Lien waiver software: what to compare before you pick one

Lien waiver software falls into three kinds: tools that generate or sign the waiver form, tools that collect and track waivers from your subs, and construction suites that include waivers as one module. Pick by the job you cannot get done today. If it is writing the form, you want the first kind; if it is getting subs to send signed copies back before the pay app, you want the second.

This guide compares by approach, not by brand, so it does not go stale when a vendor changes its plans. It does not tell you which waiver form your state requires; that depends on the state and your contract.

What kinds of lien waiver software are there?

Many products overlap. Read what each does in the month-end week, not the feature list.

What should a general contractor check first?

Check these five things:

1. Who sends the request? The tool, or you?
2. Who reminds? Reminders that run without you are the largest saving; manual ones are a spreadsheet.
3. How do subs return it? A no-login link is easier than an account for a sub who works with you twice a year.
4. What do you see at the end? One list of who is missing across all projects.
5. What does it cost for your project count? Compare the price at the number of projects you run, not the headline.

On time, one vendor claims waiver collection takes up to an hour per project per month. That is a vendor figure, so measure your own: count the hours one month and use it against the price.

What does it cost?

Some collection tools list from $49 a month and some plans for general contractors start near $200, while suites are often sold per project or per seat. Check each vendor's current plan page, because tiers change. Waiver Chase is a flat monthly price for up to 25 active projects, with the price shown on the landing page.

What does Waiver Chase do?

Waiver Chase is a collect-and-track tool for general contractors. For each project and month, it emails each sub exactly what is missing with a no-login upload link, reminds the ones who have not sent it on weekday mornings, then stops and lists them in your digest. Subs upload a signed PDF or photo up to 4 MB with the signer's name and date; you accept each one or send it back with a reason. You get a tracker per project, an exceptions list across projects, a CSV export, and a ZIP packet of accepted waivers and COIs for the draw, with a cover sheet listing anything still missing.

It also tracks certificate of insurance expiry dates and asks for a renewal 30 days before.

What does it not do?

• It does not supply waiver forms or give legal advice. You attach your own state's form to each project.
• It has no e-signature: subs sign outside it and upload the signed copy.
• It does not read the contents of a waiver or a certificate, so you check each one.
• It has no connection to Procore or your accounting system. You bring your subs in with a CSV or Excel list.

If you need any of those, a form generator or a suite fits better, and you can still pair one with a tracker.

How do I try it without committing?

The free run on this page takes up to ten of your own subs, pasted from your spreadsheet, and builds this month's lien waiver tracker with the exact email each sub would get. Nothing is sent to your subs.

If you track by hand today, the lien waiver tracking spreadsheet shows the sheet to compare against, and lien waiver management walks through the monthly routine.

FAQ

Is lien waiver software the same as lien waiver forms?

No. Forms are the document a sub signs; software is how you request, collect and track them. Some products do both, others only one.

Do I need a tool if I have only a few projects?

Probably not at first. A spreadsheet works for a few projects, and the point to move is when the chasing, not the tracking, takes your time.

Does software make a waiver legally valid?

No. Validity depends on the form and your state's law. Ask your attorney; a tracking tool only records what was sent and received.