{"question": "best estimating software for trades", "category": "estimating-software", "category_name": "estimating software", "audience": "trades", "audience_name": "trades", "engine": "Claude (Anthropic) with web search", "model": "claude-opus-5", "asked_at": "2026-10-04T21:51:43Z", "permalink": "https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/estimating-software-trades-2026-10-04", "question_page": "https://bikoosh.com/answers/q/estimating-software/trades", "brands_named": [{"position": 1, "brand": "Jobber", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 2, "brand": "QuickBooks", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 3, "brand": "QuickBooks Online", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 4, "brand": "Housecall Pro", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 5, "brand": "ServiceTitan", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 6, "brand": "STACK", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 7, "brand": "Buildxact", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 8, "brand": "Contractor Foreman", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 9, "brand": "Clear Estimates", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 10, "brand": "PlanSwift", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 11, "brand": "Trimble Accubid", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 12, "brand": "Accubid", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 13, "brand": "ConEst", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 14, "brand": "Trimble AutoBid", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 15, "brand": "HCSS", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 16, "brand": "HCSS HeavyBid", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 17, "brand": "HeavyBid", "label": "mentioned"}, {"position": 18, "brand": "Commercial GCs", "label": "mentioned"}], "sources_cited": [{"url": "https://constructioncoverage.com/estimating-software", "domain": "constructioncoverage.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://softwareconnect.com/roundups/best-construction-estimating-software/", "domain": "softwareconnect.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://www.getclue.com/blog/top-construction-estimating-software", "domain": "getclue.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://learn.g2.com/best-construction-estimating-software", "domain": "learn.g2.com", "source_type": "review"}, {"url": "https://plumbercalc.com/best-plumbing-software", "domain": "plumbercalc.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://www.constructionperks.com/blog/jobber-vs-housecall-pro-vs-servicetitan-2026", "domain": "constructionperks.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://heyfield.app/blog/servicetitan-vs-jobber-vs-housecall-pro-2026", "domain": "heyfield.app", "source_type": "other"}], "answer_text": "\"Trades\" splits into two different software categories, so here's both - the answer depends on whether you're bidding off plans or quoting jobs in people's homes.\n\n## If you quote service/residential work (plumbing, HVAC, electrical, landscaping)\n\n1. **Jobber** - My default recommendation for most small trade businesses. Best-in-class quoting with optional add-on line items the customer approves and pays through a client portal, plus the cleanest two-way QuickBooks Online sync. Starts around $29/user/month.\n2. **Housecall Pro** - Best all-in-one for solo operators and small residential service crews. Its Sales Proposals and Price Book are tuned exactly to the diagnostic-call → in-home quote → sign-on-the-phone workflow. People tend to outgrow it around 10-15 techs.\n3. **ServiceTitan** - The step up once you're multi-truck and past roughly $2-3M revenue and genuinely managing tech performance metrics. Worth noting it runs 5-10x Jobber's cost at two techs, so don't buy it early.\n\n## If you bid off drawings (GCs, remodelers, specialty trades)\n\n4. **STACK** - Best all-around cloud takeoff + estimating. Browser-based, so your team works on the same plans without license and file-version", "answer_truncated": true, "measurement": "One answer from one engine on one date. Not a ranking and not a claim about the world; brands the engine did not name are not recorded.", "limitation": "Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.", "alerts": {"name": "Answer Watch Pro", "price_usd": 79, "period": "month", "gets": "daily change alerts for up to 5 brands in what one AI answer engine says, history, CSV export. Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included", "url": "https://bikoosh.com/answers"}}