Software comparison

TakeoffAI vs Groundplan, ConEst
& Bluebeam Revu

An honest, side-by-side look at the electrical takeoff tools Australian contractors are actually using — and where each one wins and loses.

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Last updated April 2026 · Pricing verified against each vendor's public website

Bottom line: Groundplan is the closest competitor for Australian sparkies — solid product, good SimPro integration, mobile app. But it has no AI counting; you still click every symbol manually. ConEst is enterprise-grade and expensive, built for the US market. Bluebeam is a PDF markup tool — not really a takeoff tool at all. TakeoffAI is the only one where the AI does the counting for you.

Side by side

Feature comparison

We've tried to be fair. Where competitors have a genuine edge, we say so.

	TakeoffAI	Groundplan	ConEst	Bluebeam Revu
Starting price	Free softwarePlans from $149/mo, or pay as you go Nothing per user or per project	~$149/moEssentials plan Trial available	$200–$500+/moEnterprise pricing Quote on request	~$310/yr(~$26/mo per user) 30-day trial
AI symbol counting	Auto-detects all symbols	Manual click-to-count	Manual counting	PDF markup only
Setup time	Under 1 hourFirst takeoff in your onboarding session	A few hoursStraightforward setup	Days to weeksComplex database configuration required	HoursNot electrical-specific; needs manual configuration
Australian electrical symbols	GPO, downlight, switch, data, smoke	Australian-built product	US-focused; AU symbols need setup	Generic PDF tool
SimPro integration	Push quotes to SimPro	Native integration
Mobile app	Web app (mobile responsive)	iOS & Android app	Limited mobile support	Bluebeam Studio mobile
BOQ export (Excel/PDF)				PDF markup; no BOQ
Addendum / revision detection	Auto-detects plan changes	Manual version comparison		PDF comparison tool
Pay only for results	Failed take-off refunded automatically	Trial only

The honest breakdown

Where each tool actually wins

We're not going to pretend every competitor is rubbish. Here's the real picture.

TakeoffAI

Best for: Speed and AI automation

If you want to upload a PDF and have the AI count everything — without clicking each symbol individually — TakeoffAI is the only option on this list. First takeoff in under an hour, no database setup, no IT department required. Built specifically for Australian electrical contractors by ex-tradies who understand the job.

Groundplan

Best for: contractors who want a native mobile app

Groundplan is a solid Australian product. If you need a native mobile app on site, Groundplan has a genuine edge over TakeoffAI right now — though we now push quotes to SimPro too, so that's no longer a reason to choose them. The key limitation: there's no AI counting. You still click every symbol manually — it's just faster than paper.

ConEst

Best for: Large US-style estimating departments

ConEst is a powerful, enterprise-grade platform built for large US electrical contractors with a dedicated estimating team and budget to match. For Australian sole traders or SMEs, it's overkill — expensive, complex to configure, and not built with AU standards in mind.

Bluebeam Revu

Best for: General PDF markup (not takeoffs)

Bluebeam is genuinely excellent at what it does — PDF collaboration and markup. But it's not a takeoff tool. There's no BOQ export, no AI counting, no electrical symbol library. Many contractors use it alongside a takeoff tool for plan annotation, not instead of one.

Common questions

Switching from another tool?

Can I use TakeoffAI alongside Groundplan or Bluebeam?

Yes — many contractors use TakeoffAI for the AI counting and quantity generation, then continue using Bluebeam for plan markup and annotation. They solve different problems. If you're on Groundplan, TakeoffAI can replace the takeoff part of your workflow immediately — and since we push quotes straight to SimPro, you keep that side of the workflow too.

How long does it take to switch from ConEst or Groundplan?

TakeoffAI has no database migration or configuration. Upload a real drawing set, run the AI, and you'll have a completed takeoff within your first session. Most contractors are fully up and running within a day — not weeks. Your existing BOQ templates and pricing data stay in whatever system you use today.

Is TakeoffAI accurate enough for real jobs?

95%+ on standard electrical symbols out of the box. Every count is reviewable before you export — you're always the last set of eyes before it goes to the GC. The AI does the counting; you do the judgment call. That's the right division of labour.

What if I try it and it's not right for my workflow?

Before you pay anything we run a live demo on your own drawings, so you see exactly how it handles your jobs. After that the software is free to keep using — no per-user or per-project fees. You only pay when you ask the AI to do a take-off, either on a monthly plan from $149 or by buying a pack of credits with no subscription at all. If a take-off doesn't deliver, you're refunded automatically.

TakeoffAI vs Groundplan, ConEst& Bluebeam Revu