PaintCRM vs PaintScout:
Which is better for painting contractors?
PaintScout has exceptional estimating — but it charges per user, treats CRM as an add-on, and has zero drip automation. PaintCRM gives you the same estimating power plus full CRM at a flat monthly price.
The quick verdict
Choose PaintScout if:
- •Estimating is your only need and you already have a CRM
- •You want the most mature, feature-rich estimating engine
- •You're a solo operator with a simple workflow
Choose PaintCRM if:
- ✓You want estimating AND CRM AND automation in one tool
- ✓You have a 2+ person crew (PaintScout's per-user cost adds up fast)
- ✓You want automated follow-up sequences built in
- ✓You want to pay flat monthly, not per-user
PaintScout's per-user pricing adds up fast
PaintScout charges $99/user/month. If you have even a small crew, the math gets painful quickly.
| Team size | PaintScout cost | PaintCRM cost | Monthly savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo (1 user) | $99/mo | $49/mo | $50/mo $600/yr |
| 2 people | $198/mo | $99/mo | $99/mo $1,188/yr |
| 3 people | $297/mo | $99/mo | $198/mo $2,376/yr |
| 5 people | $495/mo | $99/mo | $396/mo $4,752/yr |
PaintScout pricing based on public pricing page. PaintCRM Crew plan supports up to 15 users.
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature |
PaintCRM
$49–99/mo | PaintScout $99/user/mo |
|---|---|---|
| Estimating | ||
| Production-rate estimating | ||
| Room-level surface breakdown | ||
| Paint color tracking per room | ||
| Material cost calculation | ||
| E-signature proposals | ||
| Professional proposal PDF | ||
| CRM & Pipeline | ||
| Visual CRM pipeline | Add-on | |
| Contact management | ||
| Lead source tracking | Limited | |
| Estimate view tracking | ||
| Automation | ||
| Drip follow-up sequences | ||
| Automated email follow-ups | ||
| Post-job review requests | ||
| Lead nurture automation | ||
| Payments & Jobs | ||
| Invoicing | ||
| Stripe payments (card + ACH) | Via integration | |
| Job scheduling & calendar | Limited | |
| Crew management | Crew plan | |
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | $49/month | $99/user/month |
| Pricing model | Flat monthly | Per user |
| 3-person crew cost | $99/month | $297/month |
| Free trial | 14 days | 14 days |
What painters say about PaintScout
"PaintScout is great for estimates but the CRM is just bolt-on. I still need something else for follow-ups and leads."
— PaintTalk forum
"Paying $99/user/month, I have 3 users and that's $297/month. The estimating is great but I needed to cut costs."
— PaintTalk forum
"The proposal PDFs PaintScout generates look amazing. But I wish it had automated follow-ups built in. I forget to follow up and lose jobs."
— PaintTalk forum
Get PaintScout-quality estimating + CRM automation — at a flat monthly price
Stop paying per user. PaintCRM gives you the same production-rate estimating as PaintScout, plus automated follow-ups, pipeline management, and Stripe invoicing — for $49/month flat.
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