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Exayard vs FlowManual

Two cloud takeoff tools that carry quantities straight into a priced estimate, sold in very different ways. Exayard lets you describe what to count or measure in plain language on PDF, image or CAD plans, then prices the quantities and sends bids, on published per-user plans of $99 and $249 a month that include a set amount of AI work. FlowManual measures and counts on PDF drawings and prices the quantities in an editable estimating workbook, with scope review, revision comparison and bid leveling, on a free plan with a daily allowance or a custom Pro plan. Vendor pages read Oct 29, 2026; desk research, not tested, no winner.

DESK RESEARCH, NOT TESTED. Compiled from vendors' public websites (accessed Oct 29, 2026). Vendor claims are not verified by Means & Methods Lab. No scores or rankings.

In short: Exayard (Takeoff & estimating; vendor publishes prices) vs FlowManual (Takeoff linked to an estimating workbook, with a free plan; free option; paid prices not listed). Facts last checked Oct 29, 2026. No winner declared; not tested.

Side by side

Exayard vs FlowManual: vendor-published facts side by side
Sheet rowExayardFlowManual
CategoryTakeoff & estimatingTakeoff linked to an estimating workbook, with a free plan
AI role (our label)AI-firstAI-first
What it doesAI takeoff and estimating platform: describe what to count or measure in plain language, review the detected quantities, and price the estimate. It accepts PDF, image, or CAD (DWG/DXF/DGN) plans. Offers a REST API, MCP server, webhooks, and CLI. Re-checked Oct 19, 2026: the pricing page also lists yearly billing (2 months free), multi-currency display, bids with logo, e-signature and reminders, a price book with trade starter packs and QuickBooks, market prices from published cost books, and on Professional alternates, allowances, revision compare and live supplier prices; Starter and Professional still show $100 and $250 of AI work per seat each month (about 20 and 50 drawing sheets). Re-checked Oct 20, 2026: the pricing page lists AI takeoffs and its Exa assistant on web, email, WhatsApp and a customer's own website on Starter; its plan comparison also lists API keys for the REST API, MCP server and Public CLI, and webhooks, Zapier, n8n, Make, Slack and Teams. Local prices are shown in 15 currencies, which the page says are reviewed every six months, with existing subscribers keeping their price for 12 months after any change. Re-checked Oct 21, 2026: unchanged in substance (describe-what-to-count AI takeoffs on PDF, image and CAD files, estimates and proposals, agent and API access); the pricing page now also says local prices are reviewed every six months and existing subscribers keep their price for 12 months after any change, and lists AI takeoffs and its Exa assistant on web, email, WhatsApp and your website. Re-checked Oct 22, 2026: the homepage now carries an Onboard your agent to Exayard banner and says it works with Claude, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode, alongside the existing REST API, MCP server and CLI. Re-checked Oct 23, 2026: homepage unchanged in substance (upload PDF, image or CAD plans, describe the count or measurement in plain language, review and export to Excel, PDF or integrations; trade examples from landscaping to FF&E); a banner now invites users to connect an AI agent (Claude, Codex, Cursor or OpenCode). Re-checked Oct 24, 2026: homepage unchanged in substance (describe the count or measurement in plain language on PDF, image or CAD plans, review and export; the Onboard your agent banner names Claude, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode). The homepage says MCP, REST, webhooks and a public CLI come on every paid plan. Re-checked Oct 25, 2026: homepage unchanged in substance (Onboard your agent banner naming Claude, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode; MCP, REST API, webhooks and CLI on every paid plan). Re-checked Oct 26, 2026: homepage and pricing page unchanged in substance (the Onboard your agent banner naming Claude, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode; MCP, REST API, webhooks and CLI on paid plans; 15 currencies). Re-checked Oct 27, 2026 (read for a compare): homepage, AI takeoff page and pricing unchanged in substance (describe what to count or measure; PDF, image and CAD files with automatic scale detection; review and approve quantities on the plan; the homepage invites users to onboard their own agent and names Claude, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode). Re-checked Oct 29, 2026: homepage, pricing and developer pricing pages unchanged in substance (upload PDF, image or CAD plans with automatic scale detection, describe what to count or measure, review AI results and export to Excel or PDF; drive it from Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT, n8n or your own backend via MCP, REST, webhooks and a public CLI; the homepage also promotes an AI agent for your website that captures leads, answers questions and gives estimates). The time-savings headline is a vendor claim not used here.Takeoff and estimating software that links quantities measured and counted on drawings to an estimating workbook with formulas, multiple sheets, rates and assemblies. The site (read Oct 18, 2026) lists takeoff workflows for mechanical (equipment counts, pipe runs), ductwork, concrete and general symbol counting; refreshing linked quantities when drawings change, with manual edits protected for review; scope review of specs and contracts for requirements and exclusions; drawing revision comparison; bid leveling of subcontractor proposals; and chat. Its YC profile calls it an all-in-one AI estimating, bidding and purchasing platform for general and MEP contractors. Security statements: AES-256 encryption at rest isolated per company, SSO, MFA and audit logging, and training on customer documents and pricing only with opt-in (vendor statements). Y Combinator batch: Summer 2026 (YC company profile). Re-read Oct 19, 2026: unchanged in substance (mechanical, ductwork, concrete and general counting workflows; linked estimating workbook). Re-checked Oct 20, 2026: unchanged in substance (mechanical, ductwork, concrete and general counting, linked estimating workbook, scope review, drawing revision comparison; AES-256 at rest, SSO, MFA and audit logging). Re-checked Oct 21, 2026: homepage unchanged in substance (measure, count and price on drawings in one workspace; mechanical, ductwork, concrete and general counting workflows; linked estimating workbook with formulas and multiple sheets that refreshes linked quantities when drawings change; scope review, drawing revision comparison and bid leveling; AES-256 at rest, SSO, MFA, audit logging, opt-in-only training, export and deletion of project data, enterprise deployment options). Re-checked Oct 23, 2026: homepage unchanged in substance (mechanical equipment and piping, ductwork lengths by size, concrete areas and volumes and general counting; accepted quantities into an estimating workbook with Excel import and Excel, CSV or proposal PDF export; scope review, revision comparison and bid leveling). Its Security page (Trust Center) now spells out AES-256-GCM encryption at rest with per-file and per-record keys, Google or email sign-in with optional two-step email verification, four project roles and an activity log, enterprise SSO through SAML 2.0 or OIDC (SCIM on the roadmap), opt-in-only model training that is off by default, Anthropic as the document-analysis provider (not used for training), Microsoft Azure for hosting and document parsing in the United States, optional web search through Exa under Exa's own terms, and SOC 2 Type II in progress with a penetration test scheduled (vendor statements). Re-checked Oct 25, 2026: homepage and Security page unchanged in substance (takeoff for mechanical, ductwork, concrete and general counting linked to an estimating workbook; scope review, drawing revision comparison and bid leveling; AES-256-GCM encryption at rest with per-file and per-record keys, enterprise SSO through SAML 2.0 or OIDC with SCIM on the roadmap, opt-in-only model training, Anthropic for document analysis without training, Microsoft Azure hosting in the United States, optional web search through Exa under Exa's own terms, SOC 2 Type II in progress and a penetration test scheduled; vendor statements). Re-checked Oct 27, 2026: homepage unchanged in substance (takeoff for mechanical, ductwork, concrete and general counting linked to an estimating workbook; scope review, drawing revision comparison and bid leveling; Anthropic named for document analysis without training; security statements as recorded Oct 25). Re-checked Oct 29, 2026: homepage unchanged in substance (measure, count and price on drawings in an estimating workbook with formulas and multiple sheets, linked quantities refreshed when drawings change; mechanical, ductwork, concrete and general counting; scope review, drawing revision comparison and bid leveling). The homepage example estimate is illustrative and not used.
Who it's forContractors across trades (vendor lists concrete, electrical, roofing, framing, plumbing, drywall, and more).General and MEP contractors' estimators, from solo estimators on the free plan to teams.
Pricing (as publicly stated)Per-user subscription plus metered AI usage. Starter $99/user/month ($100 AI credits; up to 50 manual takeoffs/month at our Oct 14 read), Professional $249/user/month ($250 AI credits, unlimited manual takeoffs), Enterprise custom ($1,000+ AI credits/user/month at our Oct 14 read). 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; unchanged Oct 19, 2026: Starter $99/user/month, Professional $249/user/month, Enterprise custom.) Re-checked Oct 20, 2026: Starter ($99) and Professional ($249) per user per month are unchanged, with the same $100 and $250 of AI work per seat each month (about 20 and 50 drawing sheets). Two plan details read differently: Starter now lists unlimited seats, projects and measuring by hand (the 50-manual-takeoff cap is no longer shown), and Enterprise now reads AI usage per seat set to your volume rather than a $1,000+ credit figure. The page lists unlimited seats while quoting prices per seat, so confirm how seats are billed with Exayard. Re-checked Oct 21, 2026: no price changes (Starter $99 and Professional $249 per seat per month with $100 and $250 of AI work per seat, about 20 and 50 drawing sheets; Enterprise custom with AI usage set to your volume); prices are stated per seat before tax. Re-checked Oct 22, 2026: no price changes (Starter $99 and Professional $249 per seat per month before tax, with $100 and $250 of AI work per seat, about 20 and 50 drawing sheets; Enterprise custom; local prices in 15 currencies). Re-checked Oct 23, 2026: no price changes (Starter $99 and Professional $249 per seat per month before tax with $100 and $250 of AI work, about 20 and 50 sheets; Enterprise custom; two months free with yearly billing). The developer docs say 1 credit is $1, the Free plan gets 30 credits a month per company, the API and MCP server are free on every plan, and admins can allow extra usage with a default $1,000 a month limit. Re-checked Oct 24, 2026: no price changes (Starter $99 and Professional $249 per seat per month with $100 and $250 of AI work, about 20 and 50 drawing sheets; Enterprise custom; two months free with yearly billing). The developer docs still say 1 credit is $1, the Free plan gets 30 credits a month per company, extra usage has a default $1,000 a month limit, and a plan sheet averages about 15 credits. Re-checked Oct 25, 2026: unchanged (Starter $99 and Professional $249 per seat per month with $100 and $250 of AI work included, about 20 and 50 sheets; two months free on yearly billing; 15 currencies). Re-checked Oct 26, 2026: unchanged (Starter $99 and Professional $249 per user per month; Starter includes $100 of AI work, about 20 sheets; 2 months free on yearly billing). Re-checked Oct 27, 2026: unchanged (Starter $99 and Professional $249 per user per month with $100 and $250 of AI work per seat, about 20 and 50 sheets; 2 months free on yearly billing; Enterprise custom). Re-checked Oct 28, 2026: unchanged (Starter $99 and Professional $249 per user per month with $100 and $250 of AI work per seat, about 20 and 50 sheets; 2 months free on yearly billing; Enterprise custom). Re-checked Oct 29, 2026: unchanged (Starter $99 and Professional $249 per user per month with $100 and $250 of AI work per seat, about 20 and 50 sheets; 2 months free on yearly billing; Enterprise custom; developer docs: 1 credit is $1, Free gets 30 credits a month per company, an admin can buy 100 to 10,000 credits at a time, and a plan sheet averages about 15 credits, stated as an average, not a price).Free plan with every feature inside a daily usage allowance, unlimited projects and uploads, no card required (flowmanual.com/pricing, read Oct 18, 2026). Pro is custom and sales-led, with unlimited usage and priority support. The page says symbol counts on drawing sets use far more of the allowance than reading a document, so counting a full set needs Pro or a trial. Re-checked Oct 19, 2026 (unchanged again Oct 20, 2026): the page adds that one dense sheet can use more than a full day of the Free allowance, Free includes email support, and documents stay downloadable at any time. Re-checked Oct 21, 2026: unchanged (Free with a daily usage allowance, all features, unlimited projects and uploads, email support, no card; Pro custom and sales-led with unlimited usage and priority support; a dense sheet can use more than a full day of the Free allowance, so counting a set needs Pro or a trial). Re-checked Oct 23, 2026: unchanged (Free with a daily usage allowance, all features, unlimited projects and uploads, email support, no card; Pro custom and sales-led with unlimited usage and priority support; one dense sheet can use more than a full day of the Free allowance, so counting a set needs Pro or a trial). Re-checked Oct 25, 2026: unchanged (Free with a daily usage allowance, all features, unlimited projects and uploads, email support, no card; Pro custom and sales-led with unlimited usage and priority support; one dense sheet can use more than a full day of the Free allowance, so counting a set needs Pro or a trial). Re-checked Oct 27, 2026: unchanged (Free with a daily usage allowance and every feature, no card; Pro custom with unlimited usage and priority support; counting a set needs Pro or a trial). Re-checked Oct 29, 2026: unchanged (Free with a daily usage allowance that resets every day, all features, unlimited projects and uploads, email support, no card; Pro custom and sales-led with unlimited usage and priority support; one dense sheet can use more than a full day of the Free allowance, so counting a set needs Pro or a trial).
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Vendor links
Sources

Facts last checked: Oct 29, 2026. Prices change; check the vendor page before relying on them.

Where the vendor descriptions differ

  • Who each names: Exayard shows trade examples from landscaping, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, drywall, painting, glazing and FF&E, and its trade list includes concrete, earthwork and excavation and general contracting. FlowManual says it is for general contractors and trade subcontractors, with mechanical, ductwork, concrete and general counting workflows.
  • Takeoff: Exayard takes PDF, image or CAD files with automatic scale detection; you describe what you need (for example, count all outlets or measure turf area) and review and approve the AI's quantities. FlowManual measures areas and lengths and counts items on PDF drawings, and refreshes linked quantities when the drawing changes while protecting manual edits.
  • Estimating and bids: Exayard applies your price book to the quantities, exports estimates to Excel or PDF and sends bids with e-signature. FlowManual prices quantities in a workbook with formulas, multiple sheets, unit costs, labor and markup, with reusable rates and assemblies, and also lists scope review of specs and contracts, drawing revision comparison and bid leveling of subcontractor proposals.
  • Connections: Exayard lists a REST API, an MCP server, webhooks and a public CLI, and says it can be driven from Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT or n8n; it also promotes an AI agent for a contractor's own website. FlowManual's pages list SSO, MFA, an audit log, AES-256 encryption at rest and opt-in model training, and name no API.
  • Pricing (read Oct 29, 2026): Exayard Starter $99 and Professional $249 per user per month include $100 and $250 of AI work per seat (about 20 and 50 drawing sheets), with 2 months free on yearly billing and Enterprise custom; its developer docs say 1 credit is $1 and a free tier gets 30 credits a month per company. FlowManual Free includes every feature within a daily usage allowance, unlimited projects and uploads, email support and no card; Pro is custom and sales-led with unlimited usage and priority support, and one dense sheet of symbol counting can use more than a day of the Free allowance.
  • Not used here: Exayard's time-savings headline and both vendors' illustrative example estimates (vendor content). Neither tool has been tested by Means & Methods Lab.

Paraphrased from the sources listed above. Vendor claims are reported as claims.

What users say

The facts above come from vendor websites. Whether either tool is any good for your work is something only people who use them can say. These are member reviews, all ratings shown, never edited or removed for being negative.

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Questions to ask in your review

  • How many real sheets Exayard's included AI work covers on your sets, and how far FlowManual's free daily allowance goes
  • What FlowManual Pro costs next to Exayard's per-user plans
  • How either handles heavy civil takeoff such as earthwork, linear utilities and roadway sections
  • What did you use it for, on what kind of work and project size?
  • How long did setup and training take, and who on your team did it?
  • What does it cost you in practice, compared with what the sales call said?

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