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AI takeoff & estimating tools
Software that measures and counts quantities from drawings, and in some cases turns those quantities into a priced estimate. Several products here describe AI that detects, measures, or counts items automatically.
DESK RESEARCH, NOT TESTED. Compiled from vendors' public websites (accessed Oct 14, 2026–Oct 15, 2026). Vendor claims are not verified by Means & Methods Lab. No scores or rankings.
Tools in this category (11, alphabetical, not ranked)
7 of 11 vendors publish a price. "Not publicly listed" means we could not find one on the vendor's site.
| Tool | AI role | Who it's for | Pricing (as publicly stated) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beam AI Takeoff & estimating | AI-first | Commercial contractors and field service businesses; trades listed include HVAC, electrical, concrete, utility/civil, paving, earthwork, and more. | Annual license. Do It Yourself (construction plans): starts at $8K annual license per trade, available for HVAC, plumbing & steel. Done For You (construction plans): starts at $25K annual license, based on trade and volume, available for all trades. Done For You (aerial images): starts at $10K annual license per trade, based on site acreage and service. Enterprise: custom pricing. (Pricing re-checked Oct 15, 2026; previously not publicly listed.) | NOT TESTED |
| Countfire Takeoff & estimating | AI features added to established product | Electrical and mechanical contractors' estimating teams. | Not publicly listed (countfire.com/pricing now redirects to a contact page). FAQ says a free 7-day trial is offered. (Re-checked Oct 15, 2026.) | NOT TESTED |
| DESTINI Estimator (Beck Technology) Estimating & takeoff | AI features added to established product | Preconstruction and estimating teams (reviews quoted from directors of preconstruction and senior estimators). | Not publicly listed | NOT TESTED |
| Ediphi Cloud estimating & cost modeling | Not AI-first | General contractors' preconstruction and estimating teams (customers quoted include Hensel Phelps, DPR, and Suffolk). | Not publicly listed | NOT TESTED |
| Exayard Takeoff & estimating | AI-first | Contractors across trades (vendor lists concrete, electrical, roofing, framing, plumbing, drywall, and more). | Per-user subscription plus metered AI usage. Starter $99/user/month ($100 AI credits, up to 50 manual takeoffs/month), Professional $249/user/month ($250 AI credits, unlimited manual takeoffs), Enterprise custom ($1,000+ AI credits/user/month). Developer docs say AI takeoffs are metered and a plan sheet averages about 15 credits (stated as an average, not a price). (Pricing re-checked Oct 14, 2026.) | NOT TESTED |
| Foreman AI Estimating copilot | AI-first | Solo estimators, small crews, GCs, remodelers, and specialty contractors (vendor wording per plan). | Free $0 (starter AI credits, 10 voice minutes, no card). Starter $399/mo (1 seat, $399 of AI credits monthly). Pro $799/mo (1 seat, $799 of AI credits, priority processing). Elite: contact (3 seats, unlimited AI usage). Enterprise: custom. Monthly plans; annual contracts for teams by contact. (Checked Oct 14, 2026.) | NOT TESTED |
| Handoff AI Estimating | AI-first | Residential remodelers, home builders, and trade contractors (vendor lists many residential trades). | Monthly price, billed annually: Flex $119/mo (page also shows $149; 2 users, 50 AI usage credits/mo, 7-day free trial); Pro $239/mo (also shown $299; 12-month commitment, 5 users, unlimited AI credits); Scale $719/mo (also shown $899; 12-month commitment, adds AI takeoffs and API/MCP access). Supplier Platform: contact for pricing. (Pricing re-checked Oct 14, 2026.) | NOT TESTED |
| Kreo Takeoff | AI-first | AEC professionals and estimating teams. | Per-user subscription, billed annually. Lite $35/user/mo and Plus $70/user/mo (both listed as without AI-powered tools); Pro $175/user/mo adds AI tools (Auto Measure, One-Click Area, Auto Count); Enterprise custom. 7-day free trial. (Pricing re-checked Oct 14, 2026.) | NOT TESTED |
| Rebar AI estimating for mechanical contractors | AI-first | Commercial HVAC, mechanical and plumbing contractors' estimators and bid coordinators. | Not publicly listed (site routes to a demo). (Checked Oct 15, 2026.) | NOT TESTED |
| STACK Takeoff & estimating | AI features added to established product | Specialty contractors, general contractors, suppliers and manufacturers, owners and developers. | Per-user subscription. Takeoff & Estimate $299/user/mo; Build & Operate $49/user/mo; full platform $348/user/mo. A free version of Takeoff & Estimate is offered; Build & Operate has a two-week free trial. (Pricing re-checked Oct 14, 2026.) | NOT TESTED |
| Togal.AI Takeoff | AI-first | Estimators (vendor describes it as "built by estimators, for estimators"). | Per-user subscription. Growth plan listed at $299/mo per user, billed yearly. Business plan: custom pricing for teams with 4+ users. (Pricing re-checked Oct 14, 2026.) | NOT TESTED |
Side-by-side comparisons
- Togal.AI vs Kreo · Two AI-first takeoff tools, both planned for Round 1 (AI Takeoff). Compared here using only what each vendor publishes.
- Exayard vs Togal.AI · Two AI-first takeoff tools planned for Round 1 (AI Takeoff). Compared here using only what each vendor publishes.
- Beam AI vs Civils.ai · Two AI-first takeoff tools that both start from PDF drawings. Beam AI sits in takeoff & estimating in our directory; Civils.ai sits in heavy civil & earthwork. Compared here under takeoff because both publish AI quantity takeoff from plans (cross-category pair).
- STACK vs Handoff AI · Two estimating platforms planned for Round 1 (AI Takeoff) that name different buyers: STACK names specialty and general contractors, suppliers, and owners; Handoff AI names residential remodelers and home builders. Compared using only vendor-published facts.
- Countfire vs Exayard · Two takeoff tools that count and measure from drawings. Countfire is built around symbol counting for electrical and mechanical estimators; Exayard describes AI takeoff across many trades. Exayard is planned for Round 1 (AI Takeoff); Countfire is not yet scheduled.
- Kreo vs Exayard · Two AI-first takeoff tools planned for Round 1 (AI Takeoff). Compared here using only what each vendor publishes.
- Handoff AI vs Beam AI · Two AI-first estimating tools aimed at different buyers: Handoff AI at residential remodelers and home builders, Beam AI at commercial contractors and field service. Compared using only vendor-published facts.
- DESTINI Estimator vs Ediphi · Two GC estimating platforms built around historical cost data. DESTINI has added AI-assisted takeoff; Ediphi pitches a cloud-native database and workflow. Vendor-published facts only.
- Civils.ai vs Exayard · Two AI takeoff tools driven by plain-language prompts. Civils.ai focuses on civil and groundworks takeoffs with QA review; Exayard covers PDF, image, and CAD plans with developer APIs. Vendor-published facts only.
- Togal.AI vs STACK · An AI-first takeoff tool and an established takeoff-and-estimating platform that now describes itself as AI preconstruction software. Vendor-published facts only.
- Rebar vs Countfire · Two trade-focused takeoff tools: Rebar for commercial mechanical teams, Countfire for counting symbols across drawings. Compared using vendor-published facts only.
- Rebar vs Pelles AI · Two AI platforms for trade contractors. Rebar is built around mechanical estimating and bidding; Pelles describes a broader platform across estimating, contracts, operations and closeout.
Questions to ask before a demo
- Which file types does it accept (PDF, CAD, images)?
- Is AI detection included in the plan you would buy, or only in a higher tier?
- Can quantities be exported to the estimating system you already use?
- How long does a human take to review and correct the AI's quantities?
These are Means & Methods Lab's suggested questions, not findings about any tool.
Longer checklist: Questions to ask an AI takeoff vendor before a demo
Longer checklist: How to evaluate an AI takeoff tool on your own bid set
Longer checklist: "AI-first" vs "AI feature": what the tags on Means & Methods Lab mean
Benchmark status
Round 1 (AI Takeoff) is planned but has not started. Tools planned for Round 1: Togal.AI, Kreo, STACK, Exayard, Handoff AI, and Bluebeam Max. See leaderboards and methodology.
Other categories
- Design & engineering
- Contract, document & drawing review
- Management & scheduling
- Heavy civil & earthwork
- Bid management & leads
- Field, progress & safety
- Equipment & fleet
- Robotics & automation
- Materials & supply chain
- Finance & payments
- Sustainability & carbon
- Workforce
- Facilities & operations
- Offsite & prefab
Means & Methods Lab has no commercial relationship with any vendor on this page. Rankings and placement are never for sale. See how we make money.