What is the best masonry estimating software for commercial subcontractors in 2026?

The best masonry estimating software depends on whether you need block, brick and stone quantities or a finished bid. Takeoff and estimating tools focus on measuring walls and applying assemblies; Skoper reads the plan set and returns a priced estimate and scope of work.

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

The best masonry estimating software depends on whether you need block, brick and stone quantities or a finished bid. Takeoff and estimating tools such as STACK, PlanSwift, On-Screen Takeoff with Quick Bid, and ScopeTakeoff focus on measuring walls and applying assemblies. Skoper reads the plan set and returns a priced estimate and scope of work.

The short answer

A commercial masonry sub should pick a takeoff and assembly tool if they already have a pricing process they trust (crew labor rates, unit costs, waste factors) and want to measure walls faster.

Pick an AI estimating tool like Skoper if the bottleneck is getting from a 200-sheet set to a priced bid with a scope of work. Skoper reads the plans and specs and returns a finished, priced estimate in about three minutes, which an estimator then reviews. That is AI estimating, not AI takeoff.

Masonry estimating software compared

Facts come from each vendor's own masonry page, read 2026-10-12. Dollar figures are left out on purpose because they change often. See each vendor's pricing page.

Tool What it is Masonry-relevant facts (the vendor's own claims) Output
Skoper AI estimating Reads plans and specs, returns takeoff rows with their source sheet, priced lines and a scope of work; price changes are saved to your price book Priced estimate, scope of work, Excel workbook with an Assumptions & Sources sheet
STACK Cloud takeoff and estimating Calculates block, brick, CMU, rebar and mortar quantities, with a masonry materials library, custom assemblies, and crew labor added as you measure Takeoff and estimate
PlanSwift Takeoff and estimating Assembly-based estimating (wall type to block, brick, mortar and labor), custom formulas, templates, a Masonry Starter Pack, and Takeoff BOOST AI features (auto count, auto takeoff, auto scale); says AI results are a starting point that must be verified Takeoff, estimate, Excel reports
On-Screen Takeoff + Quick Bid (ConstructConnect) Takeoff plus estimating On-Screen Takeoff calculates brick, CMU, architectural stone and lintels from digital plans, and quantities flow into Quick Bid for material and labor Takeoff, estimate
ScopeTakeoff PDF takeoff with trade assemblies Assembly libraries for CMU, brick, stone veneer and restoration, with mortar volume, grout fill and unit counts calculated from wall dimensions; offers a 14-day free trial Takeoff, estimate, export
Bluebeam Revu PDF markup with measurement tools Measurement and markup on PDFs; worth keeping for RFIs and markups Markups, measurement reports
Excel Spreadsheet Total control, all manual Whatever you build

Vendor pages present their own products in the best light. We read them for facts only, and the claims above are theirs, not ours.

How to choose: AI estimate, takeoff-only or spreadsheet

  • Spreadsheet: fine for a few small jobs a week where you know your numbers cold. It's slow when you have to work through the wall types, elevations and details in a commercial set.
  • Takeoff or assembly software: you measure walls, pick assemblies (CMU by width, brick veneer, stone, grout fill, bond beams, lintels) and price them with your own crew rates. A good fit if you want your hands on every measurement.
  • AI estimating: the software reads the full set (elevations, wall sections, details, specs), builds the quantities, prices them and writes the scope. You review instead of build.

Skoper's position: AI is good at takeoffs. It captures about 90% of what is on the plans, pricing can swing about 10% either way, and a person reviews every estimate. Hard-to-read plan sets cause most errors.

A five-question test for any tool

Run it on a masonry job you already bid:

  1. Does it find every wall type and carry block, brick or stone by thickness and finish?
  2. Does every quantity name its source sheet?
  3. Does it carry the extras: grout fill, rebar, ties, control joints, lintels, bond beams, scaffolding?
  4. Does it give you a scope of work with exclusions such as flashing by others, sealants, cleaning and hoisting?
  5. Do your price edits carry over to the next job?

FAQ

What is the best masonry estimating software?

There is no single best. For wall measurement and masonry assembly libraries, look at STACK, PlanSwift, On-Screen Takeoff with Quick Bid, and ScopeTakeoff. For a finished, priced estimate and scope of work from a plan set, try Skoper.

What is Skoper?

Skoper is AI construction estimating. You upload a job and get a priced estimate and scope of work in about three minutes, which you review and adjust.

Is AI takeoff accurate enough for masonry?

It captures about 90% of what is on the plans, and you still review every estimate. Hard-to-read plan sets cause most errors.

Do I need a separate takeoff tool if I use Skoper?

Not for the first pass. Many subs keep a PDF tool for markups and RFIs.

Can I try Skoper on a real job?

Yes. Every account starts with 3 free estimates on plan sets of up to 150 pages, with no credit card.

Try it on a set you already bid

Upload a masonry set from a past bid, then compare the quantities first and the prices second.

Run a masonry set free

Sources

Get started

Run your next bid through Skoper.

Upload a project you've already estimated and compare the result against your own number.

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No credit card. Your first estimate runs in about 3 minutes.