Material Takeoff Software
ContractorCounter turns a set of drawings into a material list you can order and price. Measure lengths, areas, height-driven volumes, and counts on the calibrated sheet, and every quantity becomes a line in a live Bill of Quantities — the material takeoff and the price stay in one workspace instead of a takeoff tool plus a spreadsheet.
Free account. No card required.
Exports and sharing require a paid plan or eligible card-required trial.
Explore the workspace
Every count stays on the drawing.
Click any tool to take over. This is the real workspace.
Sample drawing · scripted AI responses · changes stay in this preview. Reset clears your changes.
Bluebeam, PlanSwift & desktop takeoff tools vs ContractorCounter
Compare the workflow, access and costs that matter to your team. The right choice depends on how you work.
| Category | ContractorCounter | Bluebeam, PlanSwift & desktop takeoff tools |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Any browser: Windows, Mac, iPad | Windows desktop tools; Bluebeam also offers web/mobile workflows |
| Material list to quote | Live BOQ to multi-version quotes | PlanSwift includes costing; other workflows connect to estimating tools |
| AI assistance | AI counts, markups & scale (you review) | AI workflows are available; compare the product and plan |
| Free option | First workspace free — no card required | Trial only |
| Pricing | First workspace free; paid plans: US$14/month; US$249 one-time lifetime | License + maintenance per seat |
01
From drawing to quantified material list
A material takeoff is only useful if the numbers are right and traceable. Measure on the calibrated drawing and each material quantity — linear runs, areas, counts, and volumes — lands in the Bill of Quantities tied to the geometry that produced it, so a reviewer can audit where every figure came from.
02
Material quantities for every trade
Lumber and framing as linear members priced by the board foot, drywall and roofing as area, concrete as height-driven volume, electrical and plumbing as fixture counts and runs — one calibrated engine produces the material quantities each trade orders against.
03
The list stays in sync with the drawing
Revisions happen. Re-measure the changed area and the material quantity — and the quote line built from it — update together, so the material list never drifts from the current set of plans.
04
From measured area to an order, worked through
The step from quantity to material is arithmetic worth showing: 374 m² of measured wall (after deducting 38 m² of openings) at a standard 1200 × 2400 mm board covering 2.88 m² is 130 sheets, and a 10% cut-waste allowance makes the order 143 — see the full working on the drywall takeoff page. The same pattern converts a measured slab to cubic metres of concrete plus waste, or a counted fixture schedule to an order list; the measured quantity is the input, and the BoQ line carries the converted, orderable number.
05
Runs in any browser: desktop or iPad
No Windows-only install and no virtual machine for Mac users. Build the material takeoff in the office or on the iPad on site — part of the wider construction takeoff software workspace.
See whether it fits your next job.
Start with your own drawing and check the workflow.
Sources behind this comparison
Comparison capabilities checked against the vendors’ official product and pricing pages.
- Reviewed
- Review owner
- ContractorCounter editorial team
Compare specific products and plans. Desktop Revu is not the same feature set as Bluebeam web/mobile, and AI availability varies by plan.
Try the tools on a real drawing.
Explore the example below, or take over the workspace and try it yourself. No signup needed for this demo.
Questions about Material takeoff
What is material takeoff software?
Material takeoff software measures quantities from construction drawings — lengths, areas, volumes, and counts — and turns them into a material list that can be ordered and priced. ContractorCounter does the takeoff on calibrated PDFs or images and feeds a live Bill of Quantities, so the material list and the price stay connected.
Is there free material takeoff software?
Start your first workspace with a free account and no card: upload drawings, mark up, measure, count and build a Bill of Quantities, with limited AI. Exports and sharing require a paid plan or an eligible 3-day Pro or Team trial with a card. Checkout shows the first charge date; cancel before then to avoid a subscription charge.