Best quote apps for tradespeople in 2026
We looked at the options available for people who work on site across Ireland. Free apps, paid apps, spreadsheets, and automation tools: what's worth it and what's a waste of money.
What to look for in a quote app
Before comparing apps, it's worth defining what actually matters for someone who works on site in Ireland. You don't need the most complete app, you need one that solves your problem without creating new ones.
Speed is criterion number one. If the app takes longer than a spreadsheet, it's not useful. You need to create and send quotes in minutes, not half an hour, ideally all done on your phone without needing to go home and open a laptop.
The second criterion is delivery. WhatsApp dominates client communication in Ireland the same as everywhere else. If the app doesn't send via WhatsApp easily, you'll keep emailing PDFs that nobody opens.
Third: a clear record. What good is an accepted quote if you've no way of proving what was agreed when the client queries the invoice later? A good app keeps a timestamped record of what was sent and accepted.
Fourth: fair price. For a sole trader or someone with two or three employees, paying thirty or fifty euro a month for a quote app doesn't make sense. The return has to be clear.
Lastly, simplicity. If you need to watch a twenty-minute tutorial to create your first quote, the app wasn't made for you.
The three categories: free, paid, and spreadsheets
Quote apps fall into three groups. Each has real advantages and disadvantages.
Free apps include Prummo and some basic invoicing tools. Prummo has no monthly fee for manual quotes, with no quote limits. It earns from optional paid plans that unlock advanced features like voice quoting, branded PDFs, and analytics. Other "free" apps have limits, such as five quotes a month, and then push you to upgrade.
Paid apps like Jobber, ServiceM8, or Tradify offer full management: scheduling, teams, inventory, and CRM, typically from around thirty to fifty euro a month. They're good for businesses with five or more employees, but for a sole trader they're overly complex and expensive.
Spreadsheets are the most common option. They're "free" if you already pay for Microsoft 365, flexible, and everyone knows how to use them. But they have two serious problems: they take twenty to forty minutes per quote, and the result is a document the client receives by email, sitting unread while you wait on a reply.
There are also Word or Google Docs templates, which are essentially the same as spreadsheets but with worse table formatting. They work, but they cost you time you could be earning.
Feature comparison
Let's compare what matters in practice for tradespeople working across Ireland.
Voice creation: Prummo is the only one that lets you dictate the quote by voice with everything organised automatically. In other apps and in spreadsheets, you type everything manually.
WhatsApp delivery: Prummo sends directly with a professional link. In spreadsheets and most paid apps, you have to generate a document and share it manually.
Bank transfer details: Prummo includes your IBAN automatically on every quote sent in Ireland, so there's no separate message swapping account numbers once a job's agreed. Most paid apps and spreadsheets leave that step to you.
Open notifications: Prummo notifies you when the client opens the quote. Some paid apps offer this. Spreadsheets have no way of knowing.
Price: Prummo costs €0 a month for creating and sending quotes. Paid apps cost roughly €30 to €50 a month. Spreadsheets cost the price of Microsoft 365 plus your time.
Language: Prummo works in English, built with Irish tradespeople in mind. Most paid apps are built primarily for the US or Australian market and translate awkwardly.
Our recommendation
If you're a sole trader or have a small team, Prummo is the most practical choice. Create quotes by voice in a minute, send via WhatsApp, and the client gets your bank details automatically to pay by transfer. It costs €0 a month for manual quotes.
If you have a company with ten or more employees and need team management, scheduling, and inventory, a paid app like Jobber or ServiceM8 may make sense. But for quoting, Prummo is still faster.
If you insist on a spreadsheet, at least copy the templates from our guides for electricians, builders, and cleaning services. It'll save some time. But consider that each quote taking thirty minutes on a spreadsheet takes a minute in Prummo. By the end of the month, that's hours you could have spent earning.
The best advice: try Prummo for a week. It's free, requires no installation, and there's no commitment. If after five quotes you're not convinced, go back to your spreadsheet having lost nothing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Prummo and another app at the same time?
Yes. Many tradespeople use Prummo for creating and sending quick quotes and another tool for invoicing or accounts. There's no conflict.
Are paid apps not better because they're paid?
It depends on what you need. For quick quotes and a clean record of what was agreed, Prummo is more efficient. Paid apps offer extra features (teams, inventory) that only make sense for larger businesses.
Is a spreadsheet not more reliable?
A spreadsheet isn't going anywhere, but it also doesn't send via WhatsApp, include your bank details automatically, or notify you when the client opens the quote. What you gain in familiarity, you lose in time and functionality.