Pipeline Suite vs. SmartBid

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Pipeline Suite
Score 7.3 out of 10
N/A
N/AN/A
SmartBid
Score 8.3 out of 10
N/A
SmartBid is a construction bid management software for general contractors. SmartBid provides a web-based and mobile platform to streamline their bid project data, documents, and subcontractor communications. It also supports user permissions control for data security.N/A
Pricing
Pipeline SuiteSmartBid
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Pipeline SuiteSmartBid
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional DetailsAs a cloud-based solution, our clients can scale their access annually depending on the number of users. Subcontractors invited to bid or prequalify in the system receive access at no cost.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Pipeline SuiteSmartBid
Features
Pipeline SuiteSmartBid
Construction Project & Field Management
Comparison of Construction Project & Field Management features of Product A and Product B
Pipeline Suite
8.5
Ratings
12% above category average
SmartBid
7.6
Ratings
1% above category average
Plan distribution & viewing9.00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Plan markups & sharing9.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Issue tracking & punchlists8.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Photo documentation9.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Jobsite reports8.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Document sharing9.00 Ratings8.00 Ratings
RFI tools8.00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Collaboration & approvals9.00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
As-built drawings9.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Mobile app7.00 Ratings10.00 Ratings
Submittal design and management8.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Estimating
Comparison of Estimating features of Product A and Product B
Pipeline Suite
8.2
Ratings
2% above category average
SmartBid
-
Ratings
Takeoff tools8.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Job costing9.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Cost databases8.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Cost calculator8.00 Ratings00 Ratings
Bid creation8.00 Ratings00 Ratings
User Ratings
Pipeline SuiteSmartBid
Likelihood to Recommend
8.0
(0 ratings)
8.0
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
9.0
(0 ratings)
9.6
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
Pipeline SuiteSmartBid
Likelihood to Recommend
Pipeline Suite is a very niche product, but for anyone who has ever dealt with the construction bidding process, you can understand the need for it. With Pipeline Suite, it is so easy to request bids, share documents and plans, and coordinate schedules for submittals. We are able to prequalify sub contractors and vendors at a faster pace as well with the product
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As mentioned before in some of the previous questions, the confidentiality agreement feature is extremely helpful. I have worked on several projects where it's so early in the design phase that the documents are considered confidential and we are required to get a signed NDA from every person who sees the documents. This feature makes it extremely painless. SmartBidNet is less appropriate if you're just doing a quick cost exercise where you might not need to contact several subs. It's easier to just use email and a cloud sharing program like Box or Egnyte.
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Pros
  • Sharing documents and plans with project stakeholders is a piece of cake.
  • The product makes tracking the status of bids so much easier.
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  • It stores the bid documents all in one place.
  • Easy way to effectively communicate with a large number of people at once.
  • The emails are pretty instantaneous when they get sent out.
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Cons
  • The onboarding process was difficult for us just because we had some pretty disorganized databases.
  • The product is pricey for small to medium sized firms.
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  • The graphical interface needs improvements to make it easier to use.
  • Some operations are not fully automated.
  • Currently, it is impossible to track what all users modify. User monitoring is the key, considering that we work with complex historic buildings.
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Support Rating
I have found that the customer support team has an understanding of the construction bidding process. They have been able to see issues through our eyes, so to speak, not just through the eyes of a software company. They have always been very timely in their responses and seem to go above and beyond to solve issues
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SmartBid has an excellent support team that is always at your service. Any problem I've had (when I've even had them) has been resolved almost immediately, along with tips on how to avoid them in the future. If you're looking for a program with excellent customer service, look no further than SmartBid.
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Alternatives Considered
I don't have a lot of personal experience with SmartBid, but from what I hear from other colleagues, Pipeline Suite makes it easier for subcontractors to access documents/plans and to respond to bids. The interface and design of Pipeline Suite is more modern and the user experience is a major upgrade from SmartBid
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SmartBid is the first software of its kind that I use. However, comparing it with other software used by colleagues, it is evident that SmartBid has a much higher potential than software of the same category. By allowing easier management of documents and sub-contractors, SmartBid allows a high increase in the overall speed and efficiency of the interventions in the construction sites. Furthermore, using it makes it possible to increase the number of projects we can manage simultaneously.
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Return on Investment
  • We have been able to respond to more bids using Pipeline Suite.
  • Our proposals are more accurate and organized, which has made our projects come under budget more often.
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  • SmartBid helps eliminate jumping all over the place, all your invites are on one system.
  • It allows us to see who and how many general contractors are bidding, let’s us know if it’s a job worth spending time on.
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ScreenShots

SmartBid Screenshots

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