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Construction · head to head

Buildxact vs On-Screen Takeoff

Buildxact logo

Buildxact

Construction

Estimating and construction management for builders, remodelers and material dealers

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
On-Screen Takeoff logo

On-Screen Takeoff

Construction

Digital quantity takeoff from drawings, now subscription only and bundled rather than sold alone

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Buildxact has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Buildxact 15% discount applied only to annual billing; On-Screen Takeoff perpetual licensing is no longer offered on current releases, so long-standing users who paid once now face a recurring annual cost they never budgeted, and staying on an old version means no support for newer PDF formats
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Buildxact and On-Screen Takeoff actually diverge.

Attributes where Buildxact and On-Screen Takeoff differ
AttributeBuildxactOn-Screen Takeoff
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWindows

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Construction).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Buildxact

Nothing recorded that On-Screen Takeoff does not also cover.

Only in On-Screen Takeoff

  • Drawing takeoff
  • Revision overlay
  • Condition libraries
  • Automatic scaling
  • Bid zones and phases
  • Quick Bid handoff
  • Excel export

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Buildxact

  • Reducing estimation time from 30-40 hoursnot On-Screen Takeoff
  • Managing projects from lead to invoicenot On-Screen Takeoff
  • Generating estimates with digital signaturesnot On-Screen Takeoff
  • Integrating material dealers into workflownot On-Screen Takeoff

On-Screen Takeoff

  • A drywall contractor measuring wall area and openings across a 300 sheet set where manual takeoff would take a weeknot Buildxact
  • An estimator who receives a late addendum and needs to know which rooms changed rather than re-measuring the whole floornot Buildxact
  • A flooring subcontractor maintaining reusable conditions with waste factors so quantities and material orders stay consistent between estimatorsnot Buildxact
  • A trade contractor that wants takeoff quantities split by phase so progress billing matches the way work is actually releasednot Buildxact

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Buildxact

  • 15% discount applied only to annual billing
  • Advanced AI add-ons require additional per-month fees

On-Screen Takeoff

  • Perpetual licensing is no longer offered on current releases, so long-standing users who paid once now face a recurring annual cost they never budgeted, and staying on an old version means no support for newer PDF formats
  • ConstructConnect does not publish a price, and the product is increasingly sold inside a bundle with lead data and estimating, so buyers who want takeoff alone often find the quote priced around a package they do not need
  • It is Windows desktop only, with no macOS version and no meaningful browser or tablet workflow, which rules it out for firms standardised on Apple hardware
  • The interface has changed little in years and estimators coming from browser-based tools find the condition setup and layer management slow to learn, so onboarding a new estimator takes longer than the software cost would suggest
  • ConstructConnect sells lead data, takeoff and estimating as a portfolio and has consolidated several acquired products, so a buyer committing to On-Screen Takeoff should ask directly where it sits against the newer cloud takeoff products in the same portfolio

Pricing, plan by plan

Buildxact

Free
  • GoFree
    • 5 complimentary credits
    • AI Estimating
    • Professional Proposals
  • Foundation$199/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Lead management
    • Digital takeoffs
  • Pro$399/month
    • All Foundation features
    • Blu Estimate Generator
    • Job management
  • Master$599/month
    • All Pro features
    • Blu Takeoff Assistant
    • Blu Estimate Reviewer

On-Screen Takeoff

On request
  • On-Screen Takeoff$undefined/year
    • Annual subscription per seat on version 4 and later
    • Sold increasingly as part of a ConstructConnect takeoff and estimating bundle
    • Perpetual licensing not offered on current releases

Which should you pick?

Choose Buildxact if

  • You want to start without paying.
Buildxact review

Choose On-Screen Takeoff if

  • You need drawing takeoff.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want revision overlay.
On-Screen Takeoff review

Questions people ask

Is Buildxact or On-Screen Takeoff better?
Neither clearly leads. Buildxact starts at Free and On-Screen Takeoff at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Buildxact or On-Screen Takeoff?
Buildxact has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Buildxact and On request for On-Screen Takeoff.
Does Buildxact or On-Screen Takeoff run on more platforms?
Buildxact runs on Web. On-Screen Takeoff runs on Windows.
Can I use Buildxact for free?
Yes. Buildxact has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. On-Screen Takeoff starts at On request.
What is Buildxact best used for?
Buildxact is most often used for reducing estimation time from 30-40 hours, managing projects from lead to invoice, generating estimates with digital signatures, integrating material dealers into workflow. Of those, reducing estimation time from 30-40 hours and managing projects from lead to invoice are not what On-Screen Takeoff is typically brought in for.
What can Buildxact do that On-Screen Takeoff cannot?
On-Screen Takeoff covers Drawing takeoff, Revision overlay, Condition libraries, Automatic scaling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Buildxact: Does Buildxact offer a free tier?

Yes, Buildxact's Go plan is free and includes 5 complimentary credits for AI Estimating and Professional Proposals, plus access to Home Depot Material Ordering.

Source
On-Screen Takeoff: Can I still buy a perpetual licence?

No. Current releases are annual subscription. Older perpetual licences continue to run but do not receive updates.

Buildxact: What is the price difference between monthly and annual billing?

Annual plans include a 15% discount. For example, Foundation costs $199/month on monthly billing but $169/month ($2,030/year) on annual billing, saving $358 per year.

Source
On-Screen Takeoff: Is it sold separately from Quick Bid?

It can be, but ConstructConnect increasingly quotes it as part of a takeoff and estimating package. Ask explicitly for standalone pricing if that is what you want.

Buildxact: How many users can access Buildxact?

Foundation, Pro, and Master plans include unlimited users. The free Go plan does not specify user limits.

Source
On-Screen Takeoff: Does it run on a Mac?

Not natively. It is a Windows application and Mac users run it under virtualisation, which is unsupported in practice for large drawing sets.

Buildxact: What add-on costs are available?

Additional AI tools cost $99/month for Blu Takeoff Assistant and $149/month for Blu Estimate Reviewer, available on Pro and Master plans.

Source
On-Screen Takeoff: Will it read a scanned drawing?

Yes, but measurement accuracy on a scanned raster set depends entirely on the scan quality and on setting scale from a verified dimension.

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