Free Steel Takeoff Software: 7 Options Compared
Yes, there's free steel takeoff software, but most of it is a time-limited trial (7 to 14 days) rather than a free plan you can keep. Of the seven tools below, only two offer an ongoing free tier: SteelFlo's free plan (3 AI takeoffs, unlimited manual estimates, CSV export) and STACK's free version. The rest are full-featured trials that convert to paid.
That difference matters more than it sounds. A 14-day trial is fine if you have a live bid that week. A free plan lets you test on your own schedule, on the drawings you're actually bidding.
All details below come from each vendor's own website at the time of writing. Free tiers and trial terms change often, so confirm on the vendor's site before you sign up. If you just want a spreadsheet, our free steel takeoff template for Excel is a separate option covered at the end.
Is there free steel takeoff software?
There are three kinds of "free" you'll run into:
- Free plan. A permanent free tier with limits on usage or features. You can keep using it.
- Free trial. Full or near-full access for a fixed number of days, then you pay or lose access.
- Free template or tool. A spreadsheet, calculator, or reference database. No takeoff automation, but no clock either.
Steel shops need one more filter: does the tool know steel? A general takeoff tool can count clicks and measure lines on any trade's drawings. A steel-specific tool knows that W12X26 weighs 26 lb/ft and can roll your count up into tonnage.
If you want to start with no trial clock, sign up for SteelFlo's free plan: 3 full AI takeoffs on your own drawings, with a real exportable BOM. No credit card required.
How do the free plans, trials and templates compare?
| Tool | Type of free | How long | Steel-specific? | What you get free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SteelFlo | Free plan | Ongoing | Yes, built for structural steel | 3 AI takeoffs, unlimited manual estimates, CSV export; no card required |
| STACK | Free version | Ongoing | General, with a steel page and a material library | Free account; limits not detailed on the pricing page |
| Bluebeam | Free trial | 14 days | General PDF markup and measurement | Full Max subscription during trial |
| PlanSwift | Free trial | 14 days | General | Full access, including its Takeoff BOOST features |
| On-Screen Takeoff | Free trial | 14 days | General | Trial plus a free web preview of Takeoff Boost |
| Kreo | Free trial | 7 days | General | Trial on Plus and Pro tiers |
| eTakeoff | Free trial | Not stated on its steel page | Has a steel trade page | Trial listed; length not stated |
Sources: each vendor's website at the time of writing. Terms change; verify before relying on them.
What does each free tier actually limit?
SteelFlo: free plan
SteelFlo's free plan includes 3 AI takeoffs, unlimited manual estimates, and CSV export, and signing up doesn't ask for a credit card. You upload a PDF drawing set, it finds and boxes every steel member label on every page, you review and confirm the boxes, and you export the BOM. The count is the number of boxed labels, so every piece traces back to a spot on the drawing.
It covers six standards (AISC, BS/IS, AS/NZS, EN, GB and CFS/SSMA cold-formed) and 4,500+ sections. It works best on vector or CAD-exported PDFs.
The limit: 3 AI takeoffs. After that, paid plans start at $399/month for 10 takeoffs a month, as of this writing. See steel takeoff software pricing for how that compares.
STACK: free version
STACK offers a free version of its Takeoff and Estimate product, and its structural steel page describes measuring beams, columns and decking, auto-counting plan symbols, and a pre-built material library. Its pricing page lists paid Takeoff and Estimate from $249 per user per month at the time of writing.
The limit: STACK's pricing page doesn't spell out the free version's limits, so check them when you sign up. It's a general construction takeoff tool, so you'll want to see how steel sections and weights are set up before you rely on it for tonnage.
Bluebeam: 14-day trial
Bluebeam's free trial runs 14 days and gives full access to its top subscription, no credit card required. Bluebeam is the PDF markup tool most estimators already know. It measures and counts, but you build the steel side yourself.
The limit: 14 days. After that, plans run roughly $260 to $590 per user per year at the time of writing.
PlanSwift: 14-day trial
PlanSwift's free trial is 14 days with full access, including its Takeoff BOOST automation features, and no credit card.
The limit: 14 days, then a paid license. It's a general on-screen takeoff tool.
On-Screen Takeoff: 14-day trial
On-Screen Takeoff offers a 14-day free trial and a free browser preview of its Takeoff Boost feature, where you upload a plan and watch it run a first pass. Pricing isn't listed on the product page. For a side-by-side with SteelFlo, see SteelFlo vs On-Screen Takeoff.
The limit: 14 days, then contact sales for pricing.
Kreo: 7-day trial
Kreo's pricing page lists a 7-day free trial on its Plus and Pro tiers. Paid plans run from $35 to $175 per user per month billed annually at the time of writing, with its AI auto-measure and auto-count tools on the Pro tier.
The limit: the shortest trial on this list.
eTakeoff: free trial
eTakeoff's steel trade page talks about calculating plates, accessories and connectors and lists a free trial. At the time of writing it shows annual subscriptions at $795 (Advanced) and $1,495 (Premier).
The limit: the trial length isn't stated on that page, so ask before you start.
Should you use a free general takeoff tool or a free steel-specific one?
It depends on what you need at the end of the takeoff.
| You need | General tool (Bluebeam, PlanSwift, OST, Kreo, STACK) | Steel-specific tool (SteelFlo) |
|---|---|---|
| Count and measure on PDFs | Yes | Yes |
| Every trade on one platform | Yes | No, steel only |
| Section weights built in | Varies; some include a material library, you set up the rest | 4,500+ sections, six standards |
| Members found for you | Some auto-count symbols or areas | Finds and boxes every steel member label |
| Tonnage and BOM | You build it from counts | Exported from the confirmed count |
| Free without a clock | STACK's free version | 3 AI takeoffs on the free plan |
If you're a GC or a multi-trade estimator, a general tool may be the right buy. If you're a fabricator or misc-metals shop and the deliverable is a priced steel BOM, a steel-specific tool skips the step where you type section names and weights into conditions by hand. Our steel takeoff software comparison goes deeper on the paid side.
When does free stop being free?
Free software isn't free if it costs you hours. Here's the math.
The BLS puts median cost estimator pay at $37.86 an hour as of May 2025. With a 1.3 load for taxes and benefits, that's about $49 an hour. If a free tool leaves you doing 12 hours of manual counting and weight lookups on a takeoff, that takeoff cost you about $590 in estimator time.
| Approach | Cash cost | Estimator time (example) | Time cost at $49/hr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free spreadsheet, hand count | $0 | 12 hours | $588 |
| Free general trial, manual conditions | $0 for 14 days | 8 hours | $392 |
| Steel-specific tool, review the count | Free for 3 takeoffs | Measure it yourself | Your number |
Hours are example inputs. Time your own takeoffs.
The point isn't that one tool always wins. It's that "free" should be judged on total cost per takeoff, including your hours. For small shops working out where the money goes, see steel estimating for small shops.
How do you get the most out of 3 free AI takeoffs?
Three takeoffs go fast if you pick the wrong drawings. Make them count:
- Use jobs you've already taken off by hand. That gives you an answer key. Compare the counts member by member.
- Pick vector or CAD-exported PDFs. That's what SteelFlo is built for. Save the old paper copies for later.
- Pick different kinds of work. One structural frame, one misc-metals job, one job with schedules or a lot of detail sheets.
- Time the whole thing, including review. Upload to export, not just processing.
- Check the misses and extras. Every counted piece is a box on the drawing, so you can see exactly where each number came from and what's missing.
- Export the BOM and try Price This with your own material, fabrication and erection rates.
Also use the free tools that don't count against anything: the steel weight calculator for quick weights, and section pages like W12x26 for dimensions and weight per foot.
What about free templates and calculators?
If you only bid a few small jobs a year, a spreadsheet may be enough. Our free Excel takeoff template has weight-per-foot lookups for 4,500+ sections and a summary tab that rolls up tonnage. There's no email gate and no watermark.
What a template can't do is find the members for you. You still read every sheet and type every line. That's fine for a 10-member lintel job. It's slow on a 40-sheet building.
Bottom line
Most "free" takeoff software is a 7 to 14 day trial. Only a couple of tools give you an ongoing free tier, and only SteelFlo's is built specifically for steel. If you want to test on your own drawings without a trial clock, start on the SteelFlo free plan: 3 full AI takeoffs with a real exportable BOM, not a watermarked demo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there free structural steel takeoff software?
Yes. SteelFlo has a free plan with 3 AI takeoffs, unlimited manual estimates and CSV export. STACK has a free version of its general takeoff tool. Most others, including Bluebeam, PlanSwift and On-Screen Takeoff, offer 14-day trials instead.
What's the difference between a free plan and a free trial?
A free plan is ongoing with usage or feature limits, so you can keep using it. A free trial gives full access for a fixed number of days, usually 7 to 14, then requires a paid plan. Trials work best when you have a live bid to test on that week.
Can I use Bluebeam for steel takeoff for free?
Only during its 14-day trial. Bluebeam measures and counts on PDFs, but you set up steel sections and weights yourself. After the trial, paid plans run about $260 to $590 per user per year at the time of writing.
Is there a free Excel steel takeoff template?
Yes. SteelFlo's free template includes weight-per-foot lookups for 4,500+ steel sections and a summary tab for tonnage and a bid total. It doesn't find members for you, so it suits small jobs best.
What should I test during a free takeoff trial?
Use a job you've already taken off by hand so you have an answer key. Time the full process from upload to export, including review. Then compare counts member by member and check the exported BOM.