Levelset alternative for lien waivers
The verdict
SureHold moves money: it holds payment in escrow and releases it on signature. Levelset manages lien documents and rights (and only moves money through its parent, Procore Pay) — a different job, aimed largely at the party trying to get paid.
Choose SureHold if you’re a GC who pays subcontractors and wants the payment itself to release automatically when the conditional waiver is signed.
Choose Levelset if you need to protect lien rights end-to-end — preliminary notices, lien-rights research, and actually filing a mechanics lien — or you’re a sub/supplier chasing payment.
SureHold vs Levelset: at a glance
| Capability | SureHold | Levelset |
|---|---|---|
| Holds payment in escrow and releases it on signature | YesVia Stripe Connect | NoLevelset manages documents; money movement is Procore Pay only |
| Designed for the GC paying subs | Downstream-firstBuilt largely for subs, suppliers, and credit teams | |
| 50-state statutory waiver templates | YesLawyer-approved templates for every state | |
| Conditional → unconditional auto-conversion | YesDriven by paid/unpaid invoice status | |
| Counterparty can sign without an account | ||
| Free tier | Yes10 payments/mo | YesFree account + free individual documents |
| Self-serve signup | ||
| Preliminary notices | PartialAPI built; no UI yet | YesCore strength |
| Mechanics lien filing | Yes$349 per lien | |
| Lien-rights research & risk/credit data | ||
| QuickBooks integration | Coming soonQBO — in development, not yet live | YesQBO + Desktop |
| Procore integration | Coming soonIn development, not yet live | NativeLevelset is owned by Procore |
Pricing: SureHold vs Levelset
| Plan / charge | SureHold | Levelset |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | $0 — 10 payments/mo | Free account + free lien waivers, notices, demands & pay apps |
| Entry paid plan | $99/mo (Growth) — 25 payments, then $2 each up to 75 | ~$149/user/mo subscription (third-party reported) |
| Top plan | $399/mo (Pro) — unlimited payments | Custom / enterprise — quote-only |
| Mechanics lien filing | Not offered | $349 per mechanics lien |
| Payment processing | Stripe Connect escrow included | Via Procore Pay — fee % not publicly disclosed |
Levelset publishes a free tier and per-document prices (mechanics lien $349); its own pages are inconsistent on notice/demand cost, and the ~$149/user/mo subscription figure is from third-party aggregators (getapp.com, capterra.com), not confirmed on levelset.com. Procore Pay’s transaction fee percentage is not publicly disclosed.
Which is best for you?
GC who wants payment to release automatically against a signed waiver
Best fit: SureHold
SureHold actually holds and releases the funds. Levelset manages the documents; money movement requires Procore Pay, which is quote-only and Procore-platform-gated.
Subcontractor or supplier protecting lien rights and chasing payment
Best fit: Levelset
Levelset is built downstream-first, with preliminary notices, lien-rights research, and lien filing — SureHold is a GC-side payment tool, not a lien-rights platform.
Anyone who may need to actually file a mechanics lien
Best fit: Levelset
Levelset will research and file the lien ($349); SureHold does not offer lien filing.
GC who wants self-serve waiver-to-payment without buying into the Procore ecosystem
Best fit: SureHold
SureHold is standalone with published pricing and a free tier; coupled payment in the Levelset/Procore world means Procore Pay and its undisclosed fees.
Where Levelset genuinely wins
Levelset is the category leader in lien rights, and it genuinely does things SureHold does not:
- End-to-end lien-rights lifecycle — preliminary notices, demand letters, lien-rights research, and actually filing a mechanics lien ($349) with all 50 states’ lien laws built in.
- Payment risk intelligence and contractor payment-history/credit data drawn from a large industry network.
- Deep QuickBooks integration (Online and Desktop) plus native Procore backing, and far greater scale and brand recognition than a new tool.
Switching from Levelset
Levelset and SureHold overlap on lien waivers but do different core jobs, so this is less a migration than an addition: many GCs use SureHold for waiver-coupled payment and keep a lien-rights tool for notices and filing. If you’re replacing Levelset’s waiver exchange, the move is straightforward.
- 1Export your vendor/contact list from Levelset.
- 2Import it into SureHold via the Vendors CSV import.
- 3Set up projects with retainage %. (QuickBooks Online and Procore integrations are coming soon.)
- 4Run payments through SureHold so each release is tied to a signed waiver.
- 5Keep Levelset (or another service) if you still need preliminary notices or lien filing — SureHold does not file liens.
Typical effort: About an afternoon to move the waiver-and-payment workflow
Frequently asked questions
Is SureHold a Levelset alternative?
For lien-waiver exchange tied to payment, yes — and SureHold goes further by holding the payment in escrow and releasing it on signature. But Levelset also does lien-rights research, preliminary notices, and mechanics lien filing, which SureHold does not. Many GCs use SureHold for payment and keep a lien-rights tool for filing.
Does Levelset move money or pay subcontractors?
Core Levelset manages documents and lien rights, not funds. Money movement coupled to a waiver lives in Procore Pay (Levelset’s parent), where the unconditional waiver is locked until the invoice is paid in full. SureHold holds and releases the payment itself via Stripe Connect.
How much does Levelset cost?
Levelset has a free account with free individual documents (waivers, notices, pay apps) and charges $349 to file a mechanics lien; a subscription is reported around $149/user/month by third-party sources, with enterprise pricing quote-only. SureHold is free up to 10 payments/mo, then $99/mo or $399/mo.
Can SureHold file a mechanics lien?
No. Filing a lien is state-specific and is on SureHold’s roadmap, not in the product today. If you need to file liens, Levelset is the stronger choice.
Is Levelset owned by Procore?
Yes. Procore acquired Levelset in 2021 (completed November 2021). Levelset still runs as a branded product, and its waiver workflows also appear inside Procore Pay.