Use DeftBid on any device
DeftBid works in your browser on your phone, tablet, or computer. Native iPhone, iPad, and Android apps are also in beta, and a single subscription covers all devices.
Contractor estimating software
Contractor Estimating Software Built for Solo Contractors.
DeftBid is a contractor estimating app for the person who prices the job, does the work, and talks to the customer. Build a professional estimate on the jobsite, send it as one link, and get it signed, all without the complexity of software built for a big team.
Estimates
Create professional estimates without complicated software
Most solo contractors piece estimates together from notes, spreadsheets, old templates, and memory. DeftBid brings it all together in one place, so you can build a professional estimate and send it within minutes.
Every estimate can include your business name, logo, license, and credentials, so it looks like a professional proposal instead of a basic form.
Build it line by line
Add labor and materials from your own price book or a saved job template. On your phone, you can even speak a line item and let DeftBid add it for you. Markup, tax, and totals update as you go.
Include what the customer needs to decide
Add the scope of work, line items, totals, payment terms, and how long the estimate is valid. You can also include optional upgrades customers can choose before they sign.
Send it as one link
Text or email the estimate directly from DeftBid. Your customer opens a clean proposal in their browser, with no app to install and no account to create.
Let DeftBid handle the math
No formulas to maintain or totals to retype. Update a line item and the estimate updates with it. Revise and resend, and your customer sees the latest version from the same link.
Made for one
Built for the way solo contractors work
Most contractor software is built for office managers, crews, and larger teams. DeftBid is built for the contractor who is the office.
Estimating software built for small contractors
If you run a one-person shop, work as an independent tradesperson, or have a small crew, DeftBid is built to fit the way you work. You price the job, do the work, and follow up with the customer, so your estimates, bids, and job details stay in one place.
One plan, one price, every device. No seat counts, no extra modules, no complicated setup.
Simpler than the big platforms
Open DeftBid, build the estimate, and send it. Saved prices and templates help you move faster without setting up a complicated system before you can quote your first job.
DeftBid skips features like crew scheduling, timesheets, payroll, purchase orders, and team permissions, so you are not working around tools designed for a much larger company.
DeftBid skips features like crew scheduling, timesheets, payroll, purchase orders, and team permissions, so you are not working around tools designed for a much larger company.
Simple, professional contracts
Your customer can sign electronically, the signed proposal locks, and change orders can be approved with their own signature.
After the estimate
Take an estimate from bid to signed job
An estimate is only the beginning. DeftBid keeps the bid moving through the customer’s decision, signature, and any changes that come up along the way.
See what happens after you send it
When your customer opens the estimate, the bid automatically moves from Sent to Viewed. If they request changes, accept, or decline, you can see that status in DeftBid without chasing them down for an update.
Get the estimate signed
When the customer is ready to move forward, they can accept and electronically sign the estimate from the same link. Both of you receive a signed copy, and the approved price and scope are locked in.
Handle changes without starting over
If the scope changes once work begins, add a change order to the existing bid. Your customer can review and sign the change using the same link, and the contract total will update to reflect the approved work.
When the job is finished, archive the bid so your completed work stays organized and easy to reference later.
When the job is finished, archive the bid so your completed work stays organized and easy to reference later.
In the field
Work from wherever the job takes you
An estimating app for contractors should work where estimates actually happen: in the driveway, on the roof, at the kitchen table, or back at home.
Build estimates on-site
Create the estimate while you walk the job and send it before you leave. If you need to make changes later, pick it up from wherever you left off.
Keep everything with your account
Your bids, price book, and templates stay with your DeftBid account, not a single device. Start an estimate on-site and finish it on your computer later.
Stay on top of it
Keep bids organized
Running the business alone means keeping track of every open quote, follow-up, and customer response. DeftBid keeps that information organized so you can see what needs your attention without trying to remember it all.
See the status of every bid
Each bid has a clear status, from Draft and Sent to Viewed, Changes Requested, Accepted, or Declined. Customer activity updates automatically, so you can quickly see where things stand.
Know what needs a follow-up
A needs-attention list surfaces bids that may need action, whether a quote is about to expire, a customer requested changes, or someone has gone quiet. From there, you can send a follow-up by text or email.
See your pipeline at a glance
View the total value of your open bids and see how they are distributed by stage. On a tablet or computer, you can also see metrics such as monthly wins and win rate.
The method
How DeftBid works
Build the estimate
Add line items from your price book or a saved template. Pricing, markup, tax, and totals update as you go.
Send the link
Text or email the estimate directly from DeftBid. Your customer opens the proposal from the same link.
Track the bid
See when the estimate is sent, viewed, or needs changes, and follow up when it needs your attention.
Get it signed
Your customer accepts and e-signs from the same link. Once signed, the approved price and scope are locked in.
Handle changes
Add extra work as a change order and send it for approval and signature without starting over.
14-day free trial. No card required.
Who it fits
Who is DeftBid for?
DeftBid is built for independent tradespeople and small contracting businesses that quote their own work and want a professional estimating process without the complexity of a big-company system.
- Handymen
- Remodelers
- Painters
- Landscapers
- Flooring contractors
- Carpenters
- Roofers
- Electricians
- Plumbers
Questions
Contractor estimating software FAQs
Can I create estimates from my phone?
Yes. DeftBid works on your phone, tablet, or computer, so you can build and send an estimate on-site and pick it up later from another device.
Can I track whether an estimate has been accepted?
Yes. Each bid shows its status, including Sent, Viewed, Changes Requested, Accepted, or Declined. Customer activity updates automatically, so you can quickly see where each estimate stands.
Can I turn an estimate into a job?
Yes. Once a customer accepts and signs the estimate, DeftBid keeps the job connected to the original bid, including the approved scope, price, and any change orders.
Can I invoice customers through DeftBid?
Yes. Once the job is complete, you can create and send the invoice through DeftBid, keeping the process connected from the original estimate through final billing. If you asked for a deposit, that invoice goes out with the signed contract. See our contractor invoicing software page.
What types of contractors can use DeftBid?
DeftBid is built for independent tradespeople and small contractors who quote their own work, including handymen, remodelers, painters, landscapers, flooring contractors, carpenters, roofers, electricians, and plumbers.
Do I need separate software after an estimate is accepted?
DeftBid is designed to carry the job from estimate through customer approval, signed contract, change orders, and invoicing, so you can manage the core customer workflow in one place. Your customer pays you directly; DeftBid does not process payments.
More questions? See the full FAQ.
Ready when you are
Ready to quote your next job?
Create professional estimates, track bids, and send invoices with contractor estimating software built for solo contractors.