What is the best AI estimating software for subcontractors in 2026?

The best AI estimating software for a subcontractor depends on how much of the job you want the software to do: measure, help you measure, measure and price for you as a service, or go from drawings to a priced estimate. Here are the tools in each group, compared fairly.

Paul Maloney
Founder of Skoper. Licensed general contractor.
9 min read

By Paul Maloney. Founder of Skoper. Licensed general contractor.

The best AI estimating software for a subcontractor is the one that matches how much of the bid you want off your desk. The tools fall into four groups:

  • AI takeoff tools such as Togal.AI, Kreo and Countfire measure the drawings.
  • Takeoff platforms you operate, such as STACK, PlanSwift, On-Screen Takeoff and Bluebeam, help you measure faster.
  • Services like Beam AI return QA-checked takeoffs in a day or more.
  • AI estimating tools like Skoper go from the plan set to a priced estimate with a scope of work.

If your evenings go to pricing, markups and scope letters rather than measuring, you want the last group. If you already have a pricing system you trust and only the measuring is slow, an AI takeoff tool is enough.

Most "best AI estimating software" lists put all of these in one ranking. That's why buyers get surprised: half the tools on those lists never produce a dollar figure. Below, the tools are grouped by what you get back, using each vendor's own published features and prices.

The four groups at a glance

Group Tools What you get back Who does the takeoff Pricing the bid Typical price (vendor sites, 2026-09-15)
AI takeoff Togal.AI, Kreo, Countfire Quantities (counts, LF, SF), some with pricing you set up AI detects and measures; you review and edit Togal: export to Excel or your estimating tool. Kreo and Countfire: pricing from your own cost data inside the tool Togal.AI $299 per user per month, billed yearly
Takeoff platforms you operate STACK, PlanSwift, On-Screen Takeoff, Bluebeam Revu Your takeoff, priced with your assemblies (Bluebeam: quantities only) You click and trace, with AI assists in some tiers STACK and PlanSwift: built in. On-Screen Takeoff: paired with Quick Bid. Bluebeam: quantities go to Excel or another tool STACK from $249 per user per month; PlanSwift $2,000–$3,000 per seat per year; Bluebeam $260–$590 per user per year
AI plus human-reviewed service Beam AI QA-checked takeoffs and estimates, plus instant self-serve AI takeoffs for some trades Beam's AI, checked by their team Estimates aligned to your pricing Contact Beam for pricing
AI estimating: drawings to priced estimate Skoper Takeoff, priced estimate, markup rows, scope of work and assumptions, in Excel and Word Skoper reads every sheet Included, from location pricing or your price book $149/month for 10 estimates, $349/month for 30, 3 free to start

For more on the difference between a takeoff and an estimate, read Takeoff vs. estimate: what's the difference, and where does AI fit?

AI takeoff tools

Togal.AI is the tool most often compared to Skoper. It automatically detects and measures spaces and elements on floor plans, lets you review and edit the detections, and exports the quantities to Excel. It also has a chat tool for asking questions about the drawings. It doesn't price the work or write a scope; the takeoff goes to your estimating tool. It's a good fit for a shop that has an estimating system it likes and only wants faster measuring. Full comparison: Skoper vs Togal.AI.

Kreo is cloud AI takeoff. Its site says it detects elements, cross-references data across sheets and turns measurements into cost estimates. It has an in-app agent, Caddie, that runs measurements on command, and it is strong on area and outline measurement.

Countfire is built for electrical and mechanical contractors. It counts symbols across every drawing in a project, names and files items as it counts, and builds an Excel quote from pre-priced items. If you're an electrical or M&E sub living in symbol counts, it's purpose-built for you.

Takeoff platforms you operate

STACK is browser-based takeoff, estimating and proposals, with integrations to Procore, QuickBooks, Sage and others. You drive the takeoff, clicking out areas, lengths and counts, with AI assists for search and counting. If you need takeoff data flowing into Procore or your accounting system, STACK's integrations are real. Full comparison: Skoper vs STACK.

PlanSwift (ConstructConnect) is Windows desktop takeoff and estimating with deep assembly libraries. Its Takeoff BOOST tier adds an AI-assisted first pass, and many trade estimators already know it well. Full comparison: Skoper vs PlanSwift.

On-Screen Takeoff (On Center) is a long-standing takeoff tool paired with Quick Bid, On Center's separate estimating program. On Center's site says On-Screen Takeoff includes AI-powered takeoffs (Takeoff Boost) for a first pass, and that Quick Bid turns the quantities into material and labor estimates and itemized proposals.

Bluebeam Revu is a PDF markup and collaboration platform used across a project for RFIs, submittals and punch lists. Many subs also use its measurement tools for takeoff, then price in Excel. It's excellent at what it was built for, but it doesn't price a bid. Full comparison: Skoper vs Bluebeam Revu.

AI plus human-reviewed service

Beam AI offers two modes:

  • Done for you: you upload plans and specs, its AI extracts the quantities, their team QA-checks every takeoff, and you get estimates aligned to your pricing in 24 to 72 hours.
  • Do it yourself: instant AI takeoffs for HVAC, plumbing and steel.

It also has bid management for tracking invitations to bid. It's a good fit for a sub who wants takeoffs off the desk entirely and can wait a day or more.

AI estimating: drawings to a priced estimate

Skoper is the tool I built because estimating was eating my evenings. You upload the plan set, and in about three minutes Skoper reads every sheet as both image and text. That way the partition on the floor plan, the height on the section and the type in the wall schedule land on the same line. It takes off by type, prices the work from location pricing or your own price book, and adds overhead, profit, insurance, bond and contingency as separate rows. Then it writes the scope of work and assumptions. The Assumptions & Sources sheet ties every quantity to the drawing sheet or schedule it came from.

Then you review it. If the work is on the plans, Skoper captures about 90% of it, and pricing can swing about 10% either way until your own rates are on the big lines. Hard-to-read plan sets (scans, low-resolution PDFs, sheets not to scale) cause most misses. Every price you change is saved to your price book for the next bid.

What Skoper doesn't do: integrate with Procore or accounting systems, or handle project markup and RFIs. If you need those, keep the tool you have for them.

How to choose

Upload a job you've already bid to each tool on your shortlist and ask five questions:

  1. Do I get a dollar total, or only quantities? If only quantities, budget the evening for pricing.
  2. Who does the takeoff, and how long does it take? You (hours), the AI (minutes), or a service team (a day or more)?
  3. Did it read the schedules, sections and notes, or only the floor plans? Compare wall heights, door counts and fixture counts with your own takeoff.
  4. Does every quantity show where it came from? If not, checking it means redoing it.
  5. Does it write the scope, assumptions and exclusions? On commercial work, your exclusions decide who pays for what isn't drawn.

Then match the answers to where your time goes:

  • Measuring is the bottleneck and pricing is solved: an AI takeoff tool, such as Togal.AI or Kreo, or Countfire for electrical and M&E.
  • You want to control every click and need integrations: STACK or PlanSwift.
  • You want takeoffs done by someone else and can wait: Beam AI.
  • Pricing, markups and scope letters eat your evenings: AI estimating with Skoper.

Plenty of subs use two tools: Skoper for the first full estimate, and their existing takeoff tool to spot-check the highest-value quantities.

Try it on a job you already bid

The fastest test is a plan set you know. Run it through Skoper, compare the total and the quantities with your own, and read the scope it wrote. You start with free estimates on your own plans, and you get the real Excel and Word files.

Run a past bid through Skoper free

Frequently asked questions

What is the best AI estimating software for subcontractors?

It depends on what you want back. For a priced estimate with a scope of work from the drawings, Skoper. For AI quantities to feed your own pricing, Togal.AI or Kreo, or Countfire for electrical and mechanical. For takeoffs done as a service, Beam AI. For takeoff you operate with integrations, STACK or PlanSwift.

What is the difference between AI takeoff and AI estimating software?

AI takeoff measures and counts what is on the drawings. AI estimating also prices the quantities, adds markups, and writes the scope and assumptions, so you get a bid-ready package. More in Takeoff vs. estimate.

Is AI estimating accurate enough to bid from?

As a first pass with a review, yes. If the work is on the plans, Skoper captures about 90% of it, and pricing can swing about 10% either way until your own rates are on the big lines. Review the largest lines first.

Does AI estimating software replace the estimator?

No. It replaces the measuring, the first-pass pricing and the first draft of the scope. The estimator still sets labor, picks subs, decides risk and margin, and signs the number.

How much does AI estimating software cost?

From the vendors' own pages, as published on 2026-09-15:

  • Togal.AI: $299 per user per month, billed yearly.
  • STACK: from $249 per user per month.
  • PlanSwift: $2,000–$3,000 per seat per year.
  • Bluebeam: $260–$590 per user per year.
  • Skoper: $149 per month for 10 estimates or $349 for 30, with 3 free to start.

What is Skoper?

Skoper is AI construction estimating software built by a general contractor. You upload a plan set, and in about three minutes you get a takeoff, a priced estimate, a scope of work and an assumptions document in Excel and Word, ready for your review.

Sources

Trademarks belong to their owners. Skoper is not affiliated with any vendor named here. Features and prices change, so check each vendor's site.

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