License & Deployment Mix: 15 tools – 1 OSS, 8 SaaS. (OSS and SaaS counts can overlap when an open-source tool also offers a vendor-hosted edition.)
What Is Construction Estimating Software?
Construction estimating software automates the process of calculating project costs for construction work – from initial conceptual estimates through detailed bid preparation. These tools replace manual spreadsheet-based workflows with specialized functionality for digital takeoff, quantity surveying, unit cost databases, bid management, and change order tracking.
The estimating workflow typically follows these steps:
- Digital takeoff – measure quantities (lengths, areas, counts) from blueprints, PDFs, CAD files, or BIM models
- Cost estimation – apply unit costs (material, labor, equipment) to measured quantities
- Bid preparation – assemble estimates into competitive bids with markups, contingencies, and profit margins
- Bid management – track subcontractor quotes, compare bids, and manage the submission process
- Change orders – track scope changes and their cost impact throughout the project lifecycle
The information on these pages was researched by a combination of human review and large language models. To suggest an addition or correction, please contact us. Prepared by Rhodium Systems Inc., author of the ResorsIT platform — a unified IT operations management platform for IT teams and MSPs that integrates a curated suite of open-source, commercial, and SaaS applications into a single system with shared identity, single sign-on, access control, and a common audit trail. Use this catalogue only as a starting point for your own research, and review any tool carefully against your own requirements before relying on it. Catalogue data version 2026.197.
Comparison
Feature Matrix
| Tool | Digital Takeoff | 2D | 3D/BIM | Cost DB | Bid Mgmt | Change Orders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Methvin | Yes | Yes | Basic | Yes | Yes | No |
| ProEst | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| PlanSwift | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| STACK | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Buildxact | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| Clear Estimates | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Sage Estimating | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| RSMeans Data | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| WinEst | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| HeavyBid | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bluebeam Revu | Yes | Yes | 3D PDF | No | No | No |
| Accubid | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CostX | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| ConEst | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Legend: “Cost DB” = built-in or integrated cost database; “Bid Mgmt” = subcontractor quote management and bid assembly.
Best digital takeoff: CostX (2D + 3D/BIM), Bluebeam Revu (2D + 3D PDF), PlanSwift (2D).
Best BIM support: CostX (native BIM takeoff from IFC, Revit, etc.).
Best cost database: RSMeans Data (92,000+ items, 970+ locations); Sage Estimating (with RSMeans integration).
Integration Capabilities
| Tool | API | Excel | Accounting | PM Tools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate | No | No | No | No |
| Methvin | No | Yes | No | Built-in |
| ProEst | Yes | Yes | Autodesk | Autodesk Build |
| PlanSwift | No | Yes | No | Procore |
| STACK | Yes | Yes | Acumatica | Yes |
| Buildxact | No | Yes | Xero | Built-in |
| Clear Estimates | No | Yes | QuickBooks | No |
| Sage Estimating | No | Yes | Sage 300 | Sage |
| RSMeans Data | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| WinEst | No | Yes | Trimble | Trimble |
| HeavyBid | No | Yes | HCSS | HeavyJob |
| Bluebeam Revu | No | Yes | No | No |
| Accubid | Yes | Yes | Trimble | Trimble |
| CostX | No | Yes | No | No |
| ConEst | No | Yes | No | No |
Best API: Accubid Anywhere (5 REST APIs added 2025), ProEst (Autodesk API ecosystem), RSMeans Data (cost data API).
Best ecosystem: ProEst (Autodesk), Sage Estimating (Sage 300), HeavyBid (HCSS suite), WinEst/Accubid (Trimble).
SSO / OIDC Comparison
OIDC is the preferred SSO protocol; the notes below assume Authentik as the IdP.
| Tool | OIDC | SAML | AD/LDAP | Authentik Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate | No | No | No | Reverse-proxy auth only |
| Methvin | No | No | No | No SSO (SaaS) |
| ProEst | Via Autodesk | Via Autodesk | Via Autodesk | Autodesk ID federation |
| PlanSwift | No | No | No | Desktop; no SSO |
| STACK | No | Maybe* | No | Contact vendor |
| Buildxact | No | No | No | No SSO (SaaS) |
| Clear Estimates | No | No | No | No SSO (SaaS) |
| Sage Estimating | No | Via Sage* | AD | AD in on-premise |
| RSMeans Data | No | Maybe* | No | Contact Gordian |
| WinEst | Via Trimble* | Via Trimble* | No | Trimble ID federation |
| HeavyBid | No | No | AD | AD in on-premise |
| Bluebeam Revu | Yes | Yes | No | SAML/OIDC via Cloud |
| Accubid | Via Trimble* | Via Trimble* | No | Trimble ID federation |
| CostX | No | No | No | Desktop; no SSO |
| ConEst | No | No | No | Desktop; no SSO |
* = requires vendor enterprise agreement or federation setup.
Best SSO support: Bluebeam Revu (native SAML/OIDC via Bluebeam Cloud); ProEst (via Autodesk ID federation).
No SSO: most desktop tools (PlanSwift, CostX, ConEst) and small SaaS tools (Methvin, Buildxact, Clear Estimates) lack SSO entirely.
Deployment Comparison
| Tool | Cloud | Desktop | Self-Hosted | Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate | No | No | Yes (web) | No |
| Methvin | Yes | No | No | Responsive |
| ProEst | Yes | No | No | Responsive |
| PlanSwift | No | Windows | No | No |
| STACK | Yes | No | No | Responsive |
| Buildxact | Yes | No | No | iOS/Android |
| Clear Estimates | Yes | No | No | Responsive |
| Sage Estimating | Hosted* | Windows | Yes | No |
| RSMeans Data | Yes | No | No | Responsive |
| WinEst | SaaS* | Windows | Yes | No |
| HeavyBid | No | Windows | Yes | No |
| Bluebeam Revu | Cloud* | Windows | No | iPad |
| Accubid | SaaS* | Windows | Yes | No |
| CostX | No | Windows | Yes | No |
| ConEst | No | Windows | Yes | No |
* = vendor-hosted cloud option available alongside desktop version.
Cloud-native: ProEst, STACK, Buildxact, Clear Estimates, Methvin.
Desktop-only: PlanSwift, HeavyBid, CostX, ConEst.
Hybrid: Sage Estimating, WinEst, Bluebeam Revu, Accubid (desktop + cloud options).
Licensing Comparison
| Tool | License | Pricing Model | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate | AGPL-3.0 | Free | Free |
| Methvin | Proprietary | Freemium | Free / $27/mo |
| ProEst | Proprietary | Annual sub | ~$5,000/yr |
| PlanSwift | Proprietary | Perpetual/sub | $1,445 + $250/yr |
| STACK | Proprietary | Annual sub | Free / ~$1,899/yr |
| Buildxact | Proprietary | Monthly sub | $169/mo |
| Clear Estimates | Proprietary | Monthly sub | $59/mo (annual) |
| Sage Estimating | Proprietary | Per-user/mo | ~$365/user/mo |
| RSMeans Data | Proprietary | Annual sub | Contact sales |
| WinEst | Proprietary | Per-user/sub | Contact sales |
| HeavyBid | Proprietary | Annual sub | ~$12,000/yr/user |
| Bluebeam Revu | Proprietary | Annual sub | $260/user/yr |
| Accubid | Proprietary | Per-user/sub | Contact sales |
| CostX | Proprietary | Perpetual | ~$4,500 one-time |
| ConEst | Proprietary | Per-user/mo | ~$150/user/mo |
Free options: Estimate (AGPL open source), Methvin (freemium tier), STACK (free tier with basic takeoff).
Lowest cost: Clear Estimates ($59/month) and ConEst ($150/user/month) for paid tools.
Highest cost: HeavyBid ($12,000+/year per user) and Sage Estimating ($365/user/month) for enterprise tools.
Market Segmentation
By Construction Type
| Segment | Recommended Tools |
|---|---|
| Residential | Buildxact, Clear Estimates |
| Commercial | ProEst, Sage, WinEst, STACK |
| Heavy civil | HeavyBid |
| Electrical | Accubid, ConEst |
| General takeoff | PlanSwift, Bluebeam, CostX |
| Cost reference | RSMeans Data |
By Company Size
| Size | Recommended Tools |
|---|---|
| Solo / small | Clear Estimates, Methvin, STACK |
| Mid-size | ProEst, Buildxact, PlanSwift |
| Enterprise | Sage, HeavyBid, WinEst |
Suitability Summary
Key Takeaways
- SSO is rare in this category; only Bluebeam Revu offers native OIDC/SAML. Most desktop tools rely on Windows/AD authentication
- Cloud adoption is growing with ProEst, STACK, and Buildxact leading the SaaS shift
- Desktop remains dominant for enterprise tools (Sage, HeavyBid, WinEst, Accubid)
- Open source is very limited – Estimate (Wanhive) is the only true open-source option and lacks the features of commercial tools
- Trade-specific tools (Accubid, ConEst for electrical; HeavyBid for heavy civil) offer deep specialization but limited versatility
Tools
15 tools.
Accubid (Trimble)
Trimble Accubid is a comprehensive estimating solution designed specifically for electrical and industrial mechanical contractors.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas, native · SSO: none
Bluebeam Revu
Bluebeam Revu is a PDF markup, measurement, and collaboration platform designed for architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) professionals.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC, SAML
Buildxact
Buildxact is a cloud-based construction estimating and management platform designed specifically for residential builders and remodelers.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: none
Clear Estimates
Clear Estimates is a cloud-based construction estimating platform designed for residential remodelers, handymen, and small construction businesses.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: none
ConEst IntelliBid
ConEst IntelliBid is an electrical estimating software designed for electrical contractors of all sizes.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas, native · SSO: none
CostX (RIB Software)
RIB CostX (formerly Exactal CostX) is an integrated 2D and 3D/BIM takeoff and estimating software designed for quantity surveyors, cost consultants, and estimators.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas, native · SSO: none
Estimate (Wanhive)
Estimate is an open-source web-based construction cost estimating software designed for medium and large civil construction and EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) companies.
License: AGPL-3.0-only (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: native · SSO: none
HeavyBid (HCSS)
HeavyBid by HCSS is the industry-leading estimating and bidding software for crew-based infrastructure and heavy civil construction.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas, native · SSO: none
Methvin
Methvin is a cloud-based construction estimating, takeoff, and project management suite with a free tier that makes it accessible to small contractors and individual estimators.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: none
PlanSwift
PlanSwift is a digital takeoff and estimating software that lets contractors measure and price construction projects by clicking directly on digitized blueprints.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas, native · SSO: none
ProEst (Autodesk)
ProEst is a cloud-based construction estimating platform that combines cost estimating, digital takeoffs, and bid-day analysis in a single solution.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC, SAML
RSMeans Data (Gordian)
RSMeans Data, published by Gordian, is North America’s premier construction cost database. It is not an estimating tool in itself but rather a comprehensive cost reference that feeds into estimating software.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: SAML
Sage Estimating
Sage Estimating (formerly Timberline Estimating) is an enterprise-grade construction estimating solution that has led the construction estimating market for over 30 years.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: SAML
STACK
STACK is a cloud-based construction takeoff and estimating platform that allows contractors to perform digital takeoffs, calculate material quantities, estimate costs, and create bids entirely in the browser.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: SAML
WinEst (Trimble)
WinEst is a construction estimating software from Trimble that serves the quantity takeoff and cost estimating needs of contractors ranging from small firms to large enterprises.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: SAML
