STACK vs Kreo

Updated 2026-10-21 · prices checked on each vendor's official pricing page

Short answer: If you bid occasionally or want to try before paying, start with STACK Free. If you need AI takeoff on a budget, Kreo Pro ($2,100 per user per year) costs less than STACK Premium ($3,588 per user per year at the annual rate), and Kreo Essential ($1,200/yr) is the cheapest paid seat of the two if you do not need AI. STACK makes more sense when you want takeoff, estimating, the regional BNI cost library and proposals in one place, or need to spread payments monthly. Run the same plan set through STACK Free and Kreo's 7-day trial before you commit to a year.

STACK and Kreo are both takeoff and estimating software, and both now sell AI takeoff. The real differences are how you pay (STACK has a free tier and a monthly-payment option on 12-month terms; Kreo is annual-only), which plan unlocks AI, and where the estimating features sit.

Who STACK is for

Subcontractors and GCs who want to start free or keep a seat for occasional bids, and teams that want takeoff and estimating in one platform with a built-in cost library. STACK Free is $0 (1 active project per month, up to 300 plan pages and 50 measurements per project). Premium ($299/user/mo billed annually) adds unlimited projects and measurements, AI Takeoffs, STACK IQ and unlimited viewer seats; Pro ($349/user/mo billed annually) adds worksheet-style estimating, STACK for Excel, the regional BNI cost library and proposals. STACK listing →

Who Kreo is for

Estimators and quantity surveyors who want the lowest paid seat price, or AI takeoff for a small team at a lower per-seat price. Kreo Essential is $100/user/mo billed annually ($1,200/yr) and has no AI; Pro is $175/user/mo billed annually ($2,100/yr) and adds one-click measurements, auto symbol counting, batch AI takeoff and the Caddie AI assistant. Pro covers up to 4 users; Business ($250/user/mo, 5-seat minimum, $15,000/yr) is for teams of 5 to 20. Kreo listing →

STACK vs Kreo: comparison table

	STACK	Kreo
Free option	Free plan, $0 forever: 1 active project/month, up to 300 plan pages and 50 measurements per project (starts with 7 days of Pro)	No free plan; 7-day free trial on Essential, Pro and Business
Cheapest paid seat	Premium $299/user/mo billed annually ($3,588/yr)	Essential $100/user/mo billed annually ($1,200/yr), no AI
Cheapest seat with AI takeoff	Premium $299/user/mo billed annually (AI Takeoffs, STACK IQ, symbol search)	Pro $175/user/mo billed annually ($2,100/yr)
Paying monthly	Allowed on 12-month terms: Premium $349/mo, Pro $399/mo	No monthly subscription; billed once a year
Integrated estimating	Pro ($349/user/mo annually): worksheet estimating, items & assemblies, STACK for Excel, BNI cost library, proposals	From Essential: live-linked estimates, custom assemblies, shared company cost database, Excel import/export
Viewers / guests	Unlimited viewer seats on Premium and Pro (1 on Free)	Unlimited free guests for viewing and commenting
Team plans	Per user; custom packages via 'Build Your Own Subscription'	Pro up to 4 users; Business 5 to 20 users ($250/user/mo, 5-seat minimum); Enterprise custom
APIs / ERP	ERP connectors add-on (Pro required)	APIs from Pro as paid add-ons; included in Business
Refunds / pilots	Not stated on the pricing page	7-day money-back guarantee after first payment; paid Pilot credited to an annual plan
Currencies	USD, CAD	USD, GBP, EUR

Verdict

If you bid occasionally or want to try before paying, start with STACK Free. If you need AI takeoff on a budget, Kreo Pro ($2,100 per user per year) costs less than STACK Premium ($3,588 per user per year at the annual rate), and Kreo Essential ($1,200/yr) is the cheapest paid seat of the two if you do not need AI. STACK makes more sense when you want takeoff, estimating, the regional BNI cost library and proposals in one place, or need to spread payments monthly. Run the same plan set through STACK Free and Kreo's 7-day trial before you commit to a year.

FAQ

Is STACK free?

STACK Takeoff & Estimate has a Free plan at $0 forever, limited to 1 active project per month, up to 300 plan pages and 50 measurements per project; new accounts get 7 days of Pro features first (stackct.com, checked 2026-10-21).

How much does STACK cost per year?

Premium is $299 per user per month billed annually ($3,588/yr) and Pro is $349 billed annually ($4,188/yr). Paying monthly costs $349 (Premium) or $399 (Pro) per month, and all Takeoff & Estimate subscriptions are 12-month terms.

How much does Kreo cost?

Essential $100, Pro $175 and Business $250 per user per month, all billed annually ($1,200, $2,100 and $15,000 for the 5-seat Business minimum per year). Enterprise is custom. Prices exclude VAT and sales tax.

Which one is cheaper for 3 estimators?

At annual list prices: Kreo Essential $3,600/yr, Kreo Pro $6,300/yr, STACK Premium $10,764/yr and STACK Pro $12,564/yr. STACK Free costs nothing but allows only 1 active project per month.

Does Kreo have a monthly plan?

No. Kreo says all plans are billed annually per user; the monthly prices on its page are the annual price divided by 12.

Do I need Kreo Pro for AI takeoff?

Yes. Kreo describes Essential as takeoff and estimating without AI. AI takeoff (rooms, walls, doors, windows), auto symbol counting and the Caddie AI assistant start on Pro.

What other takeoff tools should I compare?

PlanSwift ($2,000/yr Essential) and Togal.AI ($299/user/mo billed yearly) are also in our directory; see PlanSwift vs Togal.AI and our estimating & takeoff ranking.

Sources

STACK Takeoff & Estimate pricing (checked 2026-10-21)
STACK pricing overview (checked 2026-10-21)
Kreo pricing (plans, calculator, FAQ) (checked 2026-10-21)

We did not test these products hands-on; facts come from each vendor's official site. No paid placements or affiliate links. Prices change, so confirm with the vendor. Methodology.