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Facts: desk research from vendor sites · Reviews: members' opinions

Exayard vs Handoff AI

Two AI-first estimating tools with published monthly prices and self-serve sign-up, aimed at different buyers. Exayard is AI takeoff and estimating software for contractors across trades: you upload PDF, image or CAD plans, the AI detects and measures elements, and you review the quantities before pricing the estimate. Handoff is an AI estimating and business system for residential builders, remodelers and trade contractors that runs from estimate and proposal through project management, time tracking and invoicing, with AI takeoffs from residential plans on its top plan. Partly like-for-like (our reading): both turn plans and scope into an estimate, but Exayard centres on plan takeoff across trades while Handoff wraps estimating in residential job and client management. Desk research from vendor sites read Oct 31, 2026; no winner.

DESK RESEARCH FROM VENDOR SITES. Compiled from vendors' public websites (accessed Nov 1, 2026). Vendor claims are not verified by Means & Methods Lab. No scores or rankings.

In short: Exayard (Takeoff & estimating; vendor publishes prices) vs Handoff AI (Estimating; vendor publishes prices). Facts last checked Nov 1, 2026. No winner declared; desk research from vendor sites.

Side by side

Exayard vs Handoff AI: vendor-published facts side by side
Sheet rowExayardHandoff AI
CategoryTakeoff & estimatingEstimating
AI role (our label)AI-firstAI-first
What it doesAI takeoff and estimating platform: describe what to count or measure in plain language, review and approve the detected quantities on the plan, and price the estimate. It accepts PDF, image or CAD (DWG/DXF/DGN) plans with automatic scale detection and exports to Excel or PDF. Other features listed: the Exa assistant on web, email, WhatsApp and a customer's own website (including a website agent that captures leads, answers questions and gives estimates); 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. For developers it offers a REST API, MCP server, webhooks and a public CLI, plus Zapier, n8n, Make, Slack and Teams, and says it can be driven from assistants such as Claude, ChatGPT, Codex and Cursor. Time-savings claims are vendor material not used here.AI estimating and project-management assistant ("AI Teammate") for home builders, remodelers and trade contractors. Estimates can start from uploaded scope, blueprints, voice notes, job photos or a site walkthrough, and it drafts proposals, scopes of work and material lists, with CRM, client portals, change orders, invoicing, scheduling, daily logs, time tracking and customer financing through a partner. Other AI features listed: AI Renderings (photos or ideas into proposal visuals), AI Presets (saved rates and services), AI-powered material lists, AI site walkthroughs and an AI Subcontractor Portal. The Scale plan adds AI takeoffs from residential plans up to 7,000 sq ft, customizable proposal sections with up to 5 estimate options, and API/MCP access. A Supplier Platform runs AI takeoffs on contractors' plans and turns them into quotes with the supplier's SKUs and pricing. Training-data and SKU figures, earnings figures, ratings and quotes are vendor material not used here.
Who it's forContractors across trades (vendor lists concrete, electrical, roofing, framing, plumbing, drywall, and more).Residential remodelers, home builders, and trade contractors (vendor lists many residential trades).
Pricing (as publicly stated)Per-user subscription plus metered AI usage. Starter $99/user/month (includes $100 of AI work per seat each month, about 20 drawing sheets); Professional $249/user/month ($250 of AI work, about 50 sheets); Enterprise custom, with AI usage per seat set to your volume. Yearly billing gives 2 months free; local prices are shown in 15 currencies. Developer docs say 1 credit is $1, Free gets 30 credits a month per company, credits are bought 100 to 10,000 at a time, and a plan sheet averages about 15 credits (stated as an average, not a price). The page lists unlimited seats while quoting prices per seat, so confirm how seats are billed with Exayard.Monthly price, billed annually (save 20%): 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 usage credits); Scale $719/mo (also shown $899; 12-month commitment, adds AI takeoffs on residential plans up to 7,000 sq ft and API/MCP access). Card fees are paid by the client and ACH is 1% capped at $10. Supplier Platform: contact for pricing.
User reviewsNo reviews yet. Read or writeNo reviews yet. Read or write
Vendor links
Sources

Facts last checked: Nov 1, 2026. Prices change; check the vendor page before relying on them.

Where the vendor descriptions differ

  • Takeoff: Exayard says you upload a PDF plan set or single sheet, images or CAD files (DWG, DXF, DGN) with no special export, the AI detects and measures elements across the sheets, and the quantities are laid out on the plan for you to confirm or correct before they count. Handoff lists AI Takeoffs from residential plans up to 7,000 sq ft, with material and labor quantities, on its Scale plan; its other plans build estimates with AI from voice transcription, a pricing catalog and, on Pro, AI site walkthroughs (vendor statements).
  • Agents and connections: Exayard lists a REST API, MCP server, webhooks and a public CLI on paid plans and invites users to connect their own AI agent. Handoff's AI Teammate drafts estimates and proposals and, on Pro, acts as a business advisor; Scale adds API and MCP access to sync Handoff with internal and AI tools (vendor statements).
  • Beyond takeoff: Exayard's plans add bids with e-signature and reminders, a price book with QuickBooks, and on Professional alternates, allowances, revision compare and live supplier prices. Handoff adds AI-generated proposals, client financing, an AI Project Management Suite, time tracking, an AI Subcontractor Portal on Scale and a separate Supplier Platform (vendor statements).
  • Who it is pitched at: Exayard's trade pages run from concrete and electrical to roofing, plumbing and painting. Handoff names residential builders, remodelers and trade contractors (vendor statements).
  • AI (our reading): both are tagged AI-first.
  • Pricing (checked Oct 31, 2026): Exayard lists Starter $99 and Professional $249 per user per month, each with $100 and $250 of AI work per seat each month (about 20 and 50 drawing sheets), 2 months free on yearly billing and Enterprise custom; its developer docs say 1 credit is $1 and a plan sheet averages about 15 credits (an average, not a price). Handoff lists annual-billed monthly prices of Flex $119 (also shown $149; 2 users, 50 AI usage credits a month, 7-day free trial), Pro $239 (also shown $299; 5 users, unlimited AI usage credits, 12-month commitment) and Scale $719 (also shown $899; 12-month commitment, AI takeoffs). Exayard prices each seat with metered AI work; Handoff's plans include a set number of users.
  • Not used here: Exayard's time-savings headline and ROI calculator, and Handoff's earnings, hours-saved and same-day turnaround claims, ratings and customer quotes (vendor material). Facts for both tools come from vendor websites (desk research).

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.

Used either of these? Share your take

Good or bad, an honest review from an estimator, PM or super helps the next team more than another vendor demo. You post under a handle; your email is never shown.

Questions to ask in your review

  • Whether your work is takeoff and bids across trades (Exayard's focus) or residential estimating plus job management (Handoff's focus)
  • How each handles your plan sets, scales and trades on a real bid, and how many AI credits a typical job uses
  • Whether either exports to the estimating or accounting system you already use
  • 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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