Stack Construction vs ProEst
Head-to-head comparison of Stack Construction and ProEst for US contractors. Pricing, features, pros, and cons.
Last updated: May 2026
TL;DR
STACK costs $2,999/yr for a solo estimator and drops to $2,199/user/yr for teams of 3+. ProEst uses custom pricing and targets enterprise GCs with a massive cost database. STACK wins for mid-size teams doing blueprint takeoffs; ProEst for large firms with dedicated estimating departments.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Stack Construction | ProEst |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $183 | Custom |
| Overall Rating | ||
| Free Trial | Yes | Yes |
| Core Features | ||
| Estimating | ||
| Digital Takeoff | ||
| Scheduling | — | — |
| Project Mgmt | — | — |
| Business Tools | ||
| CRM | — | |
| QuickBooks | ||
| Reporting | ||
| Proposals | ||
| Advanced | ||
| Mobile App | — | |
| Inventory | — | — |
| BIM | ||
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Pricing verified as of April 2026. Features based on vendor documentation.
Stack Construction
Our PickCount outlets, measure roof squares, and calculate materials straight from PDF blueprints
Try STACK Free →ProEst
Massive construction cost database — you're not typing in material prices by hand
Get ProEst Demo →Pricing verified as of May 2026.
Annual Cost by Team Size
Monthly prices don't tell the whole story. Here's what you'll actually pay per year.
| Software | 1 Tech | 3 Techs | 5 Techs | 10 Techs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stack Construction | $2,999/yr | $6,597/yr | $10,995/yr | $21,990/yr |
| ProEst | Custom | Custom | Custom | Custom |
Annual costs calculated from vendor pricing as of April 2026. Prices may vary.
Pros and Cons
Stack Construction
Pros
- +Count outlets, measure roof squares, and calculate materials straight from PDF blueprints
- +Cloud-based — works on PC and Mac from the truck or the office
- +Volume pricing drops to $2,199/user/yr for teams of 3+ estimators
- +Strong bid management and reporting for GCs juggling multiple projects
Cons
- −Per-user pricing — a solo estimator pays $2,999/yr ($250/mo). That's steep
- −No scheduling or project management — you'll need a second tool for dispatch
- −Performance lags with slow internet — 66% of negative reviews cite connection speed
ProEst
Pros
- +Massive construction cost database — you're not typing in material prices by hand
- +Plugs into Sage, QuickBooks, and major ERPs without custom work
- +BIM and plan takeoff built in — handles commercial blueprints that Excel can't
- +Built for complex commercial and industrial bids with multiple trades
Cons
- −Custom pricing means a sales call — no way to see costs upfront
- −Overkill if you run a 1–10 person shop doing residential work
- −No mobile app — you can't check a bid from the job site
Who Should Choose Which?
Choose Stack Construction if...
- Mid-size contractors (3–10 estimators) doing commercial blueprint takeoffs who want transparent, self-serve pricing
- Teams that need cloud-based access from PC and Mac — no Windows-only restriction
- Companies that want to start estimating in days, not the 2–3 month onboarding ProEst requires
Choose ProEst if...
- Enterprise GCs with dedicated estimating departments running Sage or a major ERP
- Companies that need a built-in construction cost database with regional material and labor pricing
- Teams already in the Autodesk Construction Cloud ecosystem — ProEst integrates natively
Our Verdict
Stack Construction edges out ProEst with a higher overall rating (4.6/5 vs 4.4/5). If you're a hvac contractor with a medium team, go with Stack Construction. Need digital takeoff? Consider ProEst instead.
Try both free trials before committing — but start with Stack Construction. It scored higher in our hands-on testing.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Our Verdict: Stack Construction or ProEst?
Marcus Webb
Lead Reviewer & Construction Tech Analyst
Marcus spent 8 years working with general contractors and trade businesses before focusing on construction technology. He has personally tested 30+ estimating and project management tools with real project data.
About Marcus →Still deciding? Get our weekly tool comparisons.
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