· TradeBid editorial team

Togal vs. STACK vs. TradeBid for Small Subcontractors

Comparing Togal, STACK and TradeBid for small subcontractors: takeoff vs. full bid, workflow, pricing approach and which fits your shop.

The short answer: Togal and STACK are takeoff-focused tools built around measuring plans. TradeBid is built around the finished bid: you upload plans and scope documents and get an editable line-item bid with labor, materials, markup and exclusions, exported as a branded PDF proposal. If you mostly need precise measuring for a dedicated estimator, a takeoff tool may fit. If you're a small sub who needs to get from plans to a sent proposal fast, TradeBid is built for that.

Product features and pricing change often. Check each company's website for current details before you decide.

The question to ask first: takeoff or bid?

A takeoff tells you quantities: how many fixtures, how many square feet, how many linear feet. A bid turns those quantities into a price and a proposal: labor, materials, equipment, markup, exclusions and terms.

Many small subcontractors don't have a full-time estimator. The owner or a foreman bids at night. For them, the bottleneck often isn't measuring. It's everything after measuring. That's the main way these tools differ.

Togal

What it focuses on: fast plan takeoff, with automatic detection and measuring of areas and objects on drawings.

Good fit if:

  • You have an estimator who does lots of takeoffs.
  • You already price in spreadsheets or another estimating system.
  • Speed of measuring is your main problem.

Things to consider:

  • You'll still need a separate way to apply your costs and build the proposal.
  • Check pricing and plan terms on Togal's website.

STACK

What it focuses on: cloud takeoff and estimating for contractors, with measuring tools, trade-specific item libraries and estimating features on some plans.

Good fit if:

  • You want a well-known, full-featured takeoff platform.
  • You'll invest time setting up items, assemblies and templates.
  • Several estimators share projects.

Things to consider:

  • Setup and learning time can be real for a small shop.
  • Check current plans and pricing on STACK's website.

TradeBid

What it focuses on: getting a subcontractor from plans to a client-ready bid. Upload plan PDFs, scope documents, photos or notes, pick one of 36 trades, and TradeBid drafts an editable line-item bid with quantities, labor, materials, markup and exclusions. You review every line, adjust it to your rates, and export a branded PDF proposal.

Good fit if:

  • You're a small or mid-size specialty sub.
  • You bid yourself, often after hours.
  • You want a finished proposal, not just quantities.

Things to consider:

  • It's a draft you review. You're still the estimator and you decide the final number.
  • If you need very detailed, sheet-by-sheet measuring for large commercial packages, you may still pair it with a dedicated takeoff tool.

Pricing: Apprentice $149/month (up to 5 bids a month), Journeyman $300/month, Master $850/month (adds materials and invoicing), or $100 for a single bid. Annual plans save about 17%. Every plan starts with a 7-day trial. See pricing.

Side-by-side

| | Togal | STACK | TradeBid | |---|---|---|---| | Main job | Plan takeoff | Takeoff and estimating | Plans to finished bid | | Output | Quantities | Quantities, estimates | Line-item bid and branded PDF proposal | | Best for | Estimators doing many takeoffs | Teams that set up item libraries | Small subs who bid themselves | | Setup | Check vendor | Moderate | Upload plans, pick a trade | | Pricing | See vendor site | See vendor site | $149, $300 or $850/mo, or $100 per bid |

How to choose

  1. Write down where your time goes on a typical bid: measuring, pricing or writing the proposal.
  2. Test on a real job you've already bid, so you can compare the result to your own numbers.
  3. Check the output. Can you send it to a GC as-is, or do you still have to rebuild it?
  4. Count the total cost, including any other tools you'd still need.

FAQ

Is TradeBid a takeoff tool? It covers takeoff as part of building the bid. The main output is an editable line-item bid and a branded PDF proposal.

Can I use TradeBid with another takeoff tool? Yes. Some contractors measure in one tool and upload their quantities, scope or plans to TradeBid to build the bid.

Which is cheapest? Pricing changes, so check each vendor. TradeBid starts at $149/month, or $100 for a single bid.

Is there a trial? TradeBid has a 7-day trial on every plan. Check Togal and STACK for their current offers.

See what a finished bid looks like on our sample bid, or Start for $0.00.

Start for $0.00