Clear Estimates vs RIB Candy

Trello

Buildertrend

PlanSwift

ProEst

Aptien

Morningmate

Compare Clear Estimates and RIB Candy based on features, pricing, verified reviews, integrations & more on GetApp. Find out which software is best for your business in 2026.

Contractor Foreman

Contractor Foreman is an all-in-one construction management software designed for small to medium-sized contractors. It offers a range of features, including project management, financial tracking, team collaboration, and document management, all in an easy-to-use and affordable platform.

STACK

STACK is the best, cloud-based takeoff and estimating software for construction contractors. STACK software is easy-to-use, Mac & PC compatible, and has powerful, time-saving AI features.

Houzz Pro

Houzz Pro is a cloud and mobile-based solution for construction and design industry, offering AI tools to win projects, manage clients and teams, and run business efficiently.

Windows-based estimating software that generates bids and proposals while managing a part/customer database.

Accounting Integration

Audit Trail

Bid Management

Billing & Invoicing

Change Order Management

Contractor Management

Cost Database

Cost Estimating

Customizable Branding

Customizable Fields

Customizable Templates

Data Import/Export

For AEC Industry

For Residential

Historical Database

Job Costing

Mobile Access

Projections

Project Management

Proposal Generation

Quotes/Estimates

Reporting/Analytics

Reporting & Statistics

Third-Party Integrations

What-if Analysis

Clear Estimates

Web-based

Windows

iPad

iPhone

Standard

Franchise

Remodeling Contractor

So you can set up your pricing and just plug in the quantities for the tasks you do most often. And for the tasks you don't often do, the program provides pricing.

Owner

the pre made parts are very close to the real cost, the templates are fairly extensive in both the number of types but also contents of each

Price is expensive if you are not a large company that doesn't use all the bells and whistles.

This has been reported but not corrected.

owner

I still needed to scale blueprints or use another program.

Customer service is responsive and easy to reach.

Material costs are inaccurate and have not been updated.

estimator

Ease of use, able to change line item information, updated pricing.

Project Manager

This software is locked into one cost code system. And the time I would have taken me to readjust all the job cost lines to match a Masterformat Division cost code system (which is what all my other software is set up as), was way to costly from the aspect of time to even think about Clear Estimates being an option.

grant@leviathanremodels.com

Once you modify the provided tasks to fit the projects you do and the way you bid your work, Clear Estimates allows you to bid out the standard components of a project by the piece or by area. If you track the actual time and materials required to complete a particular component over many jobs and get an accurate figure for the per piece or per square foot cost, this method of bidding can save you a huge amount of time by allowing you to extrapolate from the number of pieces/area of the installation to an accurate estimate of the time and materials required. Once the library of pieces has been built out or adapted, you can create a finished estimate in a few minutes.

Project Manager 

The way you can see if your pricing is competitive as it gives your local market info pertaining to labor and correct amount of time required, etc.

I used Contractor Foreman previously and Clear Estimates may not include as many project management-related features, but it is far and away the better choice for putting together estimates, quotes, and project proposals.

Owner 

No internal calculations to figure out square figure of walls and flooring based on user inputting room dimensions.  

Good price point, updates to pricing list based on area you're working, template usage

Sr. Property Specialist

It also comes with handyman repairs that are especially helpful for estimating repairs.

Ability to write more accurate estimates instead of "guessing" and ballparking.

Engineering Manager

Standard Sections as reusable components on top of those parts makes it easy to create any estimate from scratch.

Owner /operator

Any questions I had either my teenager would figure it out for me or an email to Support and they are back with you that day sometimes within the hour.

Before using Clear Estimates, I would routinely underestimate the cost of materials and time necessary to complete a project.   

When I set up a proposal it was difficult trying to remove a portion of it, but I chalked it up to not really going thru the training.

I would also like a way to see more than 4 items on my list at a time.

President

real time data and being able to use it to make better estimates

Contractor 

Some of the pricing is inaccurate or not updated to current market pricing.

This program makes estimating jobs much much easier and saves a bunch of time.

President and CEO

Estimate/bid forms are difficult to format.

trying to simplify estimating, so far the learning curve has been tough for me but I'm still holding out hope.

Account Manager 

Right now it’s gets all jumbled at the top of e proposals.

I love the fact that it prices the materials & labor for me.

president

Here are some of the filter options I need.

Thank you for the free.trial thank you for writing a program I can learn on the fly .

I save a lot of time, now that I have learned how to navigate the software.  

Clear Estimates has saved me countless hours over the past few months.

It has more than paid for itself in the past couple of months I have been using it.  

ease of use and software ease, the ease of putting together solid bids

Very friendly and they speak on my level.

Estimates

Pricing

Reports

Customer Support

Labor Rates

Proposals

Features

Bids

Training and Learning Curve

Project Saving

Small Business

Mid-size Business

Large Enterprises

Freelancers

Most users consider Clear Estimates to offer strong value for money, highlighting its affordable pricing, frequent updates to pricing data, and the inclusion of useful features like templates, a customer database, and integration with QuickBooks. They appreciate the ability to customize pricing and the flexibility to adjust line items. Reviewers indicate that the software’s cost is justified by time savings and increased efficiency. Some users report concerns about occasional inaccuracies or outdated pricing data and note that the cost may be high for very small businesses. A few reviewers mention limitations in the cost code system.

PlanHub

PlanHub is a preconstruction software that helps construction professionals find projects, manage bids, network, and more. The platform offers a range of tools, including project finder, takeoff and estimation, prequalification, and bid management, all designed to simplify the preconstruction process and enable construction professionals to work more efficiently.

The ultimate Construction Project Management Software, Candy is unique, powerful, and dynamically focused on project control in the construction & engineering industry.

Accounting

Agile Methodologies

Bills of Material

BIM Modeling

Budgeting/Forecasting

Collaboration Tools

Contract/License Management

Cost-to-Completion Tracking

Cost Tracking

Due Date Tracking

Electrical Estimating

Estimating

File Sharing

Forecasting

HVAC Estimating

Invoice Management

Job Scheduling

Milestone Tracking

Mobile App

Multiple Projects

Overrun Reporting

Percent-Complete Tracking

Planning Tools

Plumbing Estimating

Portfolio Management

Prioritization

Production Cost Tracking

Progress Tracking

Project Accounting

Project Estimating

Project Planning

Project Planning/Scheduling

Project Scheduling

Project Tracking

Reporting/Project Tracking

Rescheduling

Resource Management

Scheduling

Subcontractor Management

Subcontractor Monitoring

Takeoff

Task Management

Time Tracking

Traditional Methodologies

Visualization

RIB Candy

Basic

Quantity Surveyor

With the built in auto save function, i know that my work is always safe in case of any accidental errors. and lastly, i cannot express how grateful i am for the constant support from RIB, whenever i need assistance, they are eager to help and very knowledgeable about the product itself.

Candy currently does not work well with one drive and we've experienced issues where the current working file was saved through a one drive path, but then the next time i wish to use that file, it is then an issue with how it is saved.

MEP Estimation Manager

The main concern I have i, If a colleague resigns and moves to a competitor, it’s very easy to export the master file with all the resource lists and custom worksheets. Since I’ve invested a lot of effort building simple resources and complex worksheets with formulas tailored to specific tasks, there should be more restrictions or security layers to protect this data.

Sr. Estimation Engineer

This software is a must for every estimator who seeks accuracy, control, ability to analyse, cost control, quantity take off, and many many other essential features.

Commercial Manager

The integrated applications that cover all contract commercial and planning administrative functions in a way that makes errors less likely to occur other than by human error

Estimation deputy director

Strong organization, secure system all your Data treated as confidential, reliable task tracking, and excellent customer support

Contract Manager

Our company uses Candy and all the feedback that I have received from people that have used it is overwhelm positive too, this goes for our Site Managers, Contract Managers and Quantity Surveyors.

Estimator

This software is a construction company's greatest tool, allowing us to analyse a project from cradle to grave.

Estimation Manager

We are Satisfied with overall performance based on the compilation of data, using the data as Master to work on New Projects.

I’m able to respond to more RFQs, pricing errors are completely eliminated, and the review process during negotiation stages is much more effective.

Tender Department Manager

The software for some reason does not function as efficiently (fast) when its being run over a WIFI conneciotn instead of a hard line (ethernet)

one platform that covers all aspects of the construction industry, planning, estimating, job remodeling, forecast, QTO, subcontractor management.

Operations Manager

It helps you track all the different disciplines on the project in one place.

Construction Cost consultant

The integration with QTO is exceptional to me since it can handle both PDF and DWG files, making measurements easy and precise.

Senior Commercial Manager

Candy has a very powerful reporting function and works smooth and efficient, which allows the user to ensure all elements are considered prior to tender submission.

Candy is a useful tool that makes the management and tracking of progress a far more simple process.

Tendering Director

friendly user, provide accuracy and wide problem solutions, database makes the user not repeating the same job, comparison has a lot of options.

Integrating valuations with planning and cost reporting allows very accurate reporting and forecasting

The Sub Contractor Manager does not allow for flexibility to execute the works and a different procurement strategy without huge rearrangement of the architecture of pricing methodology.

The Planning software for me, is arguably the best planning software for Construction / Building in South Africa.

Its not complicated enhance the productivity of estimating and budgeting , it have user friendly interface and considered easy to moderate to learn it

also using it gives you time to review analyze your pricing for continuous improvement

It has directly helped me win more projects without post-award issues. Except for the security aspect, I find the software extremely reliable and indispensable for MEP estimation.

I liked that the course was very informative & it taught me taught me practical tools that I can use daily in my line of work.

Chief Estimator

Everything from the pricing, program (schedule), cashflow and project control is carried out in one package.

Clear Estimates vs RIB Candy Comparison (2026)

Clear Estimates

RIB Candy

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives