Measure the plans.
Win the job.
Cloud takeoffs that turn PDF plans into a priced quote — on Mac, Windows, Linux or a tablet, for a fraction of Bluebeam or PlanSwift.
Takeoff to quote in minutes
Every measurement becomes a priced line from your own catalogue.
Takeoff software for Mac
Also Linux, Chromebook, iPad and Android. Nothing to install.
Share the plan
Crews and clients open a live link — no licence needed.
Video tutorials
See Takeoffs in action
Takeoff Module & Blueprint Estimating
Uploading multi-page PDF plans, calibrating drawing scales, measuring areas and linear runs, counting fixtures, and auto-generating proposals.
Feature 01
Digital Scale Calibration
Set the blueprint scale by clicking two reference points and entering the real-world distance.
Feature 02
PlanSwift & Bluebeam Alternative Canvas
Use Polygon, Path, and Pin digital takeoff tools to trace area shapes, linear runs, and count fixtures directly on multi-page PDFs on any device.
Feature 03
Integrated BOQ & Material Requirements
Link traced measurement groups directly to catalog products to compile Bills of Quantities (BOQ) and verify warehouse stock availability.
Feature 04
PlanView — On-Site Visual Plans
Share uploaded drawings with your field team and clients.
How it works
Up and running in 4 steps
Upload your PDF plans — any size, any number of pages.
Set the scale with two clicks on a known dimension.
Trace areas, lengths and counts — totals update live.
Price it from your catalogue and send the proposal.
Compare
Why small businesses switch
| TrueScope | Bluebeam Revu | PlanSwift | Active Takeoff | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $20 / user / mo | $260–$440 / user / yr | ≈ $2,000 / yr | Quote-based |
| Works on Mac, Linux & Chromebook | Windows desktop | Windows desktop | Windows desktop | |
| Nothing to install | ||||
| Priced Bill of Quantities | Via Excel | |||
| Proposal & e-signature | ||||
| Inventory & purchase orders | ||||
| Client review link (no licence) | Studio sessions | |||
| Month to month, free trial | Annual only | Annual | Ask sales |
Competitor prices from 2026 list prices and software directories; check vendors for current quotes.
Built for businesses like yours
By industry
Takeoff software for your trade
Try Takeoffs free for 30 days.
No credit card · every module included · cancel anytime
Common questions
Yes. TrueScope Digital Takeoffs runs in Safari, Chrome or Firefox on a Mac, with nothing to install and no Windows emulator such as Parallels. PlanSwift and Active Takeoff are Windows programs, and the full Bluebeam Revu desktop app is Windows-only since Revu for Mac reached end of life in 2023.
Yes. Because TrueScope runs in the browser, it works on Linux (Ubuntu, Fedora, Mint and others) and on Chromebooks just as it does on Windows and Mac. Your plans and takeoffs are saved in the cloud, so you can measure on one computer and finish the quote on another.
Yes, if you mainly use Bluebeam for takeoffs and quoting. Bluebeam Revu costs about $260–$440 per user per year (2026 list prices), the full desktop app runs on Windows, and pricing and proposals happen in other software. TrueScope measures plans in any browser, including on a Mac, and turns the quantities into a priced Bill of Quantities and proposal for $20 per user per month with all modules included.
Yes. PlanSwift is installed Windows software. TrueScope Digital Takeoffs runs in the browser, so it works on Mac, Windows, Linux, Chromebook, iPad and Android tablets with nothing to install, and your takeoffs are shared with the whole team in the cloud.
TrueScope is $20 per Full User per month (about $240 a year), month to month, with every module included and a 30-day free trial. Software directories list PlanSwift at around $2,000 per licence per year, and Active Takeoff is quote-based, with third-party listings from roughly $500 to $2,000 per user.
Yes. Measurement groups link to products in your catalogue with your costs and prices, so the takeoff produces a priced Bill of Quantities that becomes a proposal the client signs online. The same products are used by Drafting for layout drawings and by Job Central for work orders, so nothing is typed twice.
Yes. PlanView shares the live plan with field crews on their phones and tablets, and clients can open a review link in their browser to add notes and markups — no Bluebeam licence or account needed.
Yes. The Material Requirements view compares the Bill of Quantities with your warehouse stock, highlights shortages and lets you create purchase orders for them before the job starts.
TrueScope Digital Takeoffs replaces paper rulers, scale wheels, and overpriced desktop takeoff programs like PlanSwift, Active Takeoff, and Bluebeam that slow down small business estimators with steep per-seat licensing fees and manual spreadsheet exports. Upload any architectural PDF, site plan, or shop blueprint directly into the interactive cloud canvas viewer, calibrate the drawing scale against a known dimension, and trace measurement shapes with digital takeoff tools that calculate material quantities automatically.
The calibration system is fast and precise: click two points along a known reference dimension and enter the real-world distance. The digital takeoff canvas applies the exact scaling factor to all subsequent measurements. Polygon area traces calculate square footage in real time for flooring, roofing, concrete, or landscaping beds. Path traces calculate running lengths as you click along pipe routes, electrical conduit, or lumber spans. Point pins count individual fixtures like outlets, valves, or structural anchors.
Unlike standalone tools such as PlanSwift, Active Takeoff, or Bluebeam where your takeoff stops at a CSV export, TrueScope connects your measurements directly to your catalog products. Once measurements are captured, they are organized into labeled measurement groups linked to catalog SKUs, and the BOQ (Bill of Quantities) tab compiles a complete material cost summary ready for quoting.
The Material Requirements tab cross-checks your current warehouse inventory stock levels against the BOQ demand and immediately identifies shortfalls, letting small business estimators flag procurement needs before the job even starts.
PlanView is a connected field feature that puts your uploaded drawings directly in the hands of your workers and project managers on site. Rather than referencing paper copies or hunting through email attachments, your team opens the plan on any phone or tablet and sees the live drawing. Supervisors can drop annotation pins on specific coordinates of the drawing to mark task locations, flag problem areas, or highlight completed work zones — giving every crew member a shared visual map of the job.
PlanView drawings can also be shared directly with clients. Instead of mailing printed plan sets or sending large PDF attachments, you generate a shareable link and the client sees the current drawing in their browser — no app download or Bluebeam license required. This is ideal for progress reviews, client walk-throughs, and approval sign-offs.
How TrueScope compares for small businesses: Bluebeam Revu is a strong PDF markup tool, but it is sold per named user on annual plans (about $260–$440 per user per year at 2026 list prices), the full desktop app runs on Windows only, and pricing and proposals happen somewhere else. PlanSwift and Active Takeoff are installed Windows takeoff programs — PlanSwift is listed at around $2,000 per licence per year and Active Takeoff is quote-based. TrueScope runs in any browser on Windows, Mac or tablet for $20 per user per month, and the quantities you measure flow straight into your Bill of Quantities, proposal, purchasing and job tracking.
Who uses it: fence, gate and railing contractors measuring site plans; flooring, drywall and painting contractors measuring areas; roofing and siding crews; electrical and plumbing contractors counting devices and runs; landscapers measuring beds and hardscape; and fabrication shops pricing steel and miscellaneous metals from shop drawings.
- Gives small businesses a fast, browser-based digital takeoff alternative to PlanSwift, Active Takeoff, and Bluebeam without expensive desktop licenses or Windows-only restrictions.
- Eliminates manual scaling errors by using precise digital calibration tools instead of physical scale rulers and manual spreadsheet formulas.
- Reduces bid preparation time by turning digital blueprint tracing sessions into immediate, catalog-linked Bills of Quantities (BOQ) and client proposals.
- Improves estimate accuracy by converting traced polygon areas, linear runs, and pin counts directly into catalog SKU quantities with real unit prices.
- Prevents material shortages mid-job by cross-checking BOQ requirements against current inventory stock before the project starts.
- Minimizes material waste for linear items like lumber, piping, and steel stock by generating optimized cut lists.
- Gives your workers and project managers a live visual plan on site via PlanView — no paper drawings, no printing, and no outdated revisions in the field.
- Enables professional client sharing — generate a shareable plan link so clients can review the current drawing from any device without needing an account.
Drawing Upload & Scale Calibration
- Navigate to Takeoffs and click 'New Drawing' or 'Upload' to load a blueprint PDF from your computer.
- Once the drawing loads in the canvas viewer, click the Calibration tool (ruler icon) in the toolbar.
- Click your first reference point on the drawing — choose a dimension line or a known feature.
- Click your second reference point at the other end of the same dimension.
- Enter the real-world distance in the calibration input field (e.g., 12.5 meters or 41 feet) and confirm.
- The canvas is now calibrated. All measurement tools will calculate based on this scale factor.
- Tip: Calibrate against the longest available reference dimension for best accuracy.
Tracing Canvas — Polygon, Path & Pin Tools
- With the drawing calibrated, select the Polygon tool from the toolbar to measure a floor area or wall surface.
- Click around the perimeter of the area you want to measure. The tool shows the running area as you trace.
- Double-click to close the polygon and lock in the final area measurement.
- Select the Path tool to measure linear distances — click along pipe runs, cable routes, or lumber spans.
- Select the Pin tool to count individual objects — click once for each item. The pin count increments automatically.
- Group related measurements together by naming them (e.g., 'Ground Floor Flooring', 'Roof Framing').
- Tip: You can create multiple measurement layers on the same drawing for different trade estimates.
BOQ Tab — Bill of Quantities
- After completing traces, navigate to the BOQ tab in the takeoff workspace.
- The measurement groups you created appear as rows. Click 'Link Product' on each group to associate a catalog SKU.
- Select the relevant product from the catalog — the unit quantity is calculated automatically from the measurement.
- Review the BOQ summary showing total material costs per group and the project grand total.
- Export the BOQ as a PDF or push the quantities directly into an Estimate worksheet for pricing and markup.
Material Requirements — Inventory Check
- Navigate to the Material Requirements tab inside the takeoff.
- The system displays each BOQ item alongside your current on-hand inventory quantity and the quantity still to be procured.
- Items highlighted in red indicate a stock shortfall — click 'Create PO' to generate a purchase order pre-filled with the shortfall quantity.
- Tip: Run the material check before finalizing a project estimate — knowing your procurement costs before bidding prevents margin erosion.
PlanView — On-Site Drawing Access & Client Sharing
- Open a Takeoff or Project record and navigate to the PlanView tab.
- The uploaded plan drawing is displayed in the browser — your team can zoom, pan, and review the exact drawing without needing to print anything.
- To mark a task location on the drawing, click the pin/annotation tool and drop a pin at the relevant coordinate on the plan.
- Enter a label for the pin — for example, 'Rough-in plumbing', 'Blocked area — do not disturb', or 'Inspection point for QC'.
- Workers on site open the project on their phone or tablet and see the drawing with all active pins — they know exactly where each task is located without verbal directions.
- To share the drawing with a client, click 'Share PlanView'. A shareable link is generated that the client can open in any browser — no TrueScope account required.
- The client sees the current drawing and any annotations you've made — useful for progress reviews, approval walkthroughs, or showing a client which areas are complete versus in progress.
- Tip: Use PlanView for client walk-through meetings instead of printing plan sets — you can reference the exact drawing on a tablet or screen and annotate in real time.