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Facts: desk research, not tested · Reviews: members' opinions

FlowManual vs Togal.AI

Two AI takeoff tools with different shapes: takeoff linked to an estimating workbook with a free plan, and an AI takeoff tool that auto-detects and measures from drawings with a published per-user price. Desk research from vendor pages read Oct 25, 2026; not tested, no winner.

DESK RESEARCH, NOT TESTED. Compiled from vendors' public websites (accessed Oct 25, 2026). Vendor claims are not verified by Means & Methods Lab. No scores or rankings.

In short: FlowManual (Takeoff linked to an estimating workbook, with a free plan; free option; paid prices not listed) vs Togal.AI (Takeoff; vendor publishes prices). Facts last checked Oct 25, 2026. No winner declared; not tested.

Side by side

FlowManual vs Togal.AI: vendor-published facts side by side
Sheet rowFlowManualTogal.AI
CategoryTakeoff linked to an estimating workbook, with a free planTakeoff
AI role (our label)AI-firstAI-first
What it doesTakeoff 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).AI-powered takeoff tool that the vendor says automatically detects, measures, and compares spaces and features on drawings. It adds cloud collaboration, drawing-set comparison, and a Togal.CHAT feature for querying plans. Vendor claims up to 98% accuracy on floor plans (vendor claim, not verified). Ediphi's blog announced a native Ediphi-Togal integration that brings Togal takeoff quantities into Ediphi estimates, ahead of its debut at Advancing Preconstruction in May 2026. Re-read Oct 20, 2026: homepage unchanged in substance (automatic detection, measurement and drawing-set comparison, cloud collaboration, Togal.CHAT, trade pages). The 98% accuracy and 5x-faster lines and the customer quotes are vendor claims not used here. Re-checked Oct 21, 2026: homepage unchanged in substance (automatic detection, measurement and drawing-set comparison, cloud collaboration, Togal.CHAT; trade pages for doors and hardware, drywall, electrical, flooring, framing and lumber, general contractors, glass and glazing, and painting); the footer links comparison pages against PlanSwift, Bluebeam, On-Screen Takeoff, Beam AI, STACK and Kreo (vendor framing, not used). Re-checked Oct 22, 2026: homepage unchanged in substance (automatic detection, measurement and drawing-set comparison, cloud collaboration, Togal.CHAT, the same trade pages and footer comparison links). The 98% accuracy and 5x-faster lines and the customer quotes remain vendor claims not used here. Re-checked Oct 23, 2026: homepage unchanged in substance (automatic detection, measurement and drawing-set comparison, cloud collaboration, Togal.CHAT, the same trade pages and footer comparison links). The 98% accuracy and 5x-faster lines and the customer quotes remain vendor claims not used here. Re-checked Oct 24, 2026: homepage unchanged in substance (AI takeoff that detects, measures and compares drawings, cloud collaboration, Togal.CHAT, self-guided tour); accuracy and speed figures and testimonials are vendor material and are not used. Re-checked Oct 25, 2026: homepage unchanged in substance (AI takeoff that automatically detects, measures and compares from drawings, cloud collaboration on the same takeoff, one-click drawing-set comparison, Togal.CHAT, trade pages and a self-guided tour). The 98% accuracy and 5x-faster lines and customer quotes remain vendor claims not used here.
Who it's forGeneral and MEP contractors' estimators, from solo estimators on the free plan to teams.Estimators (vendor describes it as "built by estimators, for estimators").
Pricing (as publicly stated)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).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 and Oct 19, 2026; unchanged.) Re-checked Oct 20, 2026: unchanged (Growth $299/mo per user billed yearly, with unlimited automated takeoffs, chat prompts and image/symbol searches and unlimited external collaboration; Business custom for teams with 4+ users, adding onboarding and training, a dedicated support representative, a classification library template, quantity discounts, security compliance and SSO; the FAQ says all major credit cards are accepted and you cancel by contacting Togal before the next renewal period). Re-checked Oct 21, 2026: unchanged (Growth $299/mo per user billed yearly; Business custom for teams with 4+ users; multi-license discounts and enterprise solutions through sales). Re-checked Oct 22, 2026: unchanged (Growth $299/mo per user billed yearly with unlimited automated takeoffs, chat prompts and image/symbol searches; Business custom for teams with 4+ users; multi-license discounts and enterprise solutions through sales; cancel by contacting Togal before the next renewal period). Re-checked Oct 23, 2026 (pricing rendered in a headless browser): unchanged (Growth $299/mo per user billed yearly with unlimited automated takeoffs, chat prompts and image/symbol searches; Business custom for teams with 4+ users). Re-checked Oct 24, 2026: unchanged (Growth $299 a month per user billed yearly; Business custom for 4+ users with onboarding, SSO and quantity discounts). Re-checked Oct 25, 2026 (pricing rendered in a headless browser): unchanged (Growth $299/mo per user billed yearly with unlimited automated takeoffs, chat prompts and image/symbol searches and unlimited external collaboration; Business custom for teams with 4+ users with onboarding, a dedicated support rep, a classification library template, quantity discounts, security compliance and SSO; multi-license discounts and enterprise solutions through sales).
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Vendor links
Sources

Facts last checked: Oct 25, 2026. Prices change; check the vendor page before relying on them.

Where the vendor descriptions differ

  • How each works: FlowManual describes measuring areas and lengths and counting items on drawings, then pricing those quantities in an estimating workbook with formulas and multiple sheets, refreshing linked quantities when drawings change while protecting manual edits. Togal describes AI that automatically detects, measures and compares from drawings, with cloud collaboration on the same takeoff and Togal.CHAT for asking questions about plans.
  • Scope beyond takeoff: FlowManual lists scope review of specs and contracts for requirements and exclusions, drawing revision comparison and bid leveling of subcontractor proposals. Togal lists one-click drawing-set comparison that quantifies changes; its pages read do not describe a built-in estimating workbook.
  • Trades: FlowManual lists mechanical (equipment and piping), ductwork, concrete and general counting workflows. Togal has trade pages for doors and hardware, drywall, electrical, flooring, framing and lumber, general contractors, glazing and painting.
  • Pricing: FlowManual has a Free plan with every feature inside a daily usage allowance, unlimited projects and uploads and no card, and a custom, sales-led Pro plan with unlimited usage; its pricing page says one dense sheet of symbol counting can use more than a full day of the Free allowance, so counting a set needs Pro or a trial. Togal's Growth plan is $299 a month per user billed yearly with unlimited automated takeoffs, chat prompts and image or symbol searches; Business is custom for teams of 4+ users, adding onboarding, a dedicated support rep, SSO and quantity discounts.
  • Security: FlowManual's Security page describes AES-256-GCM encryption at rest, enterprise SSO (SAML 2.0 or OIDC), opt-in-only training on customer data, Anthropic for document analysis and Microsoft Azure hosting in the United States, and says SOC 2 Type II is in progress (vendor statements). Togal's Business plan lists security compliance and SSO; the pages read do not give details.
  • Not used here: Togal's accuracy and speed figures and customer quotes; FlowManual's illustrative estimate figures.

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

  • How either handles heavy civil takeoff (earthwork, linear utilities, roadway sections) rather than building trades
  • What FlowManual Pro costs and how far the Free allowance goes on a real set
  • How Togal's automatic detection compares with FlowManual's counting on dense MEP sheets
  • 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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