Software · head to head
ProEst vs BuildingConnected
BuildingConnected
Software
Preconstruction and bid management platform
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only BuildingConnected has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: ProEst proest.com/pricing/ redirects to construction.autodesk.com/pricing/proest, confirming ProEst is now sold exclusively as part of Autodesk Construction Cloud rather than as a standalone product.; BuildingConnected the Internet Archive's capture of BuildingConnected's homepage on 16 December 2019 named three distinct network tools, BC Pro, TradeTapp, and Bid Board Pro, each sold via demo request or free trial with no price figure published; the product is now owned by Autodesk.
- They diverge on capability: ProEst covers Digital takeoff, BuildingConnected covers Subcontractor network.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which ProEst and BuildingConnected actually diverge.
| Attribute | ProEst | BuildingConnected |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $200/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web | Web, Ios, Android |
| Founded | 1996 | 1982 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 ProEst
- Digital takeoff
- Cost databases
- Proposal generation
- Reporting
- Sage 300
- Foundation
- Viewpoint
- Cloud security
Only in BuildingConnected
- Subcontractor network
- Prequalification
- Bid leveling
- Analytics
- Autodesk Build
- Autodesk Docs
- Sage
- Access controls
Both cover
- Bid management
- QuickBooks
- Procore
- Data encryption
- Audit trails
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
ProEst
- Project estimatingnot BuildingConnected
- Bid managementnot BuildingConnected
- Cost analysisnot BuildingConnected
- Proposal creationnot BuildingConnected
BuildingConnected
- Bid solicitationnot ProEst
- Subcontractor prequalificationnot ProEst
- Bid analysisnot ProEst
- Vendor managementnot ProEst
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
ProEst
- proest.com/pricing/ redirects to construction.autodesk.com/pricing/proest, confirming ProEst is now sold exclusively as part of Autodesk Construction Cloud rather than as a standalone product.
BuildingConnected
- The Internet Archive's capture of BuildingConnected's homepage on 16 December 2019 named three distinct network tools, BC Pro, TradeTapp, and Bid Board Pro, each sold via demo request or free trial with no price figure published; the product is now owned by Autodesk.
Pricing, plan by plan
ProEst
$200/month- ProEst Estimating$200/month
- Digital takeoff
- Pre-built assemblies
- Bid management
- EnterpriseFree
- Advanced integrations
- Custom assemblies
- Multi-company
BuildingConnected
Free- Pro (Subcontractors)Free
- Bid opportunities
- ITB responses
- Company profile
- Pro (GCs)Free
- Bid management
- Subcontractor network
- Bid leveling
Which should you pick?
Choose BuildingConnected if
- You need subcontractor network.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want prequalification.
Questions people ask
- Is ProEst or BuildingConnected better?
- Neither clearly leads. ProEst starts at $200/month and BuildingConnected at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, ProEst or BuildingConnected?
- BuildingConnected has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $200/month for ProEst and Free for BuildingConnected.
- Does ProEst or BuildingConnected run on more platforms?
- ProEst runs on Web. BuildingConnected runs on Web, Ios, Android.
- Can I use BuildingConnected for free?
- Yes. BuildingConnected has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ProEst starts at $200/month.
- What is ProEst best used for?
- ProEst is most often used for project estimating, bid management, cost analysis, proposal creation. Of those, project estimating and bid management are not what BuildingConnected is typically brought in for.
- What can ProEst do that BuildingConnected cannot?
- ProEst covers Digital takeoff, Cost databases, Proposal generation, Reporting. BuildingConnected covers Subcontractor network, Prequalification, Bid leveling, Analytics. Both handle Bid management, QuickBooks, Procore, Data encryption.