Technology & Tools

Buildr vs Downtobid: Preconstruction Software Comparison for GCs and Subs

Bridget Cooper

13 min read

Construction teams are increasingly turning to specialized preconstruction software to solve pain points like overflowing bid invitation emails, missed ITBs (Invitations to Bid), and disjointed bid tracking. Two notable platforms in this space are Buildr and Downtobid – each tackling preconstruction challenges from different angles in the industry.

This comparison breaks down their features, user experience, integrations, pricing, strengths/weaknesses, and ideal use cases for general contractors (GCs) and subcontractors. We’ll focus on practical, real-world benefits with a healthy dose of skeptical optimism about each solution’s promises.

Note: Speed up your preconstruction process with Downtobid. Simply upload your plans, and our AI will extract project scopes and connect you with relevant subcontractors within minutes. Claim your free demo now.

Overview of Downtobid

new new homepage downtobid

Downtobid is AI-driven bidding software that streamlines how GCs and subs connect on project bids. It combines tools for GCs to manage ITBs with tools for subcontractors to track and respond. The AI analyzes project plans to identify scopes, helping GCs generate bid packages and find the right subs from a network of 57,000+ verified contractors.

Its "bid tracking board" for subs connects to email inboxes and automatically recognizes bid invitations, pulling details like deadlines and addenda into a central dashboard with zero data entry. Downtobid focuses on external bid management – automating invites, ensuring coverage, and relieving email overload.

Downtobid Bid Board.png

Downtobid’s Features and Capabilities (Bid Management, AI, Email Parsing, etc.)

Downtobid's features focus on making bidding faster and more reliable through automation (AI and email parsing) and centralized bid communications that benefit both GCs and subs, attacking missed ITBs and disorganized tracking head-on.

AI-Powered Bid Package Creation

Downtobid's AI bidding tool automates bid package prep by scanning uploaded plans, identifying trade scopes, and drafting initial scope notes for bid invites. What used to take half a day of manual sorting now takes about 15 minutes – one GC user called it "scary accurate." Estimators can review and tweak AI-generated packages before sending, ensuring no scope items or applicable subcontractors are overlooked.

Simplify Bidding With AI

If you’re tired of chasing bids and manual admin work, our AI analyzes your plans, creates personalized invites, and connects you with 57,000+ verified contractors within minutes.

Invite Management & Plan Room

Downtobid helps GCs build and send ITBs in bulk, attaching relevant drawings and specs for each trade. It provides a cloud-based plan room where subs access bid documents via link, and tracks who opened invites, downloaded files, or indicated intent to bid in real time.

blog-subs.png

Automated follow-ups and document control ensure subs get notified of addenda or revisions, preventing version-control nightmares. It centralizes the full invite lifecycle – creation, distribution, tracking, reminders, and bid collection.

blog-planroom.png

Subcontractor Database & AI Matching

Downtobid includes a large database of subcontractors that the AI uses to recommend qualified local subs for each scope, considering trade, project size, and location.

dtb-matching-subs.jpg

Personalized invites include the sub's name and tailored scope summary, achieving 30%+ higher response rates than manual mass emailing. Invites send from the GC's own email address for better deliverability and trust.

Bid Tracking Dashboard

GCs get a real-time dashboard showing all invites and responses. Estimators can instantly see coverage gaps – which trades lack adequate bids – and send more invites or make calls accordingly. One case study showed a GC doubling their bids per package from 1.9 to 3.8 after using Downtobid. The dashboard provides a clear audit trail of who was invited, when, and their actions.

Bid Comparison & Analytics

Downtobid offers tools to compare subcontractor proposals side by side, standardizing data for bid leveling. It gathers analytics like win rates, best customers, and bidding performance, providing "out-of-the-box graphs and reports" to inform strategy – which project types you win most or which clients never award you work.

Subcontractor Bid Board (BasisBoard for Subs)

For subcontractors, the bid board connects to Gmail or Outlook and automatically imports bid invitations from various sources into one centralized list with key info extracted. This saves an estimated 3 hours per week per team member on data entry. Subs can manage workload in one place – assign bids to team members, track submissions, decline invites with a click, and set auto-decline rules. This eliminates missed or last-minute bids and the need to juggle email threads and Excel trackers.

bid board Downtobid

Collaboration and Communication Tools For General Contractors

Downtobid includes in-app messaging for GCs and subs, with all emails logged per job – "you'll never lose track of communication ever again." Multiple estimators can work on invites together without conflicts, creating a "single source of truth" during bidding. This collaborative aspect mirrors Buildr's internal focus but applies to managing the external invite process.

Overview of Buildr

Screenshot 2025-10-10 at 9.39.35 AM (1).png

Buildr is an all-in-one preconstruction platform and construction CRM built for general contractors. It consolidates workflows from business development through estimating, replacing scattered spreadsheets with a unified hub for managing clients, tracking pursuits, workforce planning functionality, and forecasting financials.

With unlimited user seats and user-friendly design, Buildr emphasizes team collaboration and focuses on the internal side of preconstruction – client relationships, coordination, and data-driven planning for GCs. Learn more here.

Buildr’s Features and Capabilities (Client Relationship Management, Precon Workflow, etc.)

Buildr's capabilities center on managing the preconstruction process itself – tracking leads, coordinating teams, and leveraging data. It doesn't directly handle sending ITBs to subs, which is where tools like Downtobid come in.

Construction CRM & Pipeline Tracking

dashboard-buildr (1).webp

Buildr serves as a construction-specific CRM for GCs, managing client contacts, tracking project leads, and recording every interaction for future reference. This organizes business development efforts and ensures GCs can see all upcoming pursuits and their status in one place, rather than juggling separate spreadsheets or notebooks.

Preconstruction Workflow Management

Buildr provides tools to monitor every phase of preconstruction – from initial pursuit through bidding and final estimate – with key dates and milestones.

Project Pipeline & Milestone Tracking

Buildr monitors every preconstruction phase with key dates and milestones, creating a dashboard so nothing slips through the cracks. Teams can log proposal due dates, pre-bid meetings, and bid deadlines with reminders, ensuring "to-do's and follow-ups slipping through the cracks are things of the past."

Estimating & Historical Cost Tracking

While not a takeoff tool, Buildr lets GCs input and manage estimates and budgets, tracking historical data for cost modeling and value engineering. By centralizing estimate information and outcomes, it helps teams learn from past projects – users report 40% higher estimate accuracy.

Resource & Workforce Planning

Buildr enables workforce planning for precon teams, allowing GCs to allocate estimators and staff to upcoming projects and visualize workload. This prevents overloading and helps assign "the right people to the right jobs at the right time" for better results with limited resources.

Financial Forecasting:

Using data on open pursuits and their probabilities, Buildr produces revenue and profit forecasts for the pipeline. Executives get a forward-looking view of potential backlog based on active bids and historical win rates, quantifying uncertain backlog.

Document & Handover Integration

Buildr integrates with Procore and Office 365 out-of-the-box, allowing data to flow into the construction phase once a job is awarded. Its "Project Handover" module smooths the transition from precon to operations. However, Buildr doesn't provide an online plan room for subs – GCs typically use Procore's bidding module or a dedicated ITB tool like Downtobid alongside it.

Email Integration & Communication

Buildr's email integration lets users send and log emails within the platform, tying correspondence to client records automatically. Unlike Downtobid, it doesn't parse ITB emails or automate bid invites – the focus is on logging communications and breaking down internal silos.

User-Friendliness & Collaboration

Buildr features an intuitive, modern UI and offers unlimited users to encourage full-team collaboration without per-seat costs. This allows everyone to see the same information, with clients reporting 3–5× increases in internal collaboration and pursuit capacity – teams can pull up live data in meetings for collaborative decision-making.

User Experience and Learning Curve

Both platforms offer modern, approachable interfaces. Buildr has a reputation for extreme user-friendliness with a 9.4/10 ease-of-use score on G2 and 9.9/10 for customer support. Its clean, logically organized dashboard has a low learning curve – even non-technical users navigate it after minimal training. The unlimited seat model encourages full-team adoption, and a mobile app mirrors the desktop experience.

Downtobid is also simple and logical, designed around the bidding workflow. GCs see visual trackers and one-click actions for reminders or addenda. The main learning curve is trusting the AI initially, but confidence builds quickly. For subs, the Bid Board organizes invites like an enhanced email client by project, due date, and status. Downtobid scores 4.7/5 for ease of use on GetApp. Its low-friction approach (personalized emails from the GC's address with direct links) means subs often don't realize they're using a platform – no forced account creation.

Integrations with Other Tools

Buildr fits into your larger tech stack with seamless flow from precon to execution; Downtobid is a bolt-on tool for bidding that captures data from disparate sources. Companies might use both: Buildr for CRM and pipeline, Downtobid for intense bid periods.

Buildr Integrations

Buildr integrates out-of-the-box with Procore and Microsoft Office 365/Email. The Procore integration pushes data from precon to the project execution phase, avoiding duplicate entry. Email integration syncs with Outlook or Gmail to capture communications and calendar dates. Buildr also provides APIs and webhooks for custom integrations with accounting, ERP systems, or estimating software. It's designed to fit seamlessly into a GC's existing tech stack (CRM ↔ Procore ↔ email).

Downtobid Integrations

Downtobid emphasizes email and calendar integration (Gmail, Outlook, Office 365), automatically fetching bid invites and adding deadlines to calendars. This unifies invites from different systems by integrating with the inbox. For GCs, it has limited PM suite integrations and largely stands alone to focus on bidding, though data can be exported to Excel. Invites send from the GC's email address, recording communications in their Sent folder. Downtobid is a specialized tool that interfaces mainly with your inbox rather than enterprise software.

Pricing Models and Transparency

Downtobid provides upfront pricing and gradual scaling – accessible to small and large contractors. Buildr requires discussion but offers unlimited users, potentially cost-efficient for large teams. Both offer strong ROI: Buildr helps win projects through CRM (85% average repeat client work), while Downtobid saves 15+ hours per week on bid prep.

Buildr Pricing

Buildr uses custom, quote-based pricing with no public price list, tailored to company size or modules needed. It includes unlimited user seats and data storage on all plans, so GCs can roll it out company-wide without per-seat costs. Pricing is enterprise-oriented – typically an annual contract likely in the five-figure range. You'll need to contact sales for a tailored proposal.

Downtobid Pricing

Downtobid offers transparent SaaS pricing starting at $149/month for GCs, with per-user scaling (not revenue percentage). For subcontractors, there's a free basic plan plus paid upgrades: $119/month for leads and $299/month for the full bid management suite. The monthly model

Strengths and Weaknesses of Each Platform:

Buildr – Strengths:

  • Holistic Preconstruction Solution: Replaces scattered spreadsheets with one unified platform covering CRM, pipeline, and forecasting. GCs report 50% efficiency boosts and 3–4× increases in monthly bid pursuits without added headcount.
  • **Easy Adoption & Collaboration: **Modern, intuitive UI (9.4/10 ease-of-use rating) with unlimited seat licensing encourages full-team use and cross-department collaboration.
  • Data-Driven Insights: Provides out-of-the-box business intelligence on pursuits, hit rates, and revenue forecasts. Builds a historical database fueling continuous improvement.
  • Strong Integrations: Seamless integration with Procore and email ensures continuity from precon to project delivery. Cloud-based with open APIs.
  • Support: Highly responsive customer support (9.9/10 on G2), helping with training and configuration.

Buildr – Weaknesses:

  • No Native Bid Invitation Module: Lacks built-in ITB tools for distributing plans and tracking sub bids – GCs need a separate system like Downtobid.
  • GC-Focused Only: Not useful for subcontractors or suppliers.
  • Limited Document Management: Doesn't manage drawings, specs, or RFIs during precon. Mobile app is less feature-rich (6.7/10 on G2).
  • No Automated Estimating: Good for high-level budgeting but doesn't perform automated takeoffs or provide cost databases – requires external estimating tools.
  • Unpublished Pricing: Pricing customization could deter smaller, cost-conscious firms hesitant to engage in sales processes.

Downtobid – Strengths:

  • **Specialized Bid Management Efficiency: **Automates scope identification and subcontractor outreach, reducing bid prep from 2+ hours to 15 minutes.
  • Improved Bid Coverage: Real-time tracking and AI thoroughness ensure no scope is missed. GCs see 30%+ higher sub response rates.
  • AI & Technology Differentiation: Parses plan PDFs to instantly identify scopes, giving estimators an intelligent assistant. Balanced with human control.
  • Bid Board Value for Subs: Free basic plan for subs to manage bids, with optional paid upgrades. Improves GC-sub relationships.
  • Fast ROI & Low Barrier: Transparent pricing ($149/mo starting) and monthly model allow quick trials with minimal risk. Implementation takes days, not months.
  • Network Effects: Growing network of 57,000+ verified contractors helps GCs find new subs, especially in new regions.

Downtobid – Weaknesses:

  • Narrow Focus: Not a full precon suite – no CRM, estimating tool, or workforce planner. Point solution requiring separate systems for other tasks.
  • Limited Integration: Doesn't natively integrate with PM or accounting systems. Data flow beyond email/calendar sync isn't automatic, creating duplicate work.
  • Growing Network: As a newer platform, not all subs are familiar with it yet. Network effects limited compared to incumbents like BuildingConnected.
  • AI Trust Factors: AI may misclassify scopes on unusual or complex projects. GCs must still review AI output – can't blindly trust it.
  • Sub Learning Curve: Invited subs interact with a web-based planroom, requiring minor learning. GCs may need to prep subs for the new system.

Best-Fit Use Cases:

  • Use Buildr if: You're a GC focused on client relationships, negotiated work, or design-build projects. Ideal for mid-to-large GCs (5+ concurrent pursuits, $50M+ annual volume) needing to modernize internal workflows, track client interactions, forecast revenue, and enable real-time team collaboration. Perfect if your pain points are internal: disorganized client tracking, siloed data, poor collaboration, or lack of precon visibility. Buildr users average 85% repeat client work.
  • Use Downtobid if: You're a GC regularly bidding to wide subcontractor markets (competitive or hard-bid jobs) and struggling with managing bid invites via email. Ideal for GCs facing tight deadlines, high bid volumes, or exploring new geographic markets. Solves external pain points: missed bids, frantic email processes, lack of sub coverage, or ITB inefficiencies. Invites from your own email lead to better sub engagement.

Subcontractors – Use Downtobid: Buildr offers nothing for subs, while Downtobid's Bid Board is tailor-made for estimating managers drowning in ITBs. Aggregates invites from multiple GCs/platforms, preventing missed deadlines and duplicate bids. Free basic plan with paid upgrades.

Combined Use (Buildr + Downtobid): Large GCs can use both: Buildr for up-front client/project pipeline → Downtobid for ITB execution → Procore (via Buildr integration) for project delivery. Best-of-breed tools at each stage covering all bases.

Bottom Line:

Choose Buildr to centralize client/project info, forecast pipeline revenue, and enable team sync – solving internal disorganization and lack of insight.

Choose Downtobid to automate invites, improve sub engagement, and ensure bid day readiness – solving email overload and coverage anxiety.

Both target real construction pain points with practical solutions. Identify where your biggest pain lies (internal workflows vs. external bid management) and choose accordingly. Many GCs benefit from using both to streamline the entire preconstruction phase.

Written by Bridget Cooper
Published: Oct 10, 2025
Last updated: Oct 13, 2025

Have a Project? Streamline Bidding with Downtobid

Easily turn your plans into customized bid packages. Upload your plans and reach qualified local subs in just a few clicks.

Continue reading

Ready to transform your bidding process?

Join thousands of contractors who trust Downtobid to simplify their workflow.