ArcSite Review 2026: Is the Takeoff Plan Worth It?
Quick verdict
ArcSite makes the most sense for trade contractors who measure on site and quote on the spot — fencing, decks, roofing, waterproofing, HVAC. The drawing is the takeoff, so the quote can be ready before you leave the job.
- Best for: field sales and estimators who draw on a tablet and want a proposal signed the same day.
- Think twice if: you mostly measure from PDF drawings in the office — that's a different kind of takeoff tool.
- Watch the price gap: automated takeoffs start at $99/month (annual), more than triple the $30 Draw Pro plan.
Try ArcSite free for 14 days Full features, no long-term contract (per ArcSite). Affiliate link.
What ArcSite is
ArcSite is field software for contractors. You draw the job on a tablet or phone — a fence line, a deck, a room — and the app builds a bill of materials from the drawing using your own product catalog and prices. From there it can produce an estimate, a proposal the client signs digitally, and an invoice.
According to ArcSite, it runs on iOS, Android and Windows, works offline and syncs later, and exports drawings as PDF, PNG, DWG and DXF. It integrates with QuickBooks, ServiceTitan, Salesforce and Jobber, among others. The company says it serves more than 50 trades, from fencing and roofing to inspection and architecture.
Plans and pricing
Prices below are from ArcSite's pricing page on October 30, 2026. Annual billing saves up to about 20%.
| Plan | Monthly billing | Annual billing | What it adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draw Basic | $14.99/mo | $10/mo | Unlimited projects and shapes, full mobile CAD. Aimed at DIYers. |
| Draw Pro | $34.99/mo | $30/mo | Team account, measurements, photo markups, layers, satellite maps, AR room scanner (LiDAR Apple devices only), DWG/DXF export, laser measure integration. |
| Takeoff | $119.99/mo | $99/mo | Automated material takeoffs, custom product library, digital price book, product bundles, forms, reports. |
| Estimates | $159.99/mo | $129/mo | Estimates and proposals, digital approvals, payments, invoicing, change orders, client financing, API access. |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Multi-location price books, advanced user management, dedicated account manager. |
ArcSite's pricing page doesn't state clearly whether prices are per user. Confirm with ArcSite before budgeting for a team.
A quantity surveyor's reading of the takeoff feature
In quantity surveying, a takeoff is only as good as two things: the measurement and the rules that turn measurements into quantities — waste allowances, laps, how many posts per run, how many boxes per square meter. ArcSite's approach puts those rules into a product library and bundles: you tell it that one meter of a certain fence needs so many posts, panels and bags of concrete, and the drawing does the rest.
That has two consequences worth knowing before you pay $99 a month:
- The setup is the real work. Automated takeoffs are only automatic after someone builds and checks the product library. Budget time for that in the trial — it's where the plan earns or loses its price.
- Errors scale. A wrong rule in a bundle repeats on every job. Before trusting the numbers, run a few past jobs where you already know the real quantities and compare.
ArcSite also publishes customer results — for example a 20% higher average contract value and a 50% cut in field time. Those figures belong to specific named customers on ArcSite's site, not to every user, so treat them as examples rather than expectations.
Pros and cons
What looks strong
- Drawing, takeoff, proposal and payment in one flow — fewer re-typed numbers between Excel and the quote.
- Works offline on site, syncs later.
- Runs on iOS, Android and Windows, not just iPad.
- DWG/DXF export from Draw Pro up, so drawings can go to CAD users.
- 14-day full-feature trial, no long-term contract.
What to watch
- Big jump from Draw Pro ($30) to Takeoff ($99) on annual billing.
- Takeoff accuracy depends on a product library you have to build and maintain.
- AR room scanning needs a LiDAR-equipped Apple device.
- Built for drawing on site — not for measuring stacks of PDF drawings in the office.
- Per-user pricing isn't clearly stated on the pricing page.
Who should (and shouldn't) buy it
A good fit
- Trade contractors who measure and quote at the client's home: fencing, decking, roofing, gutters, waterproofing, HVAC.
- Small teams who want the field drawing, the quote and the invoice in one place.
- Companies already on Jobber, ServiceTitan or QuickBooks that want the drawing to feed those systems.
Probably not a fit
- Estimators who work mainly from architect PDFs in the office.
- Homeowners doing one project — Draw Basic covers sketching, but the takeoff tiers are priced for businesses.
- Anyone who won't spend time setting up a product library and price book.
My hands-on test plan
Here's exactly what I'll do during the 14-day trial, so you can judge the results when they're published:
- Draw one real residential floor plan on site, with a laser measure, and time it.
- Build a small product library for one trade and one bundle.
- Compare ArcSite's quantities against my own manual takeoff of the same drawing.
- Export to PDF and DWG and check the drawing in a CAD viewer.
- Produce a proposal and note every step that needed manual fixing.
FAQ
Does ArcSite have a free trial?
Yes. ArcSite offers a 14-day trial with full features and no long-term contract, according to its pricing page.
Does ArcSite work on Android and Windows?
Yes, ArcSite lists iOS, Android and Windows. The AR room scanner is the exception: it needs a LiDAR-equipped Apple device.
Which plan includes automated takeoffs?
The Takeoff plan and above ($99/month billed annually, $119.99 billed monthly, as of October 30, 2026).
Can I export to AutoCAD?
Draw Pro and higher plans export DWG and DXF files.
Bottom line
If your quotes start with a tape measure at the client's property, ArcSite is worth a trial — and the trial is where you find out whether the takeoff library fits your trade. If your work starts with PDF drawings at a desk, look at office takeoff tools instead.
Start the 14-day ArcSite trial Affiliate link. Pricing checked October 30, 2026.
Sources: ArcSite pricing · ArcSite home page (features, integrations, customer results). Both checked October 30, 2026.