Estimating and takeoff software for Australian builders
Four tools Australian builders and trades price jobs with. You get the AUD price with GST added like for like, whether it's per user or per business, and what each does from takeoff to quote. None of them pays us a commission.
Which one fits your business
A residential builder or renovator, whole teamBuildxact
Digital takeoffs, supplier integration and customisable quote letters on every plan, with unlimited users. Foundation is $2,233 a year inc GST billed annually, or $219 a month. 14-day free trial.
No commission.
Detailed commercial estimates and BoQsCubit Estimating
Trace takeoffs over PDF, CAD, BIM and image plans, import supplier pricing, and run as desktop or managed cloud. Standard is $2,244 a user a year inc GST (12-month minimum). Integrates with Xero.
No commission. 14-day trial on request.
A trade business measuring in the browserGroundplan
Cloud takeoff that runs on any device: measure and count on uploaded PDFs, send estimates to quotes and push data to Xero. Built for trades such as electrical, plumbing, fire and roofing. $1,089 a seat a year inc GST.
No commission. 7-day trial.
How we make money: on this page, we don't. None of these vendors pays us, so every link is a plain link. Buildsoft (Cubit) runs a customer referral scheme; we haven't joined it. Disclosure.
The four tools compared
Entry plan, AUD with GST added (all three published prices are ex GST). Buildxact is priced per business with unlimited users; Cubit and Groundplan are per user, so check the team table below. Every price and fact links to the vendor's page.
| Checked 21 Oct 2026 | BxBuildxactBuildxact · Builder estimatingVisit site | CuCubit EstimatingBuildsoft · Estimating and takeoffVisit site | GpGroundplanGroundplan · Online takeoffVisit site | DbDatabuildDatabuild · Builder business softwareVisit site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (per user unless marked) | ||||
| Per yearAUD inc GST unless marked | $2,233/yrFoundation, unlimited users, billed annually source | $2,244/yrStandard, per user, billed annually (12-month minimum) source | $1,089/yr1 seat, billed yearly source | On requestPrice on request source |
| Billed monthly instead | $219/mo | $224/mo | $109/mo | – |
| Prices include GST? | No, GST added | No, GST added | No, GST added | Not stated |
| Other plans (per year) | Pro $4,477 Master $6,721 | Professional $2,983 Enterprise $3,366 | – | – |
| Fit | ||||
| Cloud or desktop | Runs in the browser (app.buildxact.com), plus the Onsite mobile app source | Desktop app or managed cloud-hosted version source | Cloud, runs in a browser on any device source | Windows software; hosting only via a partner source |
| On-screen takeoff from plans | Digital takeoffs, every plan source | Trace over PDF, CAD, BIM and image plans source | Measure and count on uploaded PDF plans source | Not mentioned on vendor pages source |
| Australian supplier price files | Supplier integration, every plan source | Imports supplier pricing; AU suppliers not named source | Rates upload from CSV; supplier price files not stated source | Not mentioned on vendor pages source |
| Quotes from the estimate | Customisable quote letters source | BoQ reports and PDF/Excel export; client quote not stated source | Estimates sent to quotes, or via integrations source | Estimates convert into quotations source |
| Connects to Xero | Sends purchase and invoice data to Xero, MYOB and QuickBooks Online source | Integrates with Xero source | Push data to Xero source | Not mentioned; KeyPay payroll integration listed source |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial source | 14 days, all Enterprise features, via request form source | 7-day free trial source | No trial listed; free demonstration only source |
| Honesty | ||||
| Do we earn from this link? | No. Plain link, no commission | No. Plain link, no commission | No. Plain link, no commission | No. Plain link, no commission |
| Visit Buildxact | Visit Buildsoft | Visit Groundplan | Visit Databuild | |
What a team pays per year
Per-user tools add up as your estimating team grows; Buildxact's price stays the same for any number of users, so read its row as the price for the whole business.
| Per year | 1 seat | 3 seats | 5 seats | 10 seats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BuildxactFoundation, unlimited users, billed annually. One price for the whole business | $2,233 | $2,233 | $2,233 | $2,233 |
| Cubit EstimatingStandard, per user, billed annually (12-month minimum) | $2,244 | $6,732 | $11,220 | $22,440 |
| Groundplan1 seat, billed yearly | $1,089 | $3,267 | $5,445 | $10,890 |
List price × seats, before any volume or reseller discount (none are published). AUD prices include GST. * GST not stated.
The estimating trial checklist
- Price a job you've already wonUse real plans and your real rates. Compare the trial estimate with what the job actually cost.
- Do a full takeoff on one floorWalls, floor areas, openings and counts. Time it against how you do it now.
- Load your supplier pricesCheck how your merchant's price file comes in, and how often it updates.
- Send a quote to yourselfDoes it look like your business? Can a client accept it online?
- Push it to your accountsTurn the quote into an invoice in Xero or MYOB and check GST lands correctly.
Builders ask
How much does Buildxact cost in Australia?
Buildxact's Australian pricing page lists Foundation at A$2,030 a year billed annually, with unlimited users. Its prices exclude GST, so that's $2,233 a year including GST, or $219 a month if you pay monthly. Pro and Master cost more.
Is Cubit priced per user?
Yes. Buildsoft lists Cubit Estimating Standard at A$2,040 per user per year plus GST, billed annually ($2,244 including GST), or $224 a month inc GST billed monthly, with a 12-month minimum term.
Which estimating software has a free trial?
Buildxact offers 14 days, Cubit 14 days (through a request form) and Groundplan 7 days. Databuild lists a free demonstration rather than a trial.