Free construction takeoff software, right in your browser
Open any PDF plan, set the scale, and measure areas, lengths, and counts the way you would on paper, only faster. TRACEBUILD Lite does real quantity takeoff in the browser, then exports straight to Excel. Free while Lite is in early access, with no install and no credit card.
By default, your drawings are processed on your own device. They are not uploaded to mark up, measure, or take off.
Everything you need to quantify a plan
- Area, length, and count tools that measure to real scale, with running subtotals as you go.
- Set scale from the drawing using a known dimension or a standard scale preset, imperial or metric.
- Auto-detect rooms to drop labeled area takeoffs, named from the drawing's own text, for you to review before they count.
- Auto-detect runs to turn wall and pipe line-work into linear measurements. Wall tracing is measured in our published wall-detection benchmark.
- Export to CSV and Excel so quantities land in your estimate without retyping.
- Works on scanned plans with built-in text search and OCR when there is no text layer.
How it works
- Open your PDF. Drag a plan set into the browser. Nothing installs, and by default nothing uploads.
- Set the scale. Click a known dimension and type its real length, or pick a standard scale. Every measurement after that reads in real feet or meters.
- Measure or auto-detect. Trace areas and runs by hand, or let Detect Spaces and Detect Runs quantify the sheet for you.
- Export. Send quantities to Excel or CSV, ready for your estimate or bid.
Why teams pick TRACEBUILD
Free during early access
Full markup, measurement, and takeoff in Lite at no cost. No trial clock, no credit card.
Runs in any browser
Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox. Nothing to download, nothing for IT to approve.
Your plans stay private
By default, drawings are processed on your device. They are not uploaded to run markup, measurement, or takeoff.
Estimate ready
Clean CSV and Excel output that drops straight into the way you already bid work.
Common questions
Is TRACEBUILD really free?
Yes, during early access. TRACEBUILD Lite runs free in your browser, with no credit card and no download, and markup, measurement, and quantity takeoff are all included. When Lite launches it becomes $4.99 per user per month.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Lite runs entirely in the browser. Open a PDF plan, set the scale, and start measuring. By default, your drawings are processed on your own device and are not uploaded.
Can I export my takeoff?
Yes. Quantities export to CSV and Excel so you can drop them straight into your estimate or bid.
What file types can I open?
Any PDF plan set, vector or scanned, and PNG or JPEG images. You can also open DXF drawings and DWG files saved by AutoCAD 2000 through 2018, which open measurable in the drawing's own units. Quantities export to Excel and CSV; a page can be saved as DXF, and DWG export is in Preview.
Is there a paid version?
A Windows app, TRACEBUILD Pro, is coming soon with estimating, on-device AI, sessions, and signatures. The browser-based Lite tier stays free during early access. See how they compare on markup or against Bluebeam Revu.
Go further
Ready to quantify your trade? See exactly what to measure and count on the takeoff by trade page. New to takeoff? Walk through the whole process in how to do a construction takeoff, or browse all takeoff guides. Comparing options? See free and low-cost takeoff software, compared and what takeoff software costs.
Related: takeoff on a Mac · Bluebeam alternatives · free takeoff template