Clear Estimates vs PlanSwift

Buildertrend

STACK

RSMeans Data Online

On-Screen Takeoff

ProEst

Trimble Accubid Anywhere

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

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.

Handoff

Handoff is an AI-enabled construction estimating solution for residential remodelers, handymen, and fix and flippers. Users describe their projects, and Handoff generates fast and accurate estimates using local, proprietary data. Estimates can later be turned into proposals, invoices, and payments.

ConstructionOnline

UDA ConstructionOnline is a web-based software that helps businesses in the construction industry streamline project management, scheduling, and client communications. It allows remodelers and home builders to utilize a centralized dashboard to track updates and changes across projects.

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.

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 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.

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.

PlanSwift, by ConstructConnect, is a cloud-based takeoff and estimating solution designed for commercial and residential contractors, subcontractors, and estimators within the HVAC, drywall, electrical, concrete, plumbing industries. Contractors and estimators can create digital assemblies and utilize drag and drop capabilities to combine assemblies with takeoff items and propose accurate estimates.

2D Drawing

3D Imaging

Annotations

Assembly Takeoff

Bill of Materials

Cost Tracking

Cut & Fill Estimates

Document Management

Electrical Estimating

Electronic Plans

Estimating

Issue Management

Subcontractor Management

Takeoff

Visual Assemblies

Reviewers appreciate PlanSwift’s strong value for money, citing lower maintenance costs and fast return on investment. Some users say the one-time fee is worth it, but others report high upfront costs and frustration with upgrade charges.

Value for money

By industry, PlanSwift reviewers are most commonly professionals in construction (83%). The most frequent use case for PlanSwift cited by reviewers is construction estimating (65%).

PlanSwift

Linux

PlanSwift Professional

Senior Engineering Estimator

The plans are essentially just images, so you can't turn on/off layers in pdfs, you can't import design files directly and there is no 3d capability. While planswift has a "one click" auto takeoff, I have never found it reliable and have always reverted to doing it manually

Exports smoothly into Excel and other estimating tools, bridging field detail with polished bid documents.

Draw lines on a page & get volumetric quantities of baserock, concrete, rebar & asphalt...

It is much better than using takeoff in PDF software, but I'm confident there are better options out there that can utilise native design files and vector pdf, and have AI inbuilt

Not really a dislike but be prepared to spend a decent amount of time implementing the software since it is not a plug and play type set up.  

Estimator

However, in 2025, they told me that they no longer support perpetual licenses and that we would have to pay an annual subscription fee to "support" our license.

PlanSwift really shines in how it simplifies takeoffs and estimates.

Multifamily Sales and Scheduling

It keeps track of what I mark, and my estimating button keeps a running total.

Representative

Most users describe their journey with PlanSwift in three stages:

I had gotten a call last month that I have to hand over a large sum of money or my plan swift "may not work one day" if I don't hand them over more money, when it doesn't work it will cost me a lot more than what they are extorting out of me now.

You will need to spend time with the training team learning how to use it.

Hence the quantities in workbook does not update itself.

To actually put numbers to the take offs inside of planswift and do formulas etc was really not user friendly and hard to use.

It is Value for money, compared to other estimating softwares.

They told me that these are lifetime licenses.

Its really good if you are ok with building your estimate outside of the platform.

Uploading plans was time consuming, and no work could be done in the program until the upload is complete.

Chief estimator

This software does not work well on the database on Dropbox, lots of errors if 2 people are in it at the same time or if you have multiple instances open at the same time.

it is very easy to use and is user friendly.

Civil Engineer

I can even set my own scale depending on the plans I have, especially if my Client/Consultant did not give the preset scale.

Quantity Surveyor

a lot of time is needed to train new users

Transferring customer from agent to agent.

Customer service is the worstUnsupportive agents.

IT System Administrator

I also like the online portal where I can see all my licenses as well as what computers they are installed in and how long the license is valid for until it reactivates itself.

it has been over 7 weeks and they still haveent resolved my issue.

Cost Engineer cum Quantity Surveyor cum Procurement Officer

Planswift has been built its good name as one of the best user friendly Estimating Tool in the Construction Industry for a long time.

Service Manager

We like the simplicity of inputting our custom assemblies that integrate with the job costing feature and project management component of the software.

The takeoff side of the program was easy to use.

They never pick up, it's the same voicemail, no answers to my questions or issues when I need it.

It seems like you cannot get ahold of a person on the phone for any issues. If you want to mark up drawings for your takeoffs and add further levels of detail you are better off shopping around.

I have been a user since 2012 and it was a great help for my everyday Take-Off requirement since then.

Business Systems Analyst

A wide array of file formats supported for importing plans from builders and its potential for integrating with other  construction management and collaboration tools.

Junior Estimator

The detailed budgeting information and ability to export so that the data can be used with other software  is what makes PlanSwift so valuable as an estimating tool.

Estimator 

Selling planswift license with all the assemblies and parts made in custom .

Quantity Surveyor/ Cost Manager

We can easily generate marked drawings with quantity summaries on those drawings whereas the consultant or client can easily check the quantities.

The software replaced a manual "paper & pencil" method with handmade customs scales  made for each builder - which changed over time.  

Sometimes it's a little buggy when signing out and trying to use on another computer.

I love that the takeoff can be scaled to fill in your footing lines etc, the takeoff system is  very easy to use & learn.

Other than that, there are probably many more features it offers that we aren't taking advantage of, but that's up to us to learn more about what it could do for us.

I do wish there was an online/ cloud base option that saved in real time

so it was automatically updated as adjustments to takeoffs are made.

Always a great Take Off tool to rely on and depend on

Easy to use and simple for new estimators to learn and play with.

Civil engineer 

I didn't like that when I make a mistake in the measure in the software I have to start from the beginning

Chief Problem Solver

Other than a handful of bids that we send out for, we estimate the entire home for each client.

Clear Estimates vs PlanSwift Comparison (2026)

Clear Estimates

PlanSwift

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives