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PlanSwift or STACK, plus InstantTakeoff for lighting
PlanSwift and STACK are takeoff tools used across trades. Here is what each publishes about counting and pricing, and how InstantTakeoff fits next to them, as of November 2026.
What PlanSwift publishes
- Auto Count finds and counts a symbol you select, on "repeatable objects such as switches, light fixtures, plumbing fixtures". You can "Select up to 10 pages in one run" and match on the symbol's shape, its text, or both. PlanSwift advises: "Review and verify results before using them in an estimate." [1]
- Inputs: "PDF, JPG, TIFF, CAD" [2].
- Takeoff and estimating in one tool, "with pre-built assemblies for your trade" [2].
- Pricing: Essential, $2,000 per year for 1 seat, with Auto Count, Auto Scale and Auto Bookmark. Core, $3,000 per year for 1 seat, adding Auto Takeoff. Discounted pricing for additional seats [2].
- Trial: "Try every feature free for 14 days with no credit card required." [2]
What STACK publishes
- Plans: Premium, $299 per user per month, billed annually, and Pro, $349 per user per month, billed annually. The FAQ states that subscriptions are 12-month terms [3].
- AI features named on the pricing page: "Symbol search & recognition", "AI Takeoffs" and "STACK IQ" [3].
- Estimating: Pro adds "Estimate labor & materials with items and assemblies", "STACK for Excel integration" and "Native Proposal Generation" [3].
- Free use: a 7-day Pro trial, then free features of 1 active project per month, up to 300 plan pages and 50 measurements per project [3].
How InstantTakeoff fits next to them
InstantTakeoff is focused on lighting. It does not measure areas or lengths for other trades, so it is not a replacement for a general takeoff and estimating tool that covers the whole job. A practical split:
- InstantTakeoff handles the lighting: lighting plans found across the set, fixtures, exit signs and controls counted by type, a fixture schedule check, branch wiring and home runs, and a priced estimate with bid summary and proposal.
- Your takeoff tool stays in place for everything else on the job.
- Excel, CSV, the API or the MCP connector carry the lighting counts and the priced lighting into your overall estimate.
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. On their side, PlanSwift says integrations are in every plan, and STACK Pro includes STACK for Excel, with ERP connectors as an add-on [2][3].
At a glance
| Counting | Integrations | Published price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| InstantTakeoff | Lighting plans found; fixtures, exit signs and controls counted by type and checked against the fixture schedule; a review layer double-checks each sheet. | Excel and CSV, an API, and an MCP connector for AI assistants; other connections built on request, often the same day | $300 per seat per month billed monthly, or $3,000 per seat per year |
| PlanSwift [1][2] | Auto Count for a selected symbol, up to 10 pages per run, matched by shape, text or both; on Core, Auto Takeoff builds a starting takeoff of areas, lengths and counts | Excel import and plugins; "Core takeoff, estimating, and integrations are in every plan" [2] | Essential $2,000 per year for 1 seat; Core $3,000 per year for 1 seat; discounted pricing for additional seats |
| STACK [3] | Symbol search and recognition, and AI Takeoffs | STACK for Excel integration on Pro; ERP connectors as an add-on | Premium $299 and Pro $349 per user per month, billed annually |
Prices as published on 2026-11-13, in US dollars as shown on each vendor's page.
Try it next to your current tool
Run one lighting sheet through InstantTakeoff and compare it with the count you already have: try a sheet free, or book a demo for a full set.
Sources
- PlanSwift, Auto Count: planswift.com/features/auto-count (checked 2026-11-13)
- PlanSwift, Pricing: planswift.com/pricing (checked 2026-11-13)
- STACK, Takeoff and Estimate pricing: stackct.com/takeoff-and-estimate-pricing (checked 2026-11-13)
PlanSwift and STACK are trademarks of their owners. InstantTakeoff is not affiliated with either. This page uses each vendor's public pages; if something here is out of date, tell us and we will correct it.