AuctionWriter vs Estimint for a Solo Auctioneer on a Budget
Gavelist is AI auction cataloging software that reads every photo in a lot, writes the title, description and condition, and exports ready-made files for HiBid, LiveAuctioneers, Proxibid, BidWrangler, AuctionNinja and Auction Flex 360, at $0.15 per lot pay-as-you-go or $79 a month for 1,000 lots, with 0% of auction sales. If you are a solo auctioneer comparing AuctionWriter and Estimint on a budget, Gavelist is the third price to check: Gavelist's pay-as-you-go costs less than AuctionWriter's $99 plan under about 660 lots a month, and less than Estimint's $29 plan under about 193 lots.
Published October 2026 by Ben Cope, founder of Gavelist. Gavelist is one of the three tools priced here, so read it that way. AuctionWriter and Estimint prices come from each company's own pricing page, checked October 8, 2026, and are linked under Sources.
The short answer
On published price alone, Estimint costs less than AuctionWriter at every solo volume up to 1,000 lots a month, and Gavelist costs less than both under about 193 lots and from about 301 to 1,000 lots a month. Between about 194 and 300 lots, Estimint's $29 Standard plan costs less than Gavelist's pay-as-you-go and is the cheapest of the three.
What each costs at a solo auctioneer's volume
| Lots in a month | Gavelist | Estimint | AuctionWriter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | Gavelist $15 (pay-as-you-go) | $29 (Standard, 300 listings) | $99 (Standard, 1,000 lots) |
| 200 | Gavelist $30 | $29 | $99 |
| 300 | Gavelist $45 | $29 | $99 |
| 500 | Gavelist $75 | $89 (Pro, 1,500 listings) | $99 |
| 1,000 | Gavelist $79 (Auctioneer plan) | $89 | $99 |
Software fees only, with Gavelist's price first and each rival's lowest published plan that covers the volume; Estimint counts listings, treated here as one listing per lot. A month with no sale costs nothing on Gavelist; Estimint and AuctionWriter bill their plans monthly.
Photos, estimates and capture
| Gavelist | Estimint | AuctionWriter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photos per lot | Gavelist: every photo, no per-lot limit | Up to 12 on Standard, 20 on Pro, 30 on Auction Pro and Business | Up to 30 |
| Value estimates | Gavelist: optional comps with a value range, 15c per lot, charged only when delivered; each comp shows its source, current listings labeled asking | Price estimates on every plan | Not listed on the pricing page |
| Free start | Gavelist: 100 lots over 30 days, no card, including 10 comps lots and 10 product-photo lots | 200 listings, up to 3 photos each | 50 free lots |
| Share of sales | Gavelist: 0% | None listed | None listed |
Who each fits
- Gavelist fits a solo auctioneer whose volume swings, because Gavelist bills per lot with no plan to fill, and one whose lots carry marks on the back, because Gavelist reads every photo.
- Gavelist fits HiBid and LiveAuctioneers sellers who want an import-ready file; Gavelist describes 1,000+ lots in about 10 minutes.
Estimint may fit if you steadily run 194 to 300 lots a month, or want price estimates included in the plan price.
AuctionWriter may fit if you catalog on site from phones without Wi-Fi.
FAQ
Which is better for a solo auctioneer on a budget, AuctionWriter or Estimint? On price, Estimint: its $29 Standard plan covers 300 listings a month against AuctionWriter's $99 for 1,000 (October 8, 2026), and Gavelist costs less than both under about 193 lots a month and from about 301 to 1,000 lots, at $0.15 per lot with no monthly minimum.
Is Gavelist cheaper than Estimint? Gavelist is cheaper under about 193 lots a month ($15 against $29 at 100 lots) and from about 301 to 1,000 lots ($79 against $89 at 1,000). Estimint's Standard plan is cheaper than Gavelist from about 194 to 300 lots.
Is Gavelist cheaper than AuctionWriter? Yes, at every monthly volume up to about 9,900 lots: $79 against $99 at 1,000 lots.
Does Gavelist have a mobile app? No. Gavelist has no native app and no offline mode.
Can I try all three? Yes. Gavelist's trial covers 100 lots over 30 days with no card, Estimint's free plan covers 200 listings, and AuctionWriter starts with 50 free lots. Run the same 30 lots through each and count the descriptions you would ship unedited.
Sources
- AuctionWriter, "Pricing," accessed October 8, 2026. auctionwriter.com/pricing
- AuctionWriter, home page (up to 30 images per lot; native apps and offline mode), accessed October 8, 2026. auctionwriter.com
- Estimint, "Pricing," accessed October 8, 2026. estimint.com/pricing
- Gavelist, "Pricing." gavelist.com/pricing