A client asks what the job will cost before they say yes. You can measure up, work out the price and send them a proper estimate from your iPhone while you're still on site. This guide walks through what an estimate usually has on it, then how to make one with Invoice Cat, our invoice and estimate app for iPhone and iPad, and how to turn it into an invoice when the client says yes.
What goes on an estimate
An estimate shows the same few things as an invoice, plus what you'll do and how long the price holds:
- Who it's from: your business name, contact details and, if you like, your logo.
- Who it's for: the client's name, and their address if the job is at their place.
- A number and a date, so when the client calls back about "the estimate", you both know which one.
- The work, line by line. Each part of the job as its own line, with a quantity and a price. Put materials and labour on separate lines so the client can see where the money goes.
- What's not included. If the price assumes something (the old floor comes up cleanly, the client supplies the tiles), write it down.
- Tax, if you charge it, and the total.
- How long the price holds: a "valid until" date, so an old price doesn't come back to you a year later.
- What happens next: how the client says yes, whether you ask for a deposit before you start, and when you could start.
People use "estimate" and "quote" in different ways, and whether either one commits you to a price depends on where you work and what you agreed. Invoice Cat does the sums; it doesn't give legal or tax advice, so check your local rules or ask an adviser.
Make the estimate
- Start it. Open the Estimates tab and tap + (or New estimate while the list is empty). Once you've made your first invoice or estimate, Home has a New estimate button too. Estimates are numbered EST-0001, EST-0002 and so on, separately from your invoices.
- Who's it for? Type the client's name. An email is optional, and Add phone, address or tax ID adds the rest. Clients you've used before are under Saved clients.
- What did you do? The app asks this on estimates too: read it as what you'll do. Type a description and an amount for each part of the job, and tap Add item for the next one. Tap × qty to use a quantity and a unit price instead. Pricing by the hour? Hours are a quantity: 1.5 is an hour and a half. Touch and hold a line to add details or a discount to it.
- Valid until. New estimates are valid for 30 days. Pick another date if you like.
- More options. Here you'll find tax (On the total or Per item, with your own tax name and rate), a discount on the total as a percent or an amount, Notes, Terms & conditions, the number, the date, the currency and the design. Notes and terms are good places for what's not included and for a deposit you'd like before you start.
Every change is saved as you type.
Send it to the client
Tap Preview & send (on iPad, Share & print). The PDF is headed Estimate, with the client under Prepared for and the Issue date, Valid until date and Total beside it. Pick the Classic, Modern or Minimal look and an accent colour. Then:
- Send opens the share sheet, so you can send it from any app.
- Email attaches the PDF to a new email, if Mail is set up on your iPhone. The subject and a short message, with the total and the valid-until date, are filled in for you.
- Print sends it to your printer.
If your details aren't in Business yet, the first time you preview a card asks for your name, logo and address, so the client knows who it's from. It's optional, and saved for next time. Your payment details stay off estimates; they go on the invoice.
When the client says yes
Open the estimate and tap Turn into an invoice. (It's also under the … button at the top right, as Convert to invoice.) Invoice Cat makes a new invoice with the same client, items, tax, notes and design. It gets the next invoice number and today's date, it's due by the payment terms you set in Business, and your payment details from Business are added, if you've saved them. The invoice PDF shows the estimate's number, and the estimate now says Invoiced as that invoice's number.
Took a deposit when they said yes? Open More options on the invoice and type it under Deposit received, and the invoice shows what's still owed. For sending and getting paid, see how to make an invoice on iPhone.
Keep track of your estimates
The Estimates tab lists them all. Filter by Open, Invoiced or Expired (past the valid-until date and never turned into an invoice), and search by number, client or item. Doing a similar job for someone else? Swipe left on an estimate and tap Duplicate. The copy gets a new number and today's date, and it's valid for the same number of days.
Moving over from another app? In Business, under Numbering, set the prefix and the number your estimates start at.
Pricing by the hour?
If you'll bill the job by the hour, keep a timesheet as you work. Our guide on how to make a timesheet on iPhone shows how.
What it costs
Estimates, invoices and clients are free and unlimited, and so are preview, send, email and print. There's no watermark, no ads, no account, no trial and no subscription. Invoice Cat Pro is an optional one-time purchase. On an estimate, Add from my items (Pro), under the … button, adds a service or product you've saved. Pro also adds Repeat monthly and Statements for invoices. More on the Invoice Cat page.
Your estimates are kept on your device and in your own backups unless you share, save or print them. There's no account, so nobody can lock you out of your own records.
Quick answers
Can I turn an estimate into an invoice on iPhone?
Yes. Open the estimate and tap Turn into an invoice. The client, items, tax and notes carry over, and the estimate is marked Invoiced.
How long should an estimate be valid?
That's your call, and it depends on how quickly your costs change. Invoice Cat sets 30 days to start, and you can pick any date.
Can I call it a quote instead?
In Invoice Cat the PDF is always headed Estimate. What each word means differs by trade and by place, so check what your clients expect.
Try Invoice Cat
Try Invoice Cat: free, no watermark, no sign-up → iyio.com/apps/invoice-cat