OpenTakeoff

OpenTakeoff is a construction takeoff tool for measuring building plans in a browser, with an MCP server for agent-assisted proposals. It best suits construction professionals and developers who want a free, local-first workflow or open-source software. Its breadth of measurement outputs and exports is useful, but a gated area tool and required human approval make it a poor fit for fully automated takeoffs.

Overview

The browser workspace opens PDF plan sets, images, and ZIP files without an account or plan upload. In the default workspace, plans, measurements, annotations, materials, and project settings are processed on the device and kept in browser storage. That is a meaningful advantage for users who want plan work to stay local; optional connections to Google Drive, Microsoft 365, configured AI providers, and a scanned-schedule service can change where information goes. The schedule service can send a selected image to Google Gemini.

OpenTakeoff measures in 2D and reports square feet, square yards, linear feet, and each. Waste-adjusted order quantities, supporting-material lists, and roll-goods cuts help turn measured quantities into purchasing work, rather than stopping at raw dimensions. Exports include CSV, Excel, JSON, PDF, and DXF, including marked PDFs. One-Click Area is temporarily gated while its flood engine is re-validated, which limits a direct area-measurement workflow.

Key features

The browser canvas supports human plan work, while the MCP server connects to Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, and other stdio MCP clients. It runs through npx -y opentakeoff-mcp. Agent measurements stay pending until a person approves them in the browser canvas, a useful check against unreviewed proposals but an obstacle for teams expecting unattended takeoffs. The default MCP build also does not register room-detection verbs.

Drawing OCR is supported, and accepted drawing formats include PDF, PNG, JPEG, and ZIP. The mix of plan handling, quantity reporting, materials support, and multiple export formats gives estimators several ways to carry results into subsequent work.

Pricing

OpenTakeoff has one published plan: Free — free. It is open-source under Apache-2.0 and requires no account. There is no free trial because the plan is already free. This makes it accessible to an individual or team evaluating a takeoff workflow without a paid commitment, though there are no paid tiers described for users seeking a different service level.

Users can fork the project and run their own instance at their own URL. That option will appeal to technically capable teams that want control over deployment, but the self-hosted route is not a substitute for a supported commercial plan. Users can email Michael Edlin or open a support issue; GitHub issues are public.

Platforms

OpenTakeoff supports web, Linux, macOS, and Windows, as well as API and self-hosted use. Its browser app and MCP option serve different workflows: the first is for people working with plans, while the second lets compatible agents submit proposals for human review.

Who it's for

Construction professionals who need local plan measurement, takeoff quantities, and reusable exports are the clearest fit. Developers and teams building around stdio MCP clients may also value agent proposals and the open-source license. It is less suitable when the central requirement is autonomous room detection or a fully automated area workflow. The service is intended for construction professionals and developers, not children under 13.

The default workspace keeps project material on-device, but users should distinguish that from optional cloud and AI integrations. The privacy policy cautions that no storage or transmission method is risk-free and does not state a security certification or compliance standard, so organizations with formal assurance requirements should not assume those credentials.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Free, open-source access with no account requirement lowers the barrier to trying a plan takeoff workflow.
• Pros: Local browser processing and storage suit users who prefer not to upload plan sets for routine work.
• Pros: Waste-adjusted quantities, material lists, roll-goods cuts, and exports in CSV, Excel, JSON, PDF, and DXF support work beyond basic measurement.
• Pros: MCP proposals add an agent-assisted option while keeping approval with a person.
• Cons: One-Click Area is temporarily gated, and the default MCP build omits room-detection verbs.
• Cons: Agent measurements require approval in the canvas, so the workflow is not fully automated.
• Cons: Optional storage and AI integrations can send selected data to external services, and no security certification or compliance standard is stated.

Alternatives

Construction Takeoff Software is the broader category directory for readers comparing takeoff tools. Consider TakeCost if you want a freemium option with a free trial and the Core plan's one new takeoff file each month alongside full area, length, and count tools. Bidwright is another free alternative across the same listed desktop, web, API, and self-hosted platforms; its desktop plan is single-user, with AI disabled until you add your own key.

usBIM.platform may suit readers who want a broader cloud platform, with 10 GB of storage and free online applications in its free basic configuration. STACK is worth considering when a free workflow with explicit project, page, measurement, and viewer-seat caps fits the job: its Free plan allows one active project per month, up to 300 plan pages, 50 measurements per project, and one viewer seat. Vertigraph Products offers a free BidScreen Cloud Starter plan capped at two projects per month, two users, 1 GB of storage, and three saves per page, with a free trial also available.

eTakeoff pairs a free viewer with paid Windows plans, including Advanced at $795 a year and Premier at $1,495 a year; consider it if that paid-plan structure suits your needs. MeasureSquare offers mobile retail and on-site consultation tools, with its Mobile Retail plan at $54 a month for one user on iOS and Android. The EDGE is another option for readers comparing construction software with pricing available by demo request.

Verdict

Choose OpenTakeoff if you want a free, open-source way to measure plans locally, produce practical takeoff outputs, and optionally route proposals through an MCP client. Its human approval step keeps agents from silently finalizing measurements, but also rules it out for anyone who needs autonomous takeoffs; the temporarily gated One-Click Area and absent default room-detection verbs narrow the agent-assisted case further.