--- title: "Bolster Software Pricing, Alternatives & More 2026 | Capterra" description: "With the help of Capterra, learn about Bolster Software - reviews, pricing plans, popular comparisons to other Construction Estimating products and more." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/199769/Bolster/" page_type: "product" language: "en" publication_date: "2026-09-30" --- # Bolster Software Review 2026: Features, Integrations, Pros & Cons Last updated on September 30, 2026 Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Description](#description)[Use cases](#use-cases)[Alternatives](#alternatives)[FAQs](#faqs)[Features](#features)[Pricing](#pricing)[Integrations](#integrations)[Support](#support)[Reviews](#reviews) Bolster ## What is Bolster? The fastest quoting software in the world that wins contractors bids through a buying experience that allows your customers to select their finishes, upgrade, downgrade, and build their renovation or new-build with real-time price changes -- with no additional effort from the contractor. ## What is Bolster used for? [Construction Estimating](https://www.capterra.com/construction-estimating-software/)[Residential Construction Estimating](https://www.capterra.com/residential-construction-estimating-software/)[Remodeling Estimating](https://www.capterra.com/remodeling-estimating-software/) Recognitions Shortlist Top alternative Featured Overall rating Based on 81 user reviews Reviews sentiment Positive 83% Neutral 6% Negative 11% Starting price $199 Flat Rate, Per Month Free trial not available Free version not included Capterra Shortlist charts the highest-rated and most popular products... - Construction Estimating / 2026 Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Our "Best of" badge program showcases products with the highest ratings... Do you work for Bolster?[Manage this product listing](https://www.g2.com/products/costcertified-bolster/claim_requests/new?auto=true) ## Compare with a popular alternative Capterra selects software alternatives based on relevant features, verified user reviews and user interactions. Placement may be influenced by client status. ### Bolster 4.3 (81) VS. [4.5 (839)](https://www.capterra.com/p/166113/Contractor-Foreman/reviews/) Starting Price $199 Flat Rate, Per Month Starting Price $49 Per User, Per Month Free Trial Free Version Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version Ease Of Use 4.1 (81) Ease Of Use 4.3 (487) Value For Money 4.1 (78) Value For Money 4.6 (421) Customer Service 4.4 (77) Customer Service 4.5 (426) ## Bolster alternatives Highest Rated [4.6 (1,487)](https://www.capterra.com/p/127994/Jobber/reviews/) Starting price $39.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 93% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.2 (304)](https://www.capterra.com/p/151681/RSMeans/reviews/) Starting price $396.00 Per User, Per Month Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 85% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [4.6 (847)](https://www.capterra.com/p/116187/Acculynx/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 95% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [PlanHub](https://www.capterra.com/p/179042/PlanHub/) [4.4 (487)](https://www.capterra.com/p/179042/PlanHub/reviews/) Starting price Contact vendor for pricing Pricing Options Free Trial Free Version User Rating 85% of reviewers rated it above 4 stars [Learn More](https://www.capterra.com/p/179042/PlanHub/) [View all alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/199769/Bolster/alternatives/) ## FAQs about Bolster Overview ### What problems does Bolster solve? Bolster solves slow, spreadsheet-based construction estimating by helping contractors build detailed quotes from editable item libraries and project-specific templates. Its interactive proposals let homeowners compare upgrades, downgrades, and budget choices, reducing back-and-forth revisions. Remodelers, construction sales teams, and project managers benefit from faster pricing, clearer proposals, and estimates that carry into scheduling, tracking, and billing. Answer based on 31 reviews Overview ### Which roles and teams benefit most from Bolster? Bolster is most used by business owners, presidents, CEOs, and partners who need visibility into estimates, sales, and project performance. Estimators and project managers use it to build proposals and track jobs, while office managers and sales teams coordinate customer details, scheduling, and handoffs from inquiry through completion. Answer based on 81 reviews Overview ### What company size and industries is Bolster built for? Bolster is built primarily for small construction businesses, which account for 99% of reviewers, and supports custom home building, general contracting, residential remodeling, flooring, and roofing. Construction represents 79% of users, while Apparel & Fashion and Civil Engineering each account for 2%. Midsize businesses make up 1% of reviewers. Answer based on 81 reviews Features and Usability ### What are the key features of Bolster? Bolster includes core estimating features such as cost estimating based on material and labor costs, customizable templates, and quotes/estimates with adjustable margins and discounts. It also provides proposal generation for detailed, visual customer proposals and change order management to track added work, approvals, updates, and amounts due for billing. Answer based on 18 reviews Pricing ### How much does it cost and what fees or limitations are included? Bolster starts at $199 per month for the Essentials plan, billed annually, with 1 user, unlimited estimates, presentations, upsells, and payment types. Pro costs $399 per month for 3 users and adds onboarding, labor cost, and material pricing updates. Premium is $499 per month for 5 users. Answer based on 9 reviews Integrations ### Which third-party tools and platforms does Bolster integrate with? Bolster integrates with QuickBooks Online and Renoworks. These cataloged integrations connect Bolster to accounting and construction-related workflows, giving teams two specific third-party platform options for linking related data and processes. Answer based on 6 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What training and onboarding options does Bolster offer? Bolster provides live online sessions, webinars, and videos to help teams get started. Live online sessions support guided setup and direct instruction, webinars offer scheduled training for groups, and videos give self-paced reference for reviewing features and steps as needed. Answer based on 1 reviews Getting Started and Support ### What customer support options does Bolster offer, and how do users rate the experience? Bolster offers email/help desk, FAQ/forum, and phone support. Users often describe support as responsive, helpful, and receptive to feedback, with some reporting answers within hours and effective training assistance. However, a few users cite disputes over cancellation commitments and dissatisfaction when resolving product or contract issues. Answer based on 14 reviews Estimate management ### How well does Bolster handle construction estimates? Bolster speeds up construction estimating with reusable templates, editable item libraries, job calculations, and interactive client proposals. Contractors value clearer, more professional quotes and customer budget choices. Setup and advanced customization can take time, however, and some teams want more flexible estimate layouts, better documentation, and faster editing for detailed estimates. Answer based on 31 reviews ## Features AI summary Based on 2,362 Construction Estimating reviews Capterra reviewers highlight these as the features buyers care about most when choosing construction estimating software: - **Quotes/Estimates** (**62%** of reviewers rated this feature as critical) - **Multiple Projects** (**51%**) - **Takeoff** (**62%**) Bolster includes **Quotes/Estimates** and **Takeoff**, giving construction teams the tools to build accurate bids and measure materials more efficiently. However, it does not include **Multiple Projects**. Instead, it offers other highly rated capabilities, including **Cost Estimating** (**61%**) and **Job Costing** (**54%**), which help businesses track projected expenses and monitor actual job costs, allowing teams to make more informed pricing and budgeting decisions. Quotes/Estimates 4.4 (33) 100.00% of 33 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Generate quotes or estimates for customers Takeoff 3.8 (13) 53.85% of 13 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Measure digital plans to calculate labor and materials needed Cost Estimating 4.3 (33) 90.91% of 33 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Forecast the cost and resources required to complete a project Job Costing 4.0 (25) 72.00% of 25 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Calculate total itemized costs, including initial costs and any changes Proposal Generation 4.4 (40) 95.00% of 40 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Create proposals based on costs of labor and materials Customizable Templates 4.2 (36) 86.11% of 36 reviewers that rated this feature as important or highly important Pre-designed layouts that can be customized to match preferences and requirements Bolster 42 features ### All Features - Activity Dashboard: Dashboard to view the status of ongoing processes, identify current incidents and track past activities - Audit Trail: A record of all activities within the system, including user access, changes made, etc. - Automated Scheduling: Automatically create schedules based on business needs or employee availability and qualifications - Billing & Invoicing: Create, manage, and send invoices or bills to customers - Calendar Management: Track and manage schedules and meetings via an integrated calendar - Change Order Management: Tracks all change orders submitted across projects and updates the budget to reflect the most recent costs - Client Management: Manage contact details and communication with clients - Contractor Management: Specialized for general contractors/sub-contractors (those who conduct work on a contract basis) - Cost Database: Collection of data related to the costs associated with various items, products, services, or activities - Cost Estimating: Forecast the cost and resources required to complete a project - Cost Tracking: Process to track, record, and analyze expenses that occurred over the entire duration of a given project - CRM: Built-in customer relationship management (CRM) capabilities or integration with a third-party CRM system - Customizable Templates: Pre-designed layouts that can be customized to match preferences and requirements - Document Storage: Store and organize documents in a centralized system - Electrical Estimating: Estimating software designed for electrical businesses - Electronic Payments: Electronically collect payments for goods or services - Estimating: Estimate expected cost based on various factors before a project begins - Financial Management: Plan, manage, and track the financial activities of an individual or organization - For AEC Industry: Primarily serving architecture, engineering, and construction industry professionals - Historical Database: Archive of job costs for similar projects - HVAC Estimating: Estimating software designed for HVAC businesses - Invoice Management: Captures invoice data and maintains comprehensive records for auditing and reporting purposes - Job Costing: Calculate total itemized costs, including initial costs and any changes - Job Management: Manage and track all job information and associated tasks - Job Scheduling: Planning and managing the execution of tasks or jobs within a computer system, network, or other automated environments - Lead Management: Store information about leads or contacts and track, manage and nurture them throughout the sales process - Materials Management: Process of planning, procuring and controlling material flows along with supplier evaluation and shipping - Online Payments: Accept and process online payment transactions - Payment Processing: Accept, record, and reconcile financial transactions - Plumbing Estimating: Estimating software designed for plumbing companies - Progress Tracking: Reporting on how each user, task or process has advanced since its initiation - Project Management: Plan and coordinate all the resources, costs and time needed to execute assignments - Proposal Generation: Create proposals based on costs of labor and materials - Quotes/Estimates: Generate quotes or estimates for customers - Real-Time Updates: Receive system updates as soon as any changes are made - Reporting/Analytics: View and track pertinent metrics to find patterns and gain insights from data - Scheduling: Plan availability and assign specific time slots for tasks and resources - Subcontractor Management: Track information, qualifications, and contact details of subcontractors - Takeoff: Measure digital plans to calculate labor and materials needed - Task Management: Create, manage and track all task activities and progression - Task Scheduling: Track and manage the scheduling of tasks - Visual Assemblies: Displays a graphical view of a build assembly to visualize which portion of the project you're estimating --- Get Advice We can help you find the software with the features you need. Features 4.2 (81) 4.2 Based on 81 reviews ## Pricing Value for money 4.1 (78) [View pricing plan details](https://www.capterra.com/p/199769/Bolster/pricing/) Bolster Essentials $199.00 Flat Rate,Per Month It includes: - Unlimited Estimates - Unlimited Presentations - Upsells - Debit & Credit Payment Types - 1 User - Knowledge Base - Help Desk Bolster Pro $399.00 Flat Rate,Per Month It includes: - Material Pricing Updates - Labor cost - 3 Users - 1:1 Onboarding Bolster Premium $499.00 Flat Rate,Per Month It includes: - 5 users Bolster Enterprise Custom Quote Available It includes: - 1:1 Support - Unlimited users - Franchise Operations - Multi-Location Value for money 4.1 (78) 4.1 Based on 78 reviews ## Integrations [ QuickBooks Online](https://www.capterra.com/p/190778/QuickBooks-Online/)[ Renoworks](https://www.capterra.com/p/181506/Home-visualization-configurator-software/) Connect with a Capterra advisor for a free 15-minute consultation Get a personalized software list aligned to your business needs with guidance from our expert advisors. Our team has helped 1 million+ businesses like yours find options that fit their needs. ## Support, customer service and training options Customer Service 4.4 (77) Support - Email/Help Desk - FAQs/Forum - Knowledge Base - Phone Support - 24/7 (Live rep) - Chat Training - In Person - Live Online - Webinars - Documentation - Videos Deployment - Web - Android - iPhone/iPad Typical users - Freelancers - Small businesses - Mid size businesses - Enterprises Customer Service 4.4 (77) 4.4 Based on 77 reviews ## User reviews Overall rating 4.3 Based on 81 reviews Filter by rating 5(58) 4(9) 3(5) 2(1) 1(8) Mentioned topic Sorted by most recent DO Diego O. CEO Construction ### "From Estimates to Payments, Bolster Has Transformed Our Sales Process" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 October 9, 2026 Bolster has truly transformed the way we create estimates and manage our sales process. Before Bolster, creating an estimate often meant reaching out to the people on our team who knew the pricing. Today, we use templates with pre-populated costs that allow our sales team to quickly and consistently produce accurate estimates. This has made it much easier for us to expand our sales force and has given our business the scalability we were looking for. Pros There are so many things we love about Bolster. The ability to offer clients different options and upgrades within the same estimate saves us from having to create multiple versions of a proposal. Having all of our sales information organized in one place also makes managing opportunities and projects much easier. Another major improvement has been payments. We went from collecting checks from clients throughout the life of a project to easily requesting and tracking payments online. The visibility and traceability of every payment has been a huge benefit. And I almost forgot one of our favorite features: Change Work Orders! No more getting to the end of a project and trying to figure out which change orders were approved, what was included, and how much was still owed. Bolster keeps everything organized, tracks the additional work, and automatically adds the amounts due to the project so we can bill for them properly. Cons While Bolster has been a great tool for our business, there are still a few areas that could use improvement. Project management and job scheduling have a way to go before they can fully replace other tools we use. I would also like to see more robust dashboards, with greater visibility into business and sales performance, as well as the ability to create and customize our own reports. These improvements would make Bolster an even more complete solution for managing our business. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. VG Vlad G. Owner Construction ### "Advanced and Professional Estimating Software for Contractors" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 September 27, 2026 Our overall experience with Bolster has been very positive. We use it for preparing construction and renovation estimates and proposals, and it has made our estimating process much more professional and organized. The platform offers a lot of useful features for contractors and continues to improve. We are very happy with it and use it regularly in our business. Pros Bolster is a very advanced and professional estimating platform built specifically for construction businesses. We really like how easy it is to create detailed estimates, organize the scope of work, present pricing clearly, and send professional-looking proposals to clients. It helps keep our estimating process much more organized and efficient. Cons Because Bolster has many features, there is a bit of a learning curve at the beginning. It takes some time to set everything up properly and become familiar with all of the tools, but once you learn the system, it becomes very useful and efficient. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. KC Kayla C. Admin Construction ### "Big Country Review " 3.0 Overall Rating 3.0 3.0 Ease of Use 3.0 3.0 Features 2.0 2.0 Customer Service 3.0 3.0 Likelihood to Recommend 5/10 July 16, 2026 Pros The way that we can send out estimates and invoices to our customers, get approvals, and payments through the system. Cons There isn't a way to make it customizable to fit better with our business processes, and the slowness of feature requests being added to the pipeline. Switched from [JobNimbus](https://www.capterra.com/p/126797/JobNimbus/) The cost of job nimbus was high, and we thought we could get a better use out of bolster. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. JM Jonathan M. owner Construction ### "Long Time Bolster User" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 June 20, 2026 Overall we like using Bolster because Bolster is continuing to innovate and provide the latest technologies to help save time Pros Love the customer support. \[sensitive content hidden\] is always quick to repsond. He's also very helpful in solving the problem Cons Would like to see more self help videos and user documentation of how to use Bolster, especially with the latest features that can be helpful for creating estimates more efficiently. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. GK Graham K. Owner, Estimator Construction ### "Great Estimating Platform" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 4.0 4.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 June 15, 2026 Overall, I am very happy with my experience with Bolster and would recommend other contractors give them a try. Pros I was initially attracted to Bolster because of their estimating platform. It is very intuitive and their template model makes creating quick, accurate estimates easy. They also have great customer support and you can't beat the value. Cons My only complaint is that the software can be "buggy" due to the constant improvements and development. Switched from [Buildertrend](https://www.capterra.com/p/70092/Buildertrend/) I prefer the estimating platform in Bolster Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. CR Clint R. Operations Construction ### "Great Company!" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 June 10, 2026 Bolster has a great system from both a user and customer facing side, allowing for multiple options to be added in a transparent and easily digestible way. Pros Bolster has a great team that stands behind their product. The support staff is there to guide you thru the process. Cons There were a few miscommunications early, but Bolster stepped up to resolve the issues. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. DS Daniel S. CEO Construction ### "Bolster review" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 June 8, 2026 Great experience. I will continue using. Clients are happy, and my quotation speed is outstanding. 100% satisfied! Pros Great soft, User-friendly interface, My clients are happy to receive the bids via Bolster. Very helpful and quick response when customer support is requested. Cons Change order interface. I can't change the invoice amounts. Nothing more to squeeze in a min of 100 letters, sorry! Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. JH Joshua H. President Construction ### "Bolster is great! " 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 June 7, 2026 Overall, the system is modular and intuitive. You can easily add new items and assemblies. Clients like the interactive proposal. Bolster has greatly reduced the time it takes to write a proposal and I love having the ability to write proposals both on my computer and on my tablet and cell phone. Pros Bolster is a very cost effective estimating tool that makes it easy to generate detailed, professional proposals. Cons I wish the system auto-populated client information, and the search feature is a little difficult to navigate. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. AN Anonymous User Manager Real Estate ### "Bolster: The Best Contractor Software, Backed by an Even Better Team" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 5.0 5.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 8/10 May 28, 2026 Overall my experience has been great. The collaboration and responsiveness from the team is amazing — they actually listen, take feedback seriously, and are clearly committed to making the product better based on real user input. That kind of partnership is rare and it's a big part of why I recommend Bolster. Pros Bolster is hands-down the best tool out there for contractors. The customer support is everything you could ask for — they take a complex product and make it genuinely easy to use. And the fact that it lets clients make interior design choices right inside the platform is an amazing add-on that sets it apart from everything else I've tried. Cons The estimate template personalization is limited — I'd love more flexibility to tailor the look and messaging for each client, since that's a big part of the sales process. Being able to choose different client-facing interface templates or modify just for one client when sending an estimate would make a huge difference. Contract customization can also be challenging at times. Switched from [17hats](https://www.capterra.com/p/144328/17hats/) Professional and cost control, managing budget against real cost Alternatives considered [Buildertrend](https://www.capterra.com/p/70092/Buildertrend/) Reasons for choosing Bolster More sales oriented than any other software out Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. RT Russell T. Office Manager Construction ### "Great product, with even more potential" 5.0 Overall Rating 5.0 5.0 Ease of Use 4.0 4.0 Features 5.0 5.0 Customer Service 5.0 5.0 Likelihood to Recommend 10/10 May 28, 2026 They are very responsive to our critique and suggestions, and are passionate about placing their product as being the estimating software of choice. Together with Bolster we are developing integration with other vendors to create a totally unique customer/ store experience. Pros We are a small company that installs custom bathrooms in the Ottawa ares. You only get one chance at making a good first impression - Bolster does that very well by combining Text, Images and Pricing for all the various options. Cons Given that the software is fairly new we have discovered many bugs along the way. Having said that as the software is revised, the frequency of the bugs has dropped off significantly. Review source Non-incentivized review: any software user can leave a review for any product listed on our site. All submitted reviews are subject to our verification process prior to publication. [View all Reviews](https://www.capterra.com/p/199769/Bolster/reviews/) ## Top-rated software of 2026 ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox. Popular comparisons [PlanHub vs Bolster](https://www.capterra.com/compare/179042-199769/PlanHub-vs-Bolster)