Updated Jan 20, 2026

How to Create a Tradesperson Quoting Web and Mobile App

Table of Contents

Creating quotes manually can waste hours each week for tradespeople like plumbers, electricians, and carpenters. A quoting app can save time, reduce errors, and improve response rates. Businesses that send quotes within an hour see 160% higher conversion rates, and digital tools can save up to 7 hours weekly. Adalo simplifies app creation with its no-code platform, allowing you to build a single app for web, iOS, and Android without rebuilding for each platform. Here's how you can design an app to streamline quoting, manage clients, and improve accuracy.

Key Steps:

Plan Features: Include customizable templates, calculators, and client databases.
Set Up a Database: Organize collections for clients, quotes, and materials.
Design the Interface: Use Adalo’s drag-and-drop tools to create user-friendly screens.
Add Logic: Build pricing calculators and integrate real-time data sources.
Test and Publish: Ensure functionality across devices and publish to app stores.

Switching to a quoting app not only saves time but also helps you secure jobs faster. Start with Adalo’s free plan to build your app and upgrade as your business grows.

5-Step Process to Build a Tradesperson Quoting App with Adalo

Step 1: Plan Your Quoting App

Start with a clear plan to avoid unnecessary features. Map out the screens, actions, and data your app will need.

Define Core Features

Focus on essential tools like customizable quote templates for creating polished estimates quickly. Include calculators for material and labor costs to ensure real-time accuracy. Add a client database and user authentication to securely manage contacts and quote histories.

Consider mobile-friendly features like camera access for uploading images and geolocation for on-site quoting. You can also integrate payment processing for direct transactions and a ratings system to help build customer trust.

Structure Your Data Collections

Once features are outlined, organize them with structured data collections.

Adalo’s built-in database uses collections, similar to spreadsheet tables that interact with each other. For a quoting app, you’ll need at least four primary collections: Clients, Quotes, Quote Items, and Services/Materials.

Clients: Store details like name, email, phone, US-formatted address (e.g., 123 Main St, Anytown, CA 90210), and creation date (MM/DD/YYYY).
Quotes: Include fields for quote ID, status (e.g., Draft, Sent, Accepted), total amount in USD (e.g., $1,234.56), and creation date. Link each quote to a client.
Quote Items: Use this collection for line items, including fields for item name, quantity, unit (e.g., feet, square feet), unit price (e.g., $3.50/ft), and subtotal.
Services/Materials: This acts as a master price list, storing standard labor rates ($/hr) and material costs for consistent pricing.

Ensure all pricing fields are set as number properties so you can create custom formulas for calculations. Establish one-to-many relationships: one Client can have multiple Quotes, and one Quote can include multiple Quote Items. This setup minimizes duplicate entries and keeps your data organized.

Step 2: Set Up Your Adalo Account and Database

Adalo

After laying out your initial plan, it’s time to turn that vision into reality. Here’s how to get your Adalo account up and running, along with the database that will serve as the backbone of your quoting app.

Create Your Adalo Account

Head over to adalo.com and click the "Get Started for Free" button. Sign up by entering your email, password, and full name. Once you’ve registered, check your email for a verification link and confirm your account. During the setup process, you'll also select your role (like builder or individual) and answer a brief quiz about your app idea.

Adalo offers three pricing options:

Free Plan: Ideal for prototyping, supports up to 50 records.
Professional Plan: $60/month (billed annually) for up to 15,000 records and extra features.
Business Plan: $150/month (billed annually) for advanced integrations and priority support.

Opting for annual billing can save you 20–30% compared to paying monthly.

Model Your Data Collections

Once your account is set up, navigate to the Database tab in your Adalo dashboard. This is where you’ll create the core collections for your app: Clients, Quotes, Quote Items, and Services/Materials. Use US-standard formats throughout, such as MM/DD/YYYY for dates, US dollars for currency, and imperial units (like sq ft, ft, or lbs).

Here’s how to set up each collection:

Clients: Ensure the Email field is marked as unique. This will allow clients to log in later.
Quotes: Add a formula for the Total field: Subtotal × (1 + Tax/100), and format it as currency.
Quote Items: Configure a formula for Line Total: (Quantity × Unit Price) + Labor Hours + Material Cost × (1 + Markup/100). Use imperial units and US dollar formatting for all calculations.
Services/Materials: Create a master price list with fields for Description, Standard Rate (e.g., $/hr or $/unit), and Category.

Next, establish the relationships between collections. Add a Client property to the Quotes collection so each client can have multiple quotes. Similarly, add a Quote property to the Quote Items collection, allowing each quote to include multiple line items. This setup ensures that one client can manage multiple quotes, and each quote can break down into detailed items.

Finally, test your setup by manually adding a few sample records. For example, create a sample client, assign them a quote, and include a couple of line items in that quote. This will help confirm that your relationships and formulas are working as intended.

Step 3: Design Your App's Interface

Once your database is ready, it’s time to design the interface that turns your data into practical tools for tradespeople. With Adalo’s visual builder, you can drag and drop components onto a canvas - no coding required. You’ll see your app design update in real time, making it easy to make quick decisions and adjustments.

Build Quote Creation Screens

Start by designing a Client Selection screen. Use the List component from the Add Panel and link it to your Clients collection. Each list item should show key details like the client’s name, phone number, and the date of their last quote. To streamline the process, allow users to tap on a client to navigate directly to the Quote Detail screen.

Next, create the Quote Detail screen using a Form component. Organize the form into sections for clarity:

Basic Information: Include fields for the quote number and date (MM/DD/YYYY format).
Line Items: Add fields for descriptions, quantities, and unit prices in U.S. dollars.
Totals: Use Magic Text to calculate subtotals, taxes, and the final total automatically. For instance, if a tradesperson enters 3 hours of labor at $85/hour, the total will instantly update to $255.00.

To keep things user-friendly, consider a multi-step form. Start with client and job details, move to line items, and finish with pricing and a signature pad. This step-by-step approach reduces errors and makes it easier for tradespeople working on-site or in fast-paced environments.

Finally, fine-tune the design to ensure smooth navigation and usability across all devices.

Customize the User Experience

In the Branding tab, define your app’s colors and typography for a polished, consistent look. For example, use blue to convey reliability and green for action-oriented elements.

Make sure important buttons are easy to reach with one hand - place them within a 44-pixel touch zone for thumb-friendly navigation. Adalo’s responsive tools allow you to design once and deploy across mobile, tablet, and web platforms seamlessly.

Leverage Conditional Visibility to simplify screens. For instance, hide the "Submit Quote" button until all required fields are completed. Similarly, advanced options like markup percentage adjustments can remain hidden unless the user taps “Show Advanced Settings.” This keeps the interface clean and intuitive, while still offering flexibility for more detailed tasks. Research shows users take just 500 milliseconds to decide whether to stay on a screen, so clarity is essential.

Lastly, add a Dashboard screen to give tradespeople a quick overview of their business. Use Adalo’s Stats component to display summaries like “15 Active Quotes” or “$12,450 in Pending Work.” This allows users to check key metrics at a glance without searching through individual records.

Step 4: Add Logic and Advanced Features

This is where your app starts to come alive. By adding logic, you turn static screens into a dynamic tool that calculates prices, applies discounts, and pulls real-time data from external sources.

Build Pricing Calculators

With Adalo's Custom Formula feature, you can create all the pricing logic your app needs. Access this tool through the Magic Text menu when setting up text fields or forms. The formula builder supports basic arithmetic - like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division - as well as advanced functions such as ROUND for currency formatting.

For example, if you're creating a quote and estimate app from Google Sheets, you might combine labor rates, material costs, and tax percentages. Store these as Number properties in your database (e.g., Labor Rate, Hours, Material Costs, and Tax Rate). Then, use a formula like ROUND(((LaborRate * Hours) + MaterialCosts) * (1 + TaxRate), 2) to calculate and format the total price as currency - for instance, $1,245.50 instead of a raw number.

This logic ensures that your pricing is accurate and consistent.

Dynamic Calculations: Use Magic Numbers to pull values from your database or user input. For instance, if a plumber enters 4 hours at $95/hour, $180 for parts, and a 7% tax rate, the app calculates the total as $599.20:
((95 * 4) + 180) * 1.07 = $599.20
Client Discounts: Add a Client Discount field to your database to handle customer-specific discounts. Update the formula to reflect this:
ROUND(((LaborRate * Hours) + MaterialCosts) * (1 - ClientDiscount), 2)
Error Prevention: Use Conditional Visibility to hide the total price until all required fields are filled. This avoids "NaN" errors when data is missing. Test your formulas against edge cases - like zero values, decimals, or blank fields - to ensure they work smoothly in all situations.

Once your pricing logic is solid, you can take it to the next level by integrating real-time data from external systems.

Connect External Data Sources

To make your pricing even more accurate, Adalo offers three ways to integrate external data: External Collections (via REST APIs), SheetBridge (for Google Sheets), and Zapier (for workflow automation). These options allow you to pull in up-to-date information seamlessly.

Google Sheets with SheetBridge: If you track material prices in a Google Sheet, SheetBridge enables a quick, two-way sync. Any updates in your spreadsheet instantly reflect in your app. Before connecting, ensure the first row of your sheet contains headers without spaces (e.g., Material_Cost instead of "Material Cost") and remove merged cells. This feature is available on paid plans starting at $36 per month.
Enterprise Databases: For businesses using MySQL, PostgreSQL, or similar databases, DreamFactory can generate REST APIs to connect your data to Adalo as an External Collection. This requires Adalo's Professional Plan ($52 per month) and provides real-time access to enterprise pricing systems. When setting up, match the Results Key to your API's JSON structure (e.g., 'resource' for DreamFactory) and add authentication headers like X-DreamFactory-API-Key in Adalo's settings to secure the connection.

Once connected, you can use Magic Text to dynamically display external pricing data in your app components. For offline functionality, consider designing your pricing logic to work with cached reference data. This way, field workers can still generate accurate quotes even without an internet connection.

Step 5: Test, Publish, and Localize Your App

With your app's design and functionality ready, the final steps involve testing, publishing, and tailoring it for a US audience. You're almost there!

Test Across Web and Mobile Platforms

Use the "View App" button in the Adalo builder to preview your app in a web browser. Go through every screen - create quotes, add materials, calculate pricing - to ensure all features work as expected. Check how your app performs on different devices using the device preview options, making sure buttons, text fields, and other elements are properly sized and functional.

Share your app with a few trusted tradespeople via a shareable link or QR code. Their feedback can uncover issues like unclear navigation or confusing pricing displays. For more in-depth testing, use tools like TestFlight for iOS or Google Play Console's testing modes. Save versions of your app as you make changes, so you can quickly revert if something doesn’t work as intended.

Once you're confident your app runs smoothly, it's time to publish.

Publish Your App to App Stores

To publish your app, you’ll need a paid Adalo plan, starting at $36 per month, along with platform-specific fees - $99 per year for the Apple Developer Program and a one-time $25 fee for the Google Play Console. For iOS, you'll need to set up Two-Factor Authentication, create an Apple Bundle ID, and generate a Certificate Signing Request. Prepare assets like your app icon, 4–5 screenshots for each device type, a 30-character app title, and a privacy policy URL before submission.

Apple’s review process usually takes about 48 hours, but rejections can happen if you don’t clearly justify permissions like camera or location access. To minimize risk, consider using the Phased Release option on the App Store, which lets you roll out your app gradually over seven days. This gives you time to address any critical bugs before the app reaches your full audience. For Android, Adalo provides a step-by-step guide to help you navigate the publishing process.

Localize for the US Market

Adjust your app to meet US standards for formatting and integrations. US users expect pricing in dollars, dates in MM/DD/YYYY format, and measurements in feet and inches. Double-check that your pricing formulas and data formats align with these standards. For example, currency should appear as $1,234.56, with commas for thousands and periods for decimals. Input fields for materials should use units like square feet or yards, and date pickers need to follow the MM/DD/YYYY format.

Integrate the Stripe component in Adalo to securely process payments in USD. Use Google Maps and Geolocation plugins to simplify address inputs with US zip codes and state-based navigation. When submitting your app to the US App Store or Google Play, optimize its discoverability by conducting keyword research in American English. For example, phrases like "contractor estimate app" may resonate better with a US audience. These adjustments ensure your app feels familiar and user-friendly to your target market.

Conclusion

Now you know how to plan, design, and launch a tradesperson quoting app that simplifies every step - from organizing your database and creating screens to adding pricing calculators, testing on devices, and publishing to app stores. This process lays the groundwork for a dependable and modern solution. With Adalo's app builder, you can deliver a professional app in just 8 to 15 weeks, compared to the 6 to 9 months traditional development typically requires.

Here's something to consider: research predicts that by 2026, rapid app development platforms will be behind 70% of all new enterprise apps. And with 92% of contractors using smartphones daily on the job, there's no denying that clients expect digital solutions. A custom quoting app not only keeps your business top of mind but also establishes you as a forward-thinking professional who can respond to opportunities in real time.

Adalo makes it easy to get started. Begin with their free plan to build and test your app, then upgrade to publish it to app stores. The platform processes over 20 million daily data requests with an impressive 99% uptime, ensuring reliability as your business scales. Plus, you can integrate tools like Stripe for secure payments, QuickBooks for accounting, or Zapier to automate workflows - all without writing a single line of code.

The best time to start building your app? Today. Focus on core features like quote creation and client management first, then refine based on user feedback. Waiting only gives competitors a head start. With your app, you can generate quotes, secure jobs, and grow your business faster than ever.

Ready to take the leap? Sign up for Adalo and turn your quoting process into a powerful advantage.

FAQs

What essential features should a tradesperson quoting app include?

A tradesperson quoting app should focus on features that make creating and managing quotes as simple as possible. Here are some must-have functionalities:

Customizable quote templates: These save time and ensure consistency across all quotes.
Client management tools: A centralized way to organize customer information and keep track of past quotes.
Real-time pricing calculations: Automatically calculate accurate quotes by factoring in materials, labor, and other costs.

To go a step further, consider including features like invoice generation, payment tracking, and notifications to keep both tradespeople and their clients updated. By tailoring these tools to the everyday needs of trades professionals, the app can become an essential part of their workflow.

How can I make sure my quoting app works smoothly on all devices?

To make sure your quoting app works smoothly on desktops, tablets, and smartphones, prioritize responsive design and thorough testing. Use tools that let you preview how the app appears on various screen sizes. This helps you fine-tune layouts and prevent issues like overlapping or hard-to-read elements.

Incorporate components that adapt automatically to different screen sizes, such as flexible lists and forms. Also, make sure buttons and text are large enough for easy tapping on mobile devices. Tailor navigation to the device - consider a bottom tab bar for mobile users and a sidebar for desktop users - to provide a seamless experience.

Don’t skip testing on actual devices. This ensures elements like U.S. currency formats (e.g., $1,250.00) and dates (MM/DD/YYYY) display properly. Gather feedback from tradespeople to fine-tune usability and make sure the app delivers what they need, no matter the device.

How do I publish my tradesperson quoting app to the app stores?

Publishing your tradesperson quoting app to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store takes a few straightforward steps. Start by making sure your app is fully functional - features like quote generation and client management should be thoroughly tested and ready to go. Then, gather the necessary assets: an app icon (1024×1024 px), splash screens, device-specific screenshots, and a clear, concise app description that aligns with store guidelines.

Within Adalo, input key details such as your app's name, description, keywords, and contact information, formatted to U.S. standards (e.g., dates in MM/DD/YYYY format). Decide on your app's pricing - whether it’s Free or a set price in U.S. dollars (e.g., $4.99) - and select the regions where the app will be available. Before submitting, run a final test build to ensure everything works seamlessly on actual devices.

When everything checks out, use Adalo's publishing feature to submit your app directly to the app stores. Keep an eye on the review process through the developer consoles, and once your app gets the green light, it’ll be live and ready for users across the U.S.!