Best AI Electrical Takeoff Software for 2026
The best AI electrical takeoff software depends on how far past counting you need it to go. Drawer AI goes furthest on electrical: it links devices to panels and circuits, routes home runs and sizes wire. Countfire is the strongest general symbol counter for building services. Trimble Accubid's LiveCount AI is the choice if you already estimate in Accubid. STACK, Togal.AI, BuildVision and PlanSwift add AI counting to multi-trade takeoff. SparkQuote pairs AI counting from your legend with labor units and a finished proposal, and is free during its beta.
We make SparkQuote, so read its entry with that in mind. Every other fact comes from the vendor's own pages or review sites, checked October 15–18, 2026. Accuracy and time-saving figures are vendor claims; none of these tools publishes an independent accuracy test.
What "AI takeoff" means for electrical plans
Every tool here counts symbols. They differ in three ways that matter on an electrical bid:
- Whose symbols. Some tools learn from the legend on your set; others count what you select and find matches. Either way, check the legend: designers draw the same device differently. See electrical symbols.
- Counting only, or circuits too. A device count is the start. Home runs, branch circuits, wire and conduit lengths are where most of the labor is, and only a few tools touch them.
- What happens after the count. A takeoff tool hands you a spreadsheet. An estimating tool applies labor units and prices and builds the proposal.
The 9 tools at a glance
| Tool | What the AI does | Electrical depth | Published price (October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| SparkQuote | Reads the legend, counts devices and fixtures by type, finds all like a selected symbol | Counts feed labor units, assemblies and a proposal | Free during the beta; planned from $99/month |
| Drawer AI | Reads the legend, detects devices on every sheet, links panels and circuits, routes home runs | Wire sizing, voltage drop, conduit and wire footage | Not published; annual plans |
| Countfire | Smart Select counts a symbol across every drawing in a project | Building services; auto-counts revised drawings | Not published; 7-day trial |
| Trimble Accubid (LiveCount AI) | Recognizes and counts receptacles, switches and fixtures | Inside a full electrical estimating suite | Not published |
| STACK | Autocount; Floor Plan AI on higher tiers | Multi-trade | From $299/user/month |
| Togal.AI | Automated takeoffs and image or symbol search across a set | Multi-trade | $299/user/month, billed yearly |
| BuildVision | AI counts and quantities, priced with your rates and assemblies | Multi-trade, electrical included | $299/month (up to 5 users) or $599/month |
| PlanSwift (Takeoff BOOST) | Auto Count, Auto Scale and Auto Bookmark | Multi-trade, Windows | $2,000–$3,000 per seat per year |
| Bluebeam | Count tools in Revu; Max adds AI drawing review and comparison | PDF markup, not estimating | Max $590/user/year (introductory) |
1. SparkQuote: best for counting straight into a priced estimate
SparkQuote reads the legend on your drawings and counts receptacles, switches, fixtures by type tag, panels, disconnects and data outlets. Every count is marked on the sheet, symbols it isn't sure of are flagged for you, and "find all like this" picks up the rest of a symbol you click. The counts go straight into your labor units and assemblies, and out as a proposal with your logo.
- Price: free during the beta, with 5 AI takeoffs a month and no credit card; planned plans from $99 a month. See how the AI works.
- Limits: a new product in beta, one user per account. Check its counts against a job you've already bid.
2. Drawer AI: best for circuits, home runs and wire
Drawer AI is electrical only and goes past the count. It links each device to its panel and circuit, generates conduit paths from each panel to every device, groups circuits, routes home runs and branches, and sizes wire with voltage drop and derating. It stitches multi-sheet plans into one layout so overlapping sheets aren't double counted.
- Output: an Excel report with quantities, device properties and wire lengths, plus a marked-up PDF of the routing. Pricing happens in your estimating software.
- Price: not published; Starter and Enterprise annual plans by team size and project volume, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
3. Countfire: best general symbol counter for building services
Countfire counts a symbol across every drawing in a project with Smart Select, names and organizes items as it counts, and auto-counts revised drawings. It covers electrical, lighting, fire, security and low voltage, runs in the browser on PC or Mac, and has an estimating module.
- Price: not published; per user, after a 7-day full-access trial. Capterra 4.8/5 (243 reviews).
- More: Countfire alternative.
4. Trimble Accubid LiveCount AI: best if you already estimate in Accubid
LiveCount AI recognizes, labels and counts receptacles, switches and light fixtures, and Trimble says it has detected more than three million symbols. It's only in Accubid Anywhere (named user) and the hosted Classic Estimating Essentials subscription, so the counts land in the Accubid estimate with its database and labor factoring.
- Price: not published.
- More: Accubid alternative.
5. STACK: best AI counting in a multi-trade browser platform
STACK's Autocount finds plan symbols, and Floor Plan AI handles areas on higher tiers. It runs in any browser with plan version comparison and an open API.
- Price: Takeoff & Estimate from $299 per user per month. The free version has no Autocount.
- More: STACK alternative.
6. Togal.AI: best for searching a set by image or symbol
Togal is general construction takeoff. Its Growth plan includes unlimited automated takeoffs, chat prompts and image or symbol searches: box a symbol and find it across the set.
- Price: $299 per user per month, billed yearly; custom for teams of 4 or more. Sign-up starts with a demo.
- Watch for: electrical labor units and assemblies are yours to build elsewhere.
7. BuildVision: best for small teams that want flat pricing
BuildVision does AI-assisted takeoff for electrical and other trades, priced with your own rates and assembly libraries. Pricing is by AI token volume, not per seat.
- Price: Pro $299 a month for up to 5 users with 50,000 tokens; Max $599 a month with unlimited users. A 14-day trial needs a credit card.
8. PlanSwift Takeoff BOOST: best AI add-on for Windows takeoff
PlanSwift's Takeoff BOOST (May 2026) adds Auto Count, Auto Scale and Auto Bookmark to the Essential plan; Auto Takeoff needs Core. It keeps PlanSwift's live Excel link.
- Price: $2,000 (Essential) or $3,000 (Core) per seat per year; 14-day trial. Windows only.
- More: PlanSwift alternative.
9. Bluebeam: best for counting on the PDFs you already mark up
Bluebeam Revu's count tools let you mark and total devices on a PDF, and many estimators count there before pricing elsewhere. Bluebeam Max adds AI drawing review, drawing comparison and multi-view stitching. Treat Max counts as a check, not final bid quantities.
- Price: Max is $590 per user per year at its introductory price; Revu Complete is $440 per user per year.
How to test AI takeoff on your own plans
- Use a job you've already bid. You know the right answer, so the comparison is fair.
- Pick a set with your usual problems: enlarged plans, keynotes over symbols, a custom legend.
- Count three things by hand first: duplex receptacles, one fixture type and data outlets on one floor.
- Compare misses and false hits, not just totals. Ten misses and ten false hits look like a perfect total.
- Time the whole job, including review and fixing, through to a priced number.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best AI electrical takeoff software?
For circuits, home runs and wire, Drawer AI goes furthest. For counting across a whole drawing set, Countfire is the strongest. For counts that flow straight into labor units and a proposal, SparkQuote is free during its beta.
Can AI count electrical symbols accurately?
AI counting works well on clean vector PDFs with a clear legend, and less well on scans, symbols under keynotes and overlapping enlarged plans. No vendor here publishes an independent accuracy test, so check counts on a job you've already bid.
Does AI takeoff replace the estimator?
No. It replaces the highlighting. The estimator still checks the counts, decides on assemblies and labor, and owns the price.
Is there free AI electrical takeoff software?
SparkQuote is free during its beta, with 5 AI takeoffs a month. Countfire offers a 7-day trial, BuildVision a 14-day trial with a card, and PlanSwift a 14-day trial.
Which AI takeoff tools route home runs?
Drawer AI routes home runs and branch circuits from each panel. McCormick's Auto Home Run and Accubid's conduit routing do this inside those estimating suites.
Sources (checked 2026-10-15 to 2026-10-18): Drawer AI; Togal.AI pricing; BuildVision pricing; Trimble estimating AI blog; Bluebeam Max price; Countfire, STACK and PlanSwift sources are on their pages in our comparison hub. Drawer AI, Countfire, Accubid, LiveCount, STACK, Togal.AI, BuildVision, PlanSwift and Bluebeam are trademarks of their owners; SparkQuote is not affiliated with any of them.