Bidwright review
A free, open-source workspace for detailed takeoff, estimating, review, and bid delivery.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Bidwright is an open-source construction estimating workspace for contractors and trade estimators handling complete bid workflows. It brings bid intake, document viewing, digital takeoff, estimating worksheets, ratebooks, reusable assemblies, labor units, pricing, review, scheduling, and quote delivery into one product. Its scope fits estimators who need more than basic measurement tools, especially teams working with varied bid documents and detailed cost structures. It supports web, Windows, macOS, and Linux through its desktop and self-hosted options.
The free deployment choices are a central part of Bidwright's appeal. The desktop app is a free download built around an Electron shell with embedded Postgres, an API, and a web app; data stays on the local machine, and Docker is not required. The free Docker self-host option adds a full server stack and multi-user server mode. Teams can connect supported providers including Anthropic, OpenAI, OpenRouter, and Gemini, or use LM Studio and Ollama locally, with customer-provided model keys. A managed hosted version is planned and has an early-access waitlist, with SSO, audit logs, and data residency also planned.
Takeoff coverage is notably broad: the product supports 2D PDF counts, linear, area, region, and symbol-detection tools, plus 3D takeoff for IFC, Revit, DWG, and Navisworks files. Bid-package viewing extends to PDF, DOCX, XLSX, CAD, email, and Bluebeam files, while linked source annotations connect worksheet values back to documents. Rule-based quality checks, optional cited AI review, AI document intake, quote pipeline tracking, and an estimating-shop performance dashboard extend the workflow beyond measurement. Bidwright suits open-source teams willing to manage deployment or model-provider billing; teams seeking an immediately available managed service should consider a different option.
Bidwright pros and cons
- Where it wins
- 2D PDF and 3D model takeoff across major construction file formats
- Linked worksheets, ratebooks, labor units, and reusable assemblies
- Free desktop and self-hosted options with optional AI review
- Where it doesn't
- Self-hosting requires Docker and server administration
- AI usage requires customer-provided model keys and provider billing
- Managed hosted version is still on an early-access waitlist
Bidwright fact sheet, pricing and score →
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