The best apps for drywall estimates in 2026
The best app for drywall estimates in 2026 is Staxen: $59 a month, first job free with no card, and it drafts priced line items from your voice or straight from a plan PDF with blueprint takeoff. Board counts, finish levels, and labor go out as a signable, textable estimate the same day. We also rank honest alternatives, including Handoff, Joist, STACK, and Contractor Foreman, with prices verified in September 2026.
How this list was chosen
Drywall bidding is a volume game with thin margins, so the ranking favors speed: from walkthrough or plan set to a sent, signable number. We required phone-first operation, e-signature, and a way to collect payment, and we kept monthly costs under about $150 except for the dedicated takeoff platforms, which we flagged by their real annual prices. Tools were also judged on whether they can work from plans, since half of drywall bidding starts with a PDF, not a site visit.
1. Staxen ($59 a month for Eddie the Estimator, $149 a month for all three AI employees. First job free, no card required.)
Best for: Drywall subs bidding from plans and walkthroughs alike
Pros:
- Blueprint takeoff drafts estimate line items from an uploaded plan PDF
- Or say the scope (board count, finish level, ceilings) and review priced lines
- E-signature and deposit from one text link the GC or homeowner can open anywhere
- Milestone invoicing for hang, tape, and finish phases through Ivy on the bundle
Cons:
- Takeoff works from plan PDFs, not from laser measurers or on-screen digitizer tablets like the dedicated takeoff platforms
- Newer product with a smaller template marketplace
2. Handoff (Starter $39 a month, Business $119 a month, as of September 2026)
Best for: Drywall and patch contractors estimating from a written scope
Pros:
- Type the scope and get a drafted estimate with material pricing
- Fast for repair and small-commercial quotes
Cons:
- Remodel-centric cost assumptions need adjusting for production drywall rates
- No plan takeoff
3. Joist (Basics $12, Pro $17, Elite $32 a month, as of September 2026)
Best for: Small drywall crews that only need clean documents
Pros:
- Cheap and reliable for estimates and invoices
- Converts an accepted estimate to an invoice in a tap
Cons:
- Typing 30 line items on a phone is the whole experience
- Free plan discontinued; Basics allows 5 documents a month
4. STACK (Takeoff and estimate plans from $1,999 a year for one user, as of September 2026)
Best for: Commercial drywall subs doing volume plan takeoff
Pros:
- Serious on-screen takeoff with drywall-specific assemblies
- Cloud-based, so plans are accessible anywhere
Cons:
- Annual pricing near $2,000 per user is commercial-bid-desk money
- It measures and prices, but sending, signing, and collecting happen elsewhere
5. Contractor Foreman (From $49 a month billed annually, with a price lock, as of September 2026)
Best for: Drywall subs managing multiple GC relationships
Pros:
- Bid management, change orders, and daily logs for sub work
- A lot of features for the price
Cons:
- Dense screens that take time to learn
- Not built for fast phone-side estimating
Bid mostly residential and small commercial? Staxen covers both entry points, plans and walkthroughs, for $59 with a free first job to prove it. If you live on large commercial bid sets all day, a dedicated takeoff platform like STACK earns its $1,999 a year, and you can still send the resulting number through a cheaper app. Whatever you pick, get finish levels in writing on every estimate, because level 4 versus level 5 is where drywall disputes start.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best app for drywall estimates in 2026?
Staxen leads for most drywall contractors because it estimates both ways the trade bids: blueprint takeoff from plan PDFs and voice-described walkthrough scopes, both producing priced, signable estimates. It costs $59 a month with the first job free. Commercial bid desks running big plan sets should also look at STACK, from $1,999 a year.
Is there a genuinely free app for drywall estimates?
Not much survives scrutiny. Joist no longer has a free plan (from $12 a month now), Invoice Simple's $6.99 tier caps at 3 invoices, and the takeoff platforms start near $2,000 a year. Staxen's first job is free with no card and no time limit, which functions as a free trial that only ends when you take a second job through it.
How much does Staxen cost for a drywall contractor?
Staxen is $59 per month per AI employee, or $149 per month for all three. Eddie the Estimator at $59 covers takeoff-assisted estimates, e-signature, and deposits. The bundle adds scheduling, change orders, and invoicing with QuickBooks sync. First job free, no card, cancel any time.
Do drywall contractors price per sheet or per square foot?
Both conventions are common. Hung, taped, and finished work typically runs $1.50 to $3.50 per square foot in 2026, or roughly $60 to $150 per 4x12 sheet installed depending on ceiling height, finish level, and market. Per-square-foot suits bids from plans; per-sheet suits small jobs where you count boards on site. Whichever you use, state the finish level (0 through 5) on the estimate, since level 5 skim coating can add 30 percent or more to finishing labor.
Can an app really count drywall from my plans?
Yes, within limits. Staxen's blueprint takeoff reads an uploaded plan PDF and drafts estimate line items, which you review and correct before anything is sent; it is a drafting head start, not a stamped quantity survey. Dedicated platforms like STACK and PlanSwift give the estimator precise on-screen measuring tools instead, at commercial prices. Either way, verify the plan scale before trusting any count.
Start free with Staxen: your first job is on us, no card required.