Low voltage estimating
Low Voltage and Fire Alarm Estimating Software
ContractorCounter is estimating software for low voltage, security and fire alarm contractors who price from drawings. Count every device off the plans with a marker on each one, measure cable runs per system, then price devices and footage in a Bill of Quantities and send the bid, in the browser.
Updated · 2 min read · Sources
On this page
Free preview, no card. Nothing is saved or exported until you subscribe, from US$1 a week, billed US$4 every 4 weeks.
Low voltage and fire alarm estimating tools compared
Prices were read from each vendor's own site on the review date; where a vendor publishes none, the table says so.
| Tool | Best for | Price (vendor list, Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| ContractorCounter | Low voltage and fire alarm contractors counting devices and measuring cable from PDF drawings, then pricing the bid. Browser-based. | Free preview; Pro US$1 a week per person, billed US$4 every 4 weeks, or US$39 a year; Lifetime US$78 one-time |
| Countfire | Electrical and mechanical contractors, including fire alarm, security, data and AV: symbol counting, pre-priced bids and Excel quotes. Cloud-based, PC or Mac. | Not published; trial offered |
| McCormick | Electrical, plumbing and mechanical estimating with a maintained database of 55,000+ electrical items, including low voltage. | Not published |
| STACK | Cloud takeoff and estimating for estimating teams that want maintained material databases and bid tools. | Takeoff & Estimate from US$299 per user per month; a free version is offered |
How a low voltage estimate comes together
- 1
Upload and calibrate
Upload the plans as PDFs and set the scale once per sheet against a known dimension.
- 2
Count the devices
Run AI-assisted counts or search for a symbol, then review the markers by device type and correct any misses.
- 3
Measure the cable
Trace each run per system with the perimeter tool, one colour per system.
- 4
Add drops and allowances
Add drops, service loops and terminations per device as their own lines.
- 5
Price and send
Price devices per unit and cable per foot in the Bill of Quantities, then send a versioned quote.
See it on a real drawing
This is the real workspace on a sample drawing. Create a free account, with no card, to use it on your own drawings.
Explore the workspace
Your quantities. Your rates. Your quote.
This is the real workspace. Create a free account to use it on your own drawings.
Sample drawing · scripted walkthrough and AI responses.
What a low voltage estimate is made of here
Devices counted by symbol: smoke and heat detectors, pull stations, horn strobes, cameras, card readers, data and AV outlets. Cable measured as runs per system, so fire alarm, access control and structured cabling never share a line. Drops and service loops added per device as their own lines. Panels, head-end equipment and power supplies counted per item.
Counts you can audit on the drawing
AI-assisted counts and counts from search results place a marker on every device, grouped by type. A reviewer sees exactly what was counted and what was missed, and can split or merge groups before anything reaches the bill.
Cable runs per system
Trace each run with the perimeter tool and turn on segment values to check individual legs. Colour the runs per system, and the bill splits footage by system and cable type. Export the measurements to CSV if your pricing lives in a spreadsheet.
A worked example
One office floor, calibrated against the column grid. Counts: 42 smoke detectors, 9 horn strobes, 4 pull stations, 18 cameras, 12 card readers and 64 data drops, each marked on the plan. Runs: 1,450 feet of fire alarm cable and 3,900 feet of Cat6 across two systems. The bill prices devices per unit and cable per foot, adds a drop allowance per device, and the quote versions itself when the next revision adds a meeting room.
Where the tool stops
It is a takeoff-to-quote workspace, not a design tool. It does not do fire alarm system design, battery or voltage-drop calculations, or code compliance checks, and it has no pre-loaded device price database: your rates are your own. Use your design software and the authority having jurisdiction for those.
Questions about Low voltage estimating
Can it count fire alarm devices automatically?
The AI takes the first pass and places a marker on every device it finds, grouped by type. You review the markers and correct misses before the counts enter the bill, so nothing is counted that you have not seen.
Does it include a low voltage device database?
No. You price from your own rates, and the AI can suggest a rate with its reasoning when you hit an unfamiliar item. If you need a maintained database of devices and labour units, McCormick or Countfire are built around one.
Does it do fire alarm design or battery calculations?
No. It covers takeoff, pricing and the quote. System design, battery and voltage-drop calculations, and code compliance belong in your design software.
What does low voltage estimating software cost here?
Pro is US$1 a week, billed US$4 every 4 weeks, or US$39 a year, and Lifetime is US$78 one-time. Try it on your own drawing in a free preview with no card; nothing is saved or exported until you subscribe.
See whether it fits your next job.
Start with your own drawing in the free preview. No card required.
Sources
Every competitor price on this page was read from that vendor's own pricing page on the date shown, not from a third-party roundup. Our own prices come from our pricing page.
- Reviewed
- Checked by
- Tylar E., founder
Vendor list pricing changes without notice, and regional and volume pricing differ. Check the linked pages before deciding on price alone.
Published sources
- PlanSwift pricingEssential US$2,000 and Core US$3,000 per seat per year; Core adds Auto Takeoff; 14-day trial without a card.
- PlanSwift system requirementsDesigned for Windows Professional and Enterprise; cannot be installed directly on a Mac.
- STACK pricingTakeoff & Estimate from US$299 per user per month; a free version is offered.
- Drawboard pricingDrawboard Projects Team US$29 and Growth US$39 per user per month, or US$270 and US$370 per user per year; iOS, Windows and web.
- Fieldwire pricingBasic free for up to 5 users and 3 projects; Pro US$39, Business US$64 and Business Plus US$89 per user per month, billed annually.
- Togal.AI pricingGrowth US$299 per user per month, billed yearly; Business pricing is custom for teams of four or more.
- CountfireCloud PDF takeoff and estimating for electrical and mechanical contractors, including fire alarm, security, data and AV; subscription pricing not published.
- McCormick SystemsEstimating for electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors, with a database of 55,000+ electrical items including low voltage; no prices published.