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Construction · head to head

Propeller Aero vs STACK Construction Technologies

Propeller Aero logo

Propeller Aero

Construction

Drone survey processing and earthworks volume measurement for sites that measure stockpiles weekly

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
STACK Construction Technologies logo

STACK Construction Technologies

Construction

Takeoff and estimating software for preconstruction

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only STACK Construction Technologies has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Propeller Aero platform pricing is not published and is scoped by sites and users, so a contractor with many short-lived sites can be quoted very differently from one with a few long ones, and neither can benchmark against a list price; STACK Construction Technologies takeoff and Estimate is priced per user at $249 per user per month, so cost scales linearly with estimators
  • They diverge on capability: Propeller Aero covers Photogrammetric processing, STACK Construction Technologies covers Digital takeoff.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Propeller Aero and STACK Construction Technologies actually diverge.

Attributes where Propeller Aero and STACK Construction Technologies differ
AttributePropeller AeroSTACK Construction Technologies
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelHardware purchase plus a quoted platform subscriptionsubscription
Free tierNoYes
FoundedUnknown2011

Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android), 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 Propeller Aero

  • Photogrammetric processing
  • AeroPoints ground control
  • Volume measurement
  • Design surface comparison
  • Progress timeline
  • Machine telemetry
  • Corrections network

Only in STACK Construction Technologies

  • Digital takeoff
  • Estimating
  • Bid management
  • Proposal generation
  • Plan storage
  • QuickBooks
  • Sage
  • Procore

What people use each for

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

Propeller Aero

  • A quarry that reconciles stockpile inventory monthly for its accounts and wants the volume evidence to survive an auditnot STACK Construction Technologies
  • An earthworks contractor claiming progress payments on cubic metres moved who needs an independent measurement the client will acceptnot STACK Construction Technologies
  • A civil site checking whether a subgrade is within tolerance of the design before the surfacing crew arrivesnot STACK Construction Technologies
  • A mine that wants weekly volume reporting without a survey crew on the ground every weeknot STACK Construction Technologies

STACK Construction Technologies

  • Construction project estimation and biddingnot Propeller Aero
  • Field operations and daily reportingnot Propeller Aero
  • Construction project managementnot Propeller Aero
  • Material and labor takeoffnot Propeller Aero

Where each one falls short

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

Propeller Aero

  • Platform pricing is not published and is scoped by sites and users, so a contractor with many short-lived sites can be quoted very differently from one with a few long ones, and neither can benchmark against a list price
  • The corrections network is free only while you hold a current platform licence, so cancelling the platform subscription reintroduces a 1,000 dollar per year per group hardware cost that many buyers do not model
  • AeroPoints are a hardware purchase at 1,000 dollars each and most sites need several, so the true entry cost includes several thousand dollars of equipment on top of a subscription
  • It measures rather than designs, so a contractor still needs Civil 3D, Trimble Business Center or an equivalent to produce and revise the design surfaces the measurement is compared against
  • Accuracy depends on flight planning, ground control placement and weather, and a poorly flown survey produces a confident wrong volume, so an organisation still needs someone who understands survey error rather than only a drone pilot

STACK Construction Technologies

  • Takeoff and Estimate is priced per user at $249 per user per month, so cost scales linearly with estimators
  • The full platform combining takeoff, estimating and field management starts at $298 per user per month
  • Field and project management is sold as a separate Build and Operate product starting at $49 per user per month rather than bundled with takeoff
  • The Build and Operate product offers only a two-week free trial, with the free version limited to Takeoff and Estimate

Pricing, plan by plan

Propeller Aero

On request
  • AeroPoint ground control unit$1000/one-time
    • Single solar-powered GNSS ground control marker
    • Includes 12 months of the Propeller Corrections Network
    • Network renewal 1,000 USD per year per AeroPoint group
  • Propeller Platform$undefined/year
    • Quoted by number of sites, users and survey volume
    • Not published
    • Processing turnaround and support level vary by agreement

STACK Construction Technologies

Free
  • Takeoff & Estimate$249/month
    • Quantity takeoff capabilities
    • Labor and material takeoff
    • Flexible estimates and proposals
  • Build & Operate$49/month
    • Responsive plan viewing and markup
    • Issues, punch lists, and daily reports
    • Customizable workflows
  • Full STACK Platform$298/month
    • Plan measurement and markup
    • Integrated estimating
    • Field and project management

Which should you pick?

Choose Propeller Aero if

  • You need photogrammetric processing.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want aeropoints ground control.
Propeller Aero review

Choose STACK Construction Technologies if

  • You need digital takeoff.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want estimating.
STACK Construction Technologies review

Questions people ask

Is Propeller Aero or STACK Construction Technologies better?
Neither clearly leads. Propeller Aero starts at On request and STACK Construction Technologies at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Propeller Aero or STACK Construction Technologies?
STACK Construction Technologies has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Propeller Aero and Free for STACK Construction Technologies.
Does Propeller Aero or STACK Construction Technologies run on more platforms?
Propeller Aero runs on Web, iOS, Android. STACK Construction Technologies runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use STACK Construction Technologies for free?
Yes. STACK Construction Technologies has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Propeller Aero starts at On request.
What is Propeller Aero best used for?
Propeller Aero is most often used for a quarry that reconciles stockpile inventory monthly for its accounts and wants the volume evidence to survive an audit, an earthworks contractor claiming progress payments on cubic metres moved who needs an independent measurement the client will accept, a civil site checking whether a subgrade is within tolerance of the design before the surfacing crew arrives, a mine that wants weekly volume reporting without a survey crew on the ground every week. Of those, a quarry that reconciles stockpile inventory monthly for its accounts and wants the volume evidence to survive an audit and an earthworks contractor claiming progress payments on cubic metres moved who needs an independent measurement the client will accept are not what STACK Construction Technologies is typically brought in for.
What can Propeller Aero do that STACK Construction Technologies cannot?
Propeller Aero covers Photogrammetric processing, AeroPoints ground control, Volume measurement, Design surface comparison. STACK Construction Technologies covers Digital takeoff, Estimating, Bid management, Proposal generation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Propeller Aero: How much does Propeller cost?

The platform is quoted and not published. AeroPoints are 1,000 US dollars each, with the corrections network included for twelve months and thereafter free while a platform licence is current, otherwise 1,000 dollars a year per group.

STACK Construction Technologies: How much does STACK Construction cost?

STACK costs $49 to $298 per user per month depending on the plan. Build & Operate starts at $49/user/month, Takeoff & Estimate at $249/user/month, and Full STACK Platform at $298/user/month. Pricing is quoted per-user and scales with team size.

Source
Propeller Aero: Do I need AeroPoints?

No, you can use conventional surveyed ground control, but the AeroPoints workflow is the main reason contractors choose Propeller over generic photogrammetry.

STACK Construction Technologies: Does STACK offer free options?

Yes, Takeoff & Estimate includes a free version, and Build & Operate includes a two-week free trial. Full STACK Platform offers a Build Your Price option for custom configurations.

Source
Propeller Aero: Is it survey grade?

Propeller states centimetre-level accuracy with correct ground control. Whether that satisfies a contract depends on your specification and on how the survey was flown, not on the software alone.

STACK Construction Technologies: Can I get custom pricing from STACK?

Yes, STACK offers a Build Your Price option for the Full STACK Platform and Takeoff & Estimate to accommodate specific business requirements. Custom pricing requires direct consultation with their sales team.

Source
Propeller Aero: Who owns the data?

You retain your survey data and can export surfaces and point clouds, but check the export formats and retention terms in your contract before closeout, because bulk historical export is not a self-service one-click operation.

STACK Construction Technologies: How quickly can STACK be implemented?

STACK promises quick implementation measured in hours rather than weeks, though the exact timeframe depends on your configuration and team size.

Source
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