STACK Review — Cloud-Based Takeoff & Estimating for Contractors Who Bid From Plans

Real Pricing

⚠ STACK does not publish pricing. Annual subscription model. Pricing scales with features and users. Free demo available. Cloud-based means it works on any computer — no Windows-only limitation like some competitors.

What It Actually Does

STACK is cloud-based takeoff and estimating software built for construction. You upload a set of plans as a PDF, use digital measurement tools to calculate areas, lengths, and counts, and STACK generates material quantities and cost estimates based on your measurements. Everything lives in the cloud, which means you can access your takeoffs from any computer, collaborate with your team in real time, and never worry about losing files to a crashed hard drive.

The measurement tools cover what you actually need. Linear measurements for pipe runs, conduit, and edging. Area measurements for pool decks, planting beds, and hardscape. Counting tools for fixtures, outlets, plants, and light fixtures. You can build assemblies — pre-grouped sets of materials and labor for common tasks — and reuse them across projects. Once you’ve measured everything on a plan set, STACK generates professional-looking material lists and cost breakdowns you can send to clients or export to your estimating software.

The cloud-based approach matters more than it sounds. You’re not tied to one computer with software installed. You can pull up a takeoff on your laptop at the office, your tablet at a job site, or your phone when a client calls with a question. Multiple people can work on the same takeoff simultaneously — useful when you have an estimator and a project manager both reviewing the same bid.

STACK vs Togal.AI vs PlanSwift

This is the question most contractors actually need answered. STACK sits in the middle of the takeoff software market. Togal.AI is the newer option that uses artificial intelligence to automate parts of the takeoff process — draw a box around a planting bed and the AI figures out the area, count, and sometimes even the materials. PlanSwift is the old-school desktop software that’s been the industry standard for years.

STACK beats PlanSwift on convenience. It’s cloud-based, works on Mac and PC, and has modern collaboration features. PlanSwift beats STACK on power and depth, but it’s Windows-only and has a steep learning curve. Togal.AI beats both on speed when the AI works correctly and frustrates you when it doesn’t.

For most contractors starting out with digital takeoffs, STACK is the safer bet. It works the way you expect takeoff software to work. You measure things. It calculates quantities. There’s no AI trying to guess what you want and getting it wrong. Once you’re comfortable with digital takeoffs, you can evaluate whether Togal.AI’s automation features are worth the switch.

The Pricing Situation

STACK doesn’t publish pricing online, which is annoying but standard for construction software. Expect to pay somewhere between $1,000 and $2,500 a year depending on which features you need. It’s an annual subscription, not a one-time purchase, which means you’re renting this software forever rather than owning it. That’s the trade-off for cloud access and automatic updates.

Compare that to PlanSwift at roughly $1,750 to $2,250 a year for the subscription version, or Togal.AI at $150 to $300 a month. If you do plan-based estimating regularly — three or more bids a month — the time savings from digital takeoffs pay for any of these tools in the first month. If you bid from plans once every few months, none of them are worth the price.

Who Should Use STACK

Pool contractors bidding from landscape and structural plans get the most value. Measuring deck areas, pool perimeters, paver counts, and planting areas from a single plan set is exactly what STACK does well. The cloud collaboration means your project manager can review the takeoff without being in the same room.

Landscapers doing plan-based bids for hardscape, planting, and irrigation projects should look at STACK before any other takeoff tool. The area and linear measurement tools handle landscape plans naturally, and the assembly builder lets you create reusable templates for common planting schemes or hardscape patterns.

Electricians, HVAC contractors, and plumbers doing mostly service work should skip takeoff software entirely. If you’re not bidding from plans, you don’t need this. For the subset of electrical, mechanical, and plumbing contractors who do bid from plans — new construction, commercial work, large remodels — STACK’s trade-specific features are adequate but not as deep as PlanSwift’s dedicated plugins.

From the Trenches

A takeoff that takes three or four hours by hand with a scale ruler and colored pencils takes about 15 to 30 minutes in STACK once you know the tool. That time savings compounds fast when you’re bidding three or four projects a month. The accuracy improvement is just as important. The software doesn’t get tired on page 12 of a plan set and miscount a row of outlets or a section of conduit.

The real decision isn’t STACK versus PlanSwift versus Togal.AI. It’s whether you bid from plans often enough to justify any takeoff software. If the answer is yes, STACK is the safest place to start. It’s cloud-based so you’re not locked to one machine. It works on Mac and PC. The collaboration features are genuinely useful. And the learning curve is reasonable — budget a weekend of practice on old project plans before you use it on a live bid.

If you’re currently doing takeoffs with a scale ruler and a highlighter, stop and book the STACK demo. The time savings will cover the subscription cost within the first month. Everything after that is profit.

Alternatives

• Cheaper: Togal.AI ($150-300/mo, AI-powered, newer but less battle-tested)
• Simpler: PlanSwift (desktop-based, one-time purchase option, Windows only)
• More powerful (and more expensive): Bluebeam Revu (industry standard, more features, steeper learning curve)