The best Quick Bid alternatives for commercial construction estimating are BuzzBID Advanced, The EDGE by Estimating Edge, STACK, PlanSwift, Sage Estimating, and ProEst by Autodesk. BuzzBID ranks first because Leonard Buzz, the same person who created Quick Bid in 1988, co-founded BuzzBID and rebuilt the entire workflow around modern computer vision, transparent pricing, and integrated takeoff plus estimating in one application.
Anyone shopping for Quick Bid alternatives may be an estimator whose team already uses Quick Bid and On-Screen Takeoff and wants a modern replacement, or a specialty commercial contractor comparing products in the same category. This guide focuses on six takeoff and estimating platforms relevant to commercial construction in 2026, explains what each does well, and identifies situations where Quick Bid itself may still be the right choice.
For this article, we focused on products that support assembly-based estimating for Divisions 5 through 10 specialty trades, integrate with a takeoff engine, provide a way to obtain current pricing, and support workflows familiar to Quick Bid users. These criteria define the scope of this comparison; products outside that scope may still serve other construction needs.
For a broader framework on what to evaluate in any estimating platform, this piece on 5 features to look for when purchasing estimating software is a useful starting point.
Roper Technologies acquired On Center Software in July 2015 and ConstructConnect in October 2016. ConstructConnect states that On Center Software merged into ConstructConnect in 2017. Leonard Buzz created Quick Bid in 1988 and later created On-Screen Takeoff. In 2019, he co-founded BuzzBID with Chris Buzz to build a next-generation alternative to the tools he had originally created. The current Quick Bid product page on ConstructConnect's site shows how the platform sits inside their broader portfolio today.
Quick Bid currently sits within ConstructConnect's product portfolio alongside On-Screen Takeoff, PlanSwift, Project Intelligence, and other tools.
BuzzBID Advanced ranks first because the same person who created Quick Bid built it. Leonard Buzz co-founded BuzzBID in 2019 with Chris Buzz and designed the platform around modern computer vision, integrated estimating, and transparent pricing. BuzzBID Advanced combines takeoff, assembly-based estimating, pricing, and work in place tracking inside one application, so estimators skip the OST-to-Quick Bid handoff entirely. ClickONCE™ uses computer vision to automate measurements and take off entire assemblies from a plan, reducing repetitive manual clicking and tracing.
BuzzBID Advanced runs $250 per month or $1,750 per year, and the BuzzBID pricing page lists all three tiers openly. Every subscription includes unlimited live training, updates, and support, with no long-term contract. BuzzBID Advanced also won the 2025 AWCI Excellence in Construction Innovation Award from the Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry. For a deeper head-to-head, see the BuzzBID vs. On-Screen Takeoff and Quick Bid honest comparison.
Best for: Commercial specialty contractors bidding drywall, metal framing, plaster, EIFS, stucco, acoustical ceilings, fireproofing, insulation, and painting who want an integrated modern platform with published pricing.
The EDGE is a direct competitor to Quick Bid for commercial specialty trades. Estimating Edge develops trade-focused takeoff and estimating software for drywall, EIFS, roofing, and other specialty contractors. The EDGE supports trade-specific databases, assembly-based estimating, pricing, project structures, and detailed reporting for commercial work.
Pricing is not posted on Estimating Edge’s public website. Prospective customers can request a demonstration and contact its sales team for current pricing. Foundation Software acquired Estimating Edge in January 2022, so The EDGE now sits inside a different corporate portfolio from Quick Bid, separate from the ConstructConnect ecosystem entirely. The EDGE stays a strong fit for contractors who want a mature estimating platform with a sales-quote pricing process.
Best for: Established specialty contractors who prefer a traditional estimating platform with deep trade databases and a sales-quote pricing process.
STACK is a cloud-native takeoff and estimating platform that serves a broad range of commercial and residential trades. Where Quick Bid depends on OST for its takeoff data, STACK combines both functions inside a single browser-based application. That cloud-first architecture lets teams collaborate on bids in real time and access projects from any workstation, which suits mobile estimating teams or shops with distributed estimators.
STACK publishes tiered per-user pricing on its website, with estimating features included in its Pro plan. STACK provides pre-built item and assembly libraries and also supports custom items and assemblies. Contractors with specialized commercial workflows should compare its available libraries and customization options with their trade-specific requirements.
Best for: Contractors who want a cloud-based, multi-user estimating platform with a modern browser interface and welcome a broader (rather than trade-specialized) feature set.
PlanSwift combines takeoff and estimating features and is part of ConstructConnect's product portfolio alongside Quick Bid and On-Screen Takeoff. Its current product includes drag-and-drop estimating tools and Takeoff Boost AI features for measurements, counts, scaling, and plan organization.
PlanSwift supports customizable items and assemblies for takeoff and estimating. Contractors should compare its estimating depth, trade content, database requirements, and deployment model with the workflows they need to preserve.
Best for: General contractors and mixed-trade shops that want customizable takeoff and estimating in a desktop workflow.
Sage Estimating is designed for contractors that use configurable assembly-based estimating and want estimating data to connect with job costing and accounting. Sage's current documentation supports integrations with Sage 100 Contractor, Sage 300 CRE, and Sage Intacct Construction.
Sage Estimating offers extensive configuration and integration capabilities. Because standard implementation requirements and pricing are not published uniformly, prospective buyers should evaluate setup, training, and total cost directly with Sage.
Best for: Larger contractors already invested in the Sage ecosystem who want tight integration between estimating and enterprise accounting.
ProEst is a cloud-based estimating solution that Autodesk acquired in 2021. Autodesk currently sells ProEst only through the Forma for Preconstruction bundle. ProEst combines cost estimating, 2D takeoff, bid-day analysis, cost databases, and integrations with Forma Build and selected third-party systems.
Because ProEst is sold through the Forma for Preconstruction bundle, buyers should evaluate the included products, current bundle pricing, and fit for their existing workflows. Its cloud access, flexible cost databases, and reporting capabilities may suit teams that want estimating within Autodesk's preconstruction portfolio.
Best for: General contractors evaluating cloud estimating within Autodesk's Forma for Preconstruction bundle.
Based on the criteria used in this article, BuzzBID Advanced is our top-ranked Quick Bid alternative for commercial specialty contractors. The same industry veteran who created Quick Bid in 1988 built BuzzBID around computer vision, integrated takeoff plus estimating, and transparent published pricing. For contractors evaluating Autodesk's Forma for Preconstruction bundle, ProEst may be a stronger fit. For those who want another trade-focused platform with a traditional sales process, The EDGE by Estimating Edge is an option to evaluate.
The right answer depends on which Quick Bid capabilities matter most to your team. BuzzBID and The EDGE both support assembly-based estimating for specialty trades. BuzzBID combines takeoff and estimating in one application. Teams that rely on ConstructConnect Project Intelligence for lead flow may prefer to remain within the ConstructConnect ecosystem.
Yes, BuzzBID is a strong replacement for Quick Bid because Leonard Buzz designed it with familiar estimating concepts in mind, including assemblies, labor production, change orders, and cost categories. BuzzBID Advanced also provides the takeoff layer inside the same application through ClickONCE computer vision.
Three BuzzBID differences to consider are: First, BuzzBID publishes all three pricing tiers openly, allowing buyers to compare its pricing before contacting the company. Second, every BuzzBID subscription includes unlimited live training, so team ramp-up stays inside the price already paid. Third, customers can choose month-to-month or annual subscriptions rather than a multi-year contract. For the full head-to-head, see the BuzzBID vs. On-Screen Takeoff and Quick Bid comparison.
Pricing transparency varies across these alternatives. BuzzBID, STACK, and PlanSwift publish standard pricing publicly. For products that do not list standard pricing on their public product pages, prospective buyers must request current pricing from the vendor.
Published pricing lets buyers begin a direct cost comparison immediately. When standard pricing is not published, buyers need a vendor quote before completing that comparison.
Quick Bid may remain the right choice for some teams. Two situations stand out:
For teams outside those situations, the alternatives above may provide a better fit depending on trade, deployment, workflow, and pricing priorities.
Quick Bid users may have years invested in assemblies, material costs, labor rates, cost codes, general conditions, and other configuration data. BuzzBID provides a configuration process designed to reproduce key Quick Bid data and workflows. Because configurations vary, teams should validate assemblies, rates, codes, and tables before relying on the migrated setup in production.
Quick Bid is construction estimating software that commercial contractors use to build itemized bids, calculate labor and material costs, generate professional proposals, and track cost data across projects. Quick Bid integrates with On-Screen Takeoff to pull takeoff quantities into the estimate and lives inside the ConstructConnect product portfolio.
Quick Bid does not publish standard pricing on its public ConstructConnect product page. Prospective customers should contact ConstructConnect for current pricing and licensing terms.
Quick Bid can run without On-Screen Takeoff. ConstructConnect markets the products as integrated, and when both are licensed, Quick Bid can pull takeoff quantities directly from OST. Integrated alternatives like BuzzBID Advanced combine takeoff and estimating in one application, eliminating the two-product handoff.
No fully featured, permanently free option was identified among the six products reviewed. Some vendors offer free trials or limited free access. Published pricing and included features can change, so buyers should compare current vendor pages. BuzzBID Advanced is $250 per month or $1,750 per year as of August 14, 2026.
For the commercial specialty-contractor profile used in this comparison, BuzzBID Advanced is our top-ranked Quick Bid alternative for 2026. The founder built the product you already know, the pricing is published openly, every subscription includes unlimited training, and ClickONCE™ computer vision automates many repetitive takeoff steps. The Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry judged it the 2025 Excellence in Construction Innovation Award winner, and the AWCI Excellence in Construction Innovation Award page lists all recent winners.
Quick Bid, On-Screen Takeoff, PlanSwift, The EDGE, STACK, Sage, ProEst, Autodesk, and other third-party product and company names are trademarks of their respective owners. BuzzBID is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by the competing companies or products referenced in this article. Third-party features, pricing, licensing, and availability are based on publicly available information reviewed as of August 14, 2026 and may change.
The fastest way to know if BuzzBID fits your workflow is to see it run on a plan set from a bid you are working on right now. Contact the BuzzBID team to schedule a personalized demonstration.
Quick Bid, On-Screen Takeoff, PlanSwift, The EDGE, STACK, Sage Estimating, ProEst, Autodesk, and other third-party names referenced in this article are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. BuzzBID is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or otherwise associated with ConstructConnect, Estimating Edge, Foundation Software, STACK Construction Technologies, Sage, Autodesk, or any other third-party company or product referenced in this article. Third-party product features, pricing, licensing terms, and availability are based on publicly available information reviewed as of August 14, 2026 and are subject to change.