The best facility management software depends on what you manage: a maintenance-led tool suits schools and single sites, a workplace platform suits hybrid offices, and an integrated workplace management system suits large estates. Eleven options follow in no particular order.
Facility management software keeps buildings working: maintenance requests, planned maintenance, contractors, space, desks, energy and assets. It replaces the shared inbox and the spreadsheet with one place where every job's got an owner and a history, and nobody has to ask what happened to a request.
The eleven platforms below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order. Every description comes from the vendor's own site, read this week. For the everyday standards facilities teams are held to, see my guide to office hygiene standards.
Facility platforms compared
In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site names a free plan, a free version, a free tool or an open source edition. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corrigo | Cloud facilities management from JLL | Multi-site property portfolios | Not stated |
| Eptura | Workplace, facility and asset platform | Large estates using Archibus | Not stated |
| Facilio | AI platform for facilities management | Automating service requests across channels | Not stated |
| FMX | Facilities and maintenance software | Schools and K-12 districts | Not stated |
| MRI Software | Real estate and facilities suite | Property owners and occupiers | Not stated |
| Nuvolo | Facility management and IWMS | Life sciences and regulated assets | Not stated |
| OfficeSpace | Workplace management platform | Hybrid offices and space planning | Not stated |
| Planon | Smart building management software | Campuses and sustainability goals | Not stated |
| Robin | Workplace management software | Desk and room booking | Not stated |
| ServiceChannel | Facilities management automation | Managing contractors across many sites | Not stated |
| Spacewell | Smart building and operations platform | European buildings cutting energy use | Not stated |
Eleven facility management tools to consider
Corrigo
Best for: Property and retail portfolios that want cloud facilities management from a business backed by JLL.
Eptura
Best for: Large organisations that want workplace, facility and asset management, including the Archibus IWMS, from one company.
Facilio
Best for: Facilities teams that want service requests taken in and routed automatically across calls, chat, WhatsApp and email.
FMX
Best for: Schools, districts and other organisations that want maintenance requests, scheduling and equipment tracked in one easy system.
MRI Software
Best for: Property owners and occupiers that want facility management, building operations and energy tools inside a real estate suite.
Nuvolo
Best for: Organisations with regulated assets, such as life sciences, that want facilities, equipment and real estate managed together.
OfficeSpace
Best for: Hybrid workplaces that want space planning, desk booking, analytics and asset management in one platform.
Planon
Best for: Universities, campuses and large estates that want space, maintenance and energy management with sustainability in view.
Robin
Best for: Office managers who want desk and room booking, visitor management and office analytics in one simple tool.
ServiceChannel
Best for: Multi-site retailers and restaurants that want work orders, contractors and preventive maintenance managed at scale.
Spacewell
Best for: European organisations that want smart building software tying building operations to energy and sustainability data.
Maintenance, workplace or full IWMS?
Maintenance-led tools focus on work orders, planned maintenance and assets, which is where most facilities teams spend their day. Workplace platforms focus on people using the space: desk and room booking, visitors and occupancy data for hybrid offices. An integrated workplace management system, or IWMS, joins maintenance, space, real estate and energy for large estates.
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A school district and a global office portfolio don't need the same things, and that's fine. Choose the tool that fits the work your team does most, and connect the rest later.
What the HSE expects buildings to provide
The HSE's brief guide to the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations gives an outline of requirements covering areas such as lighting, workstations and seating, facilities for rest and to eat meals, and maintenance.
Maintenance is in that list for a reason. Facility software earns its keep when it can show what was maintained, by whom and when, so check the audit trail and reporting as carefully as the dashboards.
Questions to ask before you choose
- What do we manage most: maintenance, space, contractors or energy?
- Can staff report problems from a phone in seconds?
- Does it schedule planned maintenance and keep the records?
- Can contractors receive and close jobs in the system?
- Does it connect to building sensors and energy data?
- How many sites can it handle, and in which countries?
Signs your facilities team needs software
- Requests arrive by email, chat and corridor. Some get lost.
- Nobody can prove when something was serviced. Audits get stressful.
- Contractors chase you for job details. Information lives in heads.
- Space use is a guess. Desks sit empty or overbooked.
Do you make facility management software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on choosing facility software
Start with the requests. If reporting a broken light is easy and staff see it fixed, they'll trust the system, and you'll get the data to plan better. Planned maintenance, space planning and energy can follow once the basics run smoothly.
Involve the technicians and contractors early, because they'll use the mobile app all day. My office tech health check is a useful companion if the tech in your building needs a look too.
Frequently asked questions
What is facility management software?
It's software for running buildings: maintenance requests, planned maintenance, assets, contractors, space and sometimes energy, all in one place.
What is the difference between CAFM, CMMS and IWMS?
A CMMS focuses on maintenance. CAFM adds space and facilities. An IWMS joins facilities, real estate, space and energy for large estates.
Do small businesses need facility software?
A single small office may not. It helps once you've got several sites, a facilities team or regular contractors.
Can facility software help with energy use?
Some platforms link to building sensors and energy data, so you can spot waste and plan improvements.
Are there free facility management tools?
The tools in this table don't name a free plan on the pages read. Check the free plan column and ask vendors about trials.
What is planned preventive maintenance?
It's maintenance done on a schedule, such as servicing boilers or testing fire alarms, to stop failures before they happen.
How long does it take to set up facility software?
It depends on how many sites and assets you've got. Starting with requests and a short asset list gets you live quickly; the rest can follow.
