Less Manual Work
Implementation
Payback (labor savings)
Estimates Re-Keyed Into ERP
| Feature | DesignFlow Build | STACK |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Takeoff | AI-native | Cloud takeoff + auto-detect |
| AI Included at Every Tier | Premium tier | |
| MEP-Specific Takeoff Vocabulary | 200+ term MEP library | General trades |
| Pre-Built Assembly / Material Libraries | Assembly templates | Deep libraries |
| Estimating & Bidding | AI-accelerated | |
| Bid Scope From Specs | AI extraction |
| Feature | DesignFlow Build | STACK |
|---|---|---|
| Estimate → Project Budget | Same record, no re-keying | Export / ERP integration |
| Awarded Pricing Syncs to Job Costing | Automatic | |
| AI Schedule Generation (CPM) | Monte Carlo + DCMA 14-point | |
| Mobile Field Operations | Timesheets, daily logs, tasks | Plan-centric collaboration |
| Change Orders Flow to Accounting |
| Feature | DesignFlow Build | STACK |
|---|---|---|
| Native General Ledger / Accounting | Full native | |
| WIP / Over-Under Billing | Real, native WIP | |
| ERP / Accounting Integrations | Integrations | Cost codes, POs, vendor pricing sync |
| Feature | DesignFlow Build | STACK |
|---|---|---|
| Published, Transparent Pricing | ||
| Pricing Model | $100 office / $25 field per mo | Annual per-user plans |
| Free Option | 30-day trial | Limited free version |
| What the Price Covers | Precon + execution + accounting | Preconstruction |
| Feature | DesignFlow Build | STACK |
|---|---|---|
| Implementation Time | 2-4 weeks (full ERP) | Fast (precon tool) |
| Manual Work Reduction | 70% across the workflow | Takeoff & estimating steps |
| Documented Payback | ≈2 months | Varies |
STACK is built to win the bid: takeoff, estimating and proposals in the cloud. DesignFlow Build wins the bid and then runs the job — the same estimate becomes the budget, the schedule and the job-cost baseline without an export.
The hidden cost of a precon-only tool is the handoff: estimates get exported, mapped or re-typed into the accounting system, and the two drift apart. In DesignFlow Build, estimating and accounting share one database, so committed costs and WIP reconcile to the numbers you bid.
DesignFlow Build includes AI takeoff and estimating in every plan, with a 200+ term MEP vocabulary and spec-driven scope extraction. STACK ships capable auto-detection, with its AI features positioned on the premium tier.
STACK has been a takeoff-first product for years: deep pre-built assembly and material libraries, a polished measurement workflow, a limited free version to start on, and integrations that respect the ERP you already own.
STACK is a mature preconstruction platform, and for some teams it is the right call. Choose it over DesignFlow Build when:
It depends on where your workflow ends. STACK is a capable cloud takeoff and estimating platform, and if preconstruction is all you need, it does that job well. DesignFlow Build covers the same preconstruction ground with AI takeoff and estimating, then keeps going: the winning estimate becomes the project budget, drives job costing in native accounting, and feeds CPM scheduling and field operations — in the same system.
STACK is built for preconstruction, so after award the estimate typically moves to your ERP or accounting system — STACK offers integrations to sync data with external systems, and many firms re-key or import estimates into their ERP. In DesignFlow Build there is no handoff: the estimate, budget, committed costs and WIP all live on the same record.
Both platforms offer AI-assisted takeoff. STACK provides auto-detection of common plan elements and AI features on its higher-priced tier. DesignFlow Build includes AI takeoff at every tier, with a 200+ term MEP vocabulary, spec-driven bid scope extraction, and the quantities flow straight into estimating without an export step.
Both companies publish pricing. STACK sells annual per-user takeoff and estimating plans, with AI features on its premium tier, and offers a limited free version. DesignFlow Build is $100 per office user and $25 per field user per month with AI included at every tier and a 30-day free trial — and the price covers scheduling, accounting and field operations, not just preconstruction.
When preconstruction is a self-contained function: dedicated estimating teams that bid high volumes, firms standardized on an ERP they will not replace, or shops that want deep pre-built assembly and material libraries inside a takeoff-first tool. In those cases STACK plus your existing ERP is a reasonable stack.