Compare
InstantTakeoff and Drawer AI
A factual comparison for electrical estimators, based on what each vendor publishes, as of November 2026.
At a glance
| InstantTakeoff | Drawer AI [1][2][3] | |
|---|---|---|
| What it counts | Light fixtures by type, exit signs and lighting controls including wall switches | "Detects typical and non-typical power devices, lighting fixtures, and panel schedules on PDF drawings" [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 | "Automated drawing prep with panel and lighting fixture schedule extraction" [1] |
| Wiring | Branch circuits and home runs traced from the circuit lines drawn on the plan or built from circuit tags, estimated when neither is readable | Branch routing that "generates conduit paths from each panel to every device", with wire sizing and voltage drop calculations and conduit and wire footage by circuit [1] |
| Output | Excel and CSV, a priced estimate, bid summary and proposal (PDF or Word), an API and an MCP connector | "Export a complete Excel report with quantities, device properties, and wire lengths, plus a marked-up PDF showing all routing" [1] |
| Integrations | 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. | Excel report and marked-up PDF export; its BIM product turns drawing sets into "AI-generated native Revit models" [1] |
| Published price | $300 per seat per month billed monthly, or $3,000 per seat per year | Not published. Starter and Enterprise plans, described as annual subscriptions; "Contact sales for current pricing" [1][2] |
| Trying it | Try a sheet free on the home page: drop one lighting plan sheet (PDF, up to 25 MB) and see it counted on screen, no signup or card | A detection page for a single-page PDF drawing of up to 10 MB, a demo, and a weekly webinar; Drawer AI says every plan comes with 30 days to ask for your money back [1][4] |
As published on 2026-11-13.
What Drawer AI publishes
Drawer AI describes itself as AI electrical takeoff and estimating software. Its pages describe light fixture and power device counts from PDF drawings, extraction of panel and lighting fixture schedules, and branch routing: conduit paths from each panel to every device, wire sizing with voltage drop calculations, and home runs routed "from the panels to the home run boxes" [1][3]. It also describes stitching split sheets into one floor layout, which "avoids duplicate device counts where sheets overlap", and built-in QA tools for reviewing results. The export is an Excel report with quantities, device properties and wire lengths, plus a marked-up PDF of the routing, and the home page describes going "from PDF drawings to a fully routed, priced takeoff" [1]. Plans are sold as annual subscriptions through sales [1][2].
Where InstantTakeoff differs
- A different approach to wiring. InstantTakeoff follows the circuit lines the engineer drew, or builds runs from circuit tags, and estimates them when neither is readable. Drawer AI describes generating routes from panel and circuit data, with wire sizing and voltage drop.
- 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. Drawer AI describes an Excel report, a marked-up PDF and, in its BIM product, Revit models [1].
- Published, per-seat pricing, with monthly ($300) or annual ($3,000) billing.
Which may fit your work
Drawer AI's published scope is wider: it includes power devices, panel schedules and routed branch circuits with wire sizing and voltage drop. InstantTakeoff counts light fixtures, exit signs and lighting controls; it does not count power devices or size wire. If you need power and lighting counted and routed in one tool, that is a reason to look at Drawer AI.
If lighting is where your counting hours go, and you want exit signs and controls counted next to the fixtures, a check against the fixture schedule, your own price list, labor units and vendor quotes, and a proposal as PDF or Word, with published monthly pricing, InstantTakeoff is built for that. Compare on your own drawings: try a sheet free or book a demo.
Sources
- Drawer AI, home page (features, how it works, FAQ): drawer.ai (checked 2026-11-13)
- Drawer AI, Pricing: drawer.ai/pricing (checked 2026-11-13)
- Drawer AI, About: about.drawer.ai (checked 2026-11-13)
- Drawer AI, Try Detection: try.drawer.ai (checked 2026-11-13)
Drawer AI is a trademark of its owner. InstantTakeoff is not affiliated with Drawer AI. This comparison uses each vendor's public pages; if something here is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.