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Construction · head to head

Fieldwire vs On-Screen Takeoff

Fieldwire logo

Fieldwire

Construction

Field management software for construction teams

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 Fieldwire has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Fieldwire free tier limited to 5 team members and 3 projects maximum; 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
  • They diverge on capability: Fieldwire covers Task management, On-Screen Takeoff covers Drawing takeoff.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Fieldwire and On-Screen Takeoff differ
AttributeFieldwireOn-Screen Takeoff
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, AndroidWindows
Founded2013Unknown

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 Fieldwire

  • Task management
  • Digital blueprints
  • Punch lists
  • Inspections
  • Photo documentation
  • Procore
  • Autodesk BIM 360
  • Box

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.

Fieldwire

  • Construction task tracking and field coordinationnot On-Screen Takeoff
  • Punch list management on mobile devicesnot On-Screen Takeoff
  • Project documentation organisationnot On-Screen Takeoff
  • Field team communicationnot 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 Fieldwire
  • An estimator who receives a late addendum and needs to know which rooms changed rather than re-measuring the whole floornot Fieldwire
  • A flooring subcontractor maintaining reusable conditions with waste factors so quantities and material orders stay consistent between estimatorsnot Fieldwire
  • A trade contractor that wants takeoff quantities split by phase so progress billing matches the way work is actually releasednot Fieldwire

Where each one falls short

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

Fieldwire

  • Free tier limited to 5 team members and 3 projects maximum
  • Basic plan limited to 100 sheets
  • Advanced features (RFIs, submittals, change orders, budget management) restricted to higher tiers
  • BIM viewer availability gated to Business tier and above

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

Fieldwire

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Fieldwire review.

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 Fieldwire if

  • You need task management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want digital blueprints.
Fieldwire 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 Fieldwire or On-Screen Takeoff better?
Neither clearly leads. Fieldwire 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, Fieldwire or On-Screen Takeoff?
Fieldwire has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Fieldwire and On request for On-Screen Takeoff.
Does Fieldwire or On-Screen Takeoff run on more platforms?
Fieldwire runs on iOS, Android. On-Screen Takeoff runs on Windows.
Can I use Fieldwire for free?
Yes. Fieldwire has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. On-Screen Takeoff starts at On request.
What is Fieldwire best used for?
Fieldwire is most often used for construction task tracking and field coordination, punch list management on mobile devices, project documentation organisation, field team communication. Of those, construction task tracking and field coordination and punch list management on mobile devices are not what On-Screen Takeoff is typically brought in for.
What can Fieldwire do that On-Screen Takeoff cannot?
Fieldwire covers Task management, Digital blueprints, Punch lists, Inspections. On-Screen Takeoff covers Drawing takeoff, Revision overlay, Condition libraries, Automatic scaling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fieldwire: Is there a free version of Fieldwire?

Yes. Fieldwire's Basic plan is free for up to 5 users, 3 projects, and 100 sheets. It includes core features like plan viewing, task management, specifications, files, photos, and checklists.

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.

Fieldwire: What are the per-user costs for paid Fieldwire plans?

Pro costs $39 per user per month (annual billing), Business costs $64 per user per month, and Business Plus costs $89 per user per month. All paid plans include unlimited sheets and unlimited projects regardless of plan tier.

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.

Fieldwire: How many users can I have on a free Fieldwire account?

The Basic plan (free) supports up to 5 users with 3 projects. Pro and higher plans scale without hard user limits; you pay per user added.

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.

Fieldwire: Does Fieldwire offer discounts for annual billing?

The pricing page lists annual billing rates for the standard plans shown. Custom contracts are available through sales with options for unlimited users, tailored training, dedicated success teams, API access, and single sign-on.

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.

Fieldwire: What is included in the Business Plus plan that isn't in lower tiers?

Business Plus ($89/user/month) adds RFIs, submittals, change orders, and budget management features compared to the Business tier. Business itself adds custom forms, app integrations, BIM viewer, and custom task fields compared to Pro.

Source
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