What is the best takeoff and estimating software in 2026?
Good takeoff software gives you back your bid nights. You click on the sheet, quantities come out, and they land in your estimate without retyping.
You get a set of PDF or DWG drawings, sometimes an IFC model, and you need square footage, linear feet and counts before you can price the job. Doing it by hand or in a basic PDF viewer eats an evening, and one wrong scale loses you the bid. Short answer: Bluebeam Revu Core ($330 per user per year) if you want accurate measuring at the lowest yearly price, Kreo if you want AI to find rooms, walls and doors for you, and STACK if you want to start free and grow into a full cloud estimating tool.
We compared ten tools on how they really measure, how quantities reach your estimate, which files they read and what you pay after twelve months. Five are ranked. The rest, often sold only on quote, are covered below with their real limit.
The ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always flagged on its card, and no affiliate link changes a score.
The best takeoff software for your situation
Core at $330 per user per year
Best AI-assisted takeoffRooms, walls and doors detected on Pro
Best free planOne active project a month, free forever
Best Windows desktop toolAuto Count and Auto Scale from Essential
Best for one-click wall takeoffUnlimited automatic takeoffs on Growth
If you only need pricingOur guide to construction estimating tools
The 5 takeoff tools compared
The ranking targets a subcontractor, a general contractor's estimator or a quantity surveyor who gets digital plans and needs priceable quantities. Every ranked tool does real on-screen takeoff, checked on its official site, and publishes a price.
| Best for | What sets it apart | Free plan | Team size | Visit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bluebeam Revu | Best overall | Perimeter, volume and count from Core | 4.4/5 | Basics $260/yr, Core $330/yr | — | Solo estimator to large teams | Visit → |
| 2 | Kreo | Best AI-assisted takeoff | AI detects rooms, walls, doors | 4.3/5 | $100/mo, billed yearly | — | Estimators and GCs | Visit → |
| 3 | STACK | Best free plan | Free plan plus cloud estimating | 4.1/5 | $0, Premium $299/mo (12-month term) | ✓ | Subcontractors, remote teams | Visit → |
| 4 | PlanSwift | Best Windows desktop tool | Assemblies and AI counting on desktop | 4.0/5 | $2,000/yr (Essential) | — | Subcontractors on Windows | Visit → |
| 5 | Togal.AI | Best for one-click wall takeoff | Unlimited automatic takeoffs | 3.9/5 | $299/user/mo, billed yearly | — | Drywall, flooring, interiors | Visit → |
Scores on five weighted criteria, explained in the method. Prices read in 2026 on official vendor pages, in US dollars, before sales tax.
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How we compared and scored
Takeoff software measures quantities on a drawing: wall area, linear feet of base, number of outlets, cubic yards of concrete. Estimating software puts a price on those quantities. Most review sites blur the two, so you end up with a pricing tool that cannot read a sheet, or a PDF viewer that knows nothing about labor and material costs.
So we set one rule. A tool only enters the ranking if its official site shows on-screen takeoff on PDF, DWG or images, and if it publishes a price. Tools that price without measuring, or that sell only on quote, are covered outside the ranking. We read pricing pages and feature pages, plus estimator threads on Reddit's r/estimators and r/Construction and customer reviews on Trustpilot.
- Takeoff on drawingsArea, linear, perimeter, count, volume, scale calibration, multi-page sets and revisions.30%
- Link to estimatingExcel export, assemblies, cost database, how quantities reach the bid.20%
- File formats and AIVector or scanned PDF, DWG, DXF, IFC, and what auto-detection really does.15%
- Real costCost over a year for one and three users, annual commitment, paid add-ons.20%
- Onboarding and supportTrial length, training, Windows, Mac or browser.15%
No affiliate link changes a score or a rank.
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Bluebeam Revu
Bluebeam Revu is the drawing tool you see on most US jobsites. It was not built for takeoff, but its measurement tools became a standard. Watch the tier: Basics only measures length and area, with no perimeter and no count. Core, at $330 a year, adds perimeter, angles, volume, counts and column formulas in the markups list. Complete, at $440, links quantities live to an Excel workbook and adds Dynamic Fill, which floods an irregular room in one click.
What Bluebeam does not do: price. There is no cost database. Your quantities sit in the markups list, then go to Excel or your estimating software. On estimator forums, that is the praise and the complaint in one: simple and affordable for measuring, but you need a second tool for dollars.
- Counts and perimeter from Core
- Live Excel link on Complete
- The file format your partners already use
- ✓Lowest yearly price for full takeoff
- ✓Per-page and per-viewport scale
- ✓Known by architects and engineers
- ✗Basics has no perimeter or count
- ✗No built-in estimating engine
- ✗Support often criticized in reviews
The best balance of takeoff accuracy and price. Buy Core, not Basics, or you lose counts and perimeter. If you are thinking of leaving it, read our Bluebeam alternatives.
Kreo
Kreo is a UK vendor that runs in the browser. It reads PDF, DWG, DXF, DWF, DGN and images on every plan. The real gap opens on Pro: AI detects rooms, walls, doors and windows, counts matching symbols across the sheet and finds the scale on its own. An assistant called Caddie answers questions about the project.
Two catches. Essential has no AI: at $100 a month it is a solid manual takeoff tool, nothing more. And Kreo bills yearly only. IFC export only comes with Business, which starts at five seats, so $15,000 a year. On the plus side, the trial is 7 days, Kreo refunds within 7 days, and guests are free for review.
- AI detection of rooms and openings on Pro
- Every drawing format from Essential
- Free guests for review
- ✓The deepest AI takeoff at a public price
- ✓Real-time teamwork in the browser
- ✓7-day refund window
- ✗No monthly plan
- ✗Essential has no AI
- ✗IFC export only on Business (5 seats minimum)
The pick if you take off many clean, recent drawing sets. Buy Pro, not Essential, and always check the AI first pass before you price.
STACK
STACK is a US cloud takeoff and estimating platform, and the most recommended cloud option in estimator threads. Its edge: a free plan with no time limit, with one active project a month, 300 pages and 50 takeoffs per project. That covers a small job or a sanity check on someone else's numbers. New accounts also get 7 days of Pro.
Paid plans jump fast: $299 a month on Premium (AI Takeoffs, STACK IQ, assemblies library) and $349 on Pro (spreadsheet-style estimating, STACK for Excel, proposals), on a 12-month term. Review sites still quote old prices like $2,599 or $2,999 a year: the official page now lists monthly rates billed yearly.
- Permanent free plan
- Assemblies: one measurement fills several line items
- Runs in the browser, Mac included
- ✓The only serious takeoff that stays free
- ✓Liked by estimators for cloud access
- ✓7 days of Pro at signup
- ✗12-month commitment on paid plans
- ✗Premium costs $3,588 a year per user
- ✗Free plan capped at 50 takeoffs per project
Ideal to start free and for light volume. Once you need Premium, compare the $3,588 a year with Kreo Pro at $2,100.
PlanSwift
PlanSwift, now part of ConstructConnect, is a long-time desktop takeoff tool for Windows. Since its latest plans, AI features (Auto Count, Auto Scale, Auto Bookmark) come with Essential at $2,000 a year. Core, at $3,000, adds Takeoff BOOST with Auto Takeoff. The trial lasts 14 days, needs no card and does not convert on its own.
Estimators on Reddit sum it up well: it saves a lot of time if you take the time to set it up, and it is not ideal out of the box without assemblies. Plan an afternoon to build your parts and assemblies before the first real bid.
- AI counting and scale from Essential
- Powerful assemblies
- 14-day trial with no card
- ✓Fast once assemblies are built
- ✓No automatic conversion after trial
- ✓Seat discounts for teams
- ✗Windows only
- ✗Setup time before the first gain
- ✗Yearly price only
A strong desktop pick for subs who build a library once and reuse it. Skip it if you are on a Mac or want to start in five minutes.
Togal.AI
Togal.AI is built around automatic takeoff. Growth includes unlimited AI takeoffs, image and symbol search, and prompts to ask for what you need. Reddit estimators confirm it measures every wall and sorts them, but several find the first-year price, about $3,600, too high for a small shop.
A Trustpilot customer who paid $2,700 for a year adds a useful warning: it handles areas, lengths and AI counts, but not rebar weights or concrete volumes. A field study also found accuracy varies by finish, strongest on ceilings and weaker on exterior finishes. There is no listed trial, only a demo: bring your own complex drawings to it.
- Unlimited automatic takeoffs
- Image and symbol search
- Prompt-based measuring
- ✓Very fast on clean architectural sets
- ✓Sorts and classifies walls
- ✓Business plan with SSO for larger teams
- ✗No public trial
- ✗Priciest per user in the ranking
- ✗No rebar weights or concrete volumes
Great if most of your work is interior area and wall takeoff on good PDFs. Test it in the demo on your hardest set before you sign a year.
What takeoff software really costs over a year
Vendors bill monthly, yearly or per seat. Here is the twelve-month cost at official prices, for one user then for three.
One user
Bluebeam Core: $330. Kreo Essential: $1,200, or $2,100 on Pro with AI. PlanSwift Essential: $2,000. STACK: $0 on Free, $3,588 on Premium. Togal Growth: $3,588.
Three users
Bluebeam Core: $990. Kreo Pro: $6,300. PlanSwift Essential: $6,000 before the extra-seat discount. STACK Premium: $10,764. Togal Growth: $10,764.
What pushes the bill up
Annual terms (Kreo, STACK, Togal), the tier that unlocks counts (Bluebeam Core) or AI (Kreo Pro), IFC export on large plans only, and the time you spend building assemblies before the tool pays off.
- Is counting and perimeter in the tier you plan to buy?
- Can you pay monthly, or only yearly?
- Does it read your real files: scanned PDF, DWG, IFC?
- How do quantities reach your estimate?
- Does it run on your computer: Windows, Mac, browser?
- Can you trial it on a real bid set?
Other tools worth knowing
These tools come up often in estimator threads. They are not ranked because they do not publish an official price, or because they price without measuring on drawings.
On-Screen Takeoff: reliable, but no public price
TakeoffOST from ConstructConnect is a long-standing desktop takeoff standard. Reddit users call it reliable but dated and rigid, and some say it is overpriced. ConstructConnect does not publish its price, so it stays outside the ranking.
- Price
- On quote
- Platform
- Windows
RIB CostX: 2D and BIM takeoff for QS firms
BIMCostX combines 2D and BIM takeoff with linked workbooks, and is common in quantity surveying firms. Pricing is on quote.
- Price
- On quote
- Formats
- 2D and BIM models
Procore Estimating: if you already run Procore
SuiteProcore adds takeoff and estimating inside its construction platform. It makes sense if your company already lives in Procore; pricing is on quote.
- Price
- On quote
- Fit
- Existing Procore users
eTakeoff and Beam AI: check prices directly
TakeoffThird-party blogs quote yearly prices for eTakeoff and a service model for Beam AI, but we could not confirm them on official pages. Ask each vendor for a written quote.
- Price
- Ask the vendor
- Model
- Software or takeoff service
A plain PDF editor: fine for one room
BasicAcrobat and similar editors measure length and area, but do not count, group by trade or export a quantity list. See our best PDF editor ranking if that is all you need.
- Price
- From free
- Limit
- No counts, no export
Estimating software: the next step
PricingOnce you have quantities, you still need labor, material and markup. Our construction estimating software ranking covers the tools that turn quantities into a bid.
- Role
- Pricing and proposals
- Pairs with
- Any takeoff tool
What goes wrong with digital takeoff
Costly mistakes rarely come from the software. They come from how people use it.
A badly calibrated scale
AccuracyA PDF printed at 1/4" = 1' often is not once exported. Calibrate each sheet on the longest known dimension, then check a second one. It is the number one source of takeoff errors.
Poor scanned drawings
AIAI takeoff reads a vector PDF from CAD well. On a blurry scan under 150 to 200 dpi it misses walls or invents them. On renovation work, a site measure still beats any drawing.
The tier that does not count
PriceBluebeam Basics does not count or measure perimeter. Kreo Essential has no AI. Read the line for the feature you want, not just the starting price.
Retyping between takeoff and estimate
EstimatingCopying 200 quantities into a bid is where duplicates and misses happen. Before you buy, check how quantities leave the tool: a structured Excel export, assemblies, or a live link (Bluebeam Complete).
Trusting AI blindly
AIField research on Togal shows accuracy varies by finish type. Have someone who knows the trade review every AI first pass.
Signing a year too early
PriceSTACK locks you in for 12 months, and PlanSwift, Kreo and Togal bill yearly. Run your trial on a real bid set before you commit twelve months.
Take off faster with your tool
Simple settings, taken from estimator feedback, that pay off in the first week.
Build your measurement tool set once
SetupIn Bluebeam, save your measurement tools (wall type, base, outlet) in a Tool Chest with color and layer. In STACK or PlanSwift, build assemblies: one wall measurement fills board, studs and tape in one go.
One color per trade
ReadabilityGive each trade a fixed color. A well-colored sheet reviews in two minutes and shows the missed room right away.
Trial on a real bid
BuyingKreo gives 7 days, PlanSwift 14. Keep a job you already took off by hand and redo it in the tool: compare time and quantity gaps.
Keep a check column
AccuracyIn your Excel export, add one ratio per trade, like wall area per square foot of floor. A ratio outside your usual range flags an error before the client does.
Get reviews without paying a seat
TeamKreo allows free guests. Bluebeam lets you share a marked-up set. Use it to have the project manager review the takeoff before the number goes out.
Start on the free plan for small jobs
BudgetFor one small job a month, STACK Free is enough. You only pay once you pass one active project or 50 takeoffs.
A new takeoff tool joins the ranking? Know before your competitors
Where to go next
These pages pick up where this one stops, from drawing to signed bid.
Cost databases and proposals.
You use Bluebeam and want something elseBluebeam alternativesTools to replace it.
You only need to mark up PDFsBest PDF editorFree and paid editors.
You want to run the job after the bidConstruction management softwareScheduling, crews, tracking.
Your questions about takeoff software
Is there free takeoff software?
Yes. STACK Free stays free with no time limit: one active project a month, 300 pages and 50 takeoffs per project. A free PDF viewer with measuring tools works for a room or two, but it cannot count or export a quantity list.
What is the difference between takeoff and estimating?
Takeoff pulls quantities (square feet, linear feet, counts, cubic yards) from drawings. Estimating prices those quantities with labor, material and markup. Few tools do both well: most teams pair a takeoff tool with an estimating tool, or use STACK Pro, which covers both.
Is Bluebeam good for takeoffs?
Yes, from Core up. At $330 a year it measures area, length, perimeter, volume and counts. Basics, at $260, skips perimeter and counts. It does not price: quantities go to Excel or your estimating software.
Which takeoff software works on a Mac?
Browser-based tools: Kreo, STACK and Togal run on a Mac with nothing to install. PlanSwift is Windows only; on a Mac you need a virtual machine.
Can AI do the takeoff for me?
It does a first pass, not the final takeoff. Kreo Pro and Togal detect rooms, walls and symbols on clean drawings. On blurry scans or renovation work you redo most of it. No vendor publishes a verified time saving, so judge on your own set during the trial.
How much does takeoff software cost?
From $0 to about $3,600 per user per year in our ranking: STACK Free at $0, Bluebeam Core at $330, Kreo Pro at $2,100, PlanSwift Core at $3,000, STACK Premium and Togal Growth at $3,588.
Can I take off from an IFC or BIM model?
Yes, with a BIM-capable tool. Kreo exports IFC on Business (five seats minimum), and RIB CostX works on BIM models on quote. A BIM takeoff is only as good as what the designer modeled.
What is the best takeoff software for subcontractors?
For most subs: STACK if you want cloud and a free start, PlanSwift if you are on Windows and like assemblies, Togal if you do mostly interiors on clean PDFs. Bluebeam Core stays the cheapest full option if you already price in Excel.