Alternatives to HandsHQ for Small Builders (UK 2026)
For UK small builders comparing HandsHQ alternatives, The Site Book is the clearest fit when you need more than RAMS. It covers RAMS, CPP, COSHH, inductions, toolbox talks, worker sign-off, plus Business site attendance, files, portal users, document reviews, subcontractor evidence and inspections/actions. Pricing is Starter £0, Pro £39/month or £360/year, Business £199/month.
This guide is primarily for smaller builders comparing HandsHQ alternatives. HandsHQ serves individuals as well as larger teams, so the decision is about workflow rather than company size alone. The Site Book is the closest wider-scope alternative when you need RAMS, CPP, COSHH, inductions and worker sign-off together; Haspod suits template-library buyers, RAMS Pro suits RAMS-led teams, and CDM Wizard is a free fallback. Contractors with approximately 10 to 50 staff should also review The Site Book Business and the full HandsHQ comparison.
Starter £0; Pro £39/mo or £360/yr; Business £199/mo
£799/yr (annual upfront)
Free; GBP15-45/mo
Free
Team size
1 internal user on Pro; 10 management logins and 50 active site portal users on Business. Any invited seat can be a field-only Site Supervisor limited to assigned sites/projects. Worker document signing has no per-signature charge; Business can optionally require a 4-digit PIN for shared-link sign-off, and project workers count as active portal users while assigned
1–50
Small-mid
Any -small/domestic jobs
Best for
UK builders and principal contractors - from sole traders to builder-run firms of around 50 staff - who need CDM documents plus lightweight site H&S operations: RAMS, CPP, COSHH, inductions, toolbox talks, site attendance, site files, document review evidence, subcontractor evidence and worker/visitor portal access.
Small-to-mid UK businesses (sole trader up to ~50 users) that prefer browsing an 810+ template library and customising by hand, and are comfortable with annual-only upfront commitments. Documents / Training / Talks are sold as separate annual subscriptions or bundled in the Pro Plan.
UK contractors who want AI RAMS on a low monthly tier, with COSHH, inductions, inspections, toolbox talks, and other modules from Pro upward.
Builders on small or domestic works who want a free tick-box questionnaire that generates a compliant CDM 2015 Construction Phase Plan.
Not ideal for
New product (launched 2026) -smaller customer base and shorter track record than established tools like HandsHQ.
Annual-only billing with no monthly option and no automatic renewal -every plan requires a £799+VAT upfront commitment for 12 months, which is a heavy lift for sole traders testing the product.
Document and back-office user limits apply on the lower tiers, so growing teams need to watch usage and plan fit.
Scoped to a single CPP for small or domestic works — no RAMS, COSHH, method statements, inductions, permits or worker tracking.
RAMS
AI-generated, site-specific, edit in-browser.
Via template library
AI RAMS generator with monthly limits.
CPP
Full Construction Phase Plans - not just RAMS.
Template
Pro/Enterprise module.
Questionnaire-driven Construction Phase Plan generator for small/domestic projects; emailable branded PDF.
COSHH
Standalone COSHH document + site-specific register, SDS upload with extraction, and construction-focused library entries that appear in search only after review.
Template
Pro/Enterprise add-on module.
Method statements
Template library
Site inductions
Workers sign from their phone - on Business, key H&S details are readable in 9 languages.
Training Plan add-on
Pro/Enterprise add-on module.
Multilingual inductions (9 languages)
On the Business plan, workers read and acknowledge key H&S details in 9 languages; the language used is recorded in the audit trail and translations are site-team reviewable.
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—
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Worker cert tracking
Cert plus right-to-work evidence records, with expiry reminders.
Training matrix on Pro/Enterprise.
Incident log
Accident records on Pro/Enterprise.
Permits to work
Template only
Site diary
Pro includes editable daily entries; owner/admin deletion is permanent, while a Business Site Supervisor's delete can be restored. Live entries and photo counts appear in the Audit Pack.
Site logbook present in the app bundle.
Subcontractor tracking
Engineers and client contacts.
Toolbox talks
Talks Plan add-on
Pro/Enterprise add-on module.
Site attendance
Business includes check-in/check-out and live H&S attendance.
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Site portal
Business includes up to 50 active site portal users.
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Site files
Drawings, plans, H&S docs, procedures, RAMS, CPP and emergency information.
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—
Document review
Business review status and history, plus optional named-approver routing (accept/reject each version with recorded reasons before issue) and client review via share links.
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Subcontractor evidence
Business evidence record, review and archive workflow.
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Site inspections
Business inspections with checklist items.
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Pro/Enterprise add-on module.
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Corrective actions
Business corrective actions with owner, due date and completion state.
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Site snagging modules cover some actions.
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PCPP import
Upload an existing PCPP and reuse the structure.
Document checking
Data export
Includes the Audit Pack: one merged PDF covering documents, sign-offs, worker evidence, attendance, incidents, COSHH, permits and up to the latest 500 live Site Diary entries.
PDF/DOC download
AI chat
RAMS / CPP / COSHH generation
The flagship: generates site-specific UK RAMS, CPP and COSHH from a plain-English brief.
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Right to work
Right-to-work evidence records with expiry reminders, alongside cert tracking.
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Mobile app
Workers sign and get inducted from their phone browser with nothing to install; a native builder app is in development, not yet in the public app stores.
—
—
—
QR / mobile sign-in
Site Control (per-site tier) adds a permanent entrance QR for sign-in/out from the worker's phone.
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Contractor self-onboarding
Site Control (per-site tier) adds contractor self-join via the entrance QR with CSCS upload and approval.
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—
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RFIs
Site Control (per-site tier) adds RFIs - create, attach, comment, answer and close.
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RAMS sign-off (per worker)
Per-worker RAMS sign-off is tracked on Business; an optional 4-digit PIN adds shared-link identity evidence, and Site Control can block check-in until the current version is signed.
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Live people-on-site
Business adds a live people-on-site H&S view plus evacuation and muster roll-call.
—
—
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Document-review evidence
Business keeps version history with a per-version record of review, issue and worker acknowledgement.
—
—
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Multi-site dashboard & exports
Unlimited projects with account-wide exports and the merged Audit Pack; no cross-site rollup dashboard below the Site Control tier.
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SSOW
Delivered as the method statement inside the RAMS rather than a separate safe-system-of-work document.
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Reading this table: a tick means supported, a dash means partly supported, and a cross means we checked and it is not supported. An em dash (—) means we have not verified that capability for that product either way — treat it as unknown, not as a missing feature, and check with the vendor.
Why this matters
Most alternatives pages target users upgrading from a cheap tool to something more serious. This one targets a different move: builders who find HandsHQ's RAMS allowances or team workflow do not match their jobs. HandsHQ serves individuals as well as enterprise teams. For a small builder, the deciding question is whether a RAMS-led product or one project-centred workflow for RAMS, CPP, COSHH, inductions, sign-off, attendance, files and evidence is the better fit.
Who each tool is for
At-a-glance fit per product - pulled from the same data that drives the snapshot table.
The Site Book
Best for
UK builders and principal contractors - from sole traders to builder-run firms of around 50 staff - who need CDM documents plus lightweight site H&S operations: RAMS, CPP, COSHH, inductions, toolbox talks, site attendance, site files, document review evidence, subcontractor evidence and worker/visitor portal access.
Not ideal for
New product (launched 2026) -smaller customer base and shorter track record than established tools like HandsHQ.
Team size
1 internal user on Pro; 10 management logins and 50 active site portal users on Business. Any invited seat can be a field-only Site Supervisor limited to assigned sites/projects. Worker document signing has no per-signature charge; Business can optionally require a 4-digit PIN for shared-link sign-off, and project workers count as active portal users while assigned
Haspod
Best for
Small-to-mid UK businesses (sole trader up to ~50 users) that prefer browsing an 810+ template library and customising by hand, and are comfortable with annual-only upfront commitments. Documents / Training / Talks are sold as separate annual subscriptions or bundled in the Pro Plan.
Not ideal for
Annual-only billing with no monthly option and no automatic renewal -every plan requires a £799+VAT upfront commitment for 12 months, which is a heavy lift for sole traders testing the product.
Team size
1–50
RAMS Pro
Best for
UK contractors who want AI RAMS on a low monthly tier, with COSHH, inductions, inspections, toolbox talks, and other modules from Pro upward.
Not ideal for
Document and back-office user limits apply on the lower tiers, so growing teams need to watch usage and plan fit.
Team size
Small-mid
CDM Wizard
Best for
Builders on small or domestic works who want a free tick-box questionnaire that generates a compliant CDM 2015 Construction Phase Plan.
Not ideal for
Scoped to a single CPP for small or domestic works — no RAMS, COSHH, method statements, inductions, permits or worker tracking.
Team size
Any -small/domestic jobs
The bottom line
Pick the option that matches how your team actually works.
Choose The Site Book if…
If you're under five people and HandsHQ's RAMS allowances or wider team workflow do not fit your jobs, The Site Book is a clean alternative. Starter is £0, Pro is £39/month or £360/year, Business is £199/month, and optional setup is £249 one-off. HandsHQ's individual plans also offer direct signup, so compare document scope and allowances rather than assuming it is entirely demo-gated.
Recommended for: Under 5 people - sole trader or micro-team downsizing from HandsHQ
Choose The Site Book if…
If you're a five-to-ten person firm downsizing from HandsHQ because the enterprise workflow is heavier than your jobs need, The Site Book or Haspod both make sense. The Site Book wins on monthly pricing, AI document generation, assigned-site Site Supervisors, optional PIN evidence for shared-link document sign-off, portal users, site attendance, diary controls, files and the Audit Pack; Haspod wins if you want a hand-editable template library.
Recommended for: 5 to 10 people - outgrowing entry tools but nowhere near enterprise
Why switch to The Site Book
✓Clear pricing: Starter £0, Pro £39/mo or £360/yr, Business £199/mo.
✓Optional setup is £249 one-off for teams who want help; it is not a subscription.
✓The free first project lets you test wider CDM output without buying an individual RAMS plan or booking a team demo.
✓Pro includes the merged Audit Pack; Business adds assigned-site supervisors, optional PIN evidence for shared-link document sign-off, supervisor diary correction controls, attendance and files.
✓Predictable cost planning - you know the exact annual bill before committing to a paid plan.
Full breakdown per product
Strengths, weaknesses, fit, and the sources every claim came from.
Starter £0; Pro £39/mo or £360/yr; Business £199/mo
Best for
UK builders and principal contractors - from sole traders to builder-run firms of around 50 staff - who need CDM documents plus lightweight site H&S operations: RAMS, CPP, COSHH, inductions, toolbox talks, site attendance, site files, document review evidence, subcontractor evidence and worker/visitor portal access.
Team size
1 internal user on Pro; 10 management logins and 50 active site portal users on Business. Any invited seat can be a field-only Site Supervisor limited to assigned sites/projects. Worker document signing has no per-signature charge; Business can optionally require a 4-digit PIN for shared-link sign-off, and project workers count as active portal users while assigned
Sweet spot
A builder-run principal contractor on a domestic or commercial project who needs ready-to-sign CDM documents, worker sign-off, a live people-on-site view, practical site files, subcontractor evidence records and lightweight inspections/actions - without a dedicated H&S department to run them.
Strengths
UK construction compliance tool that ships RAMS + CPP + COSHH + inductions (readable and acknowledgeable in 9 worker languages on Business, with the language audit-recorded) + worker sign-off, including optional 4-digit shared-link PIN evidence on Business, plus site attendance, portal users, site files, document reviews, subcontractor evidence and inspections/actions.
Generate a site-specific RAMS first draft from a natural-language brief in under five minutes, ready for competent-person review - not a template library you hand-fill.
Controlled document workflow without an enterprise contract: version history and a recorded issue confirmation before a document is shared with a client or downloaded in the app on every plan, re-sign on revision with superseded signatures preserved plus PCPP import, cert tracking and document checking from the £39/month Pro plan - and on Business, optional named-approver routing (a designated approver accepts or rejects each version, with recorded reasons, before it can be issued) plus client approve/reject/request-changes via share links.
Transparent pricing: Starter £0, Pro £39/month or £360/year, Business £199/month with 10 management logins and 50 active site portal users. Worker document signing has no per-signature charge; project workers count as active portal users while assigned.
Build RAMS for any trade - add your own work types and method statements alongside the built-in library, reusable across projects, including a ready-made Commercial Solar PV group. Save a finished job as a reusable project template, or clone it, so the next job of the same shape starts from your own setup.
COSHH goes deep: a standalone COSHH assessment document, upload-a-Safety-Data-Sheet extraction, a site-specific substance register and an expert-reviewed library - plus per-worker RAMS sign-off and a one-click Audit Pack covering documents, sign-offs, worker evidence, attendance, incidents, COSHH, permits and up to the latest 500 live Site Diary entries.
Weaknesses
New product (launched 2026) -smaller customer base and shorter track record than established tools like HandsHQ.
Procore integration is in final testing rather than publicly launched -until it ships, compliance docs export as PDFs rather than syncing into Procore. A public REST API and signed webhooks are live on the Site Control tier; Autodesk Construction Cloud is not integrated.
Site files are a practical portal for drawings, plans and procedures, not formal drawing revision control.
UK-focused content (CDM 2015, HSE guidance) -international contractors on non-UK projects would need to adapt the output.
Check the product detail
These maintained Help Centre guides show exactly how the controls behind this comparison work.
Small-to-mid UK businesses (sole trader up to ~50 users) that prefer browsing an 810+ template library and customising by hand, and are comfortable with annual-only upfront commitments. Documents / Training / Talks are sold as separate annual subscriptions or bundled in the Pro Plan.
Team size
1–50
Sweet spot
SME builders and sole traders who want a template library they can browse, download, and hand-edit -not an AI document generator -and who are willing to commit to 12-month upfront billing.
Strengths
Mature 20,000+ user membership with an 810+ template library covering RAMS, method statements, CDM templates, COSHH, and forms -the broadest out-of-the-box template catalogue in UK CDM compliance.
Pro Plan bundles Documents + Training + Talks for £997/yr with a ~28% bundle discount -cheaper than buying all three as separate annual subscriptions.
SME-friendly pricing tiers mean a sole trader can start on the Talks Plan (£99/yr) for toolbox content and scale to Documents (£799/yr) as volume grows.
Each membership plan includes 10 users before extra-user pricing applies.
Weaknesses
Annual-only billing with no monthly option and no automatic renewal -every plan requires a £799+VAT upfront commitment for 12 months, which is a heavy lift for sole traders testing the product.
Documents, Training, and Talks are separate subscriptions unless you step up to the £997/yr Pro Plan -costs stack fast if you want the full CDM suite and toolbox content together.
Extra users add annual cost: Documents and Training list £30+VAT/year each, Talks lists £15+VAT/year, and Pro lists £45+VAT/year.
No AI document generation -every template must be hand-customized for each site, which keeps RAMS production slow compared with AI-assisted generators.
No worker certificate tracking, incident log, permit system, or site diary -the library covers documents but not the ongoing site-operations layer.
UK contractors who want AI RAMS on a low monthly tier, with COSHH, inductions, inspections, toolbox talks, and other modules from Pro upward.
Team size
Small-mid
Sweet spot
A small contractor writing regular RAMS that is happy with monthly document limits and can accept broader site modules being tier-gated.
Strengths
Low published entry point: free tier, Basic at GBP15/mo, Pro at GBP25/mo, and Enterprise at GBP45/mo.
Pro and Enterprise include a broad set of add-on modules: COSHH, toolbox talks, site inspections, site inductions, asset register, training matrix, accident records, site snagging, and environmental assessments.
AI RAMS positioning and digital signatures make it more modern than a static template library.
Weaknesses
Document and back-office user limits apply on the lower tiers, so growing teams need to watch usage and plan fit.
The broader site modules are tier-gated; Basic is still mainly RAMS, templates, notifications, engineers, signatures, contacts, and PDF export.
Permits to work and PCPP import are not clearly published in the current public pricing/module data.
Short, straight answers - the same questions real builders ask.
Why switch from HandsHQ if I'm a small builder?
HandsHQ is a credible RAMS platform and its individual plans offer direct signup. A small builder might still switch because those plans limit RAMS volume, while the team ladder is organised by author-user bands and adds annual billing plus setup. The Site Book is the better fit when the main requirement is one project-centred workflow for RAMS, CPPs, inductions, sign-off and wider site records.
How much is HandsHQ for a 5-person firm?
HandsHQ publishes individual RAMS plans at £44, £99 and £190 per month for one, three and six RAMS respectively. A five-person authoring team would need to compare the Small team plan, published from £275 per month for up to ten users and billed annually plus setup. The Site Book publishes Starter at £0, Pro at £39/month or £360/year, and Business at £199/month.
What's the closest alternative to HandsHQ for a sole trader?
The Site Book is the closest like-for-like scope match for a sole trader, but priced and built for smaller firms. It is not RAMS-only: it covers RAMS, CPP, COSHH records, site inductions, toolbox talks, worker sign-off, and wider CDM paperwork. Business adds 10 internal logins, 50 active portal users, site attendance, files and evidence workflows for £199/month.
Can I export from HandsHQ to another tool?
HandsHQ lets you download completed RAMS as PDFs. The Site Book does not import a HandsHQ RAMS PDF as an editable RAMS, so retain exported files for the audit record or add them to project files, then recreate documents you need to revise. Its PCPP import is specifically for an existing pre-construction phase plan, not a general competitor-document importer. Test the move on one live project first.
Is there a free HandsHQ alternative for small builders?
CDM Wizard is the free fallback — it ships a basic CDM 2015 questionnaire and PDF output for nothing, which suits builders who need one document for one job and cannot justify monthly spend. The Site Book's own free tier lets you create a real project and generate a real RAMS at no cost with no credit card, which is usually a better starting point for anyone planning more than one job per year.
How we built this comparison
HandsHQ individual and team pricing, RAMS features and Training Register features were checked against current first-party pages on 2026-07-21.
Every pricing, feature, and fit claim in this comparison is checked against public vendor documentation and, where relevant, independent sources. The “source basis” footer on each product card lists the exact URLs and the date we fetched them. The internal freshness dashboard flags source evidence after 45 days; priority pricing is scheduled for monthly review and feature or ownership claims for quarterly review. Last reviewed on .
Content owner: The Site Book editorial team. Reviewed by: Nicola Dobbie. Approved: . Next review due: .
UK construction compliance tool that ships RAMS + CPP + COSHH + inductions (readable and acknowledgeable in 9 worker languages on Business, with the language audit-recorded) + worker sign-off, including optional 4-digit shared-link PIN evidence on Business, plus site attendance, portal users, site files, document reviews, subcontractor evidence and inspections/actions.
Generate a site-specific RAMS first draft from a natural-language brief in under five minutes, ready for competent-person review - not a template library you hand-fill.
Controlled document workflow without an enterprise contract: version history and a recorded issue confirmation before a document is shared with a client or downloaded in the app on every plan, re-sign on revision with superseded signatures preserved plus PCPP import, cert tracking and document checking from the £39/month Pro plan - and on Business, optional named-approver routing (a designated approver accepts or rejects each version, with recorded reasons, before it can be issued) plus client approve/reject/request-changes via share links.
Transparent pricing: Starter £0, Pro £39/month or £360/year, Business £199/month with 10 management logins and 50 active site portal users. Worker document signing has no per-signature charge; project workers count as active portal users while assigned.
Build RAMS for any trade - add your own work types and method statements alongside the built-in library, reusable across projects, including a ready-made Commercial Solar PV group. Save a finished job as a reusable project template, or clone it, so the next job of the same shape starts from your own setup.
COSHH goes deep: a standalone COSHH assessment document, upload-a-Safety-Data-Sheet extraction, a site-specific substance register and an expert-reviewed library - plus per-worker RAMS sign-off and a one-click Audit Pack covering documents, sign-offs, worker evidence, attendance, incidents, COSHH, permits and up to the latest 500 live Site Diary entries.
