STACK Review 2026: Cloud Takeoff and Estimating With STACK IQ AI
Updated October 13, 2026 – Tested Intelligence
Quick verdict: STACK is the veteran in this category: a cloud takeoff and estimating platform with a long-installed base of GCs and subcontractors, now adding AI assistance – auto-counting symbols, detecting quantities and working with preloaded cost items. September 2026 brought STACK IQ, the vendor’s newest AI update. Review listings put pricing from $1,999 per user per year. If you want proven takeoff software rather than the newest startup, STACK is the conservative choice.
What it is
STACK Construction Technologies built its name on cloud-based takeoff: measure plans in the browser, count items, and build estimates without desktop software installs. That base still defines the product – plan management, measurement and estimating in one cloud workspace used by GC and subcontractor estimating teams.
The AI layer assists inside that workflow rather than replacing it. Auto-count finds and counts symbols across plan sets, quantity detection speeds up measurement, and preloaded cost items help turn quantities into priced estimates faster. STACK IQ, launched in the vendor’s September 2026 update, is the latest step in that AI direction – buyers evaluating now should ask exactly which IQ capabilities are live in the tier they are quoted. STACK also runs a partners programme with deal registration for channel partners, which matters if your firm buys software through resellers or wants its own referral relationships formalised – it is a channel model, not a public affiliate scheme.
Key features
- Cloud takeoff and estimating – no desktop installs, plans measured in the browser
- AI auto-count for symbols across plan sets
- AI quantity detection to speed measurement
- Preloaded cost items to move from quantities to priced estimates
- STACK IQ launched September 2026 (vendor update) – the newest AI layer
- Partners programme with deal registration for channel partners
Pricing
A 2026 estimating-software review lists STACK from $1,999 per user per year. Plans and tiers vary, and AI features such as STACK IQ may sit in specific tiers, so confirm what is included at the quoted level. Even at list, the comparison that matters is per-estimator cost against the hours your team currently spends counting symbols manually.
Who it’s for
GC and subcontractor estimating teams who want established, cloud-based takeoff and estimating with AI assistance layered in – particularly firms standardising takeoff across several estimators.
Who should skip it
Teams looking for the most aggressive computer-vision takeoff should benchmark Togal.AI as well. And firms wanting takeoff done for them as a service should look at Beam AI rather than any software, STACK included.
Pros
- Long-established platform and user base in cloud takeoff
- AI assists inside the existing workflow: auto-count, quantity detection, cost items
- STACK IQ (Sep 2026) shows active AI investment, not a stale roadmap
- Published anchor pricing (from $1,999/user/yr in 2026 reviews)
Cons
- AI is an assist layer on a traditional platform, not an AI-native rebuild
- Tier differences matter – headline price may not include every AI feature
- Per-user annual cost stacks up across big estimating teams
- Still software your team operates: no human-QA service element
FAQ
What is STACK IQ?
STACK IQ is the AI update the vendor launched in its September 2026 product updates, extending the AI assistance – auto-count and quantity detection – inside STACK’s takeoff and estimating platform.
How much does STACK cost?
A 2026 estimating-software review lists STACK from $1,999 per user per year. Confirm tier inclusions, especially AI features, with the vendor.
Who uses STACK?
GCs, subcontractors and estimators doing cloud-based takeoff and estimating.
Bottom line
STACK is the steady hand in AI takeoff: a mature platform your estimators may already know, gaining AI where it counts – counting and quantities. Benchmark its auto-count against Togal on your own drawings and let accuracy, not marketing, decide.