Compare
InstantTakeoff and LuxTakeoff by Bidflow
A factual comparison for lighting estimators, based on what each vendor publishes, as of November 2026.
At a glance
| InstantTakeoff | LuxTakeoff by Bidflow [1] | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Light fixtures by type, exit signs, and lighting controls including wall switches; branch circuits and home runs | Lighting, by design: fixture counts, linear runs, selected perimeter and area measurements, schedule extraction, inverter counts and remote drivers. Controls, sensors, switches, receptacles, general power, fire alarm, conduit, panels and risers are listed as not included [1] |
| Fixture schedule | Fixtures typed from tags and the schedule; the review layer double-checks each sheet and flags a type whose tags have too few counted fixtures beside them | "Every lighting schedule, read line by line"; "Tags matched to the fixture schedule" [1] |
| Pricing | Your price list (Excel or CSV import), vendor quotes, labor units and rates, tax, overhead, contingency and profit, bid summary, proposal (PDF or Word) | A lighting bill of materials "ready to send to distributors", counts organized for rep quotes, and labor costs calculated "in your Excel spreadsheet" [1] |
| Integrations and export | Excel and CSV export, an API, and an MCP connector for Claude, ChatGPT and other AI assistants. Need a connection to another tool? Ask us and we'll build it, often the same day. | One table of counts and measurements, "exported with driver and remote-driver details" [1] |
| Published price | $300 per seat per month billed monthly, or $3,000 per seat per year | No price listed on luxtakeoff.com when checked [1] |
| Trying it | Try a sheet free on the home page: counts on screen, no signup or card | "7-day free trial for testing"; a demo of 30 to 45 minutes [1] |
As published on 2026-11-13.
What LuxTakeoff publishes
LuxTakeoff describes itself as "AI-assisted lighting takeoffs, reviewable and fully editable." Its site describes reading each lighting schedule line by line, matching tags to the fixture schedule, finding emergency fixtures with EMB and EMC flagged for review, measuring linear runs by following the linework, calculating remote drivers, and showing what changed for every fixture type between revisions. The export carries driver and remote-driver details [1].
The site is direct about scope: lighting controls are not supported, and neither is any other non-lighting electrical scope [1].
Where InstantTakeoff differs
- Lighting controls, including wall switches and sensors, are counted next to the fixtures. LuxTakeoff lists controls, sensors and switches as not included.
- Wiring. Branch circuits and home runs are traced from the plan or built from circuit tags. LuxTakeoff lists conduit and panels as not included.
- Pricing in the same tool. The counts are priced from your price list, vendor quotes and labor units into a bid summary and a proposal. LuxTakeoff describes a bill of materials for distributors and rep quotes, with labor costs calculated in your own spreadsheet.
- Connects to what you already use. Counts, the priced estimate and the bid summary come out in Excel and CSV and through the API. Send a drawing set from an AI assistant or agent that supports MCP, such as Claude or ChatGPT, and get the counts, the review status and the estimate back. Working in estimating software or another tool we don't connect to yet? Ask us and we'll build the connection, often the same day. LuxTakeoff describes an exported table of counts and measurements, with labor costs worked out in your Excel spreadsheet [1].
- Published pricing: $300 per seat per month, or $3,000 per seat per year.
Which may fit your work
Both products focus on commercial lighting and both read the fixture schedule. LuxTakeoff publishes linear measurement, emergency fixtures flagged as EMB and EMC, remote-driver and inverter counts, and revision comparison, which matter on jobs heavy with linear and architectural lighting. If you want controls, wiring, pricing and the proposal in the same lighting takeoff, InstantTakeoff covers those. Compare on your own drawings: try a sheet free or book a demo.
Sources
- LuxTakeoff by Bidflow: luxtakeoff.com (checked 2026-11-13)
LuxTakeoff and Bidflow are trademarks of their owner. InstantTakeoff is not affiliated with Bidflow. This comparison uses each vendor's public pages; if something here is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.