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Construction · head to head

Clearstory vs Handoff

Clearstory logo

Clearstory

Construction

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

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Handoff logo

Handoff

Construction

AI estimating and proposals for residential remodelling contractors, priced per company not per seat

From
$119/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Handoff pro and Scale require a 12 month commitment, so a seasonal remodeller who slows down over winter pays through the quiet months or stays on the more expensive month-to-month Flex tier
  • They diverge on capability: Clearstory covers Digital time and materials tags, Handoff covers Estimate from description.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clearstory and Handoff actually diverge.

Attributes where Clearstory and Handoff differ
AttributeClearstoryHandoff
Starting priceOn request$119/month
Pricing modelquotePer company per month

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), 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 Clearstory

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

Only in Handoff

  • Estimate from description
  • Photo-based estimating
  • AI takeoff
  • Custom pricing catalogues
  • Proposals and e-signature
  • Change orders
  • Invoicing and card payments

What people use each for

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

Clearstory

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

Handoff

  • A remodelling contractor who visits four kitchens a week and wants a priced proposal out the same evening instead of three days laternot Clearstory
  • A roofing business whose owner writes every estimate personally and is the bottleneck on salesnot Clearstory
  • A small builder who wants proposal, change order and invoice in one record so the final billing reconciles to what the client signednot Clearstory
  • A contractor collecting payment by card who wants to cut the processing rate from 3.35 to 2.85 per cent by moving to the annual Pro tiernot Clearstory

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Handoff

  • Pro and Scale require a 12 month commitment, so a seasonal remodeller who slows down over winter pays through the quiet months or stays on the more expensive month-to-month Flex tier
  • AI-generated line item pricing is based on general cost data, not your suppliers or your subcontractors, so every estimate needs review and the time saving is smaller than the marketing implies once a real pricing catalogue is built
  • AI takeoff only appears on the 899 dollar Scale tier and is capped at plans of 5,000 square feet, which excludes most light commercial and larger custom homes
  • Flex includes only 50 AI credits a month and one pricing catalogue, which a busy estimator exhausts quickly, making the entry tier more of a trial than a working plan
  • It targets residential remodelling specifically, with no scheduling, no field production tracking and no job costing depth, so a growing contractor outgrows it and migrates to a full construction management platform

Pricing, plan by plan

Clearstory

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

Handoff

$119/month
  • Flex$119/month
    • Billed annually, 149 USD month to month
    • 2 users
    • 50 AI credits a month
  • Pro$239/month
    • Billed annually, 299 USD month to month
    • 12 month commitment
    • 5 users
  • Scale$719/month
    • Billed annually, 899 USD month to month
    • 12 month commitment
    • 5 users
  • Custom API$undefined/year
    • Quoted for multi-location businesses
    • API access
    • Custom integrations

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Handoff if

  • You need estimate from description.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want photo-based estimating.
Handoff review

Questions people ask

Is Clearstory or Handoff better?
Neither clearly leads. Clearstory starts at On request and Handoff at $119/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Clearstory or Handoff?
Clearstory starts at On request and Handoff at $119/month.
Does Clearstory or Handoff run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Clearstory best used for?
Clearstory is most often used for a speciality subcontractor that regularly performs extra work and struggles to get tags signed, a general contractor tired of receiving a stack of disputed tags at project closeout, a project team that needs the value of pending extras visible during the job rather than after it, a contractor standardising change documentation across trades on a large project. Of those, a speciality subcontractor that regularly performs extra work and struggles to get tags signed and a general contractor tired of receiving a stack of disputed tags at project closeout are not what Handoff is typically brought in for.
What can Clearstory do that Handoff cannot?
Clearstory covers Digital time and materials tags, Review and signature routing, Change order log, Cost exposure reporting. Handoff covers Estimate from description, Photo-based estimating, AI takeoff, Custom pricing catalogues.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Handoff: What does Handoff actually cost?

From 119 US dollars a month billed annually on Flex for two users, 239 on Pro for five users, and 719 on Scale which is the only tier with AI takeoff. Month to month prices are 149, 299 and 899.

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.

Handoff: Is the card processing fee on top of the subscription?

Yes. It is 3.35 per cent on Flex and 2.85 per cent on Pro and Scale, charged on payments you collect through the platform.

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.

Handoff: Does it do commercial construction?

No. It is built for residential remodelling scopes and its cost data and takeoff limits reflect that.

Handoff: Can I cancel monthly?

Only on Flex. Pro and Scale carry a 12 month commitment.

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