Quoting & estimating software for painters: 7 tools compared (2026)
8 min read
Estimating software for painters turns measurements, hours and materials into a quote. In the Dutch market the established options are DEDDO, Stella, CannonWorks, Softstar, 2Jours and Offorte; Quotira is the newcomer that puts the calculator on your website, in front of the client. Here's an honest comparison - including who each tool makes sense for.
What does estimating software for painters do?
Estimating software translates measurements (m² of wall, number of frames) into a cost price and sales price using standard times and material prices, and generates a quote from it. The difference with generic quoting tools: the calculation logic is painting-specific.
The gain is consistency and speed: every job is calculated the same way, no line items are forgotten, and afterwards you can check whether your margin held up. The pricier suites bolt on planning, time tracking and invoicing.
The 7 tools at a glance
DEDDO, Softstar and CannonWorks are painting-specific estimating suites; Stella targets sole traders in construction; 2Jours and Offorte are broader quoting/admin tools; Quotira flips the model and lets the client calculate a price indication on your website.
| Tool | Aimed at | Strongest point | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEDDO | Painting companies | Deep estimating with groups and standard times | Estimating + work orders |
| Softstar | Painting & maintenance companies | One entry drives quote, work order, costing and invoice | All-in-one suite |
| CannonWorks | Painting SMEs | Fast estimates by linking measurements to prices | Estimating |
| Stella | Sole traders in construction | Simplicity: hours, materials and mileage without bloat | Estimating + invoicing |
| 2Jours | Painters (modular) | Online, pay per module you actually use | Quoting + admin |
| Offorte | All industries | Polished digital proposals with acceptance and follow-up | Proposal software |
| Quotira | Painters + other trades | Client calculates a price indication on your website; you get the lead | Quote calculator for your site |
Prices vary per plan and number of users; check the vendors' current pricing (as of July 2026). Most tools listed are Dutch-market focused.
When should you pick a classic estimating suite?
Pick DEDDO, Softstar or CannonWorks if you mainly estimate larger or commercial jobs where standard times and post-calculation matter, and you're willing to invest time in setting up and learning the package.
These suites are built for the inside of your business: cost price, margin, hours. They save work once a request has already come in. For a sole trader doing mostly residential work, the setup is often heavier than needed - Stella or 2Jours fits better there, or simply a solid quote template (see our example).
When should you pick a website quote calculator?
Pick a website calculator like Quotira when your bottleneck isn't the maths but attracting and filtering requests: the client answers a few questions on your site, instantly sees a price indication and leaves their details - you receive a lead with the price already attached.
This is a genuinely different category from classic estimating software. The calculation happens before first contact instead of after. It captures the visitors who would otherwise request 'free quotes' from three competitors at once, and fills your pipeline with requests where the client has already seen - and accepted - the price indication.
In practice painters combine both: the website calculator for intake and qualification, and (for bigger jobs) an estimating suite or spreadsheet for the final price. Quotira already converts the request into a draft quote with the calculator's line items.
Which tool fits your situation?
- Sole trader, mostly residential → Stella or 2Jours for admin, plus a quote calculator on your site for intake
- Painting company with staff and commercial work → DEDDO or Softstar for estimating and costing
- You lose jobs because quotes take too long → a website quote calculator (Quotira), response within a minute
- You mainly want better-looking proposals → Offorte, or Quotira's quote module when requests come in via your site
- Tight budget → start with a free calculator on your site and a clean quote template; upgrade when volume demands it
What a client-facing calculator looks like
This is the other side of estimating: the client fills it in, you get the request with the price. Try the painting example.
Step 1 of 3
Your project
Frequently asked questions about estimating software
What does estimating software for painters cost?
Expect anywhere from a few tens of euros to over a hundred per month, depending on the package and number of users. Some vendors use one-off licences or modules. Quotira has a free tier that puts a working calculator on your site.
What's the difference between estimating and quoting software?
Estimating software calculates your cost price (standard times, materials, margin); quoting software creates and sends the document. All-in-one suites do both. A website calculator like Quotira sits before both: it lets the client calculate a price indication and delivers you the request.
Is there free estimating software for painters?
Full estimating suites are rarely free, though most offer a trial. Quotira has a free tier with a working calculator and leads inbox - enough to test whether website requests work for you.
Can the client calculate the price themselves?
Not with classic estimating software - that's internal. For that you put a quote calculator on your website: the client answers questions (area, quality, interior/exterior) and instantly sees a price indication or from-price that you configured.
Dennis - Founder of Quotira
Dennis builds Quotira, the quote calculator for trade businesses, and writes these guides based on the pricing logic from hundreds of calculator configurations.
Published on July 9, 2026
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Try the calculator your client fills in
Put a quote calculator on your website in fifteen minutes with the painting template. Free to try - see exactly how requests come in.
Start with the painting template