Guide · Mac and iPad
Takeoff software for Mac
Some long-standing takeoff tools are Windows programs. On a Mac you can either run Windows or use a tool that works in the browser. Here’s which is which, checked on the vendors’ own sites on 8 November 2026.
Windows programs: on a Mac only by running Windows
PlanSwift. ConstructConnect’s help page on installing PlanSwift on a Mac says you “must be running a supported version of Windows on your MAC”, through Boot Camp or a virtualisation app such as Parallels. It adds that they test PlanSwift “on native Windows machines only” and that “you may not be able to install PlanSwift on a MAC powered by an M1 (or newer) chip.” PlanSwift costs $2,000 (Essential) or $3,000 (Core) per seat per year, with a 14-day free trial.
Bluebeam Revu. Bluebeam’s Bluebeam on Mac page says “Revu is designed as a Windows desktop application, so it’s not supported as a native macOS app.” Revu for Mac reached end of life in 2023, and Revu for iPad “was removed from sale and support at the end of 2025.” Bluebeam’s answer for Mac users is Bluebeam on the web, which runs in the browser and can measure area, length, polylength and count, or full Revu in a Windows virtual machine for its complete takeoff tools. Every Bluebeam plan includes the web version; plans run from $260 to $590 per user per year.
Running Windows on your Mac
A Windows virtual machine works for many people, but it adds a Windows licence, virtualisation software and a second operating system to keep updated, and PlanSwift says it tests only on native Windows machines. If you only need takeoff and quoting, a browser tool is usually simpler.
Tools that run in the browser on a Mac
- Planquote. Takeoff and the priced quote in one tool, in the browser on Mac, Windows, Chromebook and iPad. Free plan; Pro £12 a month or £99 a year.
- Solid Takeoff. Says it “runs in Safari or Chrome on macOS with nothing to install” and that the same account works on an iMac, a Chromebook and an iPad. Free plan; Solo $12.99 a month. See Solid Takeoff compared with Planquote.
- Easy Takeoffs. “Runs in the browser on Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, iPad, and Android tablets, with nothing to install.” $39 a month or $399 a year, 14-day trial.
- Metres.ai. “Cloud-based and runs in a browser”, with quotes included. $20 a month or $220 a year, 2-week trial.
- STACK. “100% Cloud”, accessed from any device with an internet connection. Free plan with limits; paid plans from $299 per user per month, billed annually.
- OpenTakeoff. Free and open source (AGPL-3.0), runs in the browser with no account.
What to check before you choose
- Your own drawings. Try a real, multi-page plan set in the browser you use every day (Safari or Chrome) before paying.
- Where jobs are kept. Some tools store projects in the cloud; Planquote keeps them in the browser on that device, which means nothing is uploaded but also that clearing the browser’s site data deletes them.
- Trackpad and touch. Zooming and panning a large drawing should feel natural. In Planquote, two-finger pinch zooms on touch screens, Ctrl/⌘ with the scroll wheel or trackpad zooms on a Mac, and Space-drag pans.
- What comes out. Do you need a quote you can send to the client, or quantities to paste into a spreadsheet or another estimating system?
Planquote on a Mac
There’s nothing to install: open the app, drop in a PDF of the drawings, and set the scale. We test it in Chromium (Chrome, Edge) and WebKit, the engine behind Safari. If you’re new to measuring on screen, how to measure a PDF drawing walks through the method.
Prices side by side
| Tool | Price | Free option | Runs on | Priced quote for the client |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planquote | £12/month or £99/year | Free plan: one saved job, every takeoff tool | Browser: Windows, Mac, Chromebook, iPad | Yes: priced quote PDF with your logo |
| OpenTakeoff | Free, open source (AGPL-3.0) | Free, no account | Browser | Not listed: quantities, CSV, Excel and marked-up PDF |
| Solid TakeoffCompare → | Solo $12.99/month; Team $49.99/month for 3 users | Free plan: 1 active project, 3 drawing uploads | Browser, including Mac, Chromebook and iPad | Not listed: annotated PDF and CSV for your estimate |
| Metres.ai | $20/month or $220/year | 2-week free trial | Browser | Yes: quotes included |
| Easy Takeoffs | $39/month or $399/year | 14-day free trial | Browser: Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, iPad, Android tablets | Not listed: Excel, PDF and CSV export |
| BluebeamCompare → | Basics $260, Core $330, Complete $440, Max $590 per user/year | Free trial | Revu: Windows desktop. Every plan adds Bluebeam on web and iOS | Not listed; Complete links quantities to Excel |
| PlanSwiftCompare → | Essential $2,000 or Core $3,000 per seat/year | 14-day free trial | Windows (on a Mac only by running Windows) | Estimating built in (assemblies); a client quote isn’t listed |
| STACKFree options → | Premium $299 or Pro $349 per user/month, billed annually | Free plan: 1 active project a month, 50 measurements per project | Cloud (web-based) | Estimates and proposals on Pro |
Other tools’ prices and plans as listed by the vendors on their own websites on 8 November 2026, with the currency symbol each one shows, before tax. “Not listed” means the vendor’s pages don’t mention a priced quote. Check their sites for current prices.
What’s different about Planquote: the priced quote is built into the takeoff (rates, labour lines, markup and tax, then a quote PDF with your logo), it runs in the browser on Windows, Mac, Chromebook and iPad, and Pro is £99 a year with a free plan. Metres.ai and STACK Pro also produce quotes or proposals, and PlanSwift includes estimating; the others hand you quantities for your own spreadsheet or estimate.
Guides: Free takeoff software · Takeoff software for Mac · Bluebeam Revu 20 end of life · How to measure a PDF drawing
More guides: Revu 20 end of life · Free takeoff software · How to measure a PDF drawing · Solid Takeoff alternative