Build accurate estimates faster
Quick mode groups materials so you're done in minutes. Detailed mode itemizes every line. Your call, every job.
AI estimating for the one-truck contractor
The AI estimating partner you wish you had riding in the truck with you.
Talk it through in plain English. Bid Buddy builds an accurate estimate, protects your margin, and turns it into a proposal you can send today.
What Bid Buddy does for you
Four things every contractor deserves — without wrestling estimating software.
Protect your profit
True-margin math built in. Bid Buddy prices to the margin you actually want to keep — not a markup that quietly shrinks it.
Create professional proposals
With Pro, turn any estimate into a customer-ready proposal you can send today — polished, itemized, and on-brand.
Natural conversation, not forms
Talk or type. Bid Buddy asks the right questions and builds the line items with you. No dropdowns to fight, no training required.
How it works in the truck
No dropdowns. No spreadsheets. Just a conversation that ends with a real bid.
Step 1
Tell Bid Buddy about the job
Voice or text — describe the work like you'd tell a buddy on the phone.
Step 2
It asks the right questions
Scope, size, materials, margin. Bid Buddy builds line items with you as you talk.
Step 3
Get a real bid, send a real proposal
See total cost, bid, profit, and true margin. Upgrade to Pro to send it as a proposal.
Why contractors trust Bid Buddy
Built by someone who cares
A personal promise from founder R.L. Stephens — including a locked-in $9.99 price for early subscribers.
Read the promiseReal humans behind it
Ask the AI, or leave a message and get a real person within 1–2 business days.
Visit the help centerMath shown, not hidden
We explain markup vs. margin in plain English so you know exactly why the bid is what it is.
See the explainerMade for real trades
Trade-specific guides for roofing, painting, flooring, HVAC and more — with the calculator baked in.
Browse tradesHow Bid Buddy fits next to the tools you already know
Most estimating tools are built for crews and offices. Bid Buddy is built for the person swinging the hammer.
| Feature | Bid Buddy | Buildertrend | Clear Estimates | Jobber / Housecall Pro | Free calculators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $9.99/mo | $399+/mo | $79/mo | $69+/mo | Free |
| Setup time | Minutes | Days–weeks | Hours | Hours | Minutes |
| AI-guided estimating | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Voice input | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| True-margin math | Yes | Partial | Yes | Partial | No |
| Pro proposals in one flow | Yes | Yes | Partial | Partial | No |
| Built for solo operators | Yes | No | Partial | Partial | Yes |
| Locked-in pricing | Yes | No | No | No | — |
Pricing and features summarized from publicly listed information as of 2026. Names and trademarks belong to their respective owners.
Founding member pricing
Try Pro free for 3 days. Then $9.99/month — locked in.
Pro unlocks saved bids, a template library, and AI-written proposals your customers can sign. Cancel any time. As long as you stay subscribed during this launch window, your $9.99 price never goes up — even after we add higher tiers.
- Save & reuse bids
- Template library
- AI-written proposals
- Every future feature included
What Pro members say we do differently
"It's the first estimating tool that actually feels like it's working with me, not against me. I talk, it listens, and I walk away with a bid I trust."
— Early Bid Buddy user, remodeling contractor