Quoting & estimating - AI tools for contractors
Producing estimates and bids faster — measuring, takeoffs, material pricing and proposal writing.
What Quoting & estimating actually involves
Quoting is where a trade business either wins the job or spends the evening writing a bid nobody accepts. Most contractors still price from experience and a materials list, which works fine until the job is bigger than usual or the customer is comparing three quotes. The tools here range from fast estimate builders you can use on the doorstep to AI that measures drawings and produces a takeoff for you.
Quoting & estimating tools compared
| Tool | Best for | Pricing | Free option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joist | Solo contractors and small crews who mainly need to quote and get paid. | Free tier; paid plans add advanced features | Free tier |
| Togal.AI | Contractors who bid from plans and spend hours on manual takeoffs. | Paid (subscription) | Free trial |
| Knowify | Contractors who need to know whether a job actually made money. | Paid (per user, per month) | Free trial |
| Contractor Foreman | Small contractors who want one system instead of five spreadsheets. | Paid (flat fee per company) | Free trial |
| Jobber | Owner-operators and small crews moving off paper and spreadsheets. | Paid (tiered) | Free trial |
| ChatGPT | Everyone — it is the most flexible tool on this list. | Free tier; paid plans for higher limits | Free tier |
| Claude | Reading long specifications, contracts and reports. | Free tier; paid plans for more usage | Free tier |
| Grammarly | Making customer-facing documents look professional. | Free tier; paid for advanced suggestions | Free tier |
Joist
Estimates, invoices and payment collection built for contractors.
Togal.AI
AI takeoff that measures drawings automatically.
Knowify
Job costing and project management for trade contractors.
Contractor Foreman
All-in-one construction management at a lower price point.
Jobber
Field service management for small home service teams.
ChatGPT
General AI assistant for writing, analysis and problem solving.
Claude
AI assistant that is strong with long documents.
Grammarly
Writing assistant for quotes, emails and proposals.
Frequently asked questions
Which quoting & estimating tools are worth trying first?
The three that stand out here are Joist (Solo contractors and small crews who mainly need to quote and get paid), Togal.AI (Contractors who bid from plans and spend hours on manual takeoffs), Knowify (Contractors who need to know whether a job actually made money). Start with the one that matches your size and the work you do most, not the one with the longest feature list.
How much does quoting & estimating software cost?
Across the 8 tools on this page, 4 have a free tier and the rest are paid, most of them billed per user per month. Prices move often, so confirm on the vendor site before committing.
Can I try these tools for free?
Yes 鈥?Joist, ChatGPT, Claude, Grammarly all have a free tier, so you can run a few real jobs through them before paying anything.
How fast should I send a quote?
Same day is the realistic target for small jobs. On domestic work the first quote back wins far more often than the cheapest one, so a rough but fast number beats an accurate one that arrives two days later.