PlanSwift Alternative for Civil Takeoff

A PlanSwift alternative should make the whole bid easier, from opening the plans to finishing your material quantities. Zip Takeoff gives civil estimators smart area and line tools, automatic sheet setup, and material totals that update as you measure, all in a Mac or Windows browser.

Take off a pavement area once and use it for asphalt, base, and bid-item quantities. Keep Base Bid and Alternates separate, revise the work without starting over, and bring another estimator into the same plan set when you need a second pair of eyes.

No credit card required. Free includes 1 estimator, 10 projects, and 5 GB of plan storage.

A PlanSwift alternative built around the civil bid

Finish the quantities while you measure

A colored shape on a plan is only part of the job. You still need the asphalt, base, curb, or pipe quantities that go into the bid. Zip Takeoff lets you attach those materials and bid items to an area, a line, or a count. As you measure, the item totals update inside the takeoff.

For example, measure a pavement footprint and attach the asphalt and base items it needs. Enter the thicknesses and densities for that section, then review the resulting quantities together. You do not need to export the area to Excel just to calculate the materials. You can still download an Excel file when a customer or your estimating process needs one.

See how measurements become bid quantities →

Spend less time setting up and tracing sheets

Zip Takeoff detects sheet numbers and scales during PDF upload. Review the suggested scales against a known dimension, then start measuring. Recognized sheet references become clickable links, so a note pointing to another drawing can take you straight to that sheet.

Smart Area picks up suitable hatched areas, and Smart Linear finds matching plotted lines on supported PDFs. You review the suggestions and accept the work you want to measure. PlanSwift Core also offers automated takeoff; Zip Takeoff puts these tools alongside civil material calculations and a free starting plan. Scanned drawings still have manual area, length, and count tools.

Keep your takeoff when the treatment changes

Suppose an addendum changes part of a parking lot from one pavement section to another. In Zip Takeoff, you can split the existing area, then move the changed portion to the other measurement group. The app calls that group a condition. Its attached material quantities recalculate using the new settings.

You can also move an existing line to another group without tracing the run again. Keep Base Bid, Alternate 1, and Alternate 2 separate as you work, so a revised treatment does not get buried in the wrong bid total. Area splitting currently applies to shapes without cutouts.

Work from the same plans, wherever you estimate

Open Zip Takeoff in a browser on Mac or Windows. Estimators can work on the same plan set in real time, with questions pinned to the drawing. Use an @mention when a teammate needs to check a limit or detail; their mentions inbox lets them return to the sheet when they are back at their desk.

Free viewer seats give others a way to review the project. People who measure or comment need estimator access, and additional estimators require Pro. That gives you a clear distinction between paying for someone doing takeoff and sharing the result for review.

Explore shared plans and comments →

Start before the PDF arrives, and learn as you go

For an early paving or sitework request, free satellite takeoffs let you start with an address and measure visible site features. Use those measurements for preliminary scope, then confirm the dimensions and final work against the issued drawings or site information.

Inside the app, step-by-step tutorials show the actual actions behind the tools: setting scale, measuring, attaching bid items, moving shapes, handling revisions, and exporting. Zip Takeoff is built by a working estimator, and that attention to everyday tasks carries through from the controls to the guidance.

See free satellite takeoff →

Make the annual seat cost part of the decision

PlanSwift lists Essential at $2,000 per seat per year and Core at $3,000, billed annually. Zip Takeoff Pro is $390 per estimator per year, or $39 per month. That makes it a lower-cost option for the civil measurement and material-quantity work described here.

Start with a new job or a small scope from a familiar plan. Measure it, attach the materials, and make one revision before deciding whether to move more work. The Free plan lets you test the actual quantity workflow and export the result without a credit card.

Bring your plans and item list. Our PlanSwift migration guide explains what you can reuse and how to get your first Zip Takeoff job ready. Read the migration guide