Question 1

What happens after my 30-day trial ends?

Accepted Answer

Your account drops to the Free plan — 1 estimate a month, PDF with CostMate attribution. None of your estimates or sent quotes are deleted. Upgrade to Solo at any time to restore full access.

Question 2

Do I need a credit card to start the trial?

Accepted Answer

No. You can start the 30-day trial and use CostMate fully without entering any payment details.

Question 3

Can I cancel anytime?

Accepted Answer

Yes. No contracts, no lock-in. If you cancel a paid plan, your sent quotes stay accessible — we don't hold your data hostage.

Question 4

What's the difference between an estimate and a quote?

Accepted Answer

An estimate is your internal working number — materials, labour, assumptions, all visible to you. A quote is the clean client-facing PDF you send. Same numbers, different presentation.

Question 5

Is CostMate built for NZ?

Accepted Answer

Yes. NZ Building Code checks (E2, E3, H1, B1 (Structure)), material wastage allowances, and NZD pricing throughout. Built in Auckland by a working carpenter.

Question 6

Where does the pricing come from?

Accepted Answer

Every account — including Free — comes with Dayle ITM and PlaceMakers trade pricing already loaded, last updated 13 July 2026. You don't have to upload anything to get started. Every material line shows which supplier the price came from and when it was last updated, so you can check it before you send. You can upload your own supplier pricing any time on the Solo plan, and it takes priority over the built-in pricing.

Question 7

Does CostMate replace Fergus, Tradify or NextMinute?

Accepted Answer

No, and it isn't trying to. Those run the job after you've won it — scheduling, timesheets, invoicing. CostMate is what you use before that: it builds the estimate, shows you every price and labour hour behind it, and turns it into the quote you send. Keep your job software. CostMate tells you what to quote.

Question 8

What if I need more than one seat?

Accepted Answer

Right now CostMate is priced as a single Solo plan. A dedicated multi-seat team plan is on the roadmap — email support@costmate.co.nz if you need it and we'll let you know when it's ready.

Pricing · CostMate