The Best Free Work Order Software
Work order software makes it easy to automate the scheduling, assignment, and tracking of maintenance tasks. Whether it’s checking an air filter or repairing valuable equipment, these tools help document work and ensure nothing falls through the cracks. For small businesses and startups, free work order software can provide major cost savings. A few of the best free options include MaintainX, UpKeep, and Fiix.
Featured Products
| Product | Version Type | Unlimited Work Orders | Preventive Maintenance | Spare Parts Tracking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MaintainX | Forever Free | Limited (active WO capped) | Limited (recurring tasks capped) | No |
| UpKeep | Free Trial (7-days) | Yes (trial only) | Yes (trial only) | Yes (trial only) |
| Maintenance Care | Forever Free | Yes | 3 PM tasks allowed | No |
| Fiix | Forever Free | Yes (service requests) | 25 PMs allowed | Basic parts tracking |
| FMX Essentials | Free Trial (14-days) | Yes (trial only) | Yes (trial only) | Yes (trial only) |
| Wrike | Forever Free | Yes (basic tasks) | No | No |
| Smartsheet | Free Trial (30-days) | Yes (trial only) | No | No |
Learn more about what each of these free products has to offer:
7 Free Work Order Software Options
Here are the 7 best free work order software options available:
MaintainX
MaintainX, in addition to having a free Basic plan, offers a user-friendly interface, a native mobile app with all desktop features accessible, and a chat feature to enable real-time team collaboration.
The free plan supports only small teams and limits the number of active work orders and recurring maintenance tasks at one time.
UpKeep
UpKeep is a CMMS software designed to ensure technicians and maintenance teams are productive. The mobile app provides work requests, inventory management, checklists, work orders, PM scheduling, and QR codes.
UpKeep offers a 7-day free trial to access all of its features. The basic plan simplifies basic work order management. Upgrading to an advanced paid plan unlocks a variety of features, such as inventory management and predictive maintenance tools. Free trials do not require a credit card to start; however, basic plans start at $20/month per user.
Maintenance Care
Maintenance Care is another forever-free CMMS that covers the basics of creating and assigning work orders for two users. The free version allows users to create unlimited work orders, set up three preventative maintenance tasks, and manage only five assets.
In addition to the Free Edition plan, Maintenance Care also includes the Enterprise Edition and All-In-Bundle, which come with unlimited users and expanded features for more advanced maintenance management.
Fiix
Fiix Software is a full CMMS platform, with a free version that can act as a standalone work order software. Paid versions of this solution feature mobile accessibility, customizable reporting options, and preventive maintenance scheduling.
The free plan is best for small teams, as users are limited. However, you can create 25 active PMs, unlimited service requests, and basic inventory and spare parts tracking.
FMX Essentials
The facility management software FMX offers a 14-day to test out all standard platform features. It has been designed for facility managers in education, manufacturing, healthcare, and property management. FMX features unlimited work order creation, unlimited asset/equipment records, and keeps a complete history of all work orders and notes.
Pricing for FMX is not available without consulting with a vendor.
Wrike
A project management software, Wrike has a free plan intended for teams just getting started with their business. This basic software includes project and task management functionality along with an account-wide work schedule.
Storage space is limited to 2 GB per account, the same as the lowest cost paid plan. The free version still has an open ReSTful API and uses cloud storage platforms. Paid versions include more integration options, such as Salesforce, NetSuite, QuickBooks, and even Adobe Creative Cloud.
Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a workflow management and project management software that can be used to manage work orders. Smartsheet previously offered a legacy free plan, but now only offers a 30-day free trial. For the 30-day trial, you can test out both the Pro and Business plans which offer unlimited viewers, automations, and forms.
Paid plans offer additional editors, more security, and attachment storage. Other paid features include advanced user management, activity logs, and DocuSign integration.
What is Work Order Software?
Work order software creates trackable, virtual documents that detail maintenance tasks, who must perform them, and when they must be done. Work order documents can be customized with notes or images to provide additional context. Shared dashboards allow multiple users to see which orders are due and keep everyone on schedule. These work order systems are subsets of a more comprehensive CMMS or maintenance management software and are often used interchangeably.
Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Service requests | Create work order requests using templates or from scratch. Upload pictures, add locations, and include detailed descriptions. |
| Scheduling | Schedule work orders by time, priority, and technician availability. |
| Reporting | Consolidate work order data like turnaround times and completion rates; monitor KPIs through dashboards. |
| Mobile app | Submit requests and complete work orders or inspections via mobile devices. |
| Equipment management | Maintain a centralized database of equipment requiring maintenance. |
| Approvals | Set up single or multi-level approval workflows for work orders. |
| Job tracking | Monitor job statuses in real time; receive notifications for completions or when additional work is needed. |
Benefits
The primary benefit of work order software is the ability to automate maintenance requests and communication. Rather than rely on spreadsheets or printed documents, keep all requests in one shared, online space. This makes it easier to share new maintenance tasks but also provides a convenient audit trail.
Another top benefit of standalone software is the cost. A full CMMS can be hundreds of dollars per month or thousands in upfront implementation fees. Work order software can be significantly cheaper because it focuses only on core functionality rather than a bunch of extras. And, as found on this list, some options can even be 100% free.
Industries Served
Almost every industry can use work order software, though a few have a particular need:
- Construction
- Field services
- Government and public works
- Healthcare
- Manufacturing
- Property and facilities management
Are Paid Plans Better?
Long story short, yes, paying for work order software can provide many benefits, such as the ability to customize the solution to better fit your business and maintenance needs. This could mean adding a scheduling module to alert technicians when they are assigned a new task. It could also include reporting features for reviewing maintenance performance over time. Other paid plans allow for more users and storage.
These free options are great for startups and small businesses, though as companies grow or their maintenance needs expand, they often can benefit from these additional features. Find which solution is best for your business needs by reviewing top-rated work order software or by getting recommendations here.
