Scribbling quotes on the back of a Screwfix receipt doesn't cut it anymore. Your clients expect a professional PDF within 24 hours, and your accountant wants everything in one system come January. Here are 5 quoting tools that UK decorators actually use — not the ones with the biggest marketing budget, the ones that work on a van dashboard at 6 AM.
The comparison table
| Tool | Price/month | Free tier? | Best for | Weak point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YourTradebase | £15 | Yes (limited) | Sole traders, simple quotes | No scheduling |
| Powered Now | £20 | 14-day trial | Gas/electrical certs too | Clunky mobile app |
| Tradify | £25 | 14-day trial | Teams of 2-10 | Pricier for sole traders |
| FreshBooks | £12 | 30-day trial | Invoicing + accounting | Not trade-specific |
| Countfire + spreadsheet | Free | Yes | Large commercial jobs | Steep learning curve |
What actually matters in a quoting tool
Forget the feature lists. After talking to 30+ decorators for this article, three things matter:
- Speed on mobile. You need to create a quote on your phone in the client's hallway, not back at the office. If it takes more than 5 minutes, you'll go back to pen and paper.
- Professional PDF output. Your quote needs your logo, a clear breakdown, terms, and ideally a photo of the job. Clients judge your competence by the document before they judge your price.
- Chase reminders. The #1 reason quotes don't convert isn't price — it's that you forget to follow up. An automatic "Did you have a chance to review my quote?" email at day 3 and day 7 recovers 15-20% of lost jobs.
The visual edge: colour simulations in quotes
One thing none of these tools do is show the client what the finished job will look like. That's where a colour simulation tool comes in. Snap a photo of the room or exterior, generate 2-3 colour options, and attach them to your quote PDF. According to PDA (Painting and Decorating Association) data, decorators who include visuals in their quotes close 42% more jobs.
Our pick
For sole traders: YourTradebase. It's the cheapest, simplest, and does the one thing you need — professional quotes from your phone in 3 minutes.
For teams of 2-5: Tradify. It adds job scheduling and team management, which YourTradebase lacks. Worth the extra tenner once you have employees.
For everyone: pair whichever tool you use with a colour visualiser for your quotes. The ROI is immediate — one extra job per month pays for a year of both tools combined.
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