STACK is a cloud-based takeoff and estimating platform that added AI features to its top-tier plan. Here's how its pricing and feature set compare to BuilderCore.
BuilderCore Pro
$149/mo for 5 users
$358/user/year
STACK Standard
$2,599/user/yr
No AI features
STACK Premium
$2,999/user/yr
AI autocount + chat
At 5 users on STACK Premium, annual cost runs roughly $14,995/year. The equivalent BuilderCore Pro plan is $1,788/year — about one-eighth the cost, with scheduling and project management included rather than sold separately.
| Feature | BuilderCore | STACK |
|---|---|---|
| AI-powered takeoffs (every tier) | ||
| AI autocount / AI chat | Premium tier only | |
| Estimating | ||
| Scheduling | ||
| Project management | Limited | |
| Client / sub portals | ||
| Free / low-cost tier | ||
| Flat monthly fee with AI credits | ||
| Per-seat annual, AI gated to top tier |
BuilderCore offers 10,000 AI credits/month on the Starter plan at $49/mo. STACK's free plan is capped at 7 days and 10 takeoffs total.
Mid-size commercial GCs with dedicated estimating staff and budget for a premium per-seat tool, particularly teams that value STACK's assembly library and don't need scheduling or PM bundled in, may find it a fit.
Contractors who want AI takeoff without paying premium-tier pricing to access it, and who want estimating, scheduling, and project management in one place instead of paying STACK's price for takeoff alone and buying separate software for the rest.
Pricing and feature information for STACK is publicly available and subject to change. Confirm current pricing directly with STACK before making a purchasing decision.
STACK Takeoff and BuilderCore are both cloud-based takeoff platforms, but they differ in approach, pricing, and included features. STACK offers manual on-screen takeoff tools. BuilderCore offers AI-powered automatic takeoffs. This comparison breaks down the differences.
STACK Takeoff provides cloud-based on-screen measurement tools — contractors trace areas, lengths, and counts on digital plans manually, then export to estimating. BuilderCore replaces manual tracing with AI: upload your plans and the software automatically detects materials, calculates quantities, and generates a cost estimate in minutes.
STACK charges per user per month (Standard plan around $2,748/year for a single user) and offers takeoff-only or takeoff-plus-estimating tiers. BuilderCore starts at $19/month and includes AI takeoffs, estimating, proposals, scheduling, and project management in a single platform — no add-on tiers required.
If you're comparing cloud-based takeoff tools and want AI-powered automation rather than manual tracing, BuilderCore offers a more modern, complete, and affordable solution. Start a free trial in minutes — no installation, no annual commitment.
BuilderCore starts at $19/month with monthly billing and no annual commitment. STACK Standard costs approximately $2,748/year for a single user. BuilderCore also includes estimating, proposals, and project management.
Yes. BuilderCore uses AI to automatically detect materials and calculate quantities from uploaded plans. STACK requires manual on-screen tracing for every measurement.
Yes. Both BuilderCore and STACK are cloud-based and run in a browser. However, BuilderCore offers AI-powered automatic takeoffs while STACK relies on manual on-screen measurement tools.
Yes. BuilderCore offers a free trial with no credit card required. Upload your plans and see an AI takeoff in minutes before deciding to subscribe.