On-Screen Takeoff® Pros and Cons: Top 5 Advantages and Disadvantages

Quick AI Summary Based on G2 Reviews

Generated from real user reviews

Users find On-Screen Takeoff® easy to use, appreciating its fast takeoff process and responsive support team. (46 mentions)

Users find On-Screen Takeoff® to be easy to use, with accurate measurements and helpful customization features. (15 mentions)

Users value the organization capabilities of On-Screen Takeoff®, which streamline their estimating process during hectic periods. (9 mentions)

Users appreciate the responsive customer support of On-Screen Takeoff®, which significantly enhances their overall experience. (8 mentions)

Users find the ease of learning with On-Screen Takeoff® enhances their estimating efficiency and clarity. (7 mentions)

Users express frustration over missing features like easy bid copying and inadequate AI integration, impacting usability and efficiency. (10 mentions)

Users find the slow performance of On-Screen Takeoff® frustrating, especially when handling large project volumes. (6 mentions)

Users find On-Screen Takeoff® to be not user-friendly, struggling with its complex interface and lack of intuitive features. (5 mentions)

Users often face bugs and connectivity issues with On-Screen Takeoff®, hindering efficiency and workflow stability. (4 mentions)

Users find the difficult learning curve of On-Screen Takeoff® a barrier to effectively utilizing its features. (4 mentions)

5 Pros or Advantages of On-Screen Takeoff®

1. Ease of Use

Users find On-Screen Takeoff® easy to use, appreciating its fast takeoff process and responsive support team.

See 46 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Rafee N.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.5/5

"Powerful Takeoff Tools and Seamless File Sharing"

What do you like about On-Screen Takeoff®?

The variety of tools and conditions in OST are very useful to make an accurate takeoff, which then helps in creating an accurate estimate. Also the ea

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.5/5

"Easy to Use, great features"

What do you like about On-Screen Takeoff®?

I like how easy is it to use, I like how its link to Quick Bids, and I love how easy is to navigate through the drawings with the Hot Links feature.

2. Simple

Users find On-Screen Takeoff® to be easy to use, with accurate measurements and helpful customization features.

See 15 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Jackson T.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Project Advocates On-Screen Review"

What do you like about On-Screen Takeoff®?

- keeps the quantity survey relatively simple, tool bars and windows are easily organized and clean, not too many bells and whistles - customer suppo

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

3.5/5

"Quick Net SF & my Projections Are Great, Still Waiting on Floor Finish Boost functions and more."

What do you like about On-Screen Takeoff®?

Either Manually operated or using " Boost " it Provides Quick Net SF for projecting final material values, which can help secure good pricing from sup

3. Organization

Users value the organization capabilities of On-Screen Takeoff®, which streamline their estimating process during hectic periods.

See 9 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

3.5/5

"Organized and Efficient, But Occasional Crashes"

What do you like about On-Screen Takeoff®?

I use On-Screen Takeoff® for estimating and it helps determine how many things will be needed for a project. I like how organized it is, which helps m

Jackson T.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Project Advocates On-Screen Review"

What do you like about On-Screen Takeoff®?

- keeps the quantity survey relatively simple, tool bars and windows are easily organized and clean, not too many bells and whistles - customer suppo

4. Customer Support

Users appreciate the responsive customer support of On-Screen Takeoff®, which significantly enhances their overall experience.

See 8 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Jackson T.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Project Advocates On-Screen Review"

What do you like about On-Screen Takeoff®?

- keeps the quantity survey relatively simple, tool bars and windows are easily organized and clean, not too many bells and whistles - customer suppo

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

4.5/5

"AutoName Saves Time and Boost Adds Speed"

What do you like about On-Screen Takeoff®?

Using AutoName feature saves times and inputs the complete sheet name and sheet number in a very short time. The option to use the Boost feature whic

5. Ease of Learning

Users find the ease of learning with On-Screen Takeoff® enhances their estimating efficiency and clarity.

See 7 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Vinny Q.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Feature-Rich and Powerful Tool for Precision Takeoffs"

What do you like about On-Screen Takeoff®?

I appreciate how raw and feature-rich OST is. I enjoy that nothing is overly simplified, and there is a genuine learning curve to the app. This means

Taim Bilal A.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

2.5/5

"new subscription looks good"

What do you like about On-Screen Takeoff®?

easy to manage. i am new to this and lt looks like it is an easy to use bids app

5 Cons or Disadvantages of On-Screen Takeoff®

1. Missing Features

Users express frustration over missing features like easy bid copying and inadequate AI integration, impacting usability and efficiency.

See 10 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Easy to Use, Reliable, and Keeps My Estimates on Time"

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

I do not like how theirs not enough needs to be like BEAMAI

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

3.5/5

"Quick Net SF & my Projections Are Great, Still Waiting on Floor Finish Boost functions and more."

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

There are No "Floor Finish Plan" Boost functions yet. :( Does not work on elevation Plans :( Boost Cannot read and create conditions from schedul

2. Slow Performance

Users find the slow performance of On-Screen Takeoff® frustrating, especially when handling large project volumes.

See 6 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Vinny Q.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"Feature-Rich and Powerful Tool for Precision Takeoffs"

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

One aspect I dislike is that the program is quite heavy, so it needs a computer that's better than average to run smoothly. I also find the occasional

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

3.5/5

"Organized and Efficient, But Occasional Crashes"

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

It usually crashes at times, especially when I try to go through pages too fast on a drawing. It tends to freeze and then crash.

3. Not User-Friendly

Users find On-Screen Takeoff® to be not user-friendly, struggling with its complex interface and lack of intuitive features.

See 5 mentions

See Related User Reviews

McKenzie L.

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Exceptionally Organized and Flexible Takeoff Solution"

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

One aspect I find frustrating about On-Screen Takeoff® is that its navigation feels more restricted than in tools like Bluebeam, particularly when try

Verified User

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

2.5/5

"Great Layering Features, But Lacks Multi-Sheet Viewing and Ipad Compatibility"

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

That you can't split screen or view more than one sheet at a time. It is also a little clunky, like I don't know of any keyboard shortcuts that would

4. Bugs

Users often face bugs and connectivity issues with On-Screen Takeoff®, hindering efficiency and workflow stability.

See 4 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Verified User

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

5.0/5

"OST Makes Takeoffs Much Easier Than Hand Drawing."

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

Takeoff Boost. The takeoff boose does not work well.

Verified User

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Accurate, Fast, and Backed by Excellent Support"

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

Sometimes the project will disconnect randomly between OST and QB, and it doesn't notify you so you keep doing take-off. Then it won't let you reconne

5. Difficult Learning

Users find the difficult learning curve of On-Screen Takeoff® a barrier to effectively utilizing its features.

See 4 mentions

See Related User Reviews

Verified User

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"Revolutionized Our Estimating with Speed, Accuracy, and Seamless Collaboration"

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

While On-Screen Takeoff (OST) offers many advantages, there are areas where it could be improved to enhance user experience and efficiency. One common

Eileen A.

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

5.0/5

"User-Friendly and Reliable with Effortless Data Management"

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

Can be a bit difficult to first learn and navigate. User friendliness may very.

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Rafee N.

Estimator

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

11/23/2025

"Powerful Takeoff Tools and Seamless File Sharing"

4.5/5

What do you like best about On-Screen Takeoff®?

The variety of tools and conditions in OST are very useful to make an accurate takeoff, which then helps in creating an accurate estimate. Also the ease of file sharing is one more thing which I like about OST. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

If the overlaying feature could be enhanced, it would be extremely helpful. When working on large projects and receiving addendums, a significant amount of time is spent just on overlaying. While the current feature is useful, it would be even better if it allowed for overlaying multiple pages at once. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Response from Kelsey Erhart of On-Screen Takeoff®

edit

Thank you for sharing your experience with OST, Rafee, and for highlighting how the variety of tools and conditions help you drive accurate takeoffs and estimates. It’s also great to hear that file sharing has been helpful for your workflow—that kind of collaboration is exactly what we aim to support.

On overlays, you’re absolutely right that this is an important part of working large projects with multiple addenda. Today, OST can support applying overlays across multiple pages, but it does take a few extra steps, which is why it can feel time‑consuming on big plan sets. Fully automating multi‑page overlays in a single action is challenging from a site performance standpoint, and broad “overlay all at once” behavior is unlikely in the near term because a single overlay operation is already taxing on large files. That said, we know there’s room to make this smoother, and feedback like yours helps our product team continue to refine overlay workflows while balancing accuracy and performance. Thank you again for your review!

Keith W.

Sergeant

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

7/24/2026

"A unconventional approach to conventional estimating."

5/5

What do you like best about On-Screen Takeoff®?

OST has a quick setup process for each product. It provides the ability to calculate the BOM right out of the box in ways our unconventional construction requires. The software also allows us to integrate our building systems into an automated interface. Its speed in generating quantities that are not typical gets us too a bid much quicker. I love the support I get when questions arise where the knowledge base does not answer. Also, the integration and user interface between Quick Bid and OST is so seamless it reduces all the extra time of calculating prices. Yes, I feel that OST costs are a value in what it provides and the time it saves. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

The only area that would be helpful would be the ability to create custom keyboard shortcuts. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Vinny Q.

Estimator

Construction

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

12/3/2025

"Feature-Rich and Powerful Tool for Precision Takeoffs"

5/5

What do you like best about On-Screen Takeoff®?

I appreciate how raw and feature-rich OST is. I enjoy that nothing is overly simplified, and there is a genuine learning curve to the app. This means that once you master all its features, you can perform a takeoff more quickly and with greater precision than others. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

One aspect I dislike is that the program is quite heavy, so it needs a computer that's better than average to run smoothly. I also find the occasional lag frustrating. Additionally, the OST boost feature doesn't work very well unless all the necessary information is contained on a single page, which is rarely the case. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Response from Kelsey Erhart of On-Screen Takeoff®

edit

Thank you for such a thoughtful review, Vinny, and for calling out what you appreciate about OST being “raw” and feature‑rich. We know there’s a real learning curve, and it means a lot to hear that once you’ve mastered those tools, you’re able to complete takeoffs faster and with higher precision, especially when you’re juggling multiple estimates in a day.

You’re also right to point out the tradeoffs. OST is a resource‑intensive application because of the depth of features it provides, so it is optimized for newer Windows environments like Windows 11 and above. Our team is continually working to reduce lag where we can, while still supporting the advanced workflows power users rely on. On Takeoff Boost, your feedback is spot on: it works best today when the key information it needs is contained on a single page, and complex, multi‑page scenarios can limit its effectiveness. We’re actively iterating on Boost and our next takeoff experience to make automated assistance more flexible over time, and input like yours helps us focus on the right improvements. Thanks again for your review, Vinny.

Marvin E.

Estimator/Project Manager

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

11/3/2026

"OST Makes Remote Estimating and Teamwork Seamless"

5/5

What do you like best about On-Screen Takeoff®?

OST is the best tool for us as estimators. What I like most is how well it supports teamwork in a remote environment: having a server makes it easy for the whole team to work together from different locations. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

I honestly can’t find anything I dislike about On-Screen Takeoff. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is On-Screen Takeoff® solving and how is that benefiting you?

On-Screen Takeoff helps me work faster by producing accurate takeoffs. I often receive invitations from GCs, and after reviewing the plans, the takeoff process is straightforward. It’s also helpful that it includes other tools like Auto-name and Takeoff Boost, which make the workflow even easier. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Shivani M.

Architectural Technologist

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

7/22/2026

"Easy and Accurate"

5/5

What do you like best about On-Screen Takeoff®?

It is very easy and convenient to use. I can enter the type of areas and the number I want for a particular product, and it gives me accurate quantities. Multiplying the same items is also simple, and it generates a table that’s easy to relate to, instead of having to create it in a different software. Scaling feels almost magical too—you just need to know the scale and enter the input. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

Though it generates table, I would like it to be more specific and it should have a background of it's own so that can be differentiated from the drawings. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Construction

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

12/11/2025

"Ease of USE!"

5/5

What do you like best about On-Screen Takeoff®?

The ease of use and being able to dive right in—"On-Screen Takeoff has completely transformed how we do estimates. It's incredibly intuitive and easy to learn, even for new team members. The point-and-click measurements for linear, area, and counts are accurate and fast, and the recent AI-powered Takeoff Boost saves us hours on repetitive tasks. Customer support is excellent, with helpful training resources. We've won more bids with confidence and with far less overtime. Highly recommend for any construction professional doing takeoffs!" Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

Have not really found anything as of yet Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is On-Screen Takeoff® solving and how is that benefiting you?

Onscreen Takeoff has completely changed how we bid jobs. What used to take us 12–16 hours now takes 3–4. The color-coded markups, instant quantity updates, and the fact that everyone on the team sees the exact same takeoff in real time has eliminated almost all measuring mistakes. Best decision we ever made for our estimating department. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Response from Kelsey Erhart of On-Screen Takeoff®

edit

Thank you for such a fantastic review and for sharing how OST has changed the way you bid jobs. We love that you were able to just jump right in, and transform your workflow from 12–16 hours down to just a few hours, and keep everyone on the same page with color-coded markups and instant updates. We really appreciate you taking the time to review OST.

Verified User in Construction

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

11/26/2025

"Easy to Use, great features"

4.5/5

What do you like best about On-Screen Takeoff®?

I like how easy is it to use, I like how its link to Quick Bids, and I love how easy is to navigate through the drawings with the Hot Links feature. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

I find it frustrating that I can't change the name of the drawing file or move its location on my computer, Because if I do it after I already started with my take offs, the project goes blank. Not cool. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Response from Kelsey Erhart of On-Screen Takeoff®

edit

Thank you for sharing your experience with OST and for calling out how easy it is to use, especially with Quick Bid and Hot Links for moving through drawings! Because OST links directly to the original file path, changing the file name or folder location can break that connection and cause the project to appear blank. To avoid this, we recommend keeping your drawings in a stable folder structure once they’re linked in OST, or converting your plans to TIFF format before you start takeoff. Check out the URL to see our Missing Image Assistance which can help you in this instance. Thanks again for your review!

See how On-Screen Takeoff® improved

Armando R.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

7/23/2026

"Intuitive AI with Room for Improvement"

4/5

What do you like best about On-Screen Takeoff®?

I like that I can reassign takeoff areas when the AI gets it wrong, which makes it valuable because I can fix the AI mistakes easily. I also found the initial setup to be extremely easy. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

I think adding a feature where you can open up a new tab would be helpful, allowing you to jump from tab to tab easily. This would let you have a floor plan and a cut section open simultaneously, and navigate between them by using the ribbon. It feels like it would improve how I work with different sections of the plans. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

manish k.

Drafting Technologist

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

7/27/2026

"Time saving, Easy to Use, Quick Response, and Flexible Multi-Option Support."

5/5

What do you like best about On-Screen Takeoff®?

I like how easy On-Screen Takeoff is to use, and how it helps me measure plans quickly and accurately. It saves me time, keeps my estimates well organized, and makes the overall takeoff process more efficient. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

At times, it feels a bit slow, and some features take a while to learn. I also wish the interface looked more modern and were easier to navigate overall. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Emily V.

Office Coordinator

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

11/3/2026

"Efficient Quantity Takeoffs, but Clunky Layout and Setup"

3.5/5

What do you like best about On-Screen Takeoff®?

I like On-Screen Takeoff because it helps me find quantities efficiently. I like the area condition the most. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about On-Screen Takeoff®?

I don't really like the page layouts. It's kind of hard to scroll, and it's hard to toggle the actual takeoffs onto the page. I wish On-Screen Takeoff® were more user-friendly. The initial setup was hard and annoying. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.