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// DuoApp vs Access COINS · UK

An Access COINS alternative without the ERP roll-out.

Access COINS is a full construction ERP - finance, payroll, procurement and operations in one estate. If you need that depth and have the team to run it, it is a serious system. Most UK contractors do not need an ERP - they need their projects, CIS invoicing and site paperwork in one place. DuoApp does that at £10 per user, per month, and you are live in days rather than at the end of an implementation programme.

Book a 30-min demo See pricing

£10

Per user, per month - flat. Every feature included, no tiers.

Days

Typical time to go live - not the weeks or months enterprise platforms need.

CIS

UK subcontractor workflows - deductions, retention & applications built in.

100%

UK-built, UK-hosted and UK-supported by real humans.

Side-by-side table Strengths & trade-offs Switching FAQs

// Side by side

DuoApp vs Access COINS, feature by feature.

Every row below reflects publicly available information about Access COINS at the time of writing, or the absence of it. Where a vendor does not publish list pricing we say so rather than guess.

	DuoAppUK · All-in-one	Access COINSUK · Construction ERP
Published list price	£10 / user / monthflat, every feature	Not publishedquote on request
Pricing model	Per user, flatno tiers or add-ons	Modular licencepriced per module
Typical time to go live	Daysself-serve or guided	MonthsERP implementation
Setup / implementation fee	None	Commonly appliesconsultancy-led
UK CIS deductions		UK-native
Retention handling
Applications & auto-invoicing		finance-led
Mobile app for site teams	iOS, Android, web	Module-dependent
Works offline on site	syncs on reconnect	Limited
Quality control & snagging		Module-dependent
Document expiry alerts
Timesheets & holiday planner	included	separate modules
Free trial	14 daysfull platform	demo-led
UK-based support	Kent-based team	UK vendor

Comparison compiled from each vendor's public website and documentation. Vendors change their products and pricing - if you spot something out of date, tell us and we will correct it. Access COINS is a trademark of its respective owner; DuoApp is not affiliated with it.

// The honest version

Where each one is stronger.

No tool wins every category. Here is where Access COINS is the better answer, and where DuoApp is.

DuoApp vs Access COINS

UK · Construction ERP

Where Access COINS is strong

True end-to-end ERP depth - finance, payroll, procurement, plant and HR under one roof
Long-established UK vendor with deep Construction Industry Scheme and CITB knowledge
Strong fit for large contractors that genuinely need a single system of record for finance
Comprehensive reporting for group-level and multi-company structures

Where DuoApp wins

No modular licensing - every DuoApp feature is included in the flat £10 per user rate
Go live in days with no implementation programme, consultancy days or change requests
Mobile-first, so site managers and subcontractors adopt it without training
Offline quality control and snagging for sites with no reliable signal
You can run it without a finance systems administrator on staff

Bottom line: COINS is the right answer if you are buying a construction ERP and have the team and budget to implement one. DuoApp is the right answer if you want the operational half working by next week - projects, CIS invoicing, approvals, QA and documents - without a procurement cycle.

// Making the move

What switching actually involves.

Firms that look at COINS and then choose DuoApp usually reach the same conclusion: the ERP scope was solving a finance problem they had already solved, while the site and commercial paperwork stayed in spreadsheets.

Keep your existing accounts package

DuoApp is not trying to replace Sage, Xero or QuickBooks. It handles applications, CIS-compliant invoices, retention and deductions, and hands clean figures to whatever you already use for statutory accounts.

No module-by-module budgeting

There is nothing to scope, licence or switch on later. Every feature - QA, document compliance, holiday planning, expenses, analytics - is in the £10 rate from day one.

Your supply chain joins at the same price

Subcontractors, clients and suppliers are full users at the same £10, so you are not choosing between visibility and licence cost.

// DuoApp vs Access COINS

Questions buyers ask us.

What is a good alternative to Access COINS for a small contractor?

For firms that do not need full ERP finance, DuoApp covers the operational and commercial side - projects, tasks, CIS invoicing, retention, applications, approvals, timesheets, document compliance and QA - at £10 per user, per month with no implementation project. You keep your existing accounts software. See what is included →

Does DuoApp replace a construction ERP?

Not entirely, and it is not meant to. An ERP such as COINS also owns payroll, procurement, plant and statutory finance. DuoApp owns the project, site and commercial layer and integrates with the accounts package you already run. For most small and mid-sized UK contractors that is the part that is still being done on spreadsheets.

How long does a COINS implementation take compared with DuoApp?

Construction ERP implementations are typically scoped in months and involve data migration, configuration and consultancy days. DuoApp is self-serve: create your account, import your team and projects, set your CIS and retention rules, and you are running - usually within a few days, with a free onboarding session if you want one.

Does DuoApp handle CIS as well as COINS does?

For subcontractor deductions, verification status, retention and split payments on applications and invoices, yes - those are native DuoApp workflows, not add-ons. What COINS additionally gives you is CIS wired directly into a full statutory finance and payroll ledger. If your accountant already handles the monthly CIS return, DuoApp covers the part that touches your projects. How CIS works in DuoApp →

Will my site team actually use it?

That is usually the deciding factor. ERP-derived tools are designed around the finance office, so site staff tend to keep working on paper and WhatsApp. DuoApp's mobile app is the primary interface for site: QA sign-offs, snagging, photos, timesheets and document uploads all work on a phone, offline if needed.

// Still shortlisting

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