The STACK alternative for estimators who live in Excel.
STACK is a cloud takeoff platform billed at $249 a month for Premium or $299 a month for Pro (about $2,988 to $3,588 per seat per year, billed annually). BidScreen XL is a Microsoft Excel add-in for quantity takeoff at $400 a year per seat or $750 perpetual. Both measure PDF drawings. Only BidScreen XL puts the measurement directly inside the bid workbook your estimating team has already built.
BidScreen XL vs STACK
| Dimension | BidScreen XL | STACK |
|---|---|---|
| Annual price | $400 / yr or $750 perpetual | $2,988 / yr Premium or $3,588 / yr Pro |
| Deployment | Windows Excel add-in | 100% cloud, browser-based |
| Where measurements live | In your Excel workbook | In the STACK cloud project |
| Drawing formats | PDF, DWG, DXF, TIF | PDF primarily |
| Internet required | No (local Excel) | Yes |
| Perpetual license | $750 one time | Not offered |
| Free trial | 14 days | 7 days (Pro-level features) |
| One-time onboarding fee | None | May apply |
| Best for | Estimators bidding out of Excel | Subs bidding from multiple browsers |
The case for BidScreen XL
Teams that switch from STACK to BidScreen XL almost always cite one of two reasons.
Cost. Five seats over five years is $10,000 of BidScreen XL or $74,700 of STACK Premium. The gap funds two more estimators, a fleet of new laptops, or a year of trade-show travel.
Friction. STACK lives in a browser. The estimator measures in one window and bid-prices in another, copy-pasting back and forth. BidScreen XL eliminates the second window because the quantity is already in the cell.
Every dimension, side by side
Measurement
| Feature | BidScreen XL | STACK |
|---|---|---|
| Areas, lengths, counts | Yes | Yes |
| Quantities as Excel formulas | Yes | Cloud values, export to Excel |
| Offline measurement | Yes | No, requires internet |
File formats
| Feature | BidScreen XL | STACK |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | |
| DWG, DXF, TIF | Yes | PDF only |
Workflow
| Feature | BidScreen XL | STACK |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas is Excel | Yes | No, cloud canvas |
| Multi-bidder collaboration | Sharepoint or OneDrive on the workbook | Yes, native cloud |
| Project workspace | Your workbook | STACK cloud project |
Pricing
| Feature | BidScreen XL | STACK |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cost per seat | $400 / yr lease | $2,988 / yr Premium or $3,588 / yr Pro |
| Perpetual option | $750 | Not offered |
| 5 year cost, 1 seat | $2,000 (lease) or $1,350 (perpetual + Full Serve) | $14,940 Premium or $17,940 Pro |
Support
| Feature | BidScreen XL | STACK |
|---|---|---|
| US phone, business hours | Yes | Cloud chat + ticket |
Five-year cost of ownership
5 seats over 5 years
Save $64,700 with VertigraphBidScreen XL lease: 5 seats at $400 per year for 5 years ($10,000). STACK Premium: 5 seats at $2,988 per year for 5 years ($74,700). STACK Pro is higher at $3,588 per year per seat ($89,700 over the same window).
When STACK is actually the right choice
STACK is the right call when bid collaboration is the bottleneck.
Subcontractor estimating teams that bid the same project from three offices and need everyone seeing the same live takeoff get genuine value from STACK's cloud model. So do companies whose estimators move between machines often (laptop, desktop, conference room PC, home) and want zero install friction.
If your team's pain point is the bid math itself rather than collaboration, Excel-native is the bigger win.
Switching from STACK to BidScreen XL
How to migrate
- Install BidScreen XL on each estimator's Windows machine with Excel.
- Open your current STACK takeoff and screenshot or PDF-export the drawing set.
- In Excel, open your existing bid template (not STACK's export).
- Open the PDF in BidScreen XL and retrace one measurement type (say, slabs).
- Verify the quantity in Excel matches the STACK takeoff for the same item.
- Run one parallel bid to confirm the new workflow on a live project.
- Cancel the STACK renewal at the next cycle.
Frequently asked
Does BidScreen XL work offline?
Yes. BidScreen XL runs locally inside Excel on the estimator's Windows machine. Internet is only needed to download the installer and for license activation; the daily takeoff work happens offline.
How does BidScreen XL handle multi-person estimating?
The estimating workbook is the artifact. Teams share workbooks through SharePoint, OneDrive, or any file share that supports Excel co-authoring. BidScreen XL's measurements are stored inside the workbook so collaborators see them automatically.
Can I export a BidScreen XL takeoff to a project management tool?
Yes. The takeoff lives in Excel, so any tool that imports Excel or CSV can consume it. That includes Procore, Sage 300 CRE, QuickBooks, and any bid network that accepts spreadsheet uploads.
What about iPad?
BidScreen XL is a Windows + Excel desktop tool. If iPad workflow is a hard requirement, STACK and Bluebeam are better fits. Vertigraph estimators almost always work on a Windows desktop or laptop with multiple monitors.
Try BidScreen XL free for 14 days.
No credit card, no setup call. Download the installer, pick a job, run the takeoff. If it fits the way you bid, keep it.