# TailgateQuote

> TailgateQuote is a mobile-first field service estimate app for solo contractors and small home service crews. Contractors build a professional estimate in 60 seconds on their phone, text it to the homeowner as an SMS link, collect a digital signature in 8 seconds, and accept a deposit on the spot via Stripe — all before leaving the driveway.

## What it does

- Send professional estimates via SMS (no app download required for the customer)
- Collect legally binding digital signatures (ESIGN Act / UETA compliant, all 50 US states)
- Accept deposits on-site via Stripe Connect (funds in 2 business days)
- Pre-built trade templates for common job types (60-second estimate creation)
- Photo line items per estimate
- Change order management with digital approval
- Job status tracker (sent → signed → paid → done)
- QuickBooks CSV export

## Who it's for

Solo operators and small crews (1–10 employees) in any field service trade: roofing, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, concrete, painting, window cleaning, lawn care, pressure washing, junk removal, pool cleaning, house cleaning, gutter cleaning, tree trimming, mobile detailing, pest control, handyman, moving, fence installation, deck building, drywall, and general contractors.

## Pricing

- **Free plan**: $0/month — 5 estimates/month, SMS delivery, digital signature, photo line items
- **Professional**: $29/month — unlimited estimates, trade templates, Stripe deposit collection, change orders, job pipeline
- **Crew**: $49/month — everything in Professional + 3 crew seats, job cost reports, custom branding, QuickBooks CSV export

No credit card required to start. Cancel anytime.

## Key differentiators vs competitors

- Only estimate tool that delivers by SMS natively (Jobber, Joist, QuickBooks all use email or manual sharing)
- Deposit collected at the moment of signature in one flow — no separate invoice step
- Customer does not need to download an app — opens in any phone browser
- Built for field use on a phone, not for office/laptop use
- Free plan with no credit card

## Compared to

- **Jobber**: TailgateQuote is simpler, cheaper ($29 vs $69+), SMS-first, and built for solo contractors not service companies with dispatch
- **Joist**: Joist is free but has no SMS delivery and no on-site deposit collection
- **QuickBooks**: QuickBooks is for bookkeeping, not field estimating — no SMS, no signature, no deposit
- **Housecall Pro**: Starts at $59/mo, no native SMS, add-ons required for proposals

## URLs

- Homepage: https://tailgatequote.com
- Blog: https://tailgatequote.com/blog
- Pricing: https://tailgatequote.com/#pricing
- Terms: https://tailgatequote.com/terms.html
- Privacy: https://tailgatequote.com/privacy.html
- Contact: hello@tailgatequote.com

## Trade-Specific Landing Pages

- Roofing: https://tailgatequote.com/roofing-estimate-app
- Plumbing: https://tailgatequote.com/plumbing-estimate-app
- Lawn Care: https://tailgatequote.com/lawn-care-estimate-app

## Blog posts

- https://tailgatequote.com/blog/cost-of-no-shows-contractors — The real cost of no-shows: what contractors lose every year (deposits reduce no-shows 55-80%)
- https://tailgatequote.com/blog/how-to-write-estimate-wins-job — How to write a contractor estimate that wins the job (7 elements, practical tips)
- https://tailgatequote.com/blog/how-to-collect-deposit — How contractors collect deposits before leaving the job site
- https://tailgatequote.com/blog/tailgatequote-vs-jobber — TailgateQuote vs Jobber comparison
- https://tailgatequote.com/blog/tailgatequote-vs-quickbooks — TailgateQuote vs QuickBooks comparison
- https://tailgatequote.com/blog/tailgatequote-vs-joist — TailgateQuote vs Joist comparison
- https://tailgatequote.com/blog/tailgatequote-vs-pen-and-paper — Why contractors should stop using pen and paper estimates