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Construction · head to head

Buildertrend vs Cubit Estimating

Buildertrend logo

Buildertrend

Construction

Construction project management for home builders and remodelers

From
$199/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cubit Estimating logo

Cubit Estimating

Construction

Australian estimating and on-screen takeoff in one window, priced openly per user per month

From
167/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Buildertrend pricing is by quote only, with no rate, plan name or minimum published on the pricing page; Cubit Estimating every subscription carries a minimum twelve month term, so a firm that hires an estimator for one tender period pays for the full year regardless.
  • They diverge on capability: Buildertrend covers Project scheduling, Cubit Estimating covers Integrated takeoff and estimate.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Buildertrend and Cubit Estimating actually diverge.

Attributes where Buildertrend and Cubit Estimating differ
AttributeBuildertrendCubit Estimating
Starting price$199/month167/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer user per month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWindows
Founded2006Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Construction).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Buildertrend

  • Project scheduling
  • Customer management
  • Financial tracking
  • Selections management
  • Change orders
  • QuickBooks
  • Xero
  • Zillow

Only in Cubit Estimating

  • Integrated takeoff and estimate
  • Calculation and rate sheets
  • Price list management
  • Bills of quantities
  • BIM and IFC takeoff
  • Revision management
  • AI Estimating add-on
  • Job collaboration

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Buildertrend

  • Project scheduling and daily job site loggingnot Cubit Estimating
  • Homeowner and contractor payment processingnot Cubit Estimating
  • Material takeoff and budget managementnot Cubit Estimating
  • Change order tracking and approval workflownot Cubit Estimating

Cubit Estimating

  • An Australian commercial builder that wants takeoff and estimate in one file rather than exporting quantities from a separate measurement toolnot Buildertrend
  • A quantity surveying practice producing trade-structured bills of quantities to local conventionnot Buildertrend
  • A subcontractor pricing repeat work from maintained supplier price lists rather than rebuilding rates each tendernot Buildertrend
  • A small estimating team that needs to know the annual cost before booking a demo, because the rate card is publishednot Buildertrend

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Buildertrend

  • Pricing is by quote only, with no rate, plan name or minimum published on the pricing page
  • Getting a price requires completing a multi-step form declaring builder type and annual construction volume, then booking a call with a sales representative
  • The only published discount is 10% off for paying annually upfront

Cubit Estimating

  • Every subscription carries a minimum twelve month term, so a firm that hires an estimator for one tender period pays for the full year regardless.
  • BIM and IFC takeoff sits only in Enterprise at $250 per user per month, meaning a builder who receives models rather than PDFs is pushed to the top tier whether or not it needs collaboration features.
  • The product is Windows only with no macOS or browser client, which excludes practices standardised on Macs unless they run virtualisation.
  • Rate libraries, measurement conventions and BOQ structures follow Australian practice, so buyers outside Australia and New Zealand inherit a method that does not match their local standard forms.
  • The AI Estimating add-on is priced at an explicitly temporary introductory rate, so a firm building the feature into its workflow is accepting an unspecified future increase on top of the seat price.

Pricing, plan by plan

Buildertrend

$199/month
  • Essential$499/month
    • Unlimited projects and users
    • Schedule, to-do lists, customer portal
    • Proposals and email marketing
  • Advanced$799/month
    • All Essential features
    • Advanced estimating and change orders
    • Takeoff tool for materials
  • Complete$1099/month
    • All Advanced features
    • Selections and warranty management
    • RFI and cost inbox features
  • Buildertrend Boost$100/month
    • Dedicated setup and account managers
    • Customized onboarding and configuration
    • Personalized coaching and strategic reviews

Cubit Estimating

167/month
  • Standard$167/month
    • Integrated estimating and takeoff
    • Calculation sheets, rate sheets and price lists
    • Basic job management
  • Professional$222/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Code grouping
    • Custom reporting
  • Enterprise$250/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • BIM and IFC takeoff
    • Multi-user job collaboration
  • AI Estimating add-on$20/month
    • Automated element recognition
    • Works with any edition
    • Introductory rate the vendor says will increase

Which should you pick?

Choose Buildertrend if

  • You need project scheduling.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want customer management.
Buildertrend review

Choose Cubit Estimating if

  • You need integrated takeoff and estimate.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want calculation and rate sheets.
Cubit Estimating review

Questions people ask

Is Buildertrend or Cubit Estimating better?
Neither clearly leads. Buildertrend starts at $199/month and Cubit Estimating at 167/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Buildertrend or Cubit Estimating?
Buildertrend starts at $199/month and Cubit Estimating at 167/month.
Does Buildertrend or Cubit Estimating run on more platforms?
Buildertrend runs on Web, Ios, Android. Cubit Estimating runs on Windows.
What is Buildertrend best used for?
Buildertrend is most often used for project scheduling and daily job site logging, homeowner and contractor payment processing, material takeoff and budget management, change order tracking and approval workflow. Of those, project scheduling and daily job site logging and homeowner and contractor payment processing are not what Cubit Estimating is typically brought in for.
What can Buildertrend do that Cubit Estimating cannot?
Buildertrend covers Project scheduling, Customer management, Financial tracking, Selections management. Cubit Estimating covers Integrated takeoff and estimate, Calculation and rate sheets, Price list management, Bills of quantities.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Buildertrend: What are Buildertrend's monthly subscription prices?

Buildertrend offers three plans: Essential at $499/month, Advanced at $799/month, and Complete at $1,099/month. All include first-month discounts of $300, reducing starting costs to $199, $499, and $799 respectively.

Source
Cubit Estimating: What does Cubit actually cost?

Standard $167, Professional $222 and Enterprise $250 per user per month on annual billing, in Australian dollars excluding GST. Monthly billing is about 16 per cent more.

Buildertrend: What is Buildertrend Boost and does it cost extra?

Buildertrend Boost is an optional add-on program costing $100 per month. It includes dedicated account managers, customized setup, personalized coaching, and strategic business reviews to help you maximize the platform.

Source
Cubit Estimating: Can I get BIM takeoff without the Enterprise tier?

No. IFC model takeoff is an Enterprise feature only.

Buildertrend: Does Buildertrend offer discounts for annual billing?

Yes, Buildertrend offers annual pricing discounts. For example, the Essential plan saves $1,799 per year, Advanced saves $2,159 per year, and Complete saves $2,519 per year when billed annually versus monthly.

Source
Cubit Estimating: Is there a perpetual licence?

No. Cubit Estimating is subscription only with a minimum twelve month commitment.

Buildertrend: Are there unlimited users and projects included?

Yes, all Buildertrend plans include unlimited projects and users, allowing you to add employees, subcontractors, and clients at no additional cost per user.

Source
Cubit Estimating: Does it suit contractors outside Australia?

It works, but rate libraries and BOQ conventions follow Australian standards, so buyers elsewhere do more setup than a locally built alternative would need.

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