Estimating is where a general contractor makes or loses a job, long before the first sub shows up. A good estimator holds your cost codes, unit costs and markup, then becomes the budget and the change-order baseline once the contract is signed. We compared six tools on that whole path: takeoff, sub bids, the proposal the client signs, and the budget you track against afterward. This page is one part of our guide to software for construction management, and every price here is as of October 2026.
What general contractors need from estimating software
A GC estimate is a stack of other people's numbers. Framing, drywall, electrical and plumbing come in as sub bids. You carry your own labor for demo, carpentry and supervision. Materials get priced off a supplier list that changed last month. Then overhead, contingency and markup sit on top. Software earns its keep when it keeps that stack organized by cost code, so the estimate becomes your budget instead of a PDF nobody opens again.
What matters for a 1 to 25 person GC:
- Cost codes and assemblies. A 12x14 deck or a bathroom gut should be one saved assembly with labor, material and sub lines, not 40 lines typed fresh each time.
- Sub bid collection. Sending a bid package to three electricians and comparing the numbers side by side beats a folder of emailed PDFs.
- Takeoff. New builds and commercial work start from plans. Remodels usually start from a tape measure and photos, so on-screen takeoff matters less there.
- Estimate to budget to change order. When the client adds a window, the change order should price off the same cost codes and update the budget.
- A proposal clients can sign. Clear scope, allowances, exclusions and an e-signature.
If you're shopping for a specialty trade rather than a GC office, our broader guide to estimating software for contractors covers those tools.
How the picks compare
Contractor Foreman and Buildertrend are the two that carry an estimate all the way through to job costing. The difference is mostly price and polish. Contractor Foreman runs $49 to $332 a month billed annually depending on user count. Buildertrend starts at $499 a month with unlimited users and quotes the rest. Owners on review sites commonly describe Contractor Foreman as busy and Buildertrend as expensive with a steep learning curve. For a three-person residential GC, we think the Contractor Foreman tradeoff is easier to live with.
Buildertrend pulls ahead when clients take part in the estimate. Selections, allowances and a portal where the homeowner approves upgrades are worth real money to custom builders and design-build remodelers. A GC doing tenant improvements gets little from them.
Joist is a different kind of tool. It's a fast phone estimator and invoicer, built for jobs you can price in an evening, and it falls short as soon as you're managing a budget across several subs. Knowify earns its spot for GCs who bill commercial work with pay applications, because the estimate feeds progress billing directly. STACK is the specialist for plan-based takeoff. CompanyCam is the photo record you price from and defend change orders with.
What to look for before you sign
- Rebuild one real past job during the trial, including two sub bids and a change order. Joist gives 14 days and Contractor Foreman 30. Buildertrend doesn't list a trial, so ask for a sandbox.
- Check whether your cost codes import from a spreadsheet or have to be typed in by hand.
- See how allowances and exclusions print on the proposal. Vague allowances cause most change-order fights.
- Confirm what the QuickBooks sync sends: an estimate, a budget, invoices only, or nothing until the job is billed.
- Try estimating on the phone during a site walk, not just viewing a finished estimate.
- Read the cancellation terms. Contractor Foreman offers a 100-day money-back guarantee on annual Plus, Pro and Unlimited plans and 30 days on monthly.
- Get the onboarding cost in writing. Buildertrend's final price depends on the onboarding package.
What it costs
Published prices as of October 2026, billed annually unless noted.
| Shop size |
Contractor Foreman |
Buildertrend |
Joist |
Knowify |
| 1 user |
$49/mo (Basic, annual only) |
From $499/mo |
$8.34 to $26.67/mo |
$99/mo (Core) |
| 5 users |
$166/mo (Plus, up to 8) |
From $499/mo |
Built for one or two people |
$329/mo (Advanced, 10 users) |
| 15 users |
$221/mo (Pro, up to 15) |
From $499/mo, quoted |
Not a fit |
About $474/mo (Advanced plus 5 users at $29) |
Add CompanyCam if your crew shoots site photos: $63/mo for one user or $119/mo for three on Crew, plus $29 per extra user. Card processing comes on top wherever you take payments. Contractor Foreman lists 2.9% + 30 cents for Visa, Mastercard and Discover, and 1% + 30 cents for ACH capped at $10. In practice, a solo GC spends $50 to $100 a month on estimating, a five-person office $166 to $500, and a 15-person firm $221 to $500 or more before onboarding.
