7 best PlanSwift alternatives in 2026

Start here to shortlist. Details for each option follow.

PlanSwift is owned by ConstructConnect and sold as an annual plan: Essential at $2,000 per year for one seat, or Core at $3,000 with Auto Takeoff. ConstructConnect’s help center says it is tested on native Windows machines only; on a Mac it needs Windows through Boot Camp or Parallels and may not install on newer Apple silicon.

On Capterra, where PlanSwift averages 4.3 out of 5, reviewers who were less satisfied mention crashes or slowdowns on large plan sets, slow PDF imports, no real-time collaboration, being tied to one desktop, and price. Many other reviewers like its assemblies and counting tools. If those limits do not affect you, PlanSwift may still be the right choice.

Software is only half the cost. Someone still has to learn it, set up assemblies and spend hours measuring. Bidmere measures quantities from your plans and builds a cost summary using your rates, so your estimator spends time pricing and deciding, not clicking.

Qualifying single-trade estimates start at $200, and larger or multi-trade jobs get a fixed quote before work starts. Bidmere covers 13 trades, from painting and drywall to electrical, HVAC, plumbing, concrete and roofing. You receive quantities by scope item, assumptions, exclusions and open questions.

Where it is weaker: you are not building your own takeoff library, and a very high bid volume may be cheaper in-house with software and a trained estimator. Outsourcing fits best when bids come in bursts or you have no estimator free.

A cloud takeoff and estimating platform with a free version of Takeoff and Estimate and paid plans listed as low as $299 per user per month. It works in a browser with mobile apps, and includes estimates and proposals. Paid prices are shown as starting points, and the full platform is priced to your selection.

Best known for PDF markup and document review, with measurement tools many estimators use for takeoff. Basics is $260 per user per year, billed annually. It runs on Windows desktop, the web and mobile; the pricing page does not list a Mac app. Choose it if markup and collaboration matter as much as takeoff.

AI takeoff that detects areas and symbols automatically. The Growth plan is $299 per user per month, billed yearly, with unlimited automated takeoffs; Business pricing is custom. It runs as a web app, so it works on a Mac.

A cloud takeoff tool with the lowest published entry price here: Essential at $100 per user per month, billed annually ($1,200 a year). APIs are available as paid add-ons on higher plans, and Enterprise is custom.

Flat pricing with every feature in every plan: $249 per month, $599 per quarter or $1,699 per year, with unlimited jobs and storage. It runs in a browser on a Mac or PC. Multi-license pricing is by phone.

A cloud tool built for electrical and mechanical contractors to count symbols, check accuracy and export quotes to Excel. It works on a Mac or PC without a download. Pricing is not published, and it is not designed for other trades.

If you decide to outsource, compare published prices and turnaround. These figures are from each firm’s own pricing page, checked October 21, 2026.

• You want to stop doing takeoff yourself: outsource it. Bidmere if you also want bid packages and proposals from the same team.
• You need takeoff on a Mac or in a browser: Square Takeoff, Kreo, Togal.AI or STACK.
• You want the lowest published software price: Kreo, then Square Takeoff’s annual plan.
• You mainly mark up and review plan sets: Bluebeam Revu.
• You are an electrical or mechanical contractor counting fixtures: Countfire.
• You are on Windows, happy with assemblies and bid often: PlanSwift may still be the best fit.

Does PlanSwift work on a Mac? Not natively. ConstructConnect says it needs Windows through Boot Camp or Parallels and may not install on newer Apple silicon Macs.

How much does PlanSwift cost? Essential is $2,000 per year per seat and Core is $3,000 per year, with a 14-day free trial, as listed on PlanSwift’s pricing page on October 21, 2026.

Is there a free PlanSwift alternative? STACK lists a free version of its takeoff and estimating product. Most other tools offer trials rather than free plans.

Is outsourcing takeoff cheaper than software? It depends on volume. One or two bids a month usually costs less to outsource than an annual license plus estimator time. A steady high volume often favors software and an in-house estimator.