Compare
InstantTakeoff and Countfire
A factual comparison for lighting estimators, based on what each vendor publishes, as of November 2026.
At a glance
| InstantTakeoff | Countfire [1][3] | |
|---|---|---|
| Lighting scope | Light fixtures by type, exit signs and lighting controls including wall switches; branch circuits and home runs | "every lighting fixture, controller and accessory across multiple drawings"; linear measurement for LED strip and extrusions [1] |
| How counting starts | Upload the set; lighting plans are found and symbols are counted by type from their tags and the fixture schedule | "Select each fixture symbol once and Countfire counts every instance across all drawings" [1] |
| Checks | The review layer double-checks each sheet and flags a type whose tags have too few counted fixtures beside them | "Uncounted items are flagged before the estimate goes out"; a coverage tool for PIR detection areas [1] |
| Pricing | Your price list (Excel or CSV import, matched by catalog number), vendor quotes, labor units and rates, tax, overhead, contingency and profit, bid summary, proposal (PDF or Word) | Your price list and kits; pricing reused from your regular lighting items; a client-ready estimate [1][3] |
| 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. | Integrates with Excel and Dropbox [3] |
| Published price | $300 per seat per month billed monthly, or $3,000 per seat per year | Not published; countfire.com/pricing leads to a contact page [2] |
| Platform | Web browser | Mac or PC with an up-to-date web browser; tablets and mobile devices are not supported [3] |
| Trying it | Try a sheet free on the home page: counts on screen, no signup or card | Free 7-day trial [3] |
As published on 2026-11-13.
What Countfire publishes about lighting
Countfire's lighting page describes counting lighting fixtures, controllers and accessories across a drawing set, with the estimator selecting each fixture symbol once. It describes linear measurement for LED strip and extrusion lighting, zones for splitting quantities, a coverage tool to "check detection areas for PIR sensors and lighting controls directly on the drawing", and says its takeoff is "built on AI trained on real takeoff data" [1]. Estimates are priced from your price list and kits, and pricing from your regular lighting items is reused [1][3].
Where InstantTakeoff differs
- No symbol picking to start. Countfire counts each symbol you select. InstantTakeoff finds the lighting plans in the set and counts fixtures, exit signs and controls by type from their tags, matched to the fixture schedule.
- 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. Countfire lists integrations with Excel and Dropbox [3].
- Published pricing. $300 per seat per month, or $3,000 per seat per year.
Both tools take the job from the count to a priced estimate and a client-ready proposal [1]. In InstantTakeoff, the estimate includes branch wiring and home runs traced from the plans and vendor quotes per fixture type, and the proposal downloads as PDF or Word. Both also check the count: Countfire flags uncounted items [1]; InstantTakeoff's review layer double-checks each sheet and flags a type whose tags have too few counted fixtures beside them (see fixture schedule reconciliation).
Which may fit your work
Both products focus on lighting and both price the job. If you want to drive the count by selecting each symbol yourself, measure linear lighting, and check sensor coverage on the drawing, Countfire describes that workflow. If you want the set counted by type without picking symbols, checked against the fixture schedule, InstantTakeoff is built for that.
The quickest way to compare is on your own drawings: try a sheet free or book a demo.
Sources
- Countfire, Lighting estimating software: countfire.com/lighting-estimating-software (checked 2026-11-13)
- Countfire, pricing address: countfire.com/pricing, which redirected to countfire.com/contact when checked on 2026-11-13
- Countfire, FAQ: countfire.com/faq (checked 2026-11-13)
Countfire is a trademark of its owner. InstantTakeoff is not affiliated with Countfire. This comparison uses each vendor's public pages; if something here is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.