What is a quote app and how does it work
Still writing quotes on a notepad or in a WhatsApp text? See how a quote app changes the way you present prices, close jobs, and get paid.
What a quote app is
A quote app is a tool that lets you create, send, and manage professional quotes directly on your phone or computer. Instead of writing prices on a notepad, or sending a single number in a WhatsApp message, you get a platform that organises everything: materials, labour, quantities, unit prices, and totals.
For tradespeople like electricians, plumbers, and painters, a quote app solves one specific problem: the time lost between visiting a job and getting a quote to the customer. The longer that gap, the lower your chance of winning the job.
The idea is simple: instead of getting home after a long day and sitting down to write quotes, you do it all on your phone between jobs. The customer gets a professional document with your details, itemised materials, and a clear way to pay.
This isn't a disguised spreadsheet. A good quote app has features a notepad or Excel will never have: sending via WhatsApp with a link, notifications when the customer opens it, online acceptance, and a built-in way to request payment.
How it works in practice
The flow is simple. Open the app on your phone, create a new quote, and add the details: customer, materials, quantities, and prices. Some apps make you type everything manually. Others, like Prummo, let you dictate by voice. Say "6 metres of 22mm copper pipe at 95 rand a metre" and Prummo organises it into a quote line with description, quantity, unit price, and total.
Once the quote's built, you send it to the customer. With older tools, that usually meant an email with a PDF attached. With Prummo, tap "Send via WhatsApp" and the customer gets a link that opens on a professional page. No PDFs, no downloads, nothing to install.
The customer opens the link, sees the full quote with every detail, and can accept it right there. Once accepted, you can request payment, whether that's a PayShap request sent straight to their banking app, or an EFT with proof of payment attached to the job. You get a notification the moment the quote is accepted.
The whole process, from dictating the quote to the customer receiving it on WhatsApp, takes about a minute. Compare that to the 20 or 30 minutes a written quote or a spreadsheet usually takes at the end of a long day.
What changes compared to paper and text messages
The most obvious difference is time. A quote that takes half an hour to write out by hand is ready in a minute by voice. But there are other differences that matter more to your business.
First, response speed. The tradesperson who sends a polished quote first usually wins the job. If a customer asked three people for quotes, whoever responds first with something well-presented has the advantage. With an app, you can send the quote while you're still on site or on the way to the next job.
Second, presentation. A price scribbled on paper or sent as a single WhatsApp text looks amateurish. A proper page with your details, itemised materials, and clear pricing conveys confidence. The customer feels like they're hiring someone organised.
Third, payment. With paper and text messages, the customer approves by reply and then has to sort payment separately, often chasing you for banking details. With an app like Prummo, the customer accepts and you can request payment via PayShap in the same moment, straight to their banking app.
Fourth, tracking. You know when a customer has opened the quote, whether they've accepted it, or if it's still sitting unread. No more sending a follow-up text asking "did you see the quote I sent?"
Why Prummo is different
Most quote apps were built for office-based businesses. Long forms, cluttered dashboards, monthly subscriptions. They don't make sense for someone who's on site all day and needs to send a quick quote between jobs.
Prummo was built from scratch for tradespeople. It works by voice: dictate in plain English and Prummo organises everything automatically. No installation, it runs directly in your phone's browser. And it's free, R0 a month.
Sending happens via WhatsApp, where your customers already are. The customer gets a link, opens it, and sees a professional page with your details. They can accept the quote and pay by PayShap, straight to their banking app, or by EFT with proof of payment attached. Cash still works for jobs where that's simpler. There's no card checkout and no financing plan for South Africa.
If you've ever lost a job because you took too long to get the quote out, or because your proposal looked unprofessional next to someone else's, Prummo fixes that in about a minute.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to install an app?
No. Prummo works in your phone's browser, just like a website. Open it and start using it. The customer doesn't need to install anything either to view and accept the quote.
Does a quote app replace my accountant?
No. The app handles building, sending, and getting the quote accepted and paid. Bookkeeping, invoicing, and tax still go through your accountant, but having quotes organised digitally makes that job easier.
What if I'm not great with technology?
If you can talk, you can use Prummo. Press a button, describe the job, and the quote is ready. No settings to configure, no menus to learn. Within two minutes you'll have sent your first quote.
How do customers actually pay through the app in South Africa?
Once a customer accepts the quote, you send a PayShap request straight to their banking app, or they pay by EFT and attach proof of payment to the job. Cash still works for smaller jobs. There's no card checkout for South Africa, but PayShap is usually confirmed within minutes.
Is a quote app only useful for big jobs?
No, it's just as useful for a R500 repair as it is for a R50,000 renovation. Even small jobs benefit from a professional-looking quote, and building one takes the same minute regardless of job size.
Can I reuse quote line items for jobs I do often?
Yes. Common materials and services you quote regularly can be saved and reused, so future quotes for similar jobs go even faster than dictating from scratch.