Free estimate generator
Price the job, set a validity date, and download a clean PDF estimate. No account, no signup — and when the client says yes, the invoice is one step away.
How the free estimate generator works
Scope the job line by line
Start with your business details and who the estimate is for, then break the work into lines the client can picture — site prep, labor, materials, each with a quantity and a rate. The subtotal and total add themselves up, so the price updates as you shape the scope.
Set the validity date and your terms
An estimate carries a "valid until" date instead of a payment deadline — thirty days is the working standard. Use the notes for the terms that win jobs and prevent arguments: the deposit that books the slot, what the price excludes, and how changes get approved.
Download a clean PDF and send it
Pick one of three styles — modern, classic, or minimal — and download the finished estimate. No account to create, no email to hand over. Send it the same day you promised it; in most trades the fastest professional-looking estimate wins the job.
What you get
- Works in any browser — phone, tablet, or laptop, with nothing to install
- No account, no login, and no email required to download
- "Valid until" date and a "Prepared for" block — estimate wording, not invoice wording
- Three PDF styles: modern, classic, and minimal
- Six currencies: USD, GBP, EUR, AED, CAD, and AUD
- Your own logo on the estimate (PNG or JPEG, up to 1 MB)
- A tax line with your own label and rate, when the job needs one
- Itemized scope lines with quantity, rate, and amount, plus subtotal and total
- As many estimates as you need, free
Frequently asked questions
Is this estimate generator really free?
Yes. Building the estimate and downloading the PDF are free, with no trial, no card, and no cap on how many you make. The only thing it asks in return is a small “Made with Paid” line in the footer of the PDF. Paid is an iPhone app whose whole point is what happens after the client says yes — but if you never install it, this generator still works exactly the same.
What is the difference between an estimate and an invoice?
An estimate is the price before the work — it proposes a scope, holds for a stated validity window, and usually names a deposit. An invoice is the bill after the work, with a due date and payment terms. This tool writes estimates: the document says “Estimate”, carries a “valid until” date, and addresses the client as “prepared for” rather than “bill to”. When the job is done, write the invoice with the free invoice generator.
Is an estimate legally binding?
On its own, usually not — it is your informed approximation, and the contract you sign afterwards is the binding document. But wording matters: if your estimate calls a number fixed, or the client reasonably relies on it and work starts without a contract, it can carry weight. Say plainly which figures are firm and which are allowances, give the estimate a validity date, and put the real terms in a contract before work begins.
How long should my estimate stay valid?
Thirty days is the standard the tool suggests, and most trades stick close to it. Material prices and your own calendar move too much to hold a number all season, and an open-ended estimate invites a client to accept June pricing in November. A visible validity date also gives a hesitating client an honest deadline — and gives you a graceful way to re-price when it lapses instead of honoring a stale figure.
Should I ask for a deposit in the estimate?
For any job big enough to schedule around, yes — state it in the notes. On residential trade work 10–33% is the common range: enough to cover early materials and make the booking real, not so much that it scares a careful client. Tie it to what it buys (“30% deposit to schedule; balance on completion”). Some states cap deposits on home improvement contracts, so check your local rule before making a third your default.
Where is my estimate data stored?
In your browser, and nowhere else. The estimate is assembled on your own device and the PDF is generated there too, so your client names, scope lines, and prices are never uploaded to us. One working draft is kept in your browser's local storage — separate from the invoice generator's draft — and it expires after a week, or clears the moment you press Start over.
Want a starting point built for your trade? The free estimate templates come pre-filled with realistic scope lines and market rates for builders, roofers, painters, and more — and every one of them opens right here in the generator. Billing a finished job instead? Use the free invoice generator.