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Construction · head to head

B2W Estimate vs Clearstory

B2W Estimate logo

B2W Estimate

Construction

Heavy civil estimating and bidding built on crew, equipment and production rates rather than unit prices

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Clearstory logo

Clearstory

Construction

Digital change order and time and materials tag exchange between subcontractors and general contractors

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: B2W Estimate pricing is not published anywhere, and the quote depends on estimator seats plus which of the four other B2W modules you take, so like-for-like comparison with HeavyBid or spreadsheets is impossible without going through a sales cycle; Clearstory value depends on the counterparty using it, so a subcontractor whose general contractors have not adopted it ends up running the digital process and the emailed one at the same time.
  • They diverge on capability: B2W Estimate covers Production-rate estimating, Clearstory covers Digital time and materials tags.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which B2W Estimate and Clearstory actually diverge.

Attributes where B2W Estimate and Clearstory differ
AttributeB2W EstimateClearstory
PlatformsWindows, WebWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: starting price (On request), pricing model (quote), 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 B2W Estimate

  • Production-rate estimating
  • Central resource database
  • Concurrent bidding
  • DOT bid file export
  • Alternates and addenda
  • Field feedback loop
  • Bid analysis

Only in Clearstory

  • Digital time and materials tags
  • Review and signature routing
  • Change order log
  • Cost exposure reporting
  • Field mobile capture
  • Document export

What people use each for

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

B2W Estimate

  • A grading contractor bids a 40 million dollar DOT job and needs to test three crew configurations against the same quantities before the bid deadlinenot Clearstory
  • A utility contractor wants the production rates used in the winning bid pushed into field logging so the superintendent is measured against the estimatenot Clearstory
  • An estimating department with four estimators needs several people working on separate sections of one bid without merging spreadsheets by handnot Clearstory
  • A contractor moving off HeavyBid wants a resource database it can reuse across estimating, dispatch and fleet maintenancenot Clearstory

Clearstory

  • A speciality subcontractor that regularly performs extra work and struggles to get tags signednot B2W Estimate
  • A general contractor tired of receiving a stack of disputed tags at project closeoutnot B2W Estimate
  • A project team that needs the value of pending extras visible during the job rather than after itnot B2W Estimate
  • A contractor standardising change documentation across trades on a large projectnot B2W Estimate

Where each one falls short

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

B2W Estimate

  • Pricing is not published anywhere, and the quote depends on estimator seats plus which of the four other B2W modules you take, so like-for-like comparison with HeavyBid or spreadsheets is impossible without going through a sales cycle
  • The system is worthless until your own crews, equipment and production rates are loaded, which is typically several months of a senior estimator's time before the first bid comes out
  • It is aimed squarely at heavy civil self-performing work, so a general contractor whose bids are mostly subcontractor quotes gets very little from the production-rate engine
  • The Trimble acquisition means the product now competes internally with other Trimble civil estimating assets, and buyers should ask directly about the long term roadmap for overlapping products before signing a multi-year term
  • Reporting outside the Inform module is limited, so organisations that want bid analytics across years typically end up buying another module or extracting to a warehouse

Clearstory

  • Value depends on the counterparty using it, so a subcontractor whose general contractors have not adopted it ends up running the digital process and the emailed one at the same time.
  • It documents extra work but does not settle it; a general contractor determined not to pay is not persuaded by better paperwork, only better positioned to be argued with.
  • Field staff have to complete tags properly for the record to hold up, and the discipline required is the same discipline that was failing on paper.
  • Poor connectivity in basements, plant rooms and lift shafts is exactly where extra work gets documented, so offline reliability needs testing before rollout rather than after.
  • It overlaps with change management already present in Procore and similar platforms, so buyers must be clear about which system holds the authoritative log or they will maintain two.

Pricing, plan by plan

B2W Estimate

On request
  • B2W Estimate$undefined/year
    • Priced per estimator seat with a separate server or hosting component
    • Additional B2W modules quoted separately
    • Implementation and resource database setup billed as a project

Clearstory

On request
  • Clearstory$undefined/year
    • Digital time and materials tags
    • Change order log
    • Mobile field capture

Which should you pick?

Choose B2W Estimate if

  • You need production-rate estimating.
  • You work on Windows, Web.
  • You also want central resource database.
B2W Estimate review

Choose Clearstory if

  • You need digital time and materials tags.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want review and signature routing.
Clearstory review

Questions people ask

Is B2W Estimate or Clearstory better?
Neither clearly leads. B2W Estimate starts at On request and Clearstory at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, B2W Estimate or Clearstory?
B2W Estimate starts at On request and Clearstory at On request.
Does B2W Estimate or Clearstory run on more platforms?
B2W Estimate runs on Windows, Web. Clearstory runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is B2W Estimate best used for?
B2W Estimate is most often used for a grading contractor bids a 40 million dollar dot job and needs to test three crew configurations against the same quantities before the bid deadline, a utility contractor wants the production rates used in the winning bid pushed into field logging so the superintendent is measured against the estimate, an estimating department with four estimators needs several people working on separate sections of one bid without merging spreadsheets by hand, a contractor moving off heavybid wants a resource database it can reuse across estimating, dispatch and fleet maintenance. Of those, a grading contractor bids a 40 million dollar dot job and needs to test three crew configurations against the same quantities before the bid deadline and a utility contractor wants the production rates used in the winning bid pushed into field logging so the superintendent is measured against the estimate are not what Clearstory is typically brought in for.
What can B2W Estimate do that Clearstory cannot?
B2W Estimate covers Production-rate estimating, Central resource database, Concurrent bidding, DOT bid file export. Clearstory covers Digital time and materials tags, Review and signature routing, Change order log, Cost exposure reporting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

B2W Estimate: Is B2W Estimate still sold under its own name?

Yes. Trimble acquired B2W in 2022 and continues to sell it as B2W Estimate within the Trimble Construction portfolio.

Clearstory: Is Clearstory for subcontractors or general contractors?

Both, because the workflow crosses between them. The subcontractor originates the tag, the general contractor reviews it, and adoption works best when the general contractor mandates it.

B2W Estimate: Is there a perpetual licence?

Current sales are subscription based. Existing perpetual customers have been migrated toward subscription, so treat a perpetual arrangement as something to negotiate rather than assume.

Clearstory: Does it replace change management in Procore?

It can, for time and materials tags and the change order log, but you must decide which system is authoritative. Running both without that decision creates reconciliation work.

B2W Estimate: How does it compare with HeavyBid?

Both are production-rate estimators for heavy civil. B2W's argument is the shared resource database across estimating, field tracking, dispatch and maintenance; HeavyBid's is depth of bidding features and a large installed base in highway work.

Clearstory: What happens on sites without signal?

Tags are captured on the device and synchronised later. Test that path with photographs attached before relying on it.

B2W Estimate: Does it work for building construction?

Poorly. It assumes self-performed work priced by crew output. Vertical builders bidding mostly subcontracted scopes should look elsewhere.

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