Ask Donnie vs Handoff: Itemized Estimates + Cited Code
Ask Donnie leads with two things: an itemized estimate that shows every material and labor line, and building-code answers with code references to verify against your local code. It is free to start with a $5 wallet and no card, and the Foreman plan is $29/mo.
Handoff is an AI estimating and back-office app for residential contractors. It turns a job description, voice notes or a site walkthrough into an estimate and a client proposal, with financing and payment collection built in. Its published plans start at $119/mo billed annually.
Short version: pick Handoff if your main job is sending residential proposals and collecting payment from homeowners. Pick Ask Donnie if you want code references to check next to the number, line-by-line estimate math you can check, and a low-cost way to start.
What each tool is built for
Handoff's pricing page lists AI-generated proposals, voice transcription to estimate, custom pricing catalogs, client financing, AI site walkthroughs, an AI project-management suite, time tracking and, on its top tier, AI takeoffs from residential plans. It is aimed at remodelers, builders, handymen and trades doing residential work.
Ask Donnie is a construction assistant for contractors and homeowners. It answers building-code questions with citations, builds itemized estimates, reads plans, and includes construction-management tools such as RFIs, change orders, daily logs, punch lists and scheduling. It runs on the web and as a native iPhone and iPad app.
Itemized estimates
Every Ask Donnie estimate is broken into material and labor line items, and each line is labeled as a supplier price, a national average, or an allowance you should firm up with a quote. Once quantities are set, the same inputs produce the same line items and total; AI plan reads can vary, and each estimate carries an AACE estimate class with a stated range and a basis of estimate. Estimates are AI-assisted, so check pricing before you quote a client.
Handoff builds estimates from its own cost catalogs and says its pricing is tied to local supplier data. If supplier-linked residential pricing is what you need most, that is a real reason to look at Handoff.
Cited building-code answers
Get answers with code references to verify against your local code, along with a reminder to verify local amendments with your AHJ.
Handoff's published plans and feature list do not include building-code research. If you want the code requirement and the estimate in the same place, that is the clearest difference between the two.
Code answers are informational, not professional advice. Building codes and their local amendments are interpreted by your local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), so verify critical details with your local building department (AHJ) and a licensed professional before you build or quote.
Pricing, side by side
Ask Donnie's published prices (donnie4i.com/pricing, October 2026): Apprentice is $0 with a $5 starter wallet and no card, with a watermark on documents. Foreman is $29/mo or $290/yr and adds $20 of wallet credit each month, your logo on invoices, pay apps, RFIs, daily logs and safety docs, and 5 branded estimates a month. Higher tiers are Journeyman at $150/mo and Master Builder at $250/mo. No per-seat fees.
Handoff's published prices (handoff.ai/pricing, October 2026), all billed annually: Flex is $119/mo (listed as $149 crossed out) with 2 users and 50 AI credits a month. Pro is $239/mo on a 12-month commitment with 5 users and unlimited AI credits. Scale is $719/mo on a 12-month commitment and adds AI takeoffs for residential plans up to 7,000 sq ft plus API and MCP access. Flex has a 7-day trial with no card required.
Prices change, so check both pricing pages before you decide.
Where Handoff is the better pick
Choose Handoff if you want client-facing proposals, homeowner financing and card or ACH payment collection in one residential app, or if you want AI takeoffs from residential plans on its Scale tier. Ask Donnie does not offer client financing or built-in payment collection.
Where Ask Donnie is the better pick
Choose Ask Donnie if you want cited code answers next to your estimate, line items you can audit, branded estimates from $29/mo, or a way to try it with a $5 wallet and no card or contract. It also covers construction-management paperwork such as RFIs, change orders and daily logs.
Frequently asked
Is Ask Donnie a Handoff alternative?
For estimating, yes. Both build estimates for contractors. Ask Donnie adds cited building-code answers and an itemized estimate with every line labeled by price source. Handoff focuses on residential proposals, financing and payments.
How does pricing compare?
Ask Donnie is free to start with a $5 wallet and no card, and Foreman is $29/mo. Handoff's published plans are $119/mo (Flex), $239/mo (Pro) and $719/mo (Scale), all billed annually, with Pro and Scale on 12-month commitments.
Does Handoff answer building-code questions?
Building-code research is not listed in Handoff's published plans or features. Get answers with code references to verify against your local code, and Ask Donnie tells you what to confirm with your AHJ.
Can I rely on Ask Donnie's code answers without checking?
No. Answers are informational. Local amendments and interpretations come from your authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), so verify critical details with your local building department and a licensed professional.
Sources
See it on your own job
Ask Donnie is free to start — a $5 wallet, no card. Code answers with references to verify against your local code, and an itemized estimate from your plans.
Try Ask Donnie →Comparisons reflect publicly available information about each product at the time of writing and our honest read of where each fits. Verify current features and pricing with each vendor.