Free estimate template and maker
Price a job before you start: labor, materials, tax and the date your price holds until. Fill in the estimate online and download a PDF your customer can approve. Free, no signup.
- Labor and materials lines
- Valid-until date
- Tax and discount
- Becomes an invoice later
In India? Not registered for GST? This invoice without GST is for you.Registered? Use the GST invoice generator
How it works
How to make an estimate
- 1
Your business and the customer
Your business name and contact details, then the customer’s name and address. Add your logo if you have one.
- 2
Labor and materials
A line for labor (hours and rate, or a fixed price), lines for materials, and extras such as disposal. Totals update as you type.
- 3
Valid-until date and terms
Set the date your price holds until. Add terms: deposit, schedule, what is not included.
- 4
Download and send
Download the PDF for the customer to approve. When the job is done, change the document type to Invoice.
Checklist
What to include in a job estimate
A good estimate leaves no room for surprises: the customer sees what the job includes, what it should cost and how long the price stands.
- The word “Estimate” and an estimate number
- The date, and a “valid until” date for the price
- Your business name, contact details and license or tax number, if you show one
- The customer’s name, address and the job address if different
- A short description of the job
- Labor: hours and rate, or a fixed price
- Materials, with quantities or a total
- Tax, any discount, and the estimated total
- Terms: deposit, schedule, exclusions and how changes are priced
Estimate or quote?
Estimate vs quote
An estimate is your best guess
It tells the customer roughly what the job will cost, based on what you know now. The final bill can change if the job turns out bigger or smaller. Say so in your terms.
A quote is meant as a fixed price
It offers a set price for the work described, usually for a limited time. If the scope changes, you send a new quote.
People often use the two words loosely, so make it clear on the document which one you mean. In the generator, choose Estimate or Quote as the document type: both show a “valid until” date instead of a due date. Writing for customers in India? See the quotation format.
Example
Contractor estimate example
A bathroom renovation, priced in three lines. The figures are only an example. On a new estimate, this page starts you with similar labor and materials lines for your own prices.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
Labor Bathroom renovation · 16 hrs × $55.00 | $880.00 |
Materials Tiles, adhesive and fittings | $740.00 |
Waste removal 1 × $90.00 | $90.00 |
| Estimated total | $1,710.00 |
Terms on an estimate like this might read: “This estimate is valid for 30 days. A 30% deposit is due before work starts. Extra work is priced separately.”
After the job
From estimate to invoice
- Download the estimate PDF, so you keep a copy of what the customer approved.
- When the work is done, change the document type from Estimate to Invoice. Your items and customer stay.
- Update anything that changed (extra hours, different materials) and set a due date.
- Add your payment details. If the customer paid a deposit, enter it as the amount paid: the invoice shows the balance due.
More tools
Other documents
Questions, answered
Is this invoice generator really free?
Yes. Make as many invoices, quotes and receipts as you like and download them as PDFs. There is no signup, no trial and no paid plan.
Where is my invoice stored?
In your browser, on this device. The invoice you are working on is saved automatically as you type, and every invoice you download is kept under My invoices so you can open or copy it later. Its client and line items are kept too, as saved clients and saved items you can pick on your next invoice, edit or delete. Nothing is uploaded to our servers. Clearing your browser data removes it, so keep your PDFs and download a backup from My invoices now and then.
Can I add VAT or sales tax?
Yes. Add up to two taxes, each with its own name and rate (for example VAT 20% or GST 5% + PST 7%). Tax is worked out on the amount after any discount. You choose the rate: the generator doesn’t know the tax rules of your country, so check what applies to you.
Can I make a quote, receipt or proforma invoice?
Yes. Choose the document type (invoice, quote, estimate, proforma invoice or receipt) and the title, dates and totals change to match. “New” starts the next one with your details already filled in.