Framing estimating and takeoff software for framers

By Gavin Harris, Staxen. Updated 2026-10-15.

Framers bid from drawings, so the real split is between takeoff software that measures a plan set and estimate apps that get a signed number to the builder. STACK and PlanSwift are takeoff tools for estimators bidding plan sets every week, Contractor Foreman adds takeoff to sub paperwork, and Buildertrend fits a framer who acts as the builder. Staxen fits a small framing crew with no estimator: it drafts lines from the plan PDF for you to check and sends a signable estimate by text. Prices were pulled from each vendor's own site on October 15, 2026.

How this list was chosen

We are the company behind Staxen, so read the list with that in mind. We judged framing tools on the bids a two to eight person crew actually sends: a house frame from a plan PDF, a remodel addition, and the occasional commercial package. For each one we asked whether it measures plans, whether it prices lumber and labor, and whether the builder can sign and pay a draw without a second program. Facts come from each vendor's own pricing and feature pages, checked October 15, 2026. The list runs by lowest published starting price, from STACK's free plan to Buildertrend, and is not a ranking.

Pick by what you need

Estimating apps for framers, compared

Listed by lowest published starting price, quote-only apps last. This is not a ranking.

STACK

Best for: Framing estimators who measure full plan sets every week

Price: A free plan covers 1 active project a month. Premium is $299 per user a month billed annually, and Pro, which adds estimating and proposals, is $349. Every paid plan is a 12-month term.

Checked Oct 15, 2026 on STACK pricing, takeoff, estimating, integrations.

Pros:

• A free plan covers 1 active project a month, enough to try takeoff on a real set
• Area, linear, count and pitched measuring tools, with a pre-built item and assembly library
• Cloud based, so the plans open on any device with an internet connection
• AI Takeoffs on Premium, and Pro adds worksheet estimating and proposals

Cons:

• Paid plans are 12-month terms, starting at $299 per user a month billed annually
• Estimating and proposals need Pro at $349 per user a month
• We found no client e-signature or payment collection on its pricing or estimating pages

Joist

Best for: Small framing crews on repair and remodel work who need cheap paperwork

Price: Basics is $10 a month for up to 5 documents a month, Pro $17, Elite $32, and the newer Run plan, which adds scheduling, is $70 a month introductory. 14-day free trial; the free plan is gone.

Checked Oct 15, 2026 on Joist pricing, Joist estimates, Joist homeowner financing, Joist scheduling.

Pros:

• Basics at $10 a month is the lowest paid plan on this page
• Deposit and milestone payments on every plan, which suits a framing draw schedule
• Change orders come with Elite at $32 a month
• Estimates and invoices from a phone or the web

Cons:

• We found no plan takeoff in its plan comparison, so the quantities come from you
• Typing a full house frame into a phone estimate is slow going
• Basics caps you at 5 documents a month

Contractor Foreman

Best for: Framing subs who bid GC work and need takeoff, change orders and daily logs

Price: From $49 a month billed annually for 1 user (Basic is annual only). Monthly billing starts at Standard, $139 a month for up to 3 users. 30-day free trial.

Checked Oct 15, 2026 on Contractor Foreman plans.

Pros:

• Upload plans and measure in the same system that builds the estimate
• Tracks bids, submittals and daily logs next to the estimate
• The 1build integration pulls local vendor pricing into your materials
• Time cards to hold crew hours against the job
• Change orders go to the client for approval with an electronic signature

Cons:

• The $49 price is the annual-only Basic plan for 1 user, and paying monthly means Standard at $139
• Users come in tiers of 1, 3, 8, 15 or unlimited, with no single-seat add-on
• We found no estimate deposits on its pricing page

Staxen (our app)

Best for: Framing crews with no estimator who bid from plan PDFs and remodel walk-throughs

Price: $59 a month per AI employee, or $149 a month for all three. The first 7 days are free in the app.

Pros:

• Upload the plan PDF and get draft estimate lines, then check the counts before it goes out
• On remodels and additions, talk the frame through on site and get priced lines back
• The builder or homeowner signs from a text or email link with no login
• Milestone billing for framing draws, card and ACH through Stripe, and a QuickBooks Online push on send
• No per-user fees, so the lead and the crew share one account

Cons:

• Plan drafting is a head start, not a measured takeoff like STACK or PlanSwift
• No purchase orders for the lumber package, so ordering stays with your yard
• No time tracking to hold crew hours against the bid

PlanSwift

Best for: Framing estimators who work at a Windows desk and bid plan sets in volume

Price: Annual plans only: Essential is $2,000 a year per seat and Core $3,000 a year per seat. 14-day free trial. Runs on Windows.

Checked Oct 15, 2026 on PlanSwift pricing, concrete estimating, PlanSwift home, system requirements.

Pros:

• Takeoff and estimating in one tool, with pre-built assemblies for your trade
• Reads PDF, JPG, TIFF and CAD plans
• AI Auto Count and Auto Scale on Essential, and Core adds Auto Takeoff for a first pass
• Support, updates and training are part of the annual plan

Cons:

• Annual plans only, with Essential at $2,000 a year per seat
• Runs on Windows only; a Mac needs Boot Camp or Parallels, and there is no field app
• We found no client e-signature or payments; bids export to Excel or another system

Buildertrend

Best for: Framing companies that run whole builds as the general contractor

Price: Starting at $499 a month for one plan with unlimited users, 10 percent off paid annually. The final price depends on construction volume and the onboarding package.

Checked Oct 15, 2026 on Buildertrend pricing, Buildertrend estimating.

Pros:

• Takeoff from project plans feeds quantities straight into the estimate
• Schedules shared with crews, subs and clients, plus a client portal
• Proposals and contracts signed online, and clients pay invoices online
• One plan with unlimited users

Cons:

• Starts at $499 a month, and the final price depends on construction volume and the onboarding package
• Built for builders managing whole projects, which is more system than a framing sub needs
• We found no deposit collection on its pricing page

If you frame a few houses or additions a month and nobody on the crew is a full-time estimator, start with Staxen or Joist and keep your own takeoff habits. If you bid commercial packages or full plan sets every week, STACK or PlanSwift is worth the annual cost in measured quantities, and a cheaper app can handle the signing. If you act as the builder, look at Buildertrend. Lumber moves fast, so date the material price on every bid whichever app sends it.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between framing takeoff software and a framing estimate app?

Takeoff software such as STACK or PlanSwift measures the plan set: wall lengths, openings, areas and counts. An estimate app prices the job and gets it signed. Some tools do part of both: Contractor Foreman and Buildertrend include plan takeoff, and Staxen drafts estimate lines from an uploaded plan PDF that you then check.

Is there free framing takeoff software?

STACK has a free plan that covers 1 active project a month, with paid plans from $299 per user a month billed annually. PlanSwift offers a 14-day trial, then $2,000 a year per seat. The rest of this list runs on trials: 30 days on Contractor Foreman, 14 on Joist and 7 on Staxen, and we found no trial on Buildertrend's pricing page. Those prices were checked on each vendor's site on October 15, 2026.

How much does Staxen cost for a framing contractor?

Staxen is $59 per month per AI employee, or $149 per month for all three. Eddie the Estimator covers the plan PDF drafting, the estimate, the signature and the deposit, and Ivy the Invoicer adds milestone invoicing for framing draws with QuickBooks Online sync. It is month to month, and the first 7 days are free in the app.

What does framing labor cost per square foot in 2026?

Our 2026 framing pricing guide puts framing and sheathing a 2,000 square foot house at $22,000 to $50,000 and a 400 square foot addition at $12,000 to $25,000, with roof complexity and wall height driving the spread. The lumber package moves with commodity prices, which is why framers date their bids and keep them valid for a short window. Engineered components (trusses, I-joists, LVLs) come from supplier quotes and should pass through the estimate as their own lines.

How do framing draws usually work?

Most framing contracts pay in stages: a mobilization or deposit payment, a draw at walls or dry-in, and a final on completion or inspection. Writing each stage onto the signed estimate keeps the last draw from turning into a negotiation. Joist lists milestone payments on every plan, and Staxen bills by milestone with card or ACH through Stripe, then sends escalating reminders if a draw goes overdue.

Get the Staxen app: the first 7 days are free.