How Much Does PlanHub Cost? Your Guide to Pricing (and A Better Value Solution)

PlanHub has been a go-to tool in the construction industry for over a decade, built to tackle the headaches that come with managing bids. It simplifies communication between general contractors and subcontractors, making project management smoother and boosting bid participation.

But is its pricing really worth it? Are you getting the value you expect for the money you're spending? Or could a different solution give you more value for less? Let's find out.

Note: Downtobid helps you automatically identify scopes of work within complex construction plans, find qualified local subcontractors, and send personalized bid invites to them. Sign up for a demo today to speed up your bidding process and boost subcontractor engagement.

How Much Does PlanHub Cost for General Contractors?

PlanHub’s pricing varies depending on whether you’re a general contractor or a subcontractor. Let's start with GCs.

For general contractors, PlanHub offers a range of pricing tiers. If you're just starting out or run a smaller operation, you can sign up for the Essentials Plan – it’s free and gives you room for up to five users. You can post projects, communicate with subcontractors, access activity tracking, access file sharing capabilities, manage multiple team members, and handle bids without restrictions. Plus, sending invitations to bid is easy, whether it's to your own network or PlanHub’s database of subcontractors.

You can find out more about the features available to general contractors with the software and whether the PlanHub is worth your investment.

If you're looking for more advanced features, PlanHub has paid options that add some extra firepower. Here’s a quick rundown of their plans:

Pro Plan

The Pro Plan is built for mid- to large-scale operations, offering extras like bid leveling, enhanced collaboration tools, dedicated customer support, and access to a national subcontractor directory. With support for up to 10 users, it’s a solid option if your team is spread out across regions or juggling multiple large projects.

That said, the pricing structure for these added features isn’t always clear.  Sure, the Pro Plan gives you more, but it’s not always easy to figure out exactly what you’re paying for when you factor in possible add-ons. This kind of vagueness can throw off your budgeting, making it harder to assess whether the investment aligns with your needs.

Premier Plan

The Premier Plan provides tools like Lead Finder, Takeoff, and advanced bid coverage for those handling extensive construction projects. It offers unlimited seats and one-on-one training, which could be beneficial for managing large-scale operations.

Enterprise Plan

At the top of PlanHub’s lineup, the Enterprise Plan promises customization and concierge services, but again, the vague language leaves you unsure of what you’re truly getting for your investment. Learn more about the software at this resource.

You can check how Planhub compares to Downtobid and CoConstruct here.

How Much Do Subcontractors Pay for PlanHub?

As a general contractor, you might not be footing the bill for PlanHub’s subcontractor tiers, but the cost can still impact you. While you can use the platform for free, subcontractors don’t get that same deal, and this can cause a few headaches for both sides.

To put it into perspective:

• Subcontractors have to create an account just to access the platform.
• If they want to view certain projects or even see which GCs sent them an invitation to bid, they need a paid subscription.
• And without paying, subcontractors can’t even view your contact information, making it difficult to ask questions or clarify bid details.

The Premier Plan starts at $1,199 per year for a 25-mile coverage radius.

• 50-mile radius: $2,099 per year.
• 100-mile radius: $2,399 per year.
• 200-mile radius: $3,299 per year.

For larger subcontracting companies or those looking for custom solutions, PlanHub offers an Enterprise Plan, but you’ll need to reach out to their sales team to know if it's the right plan for your business – which means even more opaque pricing.

These hurdles, along with the price tags, can make subs less eager to fully commit to the platform. And that can affect you as a GC in ways you might not expect. For instance, you might receive fewer responses to bid invites, slowing down your project bidding process and even driving up costs due to fewer options. Plus, without easy access to ask questions, subs might submit incomplete bids, leaving you with gaps in information and headaches to fix later.

So, what's the alternative? How do you get the features you need as a GC without the hassle and uncertainty?

Consider Downtobid – an all-in-one preconstruction platform with an AI assistant that simplifies the entire process, from breaking down construction plans to contacting the right subcontractors.

More Value, Less Cost: How Downtobid Compares

It’s hard to make confident decisions when you’re not sure what you’re getting and what the final bill might look like. Downtobid cuts through this red tape by offering simple, transparent pricing and direct access to the tools you need – without making you jump through hoops. 

Free Plan – Get Started with Downtobid

If you’re a smaller contractor or just looking to see if Downtobid is the right fit, the Free Plan is a great starting point. You’ll get access to one trial project – no cost, no strings attached.

Here’s how it works:

Sign up for a demo and upload your construction plans for free.

Our AI scans your drawings for potential scopes (which takes about 10 to 30 minutes, depending on complexity).

You receive a bid package template, which includes:

• A clear summary of the bid package.
• Plan sections highlighting the detected scopes.
• A recommended list of qualified local subcontractors that match the required skills and project specs.

From there, you can easily reach out to these recommended subs with personalized ITBs. You can also use our subcontractor network to get access to so many more subcontractors, especially helpful when looking for bids in new geographic areas.

Starter Plan – Perfect for Small Teams

The Starter Plan is packed with enough features to handle unlimited active projects, and it supports up to 3 users, making it a great fit for teams that are growing but don’t need anything too heavy-duty just yet.

• Cost: $150 per month
• Includes: Unlimited active projects. Up to 3 users. Dedicated bid coordinator

Pro Plan – For Growing Teams and More Complex Needs

When your workload grows and your team needs more advanced tools to manage bids efficiently, the Pro Plan has you covered. With room for up to 10 users, this plan is ideal for teams handling larger projects or dealing with more complex needs.

• Cost: $500 per month
• Includes: Everything in the Starter Plan. Up to 10 users. Sublist cleanup and migration. Downtobid sub network

You can sign up for free demo today and see firsthand if it suits your needs.

That said, while Downtobid’s clear, no-nonsense pricing is definitely a big plus, it’s the platform’s features that really make your life easier as a GC. Let’s take a look at what makes our platform a better overall value.

AI That Finds Your Scope of Work

Too often, you'll spend 2-3 hours per project reading through bulky construction documents just to identify the scopes within the plans. That’s time you can’t get back.

With our platform, you simply upload your construction plans, and our AI instantly identifies the scopes of work required. It highlights these scopes right on your plans, turning them into an annotated version that clearly points out all the critical details.

Instead of sitfting through raw blueprints, you get a clear, easy-to-read set of plans with everything important already called out.

Project-Specific Subcontractor Lists

The traditional approach of “casting a wide net” for finding subcontractors might seem like a good idea, but relevance and specialization matter more. Matching each project's specific requirements with subs who have the right experience is key for effective bid coverage.

Downtobid makes sure you’re not blindly inviting every subcontractor in sight. Our AI takes the guesswork out by auto-recommending a tailored list of subcontractors based on their specialization and the specific requirements of your project. See our full database of subcontractors here.

This means you’re only reaching out to subs who are actively participating and genuinely suited for the job.

The results? Extremely competitive bids from the right subs.

Genuine and Personaziled Emails, Not ITB Templates

Even in a technical industry like construction, building new and lasting relationships still matters. Yet, many bid management platforms only offer you generic, cookie-cutter bid invitations that lack a personal touch.

Our platform generates personalized bid invitations (within a few seconds) that address subcontractors by name, reference their past project history, and acknowledge their specific trade expertise right from the start. Plus, each invitation includes a clear scope summary, so subs can quickly know if the project’s a good fit without having to sift through the entire plan.

This means you’re only reaching out to subs who are actively participating and genuinely suited for the job.

The results? Extremely competitive bids from the right subs.

Genuine and Personaziled Emails, Not ITB Templates

Even in a technical industry like construction, building new and lasting relationships still matters. Yet, many bid management platforms only offer you generic, cookie-cutter bid invitations that lack a personal touch.

Our platform generates personalized bid invitations (within a few seconds) that address subcontractors by name, reference their past project history, and acknowledge their specific trade expertise right from the start. Plus, each invitation includes a clear scope summary, so subs can quickly know if the project’s a good fit without having to sift through the entire plan.

And the results speak for themselves: our users have seen a 30% boost in responses from targeted subs. Some have even hit over 60% response rates, with more than 80 bids for a single project.

AI That Handles the Outreach

Normally, GCs have to juggle sending emails, setting up Dropbox links for plans, and remembering to send follow-ups. Downtobid’s AI handles all of that. It prepares your email campaign, automatically follows up with subs when they don’t respond, and sends 2-3 follow-up messages at the right intervals – keeping your project top of mind and showing you're genuinely interested in their participation.

All you have to do is respond to the emails in your inbox and wait for the bids to roll in.

Final Words

At the end of the day, the lack of transparency in PlanHub’s tiered pricing structure and essential feature add-ons makes it harder for GCs to manage their projects effectively.

Downtobid, with its clear pricing and no-hidden-fees approach, gives contractors a simpler, more reliable way to handle projects – helping you stay focused on getting the job done instead of worrying about the next surprise in your software bill.

But it’s not just about saving money. Downtobid also packs in features that help you work smarter – from an updated subcontractor network and scope identification right in your plans, to personalized ITBs and smart planrooms that simplify your workflow. Plus, you’ll have a curated list of qualified, local subs at your fingertips. And there’s plenty more Downtobid offers that we haven’t even covered yet.

Sign up for a demo today (completely free) and see how Downtobid can make your next project easier from start to finish.