Free construction estimating software — without the demo-tier tricks
Free estimating software usually means a crippled demo: export limits, watermarks, or billing locked away. BuiltSum’s free plan is one active project with everything enabled — assemblies, proposals, schedule of values, and complete AIA-style G702/G703-style pay applications with retainage. Run one job at a time and it stays free.
Free plan (account)
- ✓ 1 active project — full feature set
- ✓ Estimates from trade assemblies
- ✓ Branded proposal with accept link
- ✓ Complete AIA-style pay applications
- ✓ Retainage & change orders
Free tools (no signup at all)
- Pay application generator →
- Retainage calculator (50-state table) →
- Schedule of values builder →
- Change order generator →
Everything saves in your browser and imports into your account later.
Frequently asked questions
Is free construction estimating software actually usable?
Most 'free' tiers are demos — capped exports, watermarks, or the one feature you need locked behind the paywall. BuiltSum's free plan is one active project with the full feature set, including complete AIA-style pay applications. If you run one job at a time, you can genuinely run it free.
What's the catch?
One active project at a time, one user, community support. When you're billing several jobs a month, that's the moment paid plans make sense — $49/month flat, unlimited projects, no per-project or field-user fees.
What free tools work without even signing up?
Four, all built on the paid product's engine: the AIA-style pay application generator (which saves your SOV in-browser and rolls it forward monthly), the retainage calculator with 50-state law table, the schedule of values builder, and the change order generator.
How does BuiltSum's free plan compare to STACK's or Buildxact's?
STACK's free takeoff tier limits you to two concurrent projects with 7-day access and no exports; Buildxact's free 'Go' plan meters AI credits. Neither includes progress billing. BuiltSum's free plan is smaller in scope — one project — but nothing inside it is crippled: full estimates, proposals, and pay applications with retainage.
Outgrow free when the work does
$49/month flat gets unlimited projects — and nothing you built goes anywhere.
Start free