Free plans, spreadsheets and trials

7 Best Free Construction Estimating Software in 2026

The right free option depends on whether you need to measure drawings, price known quantities, send a service quote or collect subcontractor bids. Compare seven options below, with permanent free access separated from credits and time-limited trials.

Reviewed September 16, 2026 against the linked product and pricing pages. This is a published-feature comparison, not a hands-on test of every product. BuildVision publishes this guide and is one of the options.

Compare what is actually free

A free account, free credits and a free trial do not promise the same access. Prices follow the linked US or USD offers where stated; check regional terms and the billing commitment before subscribing.

Seven construction estimating options, their free access and paid limits
Option	Free access	Best fit	Limit to check	After free access
BuildVision AI	14-day free trial	AI blueprint takeoff to quote	Paid subscription after the trial; usage limits apply	See current BuildVision plans
Google Sheets / Excel for the web	Free web spreadsheet access	Manual estimates using your quantities and rates	You supply the takeoff, cost data and formula checks	Free web access; desktop Excel licensing is separate
STACK	7-day trial of Pro-level features	Evaluating cloud takeoff and estimating	Trial access differs from limited free collaboration access	Premium $249/user/month; Pro $299, billed annually
Clear Estimates	30-day free trial	Estimates built from cost items and templates	Continued use requires a paid plan	Standard $79/month, or $59/month billed annually
Buildxact Go / paid-plan trial	Go starts free with five complimentary credits	Trying AI estimates and proposals	More credits or broader features require payment	Go uses paid top-ups; Foundation $199/month or $169/month billed annually
Joist	14-day free trial; no permanent free plan	Service estimates from known scope	A paid plan is needed after the trial	Check current plans and document limits
ConWize Essential	Free bidding plan for up to three users	Inviting bids and comparing subcontractor proposals	The cost-estimating module is listed under Pro	Essential free; contact ConWize for Pro

Free construction estimating example for Excel or Google Sheets

Start with a small estimate you can check. Download this CSV without signing up, open or import it into your spreadsheet, and replace the illustrative rates with your own costs.

The E320 showcase contains 35 A2 fixtures and 21 B fixtures. This example prices only those two types; it is not the full lighting scope.

Electrical lighting takeoff: two fixture types · illustrative USD rates
Item / reference	Measured	Allowance	Priced qty	Material / unit	Labor h / unit	Direct cost
A2 recessed LED fixtureE320	35 EA	0%	35 EA	$210.00	1.5	$11,287.50
B shallow-plenum LED fixtureE320	21 EA	0%	21 EA	$190.00	1.6	$6,510.00
Direct-cost subtotal for these lines only						$17,797.50

Labor rate: $75.00/hour. Each line = allowed quantity × material unit cost + allowed quantity × labor hours/unit × labor rate. Round allowed quantities up to whole units in this example. Labor is applied to allowed quantity here; use installed quantity instead if that is how your assembly is defined. Rates are teaching assumptions, not current supplier quotes.

Scope still to price

Other fixture types, controls, branch wiring, conduit, supports, and terminations
Access equipment, testing, permits, taxes, overhead, and profit

Download the worked example (CSV)Follow the pricing calculation →

Turn the example into your own estimate

Keep the original as a reference and make a project copy. The CSV contains calculated values, not live formulas; changing an input will not recalculate the totals automatically.
Enter the measured quantity, unit and drawing reference for each line. Record any waste or purchasing allowance separately.
Add formulas for material and labor. For the first fixture line, =35*210+35*1.5*75 gives $11,287.50. Replace those example inputs with cell references in your working sheet.
Add all remaining scope and project costs before applying overhead, profit and applicable taxes. Review the totals and exclusions before sending a quote.

Microsoft offers free Excel web access; desktop licensing is separate. Google explains how to access Sheets. Follow our BOQ pricing guide for more on quantities, rates and selling price.

Seven options and when to use them

1. BuildVision AI

Best for: AI blueprint takeoff to quote

For contractors pricing work from drawings, BuildVision helps turn plans into reviewed quantities and a quote. Use the trial to test a real drawing set: check counts and measurements against the source, organize the scope, and apply your own pricing.

This is a trial of a paid product, not a permanent free estimating plan. The workflow is takeoff to quote; BuildVision does not offer invoicing or quote-to-invoice conversion.

Current access: 14-day free trial. Check plans and terms →

2. Google Sheets / Excel for the web

Best for: Manual estimates using your quantities and rates

A spreadsheet is a useful starting point when you already know the quantities and want control over material, labor and markup calculations. Keep one row per priced item, preserve the drawing reference, and label allowances separately from measured quantities.

A free template is not a cost database or an automated blueprint takeoff tool. Review formulas, units and scope before issuing an estimate. Use the worked CSV below to inspect the arithmetic before building your own sheet.

Current access: Free web spreadsheet access. Check plans and terms →

3. STACK

Best for: Evaluating cloud takeoff and estimating

STACK offers a free account for trying its takeoff and estimating workflow. The current pricing FAQ describes seven days of Pro-level access on a project. Test the measurements, organization and estimate output you need during that window.

Do not assume a free account gives permanent, unrestricted production takeoff. Published subscriptions have 12-month terms; confirm both the commitment and the billing schedule.

Current access: 7-day trial of Pro-level features. Check plans and terms →

4. Clear Estimates

Best for: Estimates built from cost items and templates

Clear Estimates is worth evaluating when assembling and pricing scope is the main task. Its published Standard plan includes a line-item database, templates and periodic labor and material rate updates.

Use the trial to compare reference prices with local supplier quotations and your own labor productivity. A database price still needs project-specific review. Confirm which integrations and additional users require a higher plan.

Current access: 30-day free trial. Check plans and terms →

5. Buildxact Go / paid-plan trial

Best for: Trying AI estimates and proposals

Buildxact lists a Go option with five complimentary credits for estimates and proposals, alongside a 14-day trial offer for its broader platform. These are different entry paths, so select the one that includes the workflow you want to evaluate.

Five included credits are not unlimited free AI estimating. Verify credit consumption and paid-plan features before starting a large bid. The US pricing page separates digital takeoffs and further AI capabilities by plan and add-on.

Current access: Go starts free with five complimentary credits. Check plans and terms →

6. Joist

Best for: Service estimates from known scope

Joist is an option for contractors who need customer-facing estimates and service paperwork. Its current pricing page explicitly says the former free plan is no longer available.

Evaluate the trial against the number of estimates you send and the features you need afterward. Do not choose it on the assumption that an old free tier still exists. If you start with drawings, separately verify how you will produce the quantities.

Current access: 14-day free trial; no permanent free plan. Check plans and terms →

7. ConWize Essential

Best for: Inviting bids and comparing subcontractor proposals

ConWize Essential supports bid invitations, response tracking, communication and basic bid comparison. Its plans page lists up to three users and no time limit on the free plan.

This is a free bidding workflow, not unrestricted access to the full cost-estimating product. If you need to build and price your own detailed estimate, review Pro and its takeoff integrations before selecting the free option.

Current access: Free bidding plan for up to three users. Check plans and terms →

Choose by the work you need to finish

You already have the quantities

A spreadsheet lets you price labor and materials with your own rates. Check units, formulas and scope rather than assuming a template is a complete bid.

You need quantities from drawings

Test a takeoff tool on representative sheets. Check the scale, missed symbols and duplicates before comparing the resulting price.

You quote service calls

Look for a practical line-item and customer-quote workflow. Check monthly document caps, mobile use and the features needed after the trial.

You collect subcontractor bids

Prioritize invitations, document updates and scope comparison. A free bidding plan may help even when full cost estimating remains paid.

Compare paid workflows in our construction estimating software guide, or use the AI takeoff review checklist during a trial. Keep the reviewed output, elapsed work time and subscription cost together when deciding whether to upgrade.

Free estimating software questions

Is there truly free construction estimating software?

Free web spreadsheets can support manual estimates. Some construction products also offer limited free access, such as Buildxact Go credits or ConWize Essential bidding. These have different purposes. A time-limited trial does not become a permanent free estimating subscription.

Can I use Excel as free construction estimating software?

Yes. Excel for the web has free access with a Microsoft account; desktop Excel licensing is separate. Enter your quantities and rates, calculate material and labor, then add project costs and your chosen markup. The worked CSV on this page opens in spreadsheet software, but contains example values rather than a live formula workbook.

What is the best free construction estimating software for small contractors?

Start with the job you need to do. For a small estimate with known quantities, a spreadsheet may be enough. For AI takeoff from drawings, evaluate a trial on a real plan set. For service quotes, check the document limits of a quoting app. For collecting subcontractor prices, a free bidding plan may fit better.

Do free estimating tools include AI takeoff?

Check what the offer actually includes. AI-generated estimates, blueprint quantity takeoff and proposal writing are different capabilities. BuildVision offers a trial of its plan-based takeoff-to-quote workflow. Buildxact Go lists limited credits for AI estimates and proposals; do not assume those credits include every takeoff feature in its paid plans.

Is Joist still free?

Joist says its permanent free plan is no longer available. Its current offer is a 14-day free trial, followed by a paid plan. Check the current pricing page for document limits and features.

When should I upgrade from free to paid estimating software?

Measure the actual bottleneck: time spent measuring plans, checking rates, coordinating revisions or preparing quotes. Evaluate a paid tool on the same project and compare reviewed output, effort and subscription cost. Bid volume alone does not establish whether an upgrade is worthwhile.

Evaluate takeoff to quote on your own plans

Try BuildVision with a real project, review the quantities and build a quote. See the current trial and plan terms before starting.

Start free trial →

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