Eque2 vs LiveCosts

Eque2 and LiveCosts are both designed for the construction industry, but they offer different routes to improving commercial control. Eque2 provides a portfolio of construction accounting, contract costing and ERP products. Its solutions range from entry-level job costing software to Sage-based contract management and enterprise systems built around Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. LiveCosts provides one focused construction cost management platform for small and medium-sized contractors. It connects project budgets, commitments, purchasing, deliveries, supplier invoices, labour and progress claims, without requiring a contractor to replace its existing accounting system. While Simpro provides a broad range of tools for managing field service operations, LiveCosts concentrates on the financial workflows used across construction projects. These include job costing, RFQs, purchase orders, deliveries, supplier invoices, labour tracking, progress claims and live profitability reporting. While Procore provides a broad range of project management tools, LiveCosts concentrates on the financial workflows contractors use every day. These include job costing, purchase orders, supplier invoices, labour tracking, progress claims and live profitability reporting. LiveCosts is purpose-built for construction companies that need real-time visibility of project costs, procurement and profitability. Rather than replacing Xero, LiveCosts works alongside it, giving contractors complete control of every project from budget to final account.

Monitor budgets, committed expenditure, actual costs and expected final costs in one live project view.

Manage purchase requisitions, RFQs, supplier comparisons, approvals, purchase orders and deliveries through a consistent process.

Capture supplier quotes and invoices using AI-powered line-item extraction.

Allocate labour, materials, plant and subcontractor costs to detailed project phases and cost codes.

Connect progress claims, variations and retentions with current project expenditure.

Send approved financial information to Xero, QuickBooks Online or Sage 50.

Side-by-side comparison

Aspect	LiveCosts	Procore
Product approach	One focused construction cost platform	Portfolio of accounting, costing and ERP products
Typical customer	Small and medium-sized contractors	Start-ups through to enterprise contractors
Job costing	Live tracking by project, phase and cost code	Contract costing with budgets, orders, accrued costs and actuals
Purchase orders	Requests, approvals, orders and delivery matching	Authorised orders monitored against contract budgets
Invoice processing	AI extraction and three-way matching	Invoice capture and document processing options
Subcontractors	Commitments and costs tracked against project budgets	Subcontract management
Claims and retentions	Progress claims, variations and retentions	Applications, retentions and contract billing

Trusted by construction companies globally

Why teams pick LiveCosts

One platform for everyday cost control

LiveCosts concentrates on the processes that determine whether a construction project remains profitable, from setting the budget to approving the final supplier invoice.

Costs visible at every stage

Project teams can see what has been budgeted, ordered, delivered and invoiced without waiting for separate reports to be prepared.

Purchasing connected to commercial performance

Purchase requests and orders are measured against the relevant project budget, helping managers understand the effect of a decision before approving it.

Smarter supplier quote management

Send RFQs, collect prices, compare supplier responses and create the selected purchase order from the same information.

AI-assisted invoice checks

LiveCosts extracts individual invoice lines and connects them with the correct project, cost code, purchase order and delivery record.

LiveCosts and Eque2 features compared

Both platforms provide construction-specific financial functionality. The key difference lies in whether the business wants a focused project cost layer or a broader accounting and ERP environment.

Project cost management

Understand how budgets, orders, accruals and actual expenditure affect the expected commercial result.

Eque2

Eque2’s construction products provide contract budgeting and job costing across different business sizes. Construct for Sage can report budgets against ordered, delivered, accrued and actual costs, while its enterprise offering extends into broader ERP and commercial management.

LiveCosts

LiveCosts gives project, procurement and management teams a live cost dashboard built around the contractor’s own budget structure. Costs can be examined by project, phase, category or cost code, with commitments and forecasts included alongside actual expenditure.

Accounting and financial systems

Connect construction activity with the formal company accounts.

Eque2

Accounting sits at the heart of Eque2’s product portfolio. Its solutions include entry-level software connected with Sage and Xero, Construct products built for Sage Accounts and enterprise software based on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.

LiveCosts

LiveCosts operates as the construction cost-control layer between project operations and the accounts department. Approved information can synchronise with Xero, QuickBooks Online or Sage 50, allowing the accounting package to remain the financial system of record.

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Implementation timelines

The implementation process depends on whether the business is adding a focused cost-management platform or introducing a wider accounting and commercial system.

Product	Typical duration	Typical steps
LiveCosts	A few days	1. Connect the existing accounting system 2. Import suppliers, contacts and current projects 3. Add project budgets and cost codes 4. Configure spending limits and approvals 5. Train office and site users 6. Start managing costs on a live projec
Eque2	Product dependent (up to 12-months)	1. Select the appropriate Eque2 product 2. Review accounting and commercial requirements 3. Prepare company, supplier and project data 4. Configure contracts, codes and financial controls 5. Establish Sage, Xero or Microsoft Dynamics connections 6. Train commercial, finance and project users 7. Test reporting and transaction workflows

Larger ERP projects will naturally require a more extensive implementation because of the additional accounting, commercial and operational processes involved.

Where LiveCosts fits — and common drawbacks

Where LiveCosts fits and common drawbacks

Eque2 offers genuine construction industry depth. Its portfolio covers job costing, Sage construction accounting, commercial management, estimating, housebuilding and enterprise ERP. This breadth makes it suitable for contractors seeking to introduce a more comprehensive financial or business management environment.

LiveCosts serves a different requirement. It is intended for contractors that already have an accounting platform but need better control of the information generated before a transaction reaches the accounts.

Where LiveCosts fits

Contractors that want stronger project cost controls without replacing their accounting software.
Businesses seeking one consistent system rather than selecting from several product tiers or modules.
Teams that need project managers and site staff involved in cost capture and purchasing.
Contractors wanting RFQs and supplier quote comparisons within the procurement workflow.
Companies that need detailed invoice lines automatically allocated to projects and cost codes.
Businesses looking for live cost information in a clear, accessible interface.
Contractors using QuickBooks Online as well as Xero or Sage 50.
Teams that want a focused rollout with personal implementation support.

Points to consider with Eque2

Buyers must identify which Eque2 product best matches their size, accounting platform and commercial requirements.
Some functionality is delivered through separate products, modules or mobile applications.
Several Eque2 solutions are closely connected with the Sage ecosystem.
Enterprise functionality based on Microsoft Dynamics may require a larger implementation programme.
Companies using QuickBooks Online may find LiveCosts offers a more direct accounting connection.
Wider accounting and ERP capabilities can introduce more configuration than a contractor needs for project cost control alone.
Site, commercial and finance users may require different products or modules depending on the chosen setup.
Businesses should confirm which invoice capture, mobile, estimating and subcontract features are included in their proposed package.

Eque2 is well suited to businesses seeking construction accounting or ERP depth. LiveCosts is the more focused option for contractors that want purchasing, project costs and margins brought under control while retaining their current accounts setup.

Why Choose LiveCosts

Why choose LiveCosts over Eque2?

Keep your current financial system

LiveCosts adds detailed construction cost management to Xero, QuickBooks Online or Sage 50, reducing the disruption involved in changing the company’s wider accounting environment.

Give project teams a simpler workspace

Users can manage budgets, orders, deliveries, time and invoices without navigating a complete accounting or ERP system.

Bring RFQs into the purchasing process

LiveCosts connects supplier enquiries and quote comparisons directly with approvals and purchase orders, creating a clear trail from requested price to committed cost.

Automate line-item cost allocation

AI-powered extraction reads individual supplier document lines and helps assign each cost to the correct job, phase and cost code.

Identify financial pressure earlier

Committed costs appear when orders are raised, rather than only after invoices are entered into the accounts. This gives managers more time to address emerging overruns.

Connect claims with live expenditure

Review claimed progress, variations, retentions and current costs together to develop a more complete view of project margin.

Avoid unnecessary product complexity

LiveCosts provides its core construction cost and procurement workflows in one focused platform rather than requiring a wider ERP deployment.

Support adoption across site and office

Straightforward screens and mobile processes make it easier for site, project, procurement and finance teams to follow the same established workflow.

Related Comparisons

Simpro vs LiveCosts

See how Simpro’s field service tools compare with LiveCosts’ construction-focused approach to cost control, purchasing and project margins.

Procore vs LiveCosts

Compare Procore and LiveCosts to find the right construction software for managing projects, costs, procurement and profitability.

Frequently asked questions

Eque2 supplies a range of construction accounting, job costing and ERP products. LiveCosts provides one focused platform for real-time project cost tracking, procurement and profitability that connects with the contractor’s existing accounts software.

Yes. LiveCosts is an alternative for contractors seeking construction job costing and procurement without introducing a broader accounting or ERP system. The right choice depends on the financial, commercial and operational scope required.

Yes. Eque2 offers construction-specific contract costing across its product range, including budgets, orders, accrued costs, actual costs and cost-to-complete reporting.

LiveCosts connects with Xero, QuickBooks Online and Sage 50. This gives contractors flexibility to select the accounting software that best fits their business.

Yes. LiveCosts supports progress claims, variations and retentions, with claimed revenue viewed alongside current project expenditure and profitability.

Yes. Site teams can record deliveries against purchase orders using a mobile device, giving office teams an immediate record of what was received.

LiveCosts has a narrower implementation scope because it focuses on project cost and procurement workflows. Eque2 implementation varies according to the selected product.

A contractor may choose LiveCosts for its focused interface, RFQ-to-invoice workflow, AI-powered document processing, accounting flexibility and ability to expose live project costs without providing access to the full accounts system.

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