This is why we place strong emphasis on structured implementation, training, and ongoing support to ensure teams become confident and get full value from the system as efficiently as possible. SM Sinethemba M. Bookkeeper Accounting Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Support Efficiency " June 3, 2026 5.0 the best, would highly recommend RIB Buildsmart easy to use , userfriendly ,quick and fast edit and correction. Pros buildsmart errors can be corrected easily with the help of support they are very quick to help you if you have a problem Cons the is nothing not to like about buildsmart the system is designed to help you and it is easy to use Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Quantity Surveyor Civil Engineering Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Impressive Experience" July 14, 2025 5.0 It is reliable beyond doubt. The system is relatively available to users at all times which makes it the best Pros Its is error free that is the system can not corrupt or change after or when one is using the software Cons There is no adjustments after sending a request unless the request is open that is any adjustment one has to open the request first Review Source Response from RIB Software September 3, 2025 Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with RIB BuildSmart. We’re glad to hear that you find the system reliable. To better understand your concerns and provide direct support, please share your contact details or company name, and our local team will be happy to assist you. You can also reach out directly via RIB BuildSmart Marketing OM Onwell M. quantity surveyor Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "ON-Review 1" March 19, 2025 5.0 Buildsmart has bridged a gap from old sytstem of manual requisitions which was prone to certain margins of human errors. In my experience it has led to fast tracking of materials to be purchased and made delivery easier as you can match your order agaianst invoice from suppliers Pros Buildsmart now helps us track requisitions to orders, has established systems of control for orders to be paid. Buildsmart can also enhance tracking for delivery of orders which has been helpful and reduce work on stores. Basically, procurement of goods has been made easier as we can now manage to categorize costs in terms of cost codes hence when analysing allowable vs costs, in Candy it's easier to match costs against certain trades Cons Buildsmart has many categories that's procurement, account, payroll adminstrator hence I have only one access thats procurement hence their limitations in gaining knowledge on intergrating all three skills Review Source Response from RIB Software March 20, 2025 Thank you for sharing your experience with us. We're glad RIB BuildSmart has helped streamline procurement and improve cost tracking. We note your feedback on system access—thank you for highlighting it. We recommend that your system administrator get in contact with regional support and allow us the opportunity to address your concerns. We assure you of our continued support. Have a super day. HD Hugo D. Estimator - Contract Commercial Team Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "BuildSmart delivering for you." September 1, 2025 4.0 Overall experience is good and would recommend this anytime. it gives you a good level of confidence about costing and controll. Pros Package is easy to use and gives you control over orders vs allowable's. Assists with financial reporting and project management. Cons Network depending, the performance and speed sometimes do hold you back. but it is not a package constraint. Review Source Response from RIB Software September 3, 2025 Hi Hugo, Thank you for sharing your experience. We’re glad RIB BuildSmart helps you manage projects reliably and efficiently. We also appreciate your note about adjustments after sending requests. Your local support team can guide you on handling open requests for any changes needed IS Innocent S. Accountant Civil Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Junior Accountant Chronicles" February 4, 2025 5.0 Am so interested in the overall controls of the system, am keen on learning further about the system and grow my knowledge as a user Pros Easy to use and more than one way of doing things Cons So far nothing as i'm still learning the system Review Source Response from RIB Software March 13, 2025 Hi Innocent, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. It's much appreciated and very important to us and your fellow Users. We're glad to hear you're finding the system easy to use and are enjoying the learning process. We look forward to supporting you as you continue to grow your knowledge. MJ Mark J. Accountant Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Buildsmart needs to be more user friendly." March 25, 2025 2.0 I would choose any of the above accounting software before Buildsmart. Have your developer work with a qualified accountant who has been using other accounting and payroll software. Use other accounting software and compare it to Buildsmart. Pros Compared to other accounting and payroll software that I used, such as Xero, SAGE, QuickBooks, Pastel, Simple Pay, VIP, not much. Cons There is way, way, way too many options that has to be chosen for users, roles, settings, processing, etc. It is not very user friendly because of the above. Financial and user defined reports leave much to be desired. Review Source Response from RIB Software April 14, 2025 Hi Mark, We value your feedback on the administration, user settings, and reporting, as it plays a vital role in our development. We're eager to understand your concerns better and offer direct support. Please share your contact details or company name, and our team will be happy to assist you. RA Rahim A. Senior Cost Control and Senior Quantity Quantity Surveyor Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Best tools for construction candy and build smart " February 19, 2025 5.0 13 year in candy and 2 year in buildsmart i love it Pros CCS and buildsmart reporting system i love it Cons micro level capturing items combination of CCS Review Source Response from RIB Software March 13, 2025 Hi Rahim, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. It's much appreciated and very important to us and your fellow Users. We're glad to hear you're enjoying the reporting features in RIB BuildSmart and the combination with RIB Candy. We assure you of our continued support. Have a super day. JG Juan G. estimator Real Estate Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Powerful Construction Cost Control with Excellent Real-Time Tracking" May 5, 2026 4.0 Overall, it is a highly capable, industry-specific tool that takes the guesswork out of construction cost management. Once the initial setup is complete, it greatly streamlines financial workflows, purchase order approvals, and cost tracking across multiple projects. Pros The integration capabilities and the real-time visibility into project budgets versus actual costs. The ability to drill down to specific contract and activity levels gives us excellent control over procurement and project accounting. Cons The user interface feels a bit dated and text-heavy. Because it is such a robust and complex enterprise system, there is a steep learning curve for new team members during onboarding. Review Source MM Mosesenyane M. Contracts Manager Civil Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Great buildsmart" February 19, 2025 5.0 Great experience and well integrated with CCS Pros Security and control . With the levels of authority Cons User interface, its is not user friendly Review Source Response from RIB Software March 13, 2025 Dear, Mosesenyane, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. It's much appreciated and very important to us and your fellow Users. We assure you of our continued support. Have a super day. JK Jans K. Contracts Manager Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "It's fine, I guess" August 26, 2024 3.0 Been using it for about 8 years and will probably continue to do so since it fills a niche in the market with few competitors, however there are lots of room for improvement. Pros Detailed records and reports available, synergizes nicely with other software. Cons Unpredictable crashes, customer support that are not able to fix issues. Review Source Response from RIB Software April 2, 2025 We truly appreciate your continued use of BuildSmart over the past eight years and are glad to hear you've found value in its reporting and integration features. Your feedback on system stability and support is invaluable. Please share your contact details or company name, and our team will reach out to address your concerns directly. PM Pheeha M. Quantity Surveyor Mining & Metals Used the software for: 2+ years ### "RIB BuildSmart Software Review. " August 14, 2024 5.0 RIB BuildSmart is user friendly and yet comprehensive software that one can use to manage finances of the projects and business overall. it is financial software that a recommend for construction businesses as it tailored for such type of businesses. The ability to report live information on the ground is absolute essential. Pros One of the aspects I appreciate most about Build Smart is its ability to offer real-time financial updates for the project and the entire business. Its integration with CCS guarantees that data is more precise and reduces the frequency of irregularities that could compromise the accuracy of the data and the reliability of the reports. Cons I have nothing much about the downside and believe with training you get better and faster in completing tasks. I must say at times the programme gets slow and it kicks you out and you need to login again and again. Review Source Response from RIB Software March 13, 2025 Hi Pheeha, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. It's much appreciated and very important to us and your fellow Users. We're pleased to hear that the real-time financial updates and integration with RIB are adding value to your work. We assure you of our continued support. Have a super day. BR Benoit R. GM Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Bad Experience " July 31, 2024 1.0 Very bad and disappointing. I will not recommend using this crap. Pros Real time reporting, with tons of features which are sometime useless Cons The support is not in line with the customer requirements. Reason for choosing RIB BuildSmart Because we were already on Candy and had very good experience there Review Source Response from RIB Software August 21, 2024 Dear Benoit, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback on RIB BuildSmart. We value your perspective and regret that your recent experience did not meet your expectations. We understand that response times to development requests have been a significant concern for you. We appreciate your candid feedback on this issue, as it helps us identify areas for improvement. Please be assured that we are actively working to address these concerns to better align our support with your requirements. It's encouraging to hear that you've found substantial value in our system since you began using it in 2021, and that your experience with Candy has been positive. We are committed to ensuring that RIB BuildSmart continues to deliver the high level of functionality and support you expect. We are confident that with the steps we are taking, you will see improvements in our service and response times. We hope this will lead to a more favorable experience moving forward. Thank you again for you ES ESTHER S. FINANCE MANAGER Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "BSmart review by s.e" July 31, 2024 5.0 Excellent system, there isnt anything that you cannot do with that system especially combined with Candy Pros It is construction specific so tailored to produce cost reports, planning and evaluation is made easy Cons Setup if you do not have dedicated time for that it takes time to understand the whole flowchart of processes Switched from [Standard ERP](https://www.capterra.com/p/92308/Standard-ERP/) Failed to get relevant project cost reports Review Source Response from RIB Software August 6, 2024 Dear Esther, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. It's much appreciated and very important to us and your fellow Users. We assure you of our continued support. Have a super day. ZB Zanele B. Quantity Surveyor Construction Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Journey to mastering buildsmart" July 5, 2024 4.0 I enjoy learning to do certain things on CCS and want to get to master navigating the system Pros The convenience in getting the kind of report as a quantity surveyor at the quickest time and at ease. Cons Some reports are not as easy to get, If there was an option to have video clips that explains some if the frequently asked questions without having to set up a meeting Review Source Response from RIB Software July 19, 2024 Dear Zanel, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. It's much appreciated and very important to us and your fellow Users. We encourage you to watch our HowTo Webinars series available on this link https://www.rib-software.com/en/training/rib-buildsmart. We assure you of our continued support. Have a super day. LS Lindiwe S. Costing Clerk Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Best Application" August 14, 2024 5.0 Best application ever and also less time consuming Pros It saves time and most efficiency. Very simple Cons Not being to connect on wireless network Review Source Response from RIB Software March 13, 2025 Hi Lindiwe, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. It's much appreciated and very important to us and your fellow Users. We're glad to hear you’re finding the application simple, efficient, and time-saving. We assure you of our continued support. Have a super day. Similar Products Featured ## Send me user reviews about this product ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox.