Best Electrical Estimating Software (2026): 10 Tools Compared

Electricians get burned on bids in two places: missed items on the takeoff and labour hours that don't match the job. Good estimating software attacks both, by measuring straight from the plans and working out labour from a database rather than memory.

I've listed ten tools alphabetically and in no particular order. Descriptions come from each maker's own site, re-checked today. I've been clear about what each one is, because two of them are job management apps that include quoting rather than full estimating packages, and one serves every trade with an electrical module. If you're curious where AI fits in, my piece on how electricians use automation to quote faster covers the practical side.

Electrical estimating and takeoff tools at a glance

Free plan here means what each maker's site offers without a time limit. Yes means a free version you can keep. Trial only means a free trial of a set number of days, usually 7 or 14. No means the route in is a demo.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
Fergus	Trade job management	Quoting and invoicing for trade firms	Trial only
Groundplan	Cloud takeoff software	Cloud takeoff with an electrical module	Trial only
IntelliBid	Electrical estimating software	Estimating and onscreen takeoff tied together	No
McCormick Estimating	Trade estimating software	Material databases and labour units	No
PataBid Quantify	AI estimating software	MEP subcontractors standardising bids	No
PlanSwift	Takeoff software	Measuring takeoffs straight from plans	Trial only
STACK	Takeoff and estimating	Free tier for takeoff and estimates	Yes
Togal	AI takeoff software	Faster AI-assisted area takeoff	No
Tradify	Trade quoting software	Sole traders and small electrical firms	Trial only
TurboBid	Electrical estimating software	Residential and light commercial electricians	Trial only

Ten estimating tools for electricians

Fergus

Best for: Trade businesses that want quoting, job tracking and invoicing in one app rather than a dedicated estimating package, with a 14-day trial and free onboarding.

Groundplan

Best for: Electrical contractors and other trades that want cloud-based takeoff and estimating, with onboarding included and a 7-day free trial to try it first.

IntelliBid

Best for: Electrical contractors that want estimating, onscreen digital takeoff and reporting from Conest tied together, on premises or on a cloud service, through a demo.

McCormick Estimating

Best for: Electrical contractors that want trade-specific material databases and labour units, including those from NECA, to build bid proposals and material lists.

PataBid Quantify

Best for: Subtrade contractors that want to standardise bidding across teams and regions, with takeoff and estimating built on MEP estimating experience.

PlanSwift

Best for: Estimators who want to measure takeoffs from plans and build the estimate in one tool, with a free 14-day trial and an electrical trade plugin.

STACK

Best for: Subcontractors and general contractors that want quantity takeoff, estimates and proposals, starting on a free version of Takeoff and Estimate.

Togal

Best for: Estimators who want AI-assisted takeoff from drawings to speed up quantities, with a demo as the way in.

Tradify

Best for: Small electrical firms that want quoting, estimating, scheduling and invoicing in one job management app, with a free 14-day trial that includes every feature.

TurboBid

Best for: Residential and light commercial electrical contractors that want labour and material calculations for estimates, with a free 14-day trial download to test first.

Which NEC edition is your bid built on?

For US electricians, the code edition under the estimate matters. NFPA's code development page for NFPA 70, the National Electrical Code, lists the 2026 edition as the current one and describes the revision cycle for the 2029 edition as the next. What it doesn't tell you is which edition your own jurisdiction enforces, so that's something to check with your local authority.

What that means for your estimates: if your assemblies and labour units assume one edition and the inspector works from another, the material list can be wrong before you start. Ask every vendor how their assemblies are kept current, and whether you can edit them to match the edition you're working to. Outside the US, your national wiring rules take the NEC's place, but the same question applies.

Estimating package, takeoff tool or job app?

• Dedicated electrical estimating: material databases, labour units and assemblies built for electrical work, suited to contractors bidding regularly.
• Takeoff tools for every trade: fast measuring from drawings, sometimes with an electrical module, suited to estimators who already know their numbers.
• Job management with quoting: quotes, scheduling and invoicing together, suited to sole traders and small firms doing service work and smaller jobs.

How to trial estimating software on a job you've finished

1. Pick a completed job where you know how the hours and materials really turned out.
2. Run the takeoff again in each tool from the same drawings.
3. Compare the material list and labour hours with what the job took.
4. Check how easily you can change assemblies and labour units.
5. Export a bid proposal and ask yourself whether you'd send it as it stands.
6. Ask how supplier catalogues and material updates come in.
7. Only move live bids across once the old job comes out close.

Small habits that tighten every bid

• Keep a list of the items you forget. Add it to your assemblies so it's never missed again.
• Compare estimates with outcomes. A quick review after each job sharpens your labour units.
• Update supplier catalogues regularly. Stale material data quietly erodes margins.
• Save templates for repeat work. Similar jobs shouldn't start from a blank page.

And if you're wondering where else AI helps day to day, my guide to AI that helps UK electricians and plumbers goes beyond the estimate.

Do you make electrical estimating software? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice for electricians choosing estimating software

If you mostly do service calls and smaller domestic jobs, a job management app with quoting will probably serve you better than a heavyweight estimating package. If you bid commercial or larger residential work every week, look at the dedicated electrical estimating tools and the takeoff tools, and trial them on a job you've already finished.

In the US, know which NEC edition your jurisdiction enforces before you trust any assembly. NFPA lists the current edition, but your inspector's edition is the one your bid has to match.

Frequently asked questions

What is electrical estimating software?

It helps electricians measure quantities from drawings, apply material and labour data, and turn the result into a bid. Some tools also handle quoting, scheduling and invoicing.

Is there free electrical estimating software?

One takeoff tool on this list offers a free version, and several have free trials of 7 or 14 days. The dedicated electrical packages here start with a demo.

Do I need takeoff software as well as estimating software?

Not always. Some estimating packages include onscreen takeoff, while takeoff tools can produce estimates too. Check whether one tool covers both for the way you bid.

Can small electrical firms use estimating software?

Yes. Smaller firms often start with a job management app that includes quoting, then add a dedicated estimating tool once they bid larger jobs regularly.

Which NEC edition should my estimate follow?

The one your jurisdiction enforces. NFPA lists the 2026 edition as current, but check which edition your local authority works to.

How long does it take to set up estimating software?

That depends on how much you customise assemblies and labour units. Several makers include onboarding, so ask what's covered before you start.