--- title: "Page 2 | On-Screen Takeoff Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra" description: "Page 2 - Is On-Screen Takeoff the right Takeoff solution for you? Explore 155 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice." source_url: "https://www.capterra.com/p/121585/On-Screen-Takeoff/reviews/?page=2" page_type: "reviews" language: "en" publication_date: "2026-10-19" --- On-Screen Takeoff 4.3 (153) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/121585/On-Screen-Takeoff/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated October 19th, 2026 # Page 2 - Reviews of On-Screen Takeoff ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 26-50 of 153 available reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use CV Chris V. Senior Project Manager Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "On Screen Takeoff Review from a Construction Professional" May 2, 2025 5.0 Overall, I really enjoy using On Screen Takeoff. This software is a great tool for those looking for an easy use and learn estimating software. Pros Very easy to use platform for doing your takeoffs digitally. Working in Multifamily construction, this software is a must have for estimating. Cons Learning how to import your blueprints into the software was a little tricky at first. Luckily, On Screen Takeoff has great customer service and help videos within the software itself. Review Source Jeffrey E. Senior Estimator Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Used to be the bomb!" October 6, 2025 4.0 I used it regularly for more than 2 years and the company considered me a 'power user. Unfortunately, when I changed companies, I could not justify the pricing for the result it produced compared to other programs available now. Pros I't fairly easy to learn and integrate. It's visual and it's fairly robust. If you also pay for QuickBids, it integrates well with that. The tech help service is outstanding. Cons It's limited on what it can do. It must convert a PDF file, with it's rich underset of information, to a TIF file, which is just an overlay. The reports are basic at best and there is no help with modifying those at all. Review Source R Reviewer Estimator Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "The best takeoff software I've used, albeit a little pricey." December 20, 2017 5.0 Fast reliable estimates Pros It's fast and easy to use once it's setup. Does most things well. For most estimators, this is the software you want. If you have the funds, it's worth getting On-Screen Takeoff & QuickBid together. When you start to delve into it's various features you really see some great ways to save time. E.g. Typical Areas, Style Sets, Layers, Copying Bids, etc. I'd highly advise setting up one or more Template bids and copying the relevant one every time you have a new bid to do. Saves a ton of time. I'd highly recommend this software. Cons There are some features it could have which would make it better. E.g. Auto-Page labeling, automatic page links, etc. Database has issues from time to time. E.g. It disconnects from it's sister software QuickBid - which can cause problems. But that's not too often and possibly related to my computer? On it's own it's just OK, but with QuickBid it's really great. Quickbid is a separate purchase. The price would be the biggest issue I see with this software. It's quite expensive. Kind of precludes smaller businesses from buying it. Which is unfortunate, since it's possibly the best takeoff software out there. I could have bought a small family car for the price of the two licenses I purchased for my business (that was along with sister software QuickBid) Review Source R Reviewer Estimator Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Behind the times" September 9, 2024 3.0 It was suitable for an inexperienced estimator but not for long term use. Pros I liked the ability to accurately estimate radius' and curved structures. Cons The thing I liked the least about On-Screen Takeoff was the speed to download. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Estimator Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Best Take off software I have ever used" January 24, 2019 5.0 Speed, performance & accuracy Pros It takes just as I need it and whenever I want to push it further I find it already does what I want it to. the updates are often and always work. Cons If I were looking for a CON really hard I would have to say the only thing that fails this software is look. the user interface is dated and could use some bringing into the modern age Review Source R Reviewer Estimator/Project Manager Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Great for large Jobs" December 11, 2018 5.0 at first i did not stick to a specific process and my take-off got messy and difficult for others to understand. Once i figured out a system, I stuck to it and the results were clear. My take-offs are clean and easy to understand. My production has more than doubled and the results are better. Pros The organization of the take-off items is great. Easy to export the results and easy to use...once you have learned the software. As long as i stick to my workflow i created i do not have any problems. Cons If you get off you order of operations or workflow...it can get a bit messy. Use the layers and stick to a color scheme that fits the jobs. figure it out and be consistent with it and it will work amazing. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Project Manager Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Good quality and easy to use." November 15, 2017 4.0 Pros Most of my customers use this. Which allows me to export the OSP file and send to them to review. Easy to export and categorize areas. Cons Can't have multiple people log in to the software at one time to have a compiled take off. So after a project is complete with multiple people working on it. I need to compile all of the files into one OSP file. Review Source Tim R. Estimating Manager / Lead Estimator Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Horrible customer service" October 3, 2016 3.0 I have used both Quick bid and Ost for about 4 years now and the company i work for has used it a bit longer. The person who trained me was a very early user of the product. Compared to a scale and a spread sheet this product is awesome. However as we started growing as a company and getting more users product became glitchy. at that time we where told to move to a sql database (They do not support SQL but do recommend it as a solution to issues.) Since this time the support that we pay quite well for yearly is about useless as they go thru the motions like they want to help then say we do not support sql so we can not help you. At one point i had issues approving a change order that i made called support they mentioned yes that is an issue here is a workaround because that feature only works about half the time.(Really!) Basically it seems that whenever we have an issue their "Excellent" support team has issues telling us anything other than it is somehow our fault, yet every time they recommend us to do something a specific way we oblige. In short this product could be amazing however they need to get with the times and start supporting what they recommend. Pros Takeoff program works very well, lots of different options to show differences in conditions. Quick bid works well sometimes. and you can customize the naming conventions, link items, and do multi condition takeoff. As i mentioned if it wasn't for the poor support and the horrible recommendation to switch to sql that they do not support i would probably be writing a completely different review. Cons Customer service they will answer phone and call you back. I think it's so they can tell you that they cant help or support you. Review Source R Reviewer Construction Estimator Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Custom Home Builder Review" August 21, 2018 5.0 I love OST it can be used in so many different ways it's my favorite program for manipulating just about any type of file. Pros OST is flexable software, meaning it can be manipulated to conform to any/every trade. It is an amazing tool that makes any estimators take-off portion of the job quick and easy. Cons There is not much I do not like about OST, but... - some times I could more color selections differentiation for take-off conditions - Also it would be nice if i could freeze dimension takeoffs to either only move vertically or latterally respectively. - Also if dimensions could be a default layer separate from annotation that would be awesome. Sometimes i want to have annotations but do not need the dimensions and i have to delete all the dimensions on the page to only show the annotation that i want. Review Source R Reviewer Senior Estimator Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Satisfied Customer" June 8, 2017 5.0 I've used OST for 10 years and overall satisfied. I think for the annual service fee, there should be more upgrades than once every 2 years or so. We have used tech support maybe once a year if that and the owner of the business doesn't think that justifies the annual cost. Pros It's easy and quick to use and easy to train others. I like and use the overlay function a lot. I also like the intelligent paste function as well for repetitious items. Cons Only 1 overlay possible, needs ability to remove the original plan and add an additional overlay as plans change (i.e.,80% dwgs to 90% dwgs to final dwgs. The 90% supersede the 80% and now we have final. A new bid file has to be created and the takeoff copied to the new file for adjustments) Database bogs down on very large projects Auto count feature doesn't work very well on scanned plans Review Source R Reviewer Estimating Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "On Screen Takeoff the Equilizer" August 21, 2018 5.0 The On Screen Takeoff program along with the support provided by On Center is a great combo for anyone looking to standardize and get better control of their takeoff and bids. My experience has been nothing but the best from Training, to implementation, and support throughout the past few years. Pros Allows me to constantly and quickly take off plans that used to take all day to provide. Cons The software has been awesome for me in many ways but I wish it was more report friendly for people who are working outside of the standard databases and reporting schemes. I had to build my database from the ground up and how we export and report that information isn't typical for OST. Trying to build custom reports and exports has been challenging but On Center support was always there to help or at least let me know that I have hit a dead end. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Quantity Surveyor Used the software for: 1-3 years ### "Ideas going forward" August 19, 2018 4.0 Support is outstanding and helpful. And learning a new system to bring into our business has been awesome for job understanding and reviewing especially back costing Pros I like the changeable nature of the plan take offs. I can adjust quickly and return to understanding where I was up to quickly Cons I believe it need to have a time measure on working on each project so it can be tracked Review Source R Reviewer Principal Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Misleading Company" August 27, 2019 1.0 Pros Nothing is wrong with the software. I only have a problem with their unfair policy and practices. Cons I was promised that the on-center takeoff software could work with their cloud platform Oasis before I purchased. I found out afterwards this wasn't true. But their policy was not to refund although they made a promise that was false showing they value money over principles. Very misleading and I am sickened by the way they do business. Be very careful when dealing and purchasing their products. Better yet don't get involved in the first place. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Project Manager/Estimator Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "SR at Homeco" August 17, 2018 4.0 Plans colored for field operations for easier understanding Pros Multiple colors, and listing features. Cons No cut feature. The back-out feature is not as helpful as a scissors type feature Review Source R Reviewer Senior Estimator Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "I love OnScreen" October 30, 2018 5.0 Very positive experience. It's made my life a whole lot easier. I can easily take off concrete, steel, MEP, etc., and it's a very organized program. It's like coloring for adults. Pros This software has made estimating so much more efficient, accurate, and easy. I learned to estimate by hand, and those days were so much harder than now. I can handle so many more trades and estimates alone that I would have been able to just a decade ago. Cons There needs to be more symbols available for our use such as Mechanical, Fire Suppression Piping, and Electrical symbols. That would be helpful. Review Source R Reviewer Senior Estimator Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "The best takeoff I have ever used." August 17, 2018 5.0 I have been using On-Screen Takeoff for about 16 years and I have always been impressed with the ease of use, support and the upgrades that have been made through the years. I can do a takeoff of a large commercial building in a fraction of the time it would take me to do it with a ruler or takeoff wheel and it is extremely more accurate. I am able to bid a lot more work with the On-Screen Takeoff program. Another benefit is you end up with a color-coded plan that you or someone else such as a project manger can look at and see what you did. Pros Its easy to learn to use and if you get stuck on something the support staff are there to help and they have never laughed at my dumb questions. Cons I don’t know if there is anything I don’t like about it, but I wish you could copy text or images from a plan sheet and past them into a word document. Review Source R Reviewer Estimator Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "It may have it's weaknesses, but overall it's great!" December 9, 2016 4.0 I began using On-Screen On-Center Take-off is Feb. 2016. Overall the program is great. Its fairly simple to import and manage drawings, create conditions, and quantify areas. I am sure there are many features which I fail to use to their potential, but learning to make the system work of me and the types of take-offs I perform was quick. There is very little learning curve, and if you have any questions their Customer Support Tools are incredible. I enter a question and typically receive a call from a person within hours. They are very knowledgeable and helpful. The program has its weaknesses. One huge weakness is it's tolerance. When using the measure tool the tolerance is to the nearest inch. There is no way to adjust this, which can mean rejection of material and a lot of jobsite labor in our particular field (Stone). Also, exporting to excel could be clearer, but overall it's pretty helpful. Pros Ability to create various types of conditions, in various types of materials, in various areas, and being able to calculate various types of information from one condition (sq. of one side & top & total lf, Average tile count & overall sf, etc.). Ability to import various file types, PDF, AutoCAD, etc. Ability to export to Excel. Ability to label conditions & include conditions legends, creating a helpful Take-off maps for bids. Cons Inability to tighten tolerances. Inability to label linear conditions. Inability to increase the size of the font on condition labels. Excel Export could be much cleaner. Inabiliy to create non-grid tile layouts. Review Source R Reviewer Chief Estimator Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "As an estimator this program makes my life much easier. Can breakdown my estimate any way I want." May 23, 2017 5.0 It not possible to mention them all here. Better accuracy in our estimates. Greater flexibility with our estimates too. Can change conditions very easily if necessary. Our field personnel loves it too. Were able to print all of the plans from any project and breakdown the estimate by floor or zone or phase. Pros This program is great for our office and field personnel. Both can see the entire scope of work to be performed and know where each condition is to be applied on each floor of our jobs. Allows for better management of our labor hours and cost accounting too! Cons That I cannot download it on my iPhone! I have absolutely no complaints, I love, I use it everyday and I enjoy all of the features too! Just wish I could take it with me everywhere I went. Review Source Joshua D. Application Support Engineer II Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "Efficient and accurate estimation made easy" August 26, 2019 5.0 Estimating/Bidding/Takeoff. I primarily supported the roll-out and work with support if any issues come up. Pros The most obvious feature of OST is the intuitive user interface. This allows for easy use by estimators and project managers as it requires little to no training to be up and running and utilizing the calculation and estimation features. Auto-count with OCR saves tons of time by automatically counting all similar objects. So a plan with 100 plus fixtures will calculate easily and seamlessly. Another feature that is incredibly useful is the overlay functionality. Allowing architects/estimators/project managers to compare plan iterations and instantly see what's changed between two specs. Cons I haven't experienced or heard of anyone experiencing any difficulty with OST. Review Source R Reviewer Estimator Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Using OST we are able to perform take offs much quicker than using a ruler or than digitize(ing). " June 5, 2017 5.0 Can probably do triple the amount of estimating than before. Pros Ease of use and how easy it is to review work. Being able to assign different take offs to different area's makes breaking out bids for alternates very easy. Cons I would like to be able to "crop" or cut all take offs to assign them into an area. For example, if the portion of a building becomes an alternate after the takeoff was performed. I would like to slice each take off to break out each area. Right now you can select multiple takeoffs and reassign but if you select say a wall that was one take off but you want it to be cut in half you have to delete it and redo the takeoff. Review Source Luke P. Estimator Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Best takeoff software on the market today" May 2, 2017 5.0 Before buying I compared this, E-Takeoff, Planswift, and Bluebeam takeoffs. This was hands down the best option. Pros Easy and intuitive to use. Some examples are- same copy paste functions as every other windows program, bulk copy (multiple takeoffs), fast plan loading, and a user interface that flows nicely. Cons Somewhat complicated to learn, the overall process makes sense, but you need to follow the steps to the letter. Review Source R Reviewer Project Coordinator Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Advanced, powerful software provides a plethora of features for construction project management." May 25, 2017 5.0 This is the fastest way that I know of to complete a takeoff. Once you have a good grasp of the user interface, it becomes second nature and takeoffs can be performed by anyone. Pros Ability to accurately quantify count, area, volume, and more on drawings with a high degree of complexity. We use it to count washroom accessories, confirm tile flooring quantities, area of roof, and others when tendering the project. During construction, we use it to track progression and productivity rates. Cons Printing can be tedious / counterintuitive. Also, the software auto-saves progress, which is great unless you make a mistake... Review Source R Reviewer President & C.E.O. Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "Poor customer service." February 15, 2017 2.0 I have been an On-Screen Takeoff user since 2008. The program is well designed, but the company has made the program non-macintosh user-friendly. I used the program in a Virtual Environment without issue for 8 years, and then OST stopped allowing the program to be utilized in a virtual environment (Parallels Desktop). They now require you to have a Windows Machine running License Manager (at all times) to utilize their product. Simply unacceptable. They have no regard for their Customer. Pros The product is well designed and easy to use (except for the what is necessary to run the program on a virtual environment). Cons Cannot run the program in a Virtual Environment. Review Source R Reviewer Sales-Estimating Used the software for: 3-5 years ### "OST" October 30, 2019 5.0 Overall, great experience. Saves a lot of time when preparing for estimates/bids. Pros Very is to import architectural drawings. Able to easily trace and label various components of each section. Take-off tab totals each section you are labeling. ie: LF, SF, Area. Cons Linking to multiple folders that contain drawings. copy and pasting various items could be easier. Organizing bids. Review Source R Reviewer President Used the software for: Less than 1 year ### "OCS-Software Angle Specialists" September 15, 2015 1.0 Pros The product does well for estimating and has some glitches that you can work around if you have been running it long enough. On Center Software, However is basically working an angle that will chew you up and spit you out! Just like the other reviewer mentioned. You have to keep pouring $$$ into support. We own 3 subscriptions (2 OST and 1 QB) of this product, each subscription cost thousands. Each year you have to pay over $$$$$ for each sub subscription you own just for maintenance. But here is the best part, If you miss a year or 2 of maintenance you have to go back and back pay the years you didn't pay! (I wonder if they hired an old IRS agent as the controller?) Wow! Isn't that a great way to gain customer loyalty! Now just like the manager of the tech support told me, "If you go for a while without taking support, you will eventually have to buy new subscriptions/software, it all ends up to be the same amount of money".. Oh did I forget? If you don't buy your maintenance at the beginning of the calendar year, say 3rd quarter, better get your wallet out again for January! You think they could maybe sell you blocks of time for tech support, get creative, anything? Anything other than coming after a tradesman's pocketbook so hurtfully. I'm disgusted! Consumers, If your looking for estimating software look somewhere else. Its 2015! Everyone makes it! I'm no longer an OCS ADVOCATE! Cons Nothing to like about dealing with OCS. Remember it takes a long time to get a customer but imagine what it takes to get them back. Review Source Similar Products Featured ## Send me user reviews about this product ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox.