Takeoff that isn't tied to one PC
PlanSwift lives on a single Windows machine and collaborates by emailing files. Notch does calibrated takeoff in the browser - any computer, shared by link, priced at $240 a year instead of $2,000.
The short version
PlanSwift built its base on being the affordable, learnable takeoff tool, and its drag-and-drop assemblies still have fans. But the product is showing its age: Windows-only with no path on modern Macs, a desktop file on one machine, collaboration by email, and reviews that keep mentioning crashes on big plan sets. Since the one-time licence gave way to a $2,000-a-year subscription, the price argument went with it.
Notch is what a takeoff tool looks like when it starts in the browser. Calibrate a sheet, measure lengths, areas, volumes, and counts, export to Excel - from any machine, with the takeoff living in the cloud where your whole team can open it. Free on 3 drawings, $240 a year per editor after.
Side by side
PlanSwift pricing and platform details verified August 2026 from planswift.com and ConstructConnect's support documentation. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at hello@notch.build and we'll fix it.
Your takeoff shouldn't live on one machine
A PlanSwift takeoff is a file on a Windows PC. If the estimator is out, the takeoff is out with them; sharing means exporting or emailing the file around, and a second opinion means a second licence on a second machine.
In Notch, the takeoff lives with the drawing in the cloud. Anyone on the team opens it in a browser; a view link shows a client or PM the quantities without an account; and when the drawing is revised, version history keeps every issue so the takeoff has context.
Mac was never coming
PlanSwift requires Windows, and its own support pages say Apple Silicon Macs can't run it reliably even through Boot Camp or Parallels. If your office has Macs in it - and more of them do every year - PlanSwift decided for you.
Notch runs wherever a browser runs. Mac, Windows, a tablet at the site - same editor, same takeoff, no workaround.
Measure here, price where you already price
PlanSwift's assemblies - dropping a wall type that carries its parts and labour - are its best feature, and Notch doesn't do assemblies. If your estimate is built inside your takeoff tool, that's a real difference, and we'd rather say so than dance around it.
Notch's approach: get you clean, organized quantities fast - by trade, totalled, exported to Excel - and let you price in the spreadsheet or estimating system you already trust. For most trades, that's how the estimate gets built anyway.
When PlanSwift is the right choice
PlanSwift keeps its place if:
- You price inside the takeoff tool - its parts-and-labour assemblies build the estimate as you measure.
- You're a single Windows-based estimator with an established plugin library and no need to share live takeoffs.
Common questions
Does Notch do assemblies like PlanSwift?
No. Notch produces organized, calibrated quantities - by trade, totalled, exported to Excel - and leaves pricing to your spreadsheet or estimating system. If assembly-based pricing inside the takeoff tool is essential to you, PlanSwift keeps that edge.
Does Notch work on a Mac?
Yes - it runs entirely in the browser, so Mac, Windows, and tablets all get the same full editor. PlanSwift is Windows-only and unsupported on Apple Silicon.
Can my team see a takeoff without buying seats?
Yes. Takeoffs live with the drawing in the cloud; a view link opens the current sheet and its quantities in any browser, no account needed. Viewers are always free.
What does Notch cost next to PlanSwift?
PlanSwift Professional is $2,000 a year, per Windows machine. Notch is free on 3 drawings with the full editor, then $240 a year or $24 a month per editor.
Leave the desktop behind. Keep the capability.
Free on up to 3 drawings · No credit card required