# Design Fee — Calculate Accurate Design Fees

> Calculate and generate professional design fee estimates with advanced project management. (iPhone/iPad app by John Lein.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/design-fee/id527161043 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [John Lein](https://appshunter.io/developer/504182228)
- Category: Productivity
- Price: Free with in-app purchases (on sale, was $1.99)
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings · 2 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 26.2 · 3 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2012-05-23
- Data updated: 2026-06-01
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/design-fee/id527161043/reviews.md

## What is Design Fee?

MODERN ARCHITECTURE

Completely rewritten in SwiftUI with SwiftData and CloudKit integration for seamless synchronization across all your iOS devices through iCloud. Start an estimate on your iPhone at the job site, refine it on your iPad in the office, and everything stays perfectly in sync. Your estimates, photos, and client information are automatically backed up to iCloud.

ENHANCED JOB MANAGEMENT

Jobs now features a card-based interface with cover photos for visual identification. Each card displays project name, client, color-coded status badge (Estimating, Approved, In Progress, Completed), and total in an elegant layout.
REVOLUTIONARY PROJECT SUMMARY

Completely redesigned with expandable sections replacing old page-by-page navigation. Materials, Labor, Equipment, and Plant Material are organized into collapsible categories. The Materials section intelligently groups similar items with automatic subtotals. Every line item shows quantity, unit, rate, and comprehensive calculator details.

PROFESSIONAL PDF GENERATION

Generate client-ready PDF estimates with one tap. PDFs include your company logo, detailed line items organized by category, complete cost analysis with taxes and overhead, and professional formatting. Share via Files, email, AirDrop, or print directly from your device.

EMAIL INTEGRATION

Send estimates directly to clients with pre-formatted professional emails. The system auto-fills client email addresses, creates compelling subject lines, and generates beautiful HTML emails with your company branding.

ADVANCED CALCULATORS - Imperial or Metric

Paving Stone Calculator - Complete six-layer hardscape system including excavation, gravel base with compaction, leveling course, geotextile fabric, polymeric sand and edge restraint calculations in ONE STEP. Separate, detailed line items represent individual waste percentages.

Topsoil Calculator - Multiple areas with individual depth control, automatic calculations, configurable waste percentages

Gravel Calculator - Driveways, pathways, drainage with depth and compaction considerations

INTELLIGENT LINE ITEMS

Items are automatically categorized by type with automatic subtotals. Edit quantities, rates, and notes directly while maintaining detailed calculator information for complete transparency.

ENHANCED COST CONTROLS

Separate tax rates for labor and materials. Configurable overhead and contingency percentages. Fixed or percentage-based profit margins. Real-time grand total updates. Default rates are stored in Settings and auto-applied to new jobs.

CUSTOMIZABLE PRICING

Set default pricing for all materials, including sod rolls, grass seed, topsoil, mulch, beach stone, decorative rocks, boulders, paving stone, gravel base, sand leveling course, and geotextile fabric. Prices saved in Settings apply automatically to future estimates.

COMPANY SETTINGS

Centralized company information, including business name, estimator name, contact details, and logo upload. Your logo appears on all client PDF estimates and emails for consistent professional branding. Currency symbols automatically display based on your country.

PHOTO MANAGEMENT

Add multiple photos per job from the camera or photo library. Set cover photos for job cards. All photos sync via iCloud across all your devices automatically.

PLANT LIST & COSTING

Dedicated Plant Material category with detailed plant lists and individual plant costing, a much-requested feature now fully integrated.

IMPROVED INTERFACE

Full dark mode support with a custom contractor orange theme. Smooth animations and intuitive gestures. Floating action buttons reduce taps needed. Optimized for all iPhone and iPad sizes. Clean, modern design focused on efficiency.

## Key features

- CloudKit integration for cross-device sync
- Card-based job management with visual identification
- Expandable project summary sections
- Professional PDF estimate generation
- Email integration for client communication
- Advanced material and labor calculators
- Customizable pricing and cost controls

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Access | $2.99 | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (2 of 2)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/design-fee/id527161043/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Awesome Customer Service & Great App

*2013-04-01*

A++++ App for Freelance Designers. I'm a graphic designer and have been in the biz a while. This app is beyond perfect for project calculations and getting the info you need to quote and or invoice. Great follow up with customer service!!!! You won't be disappointed.

### 5/5 — Design fee

*2013-02-08*

A simple app but very useful in getting to grips with what it costs to do design work and make a living.

## Frequently asked questions about Design Fee

### What is the short name for Design Fee?

The short name for Design Fee is Design Fee.

### Does Design Fee have ads?

No, Design Fee does not contain advertisements. It is a completely ad-free application.

### How often is Design Fee updated?

Design Fee was last updated on January 16, 2026, indicating a commitment to regular improvements and maintenance.

### What devices support Design Fee?

Design Fee is available on both iPhone and iPad devices, ensuring flexibility for users.

### What is the age rating for Design Fee?

Design Fee has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users.

### How does Design Fee handle data synchronization?

Design Fee utilizes CloudKit integration with iCloud, allowing for seamless synchronization of estimates, photos, and client information across all your iOS devices.

### Can I customize pricing in Design Fee?

Yes, Design Fee allows you to set default pricing for materials and labor, as well as configure overhead, contingency, and profit margins for customizable estimates.

### What is the user sentiment for Design Fee based on ratings?

Design Fee has received a perfect rating of 5.0 stars from 1 rating, indicating a highly positive user experience.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 4.0 — 2026-01-16

This app has been completely rewritten. See Description for all the new and exciting features!

### 3.2 — 2023-03-30

Updated to iOS 16
Updated app to work with all new iPhone 13 and 14 Series
Updated tabbar to be easier on the eyes

### 3.1 — 2019-07-30

Updated to iOS 12
Adjusted views to take advantage of new iPhone X screen sizes
Adjusted / scaled all tab bars and tab icons to work with all iPhone sizes
Adjusted all images / text to align properly
Added total project hours for reference - this is done automatically as you enter various hours for different design tasks
Added local currency for numbers that reference money (currency) for easy to read formatting
Added version number, so user can reference if using current version of app

### 3.0 — 2018-03-13

* Updated for iOS 11
* New Design and functionality of app
* User can now include unlimited number of tasks
* User can create a database of tasks to be used over and over again
* User can now define employee and different hourly rates for each employee and or task

### 2.7 — 2017-11-28

Updated for iOS 11

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## More apps by John Lein

- [Landscape Pro Estimator](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/landscape-pro-estimator/id521672875)
- [Turf Pro Estimator](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/turf-pro-estimator/id524058585)
- [Topsoil Pro Estimator](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/topsoil-pro-estimator/id524193734)
- [Mulch Pro Estimator](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mulch-pro-estimator/id524817999)
- [My Fee](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/my-fee/id528927214)

All apps by John Lein: https://appshunter.io/developer/504182228

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-01.*