Clear Estimates

Clear Estimates is estimating and proposal software for residential remodelers, handymen, and general contractors. It is best suited to businesses that want regional cost data and reusable residential templates in the same workflow. Its main trade-off is that commercial or highly specialized contractors may need to customize the starting library substantially.

Overview

Clear Estimates combines estimates, proposals, change orders, and invoices in a contractor-focused workflow. Its line-item database covers labor and material pricing for more than 400 U.S. areas and receives quarterly updates, giving users a localized baseline instead of a single national price list. More than 400 preloaded templates provide a substantial head start for common residential jobs.

Users can revise parts, templates, and boilerplate language, so the system can reflect a company's own estimating habits. The product originated in 2005 as in-house software for Orfield Remodeling, and that residential background remains apparent in its default structure.

Key features

Itemized estimates can become client-ready proposals with company branding, scope of work, and reusable boilerplate. That is useful when a contractor wants a consistent presentation without recreating each document. Alternate prices can be outlined and attached to a project as change orders, keeping revised scope and pricing tied to the job record.

Payable invoices are included, and customers can pay by credit card or ACH. QuickBooks Online and Desktop integrations are available to all customers. Pro adds exporting estimates to BuilderTrend and connections to CRMs and other applications through Zapier, making that tier more relevant to businesses already coordinating several systems.

Support includes one-on-one setup walkthroughs, phone and email assistance, tutorial articles and videos, and monthly webinars. That combination should help teams turn the template library into a working process, particularly when initial customization is substantial.

Pricing

Plan	Price	What it includes
Standard (annual)	$59 a month, billed annually	Unlimited estimates and customers; 1 login
Standard (monthly)	$79 a month, billed monthly	Unlimited estimates and customers; 1 login
Pro (annual)	$99 a month, billed annually	Everything in Standard; additional users $9/month
Pro (monthly)	$119 a month, billed monthly	Everything in Standard; additional users $9/month
Franchise (annual)	Starts at $199 a month, billed annually	Price depends on customization scope
Franchise (monthly)	Starts at $249 a month, billed monthly	Price depends on customization scope

There is no free plan, but a 30-day trial is offered. Standard is the sensible fit for a solo operator because it includes unlimited estimates and customers, but its single login is a real constraint for a team. Pro is the practical step up when additional staff need access; each extra user costs $9 per month, and sales users can be restricted from changing pricing or templates. Franchise is aimed at organizations willing to pay for a customization-led setup rather than a fixed package. Annual billing lowers the monthly price at every published tier, while monthly billing preserves flexibility at a higher rate.

Platforms

Clear Estimates runs on Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows. That broad coverage suits contractors who move between office computers and mobile devices.

Who it's for

This is a strong match for residential remodelers, handymen, and general contractors who need region-aware labor and material figures, repeatable estimate templates, branded proposals, and invoicing in one product. It also fits a solo business that can work within one login or a growing operation prepared to use Pro's paid additional users.

Commercial contractors and businesses with unusual estimating structures should budget time for upfront customization. The built-in parts and templates are shaped around residential remodeling and handyman work, so the defaults may not map cleanly to other specialties.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Pricing data for more than 400 U.S. areas, updated quarterly, gives estimates a useful regional starting point.
• Pro: More than 400 templates, editable parts, and reusable language reduce repeated setup for residential jobs.
• Pro: Branded proposals, change orders, invoices, and card or ACH payments cover important client-facing steps.
• Pro: QuickBooks integration is available to every customer, while Pro adds BuilderTrend export and Zapier connections.
• Con: Standard allows only one login, so even a small team must pay for Pro and additional users.
• Con: Residential and handyman defaults can require considerable reworking for commercial or specialized work.

Alternatives

Choose Wallist instead if you want a freemium option with a free company profile, service catalog, reviews, and social links on Android, iOS, and the web.

Fieseros is a better starting point for a business that needs a free plan with 100 lifetime jobs plus leads, quotes, estimates, invoices, payments, and a basic calendar.

Consider Contractor+ when a free tier with up to 250 leads and clients and five estimates or invoices per month is enough to begin.

FieldVibe suits a solo operator seeking a free plan with one user, unlimited jobs and clients, a price book, and a business website.

Pick Tradify, Jobber, or MrTask when their respective job-management and service-business plans better match your operating model. ProDesk is an alternative for eligible Service Connection and FieldDirect customers seeking free estimating, invoicing, customer, and job tools.

For category-wide comparisons, see Handyman Software, Remodeling Contractor Software, Construction Estimating Software, and Project Estimation Software.

Verdict

Choose Clear Estimates if you are a residential-focused contractor who values localized pricing, adaptable templates, and a connected estimating-to-invoicing workflow. The strongest reason to look elsewhere is the one-login Standard limit and the potential customization burden for commercial or specialized work.