On-Screen Takeoff® vs. Bobyard:

An Honest Comparison for Contractors and Estimators

On-Screen Takeoff and Bobyard are both digital takeoff tools, but they sit at very different points in the construction-tech landscape. This page compares what each platform does today, where they overlap, and which is the better fit depending on your work.

Built and Supported by Construction Experts

Years as the Industry-Leading Takeoff Solution
0 +
Active Licensed Users
0 +
ConstructConnect Team Members Dedicated to Your Success
0 +
ENR 100 Companies Using On-Screen Takeoff
0 +

Quick Answer:

How On-Screen Takeoff and Bobyard Compare

On-Screen Takeoff and Bobyard are both digital takeoff platforms that use AI to speed up measurement, but they sit at very different points in the market.

On-Screen Takeoff has been in active commercial use for more than 35 years, supports all major CSI MasterFormat trades, includes a dedicated Trade Database for Landscapers along with Trade Databases for a dozen additional specialties, and integrates natively with Quick Bid estimating and ConstructConnect Project Intelligence.

Bobyard is a venture-backed startup founded in 2023 with a current product focused on commercial landscaping and commercial electrical, with announced expansion into other trades.

On-Screen Takeoff leads on tenure, trade breadth, and ecosystem integration. Bobyard leads on trade-specific AI automation built from the ground up.

Get the Latest Technology

AI-assisted Takeoff Boost™ adds cutting-edge tech to an established, stable, and scalable takeoff and estimating solution that saves you days of manual work. Boost up to five pages at one time and get your results in as little as 30 seconds. Auto Name updates your Sheet Numbers and Names for an entire project in seconds. Estimator-designed tools like our patented Multi-Condition Takeoff and Typical Areas, Groups, and Pages, make quick work of repetitive manual takeoff tasks.

Easy Integration

As part of the ConstructConnect suite, On-Screen Takeoff is uniquely positioned to integrate with ConstructConnect® Project Intelligence, which gives you access to over 800K private and public projects. You can also integrate with ConstructConnect’s Quick Bid® professional estimating software to turn your takeoffs into winning bids. OST also integrates directly with Microsoft Excel®.

Powerful , Full-Featured Takeoff

Designed by estimators, OST delivers the speed, flexibility, power, and accuracy you need to bid more jobs and win more work. Used by top construction professionals, OST includes advanced tools that every trade can leverage to bid more winning jobs faster than ever and with greater accuracy. Spend your time on deep analysis, where it makes the most sense.

Flexibility

ConstructConnect is your one-stop shop for project data, takeoff and estimating tools, document downloads, bid calendars, analytics, and more—all from a name that defines the construction industry. With ConstructConnect’s solutions, you can collaborate with your team and move your projects forward in record time. Get instant ROI, often from your very first project win.

Feature Comparison:

On-Screen Takeoff vs. Bobyard: What’s the Difference?

This table reflects each platform’s capabilities as documented and observed in current product versions.
Feature On-Screen Takeoff Bobyard
Primary Trade Coverage All CSI MasterFormat divisions, including landscaping, concrete, drywall, MEP, roofing, flooring, masonry, firestopping, electrical, plumbing, walls and ceilings. Commercial landscaping (primary focus) and commercial electrical (Bobyard Electrical Takeoff, launched June 2026). Further expansion into drywall, HVAC, plumbing, and framing announced in the December 2025 funding round but not yet released.
Deployment Windows desktop application. Installed locally for high-performance rendering of large, complex plan sets. Not specified on Bobyard's public website.
AI-Assisted Takeoff On-Screen Takeoff’s suite of AI tools, Takeoff Boost™, speeds takeoffs on high-volume projects. It includes Auto Takeoff, Auto Count, Auto Name, and Auto Link. Users have reported time savings of up to 95% by processing up to five pages simultaneously. Named AI tools include Auto Count (landscape symbol detection), Auto Area Measurement, and Auto Length Measurement. For commercial electrical, Bobyard automates fixture detection, circuit and panel identification, wire routing, and length estimation. Bobyard reports up to 70% of takeoff automated, with customers seeing an average 65% time reduction.
Multi-Condition Takeoff Patented Multi-Condition Takeoff allows estimators to measure multiple items (framing, drywall, insulation, paint) in a single pass over a plan. Not offered.
Plan Version Comparison Adjusting overlays with color-coding identify additions and deletions between plan versions; quantities update based on detected changes. Not publicly documented.
Estimating Integration Native integration with Quick Bid®; also connects with Microsoft Excel® and ConstructConnect® Project Intelligence (access to 800K+ active construction projects). Built-in estimating templates with custom formulas; historical cost database; export functionality. Specific third-party integrations not publicly documented.
Trade Assembly Libraries Customizable assemblies built and refined for major commercial trades over 30+ years; integrates with Quick Bid for assembly creation and reuse. Custom templates with adaptable formulas; assembly depth assembly depth tailored to landscaping and, as of June 2026, commercial electrical.
Where On-Screen Takeoff Stands Out Where Bobyard Stands Out
Takeoff Boost, a Full Suite of AI Tools
Takeoff Boost is a suite of AI tools built into On-Screen Takeoff that helps estimators move faster from plans to pricing. The suite includes Auto Takeoff, Auto Count, Auto Name, and Auto Link, each designed to reduce manual work and speed up the takeoff process. Teams report completing takeoffs up to 95% faster than manual methods.

What this means for you: Less time spent on manual takeoff tasks means more time for the work that drives better bids. And because Takeoff Boost is built directly into On-Screen Takeoff, there’s no new software to learn and no separate subscription to manage. 		AI-First Architecture Built Trade-by-Trade
Bobyard was designed around AI automation from day one, with computer-vision and NLP models trained for the specific symbols, areas, and lengths on a given trade's plans. It began with landscaping: plant counts, irrigation symbols, hardscape areas, and edge measurements, and in June 2026, added commercial electrical with models built for fixture detection, circuit and panel identification, write routing, and length estimation.

What this means for you: If your business is commercial landscape installation or commercial electrical and your work centers on the symbol counts and area calculations Bobyard specializes in, the AI was built around your exact workflow.
35+ Years of Estimator-Led Development
On-Screen Takeoff has been actively developed alongside estimators for more than three decades. Features like patented Multi-Condition Takeoff, Typical Areas and Groups, and plan version overlays didn't come from a product roadmap brainstorm, but from solving real problems that estimators flagged over years of use.

What this means for you: When you're bidding complex commercial work, you're working with tools that were shaped by the kind of estimator who's done thousands of takeoffs. Depth, not novelty, is the differentiator. 		Modern Investment and Active Development
Bobyard raised a $35M Series A in December 2025, bringing total funding to $73.9M. Per the company's funding announcement, the platform is in an active expansion phase.

What this means for you: For contractors who prioritize being on a platform with significant new investment going into AI model development, Bobyard is currently in that growth phase.
Trade Breadth Across All CSI MasterFormat Divisions
On-Screen Takeoff supports all major commercial trades: landscaping, concrete, drywall, MEP, roofing, flooring, masonry, firestopping, electrical, plumbing, walls and ceilings, and more. Landscaping and electrical estimators can run AI-assisted takeoff in On-Screen Takeoff today, inside a platform that's handled full MEP for 35+ years.

What this means for you: Whether you're a single-trade specialty contractor or a general contractor managing multiple scopes, On-Screen Takeoff isn't a tool you'll outgrow. It scales with the complexity of your projects and the range of trades you handle.
End-to-End Preconstruction Integration

On-Screen Takeoff connects natively with Quick Bid for estimating, Microsoft Excel for cost modeling, and ConstructConnect Project Intelligence for access to 800,000+ active construction projects. Your takeoff doesn't sit in isolation, but instead flows from project discovery through takeoff and into the estimate.

What this means for you: Less re-entering data between systems, fewer errors, and a complete picture of every bid opportunity from first lead to final number.

Making the Right Call

Trade-offs to Consider

No platform is the right fit for every team. Here are the honest tradeoffs each platform asks you to make.
If you choose On-Screen Takeoff If you choose Bobyard
You get 35+ years of estimator-led refinement and the broadest CSI trade coverage, but you're working with a feature-rich desktop application that takes some investment to learn. You get AI-first takeoff automation built around landscape workflows, but you're working with a 3-year-old company on its second-generation product.
You gain native integration with Quick Bid, Project Intelligence, and Excel, but you're working within a Windows desktop environment, not a browser. You gain a platform purpose-built for landscaping or electrical, but the remaining announced trades (drywall, HVAC, plumbing, framing) are not yet released, and a newly launched product has a shorter track record than a long-tenured platform.
You get patented Multi-Condition Takeoff and depth that scales to complex multi-trade jobs, which requires more upfront configuration than a simpler platform. You benefit from active investment and rapid development, but the platform's longer-term direction, integrations, and pricing model are still evolving.
You get Takeoff Boost, a full suite of AI tools that delivers the most value for teams doing high volumes of similar work. You get strong customer-reported outcomes from landscape contractors, but the published customer base is narrower than long-tenured platforms.

Choosing the Right Tool

Which Platform Fits Your Workflow?

The right choice depends on your team size, project complexity, and how connected you need takeoff to be to the rest of your preconstruction workflow.
Choose On-Screen Takeoff if: Choose Bobyard if:

➔ You bid commercial work across one or more CSI MasterFormat trades (ldnscaping, concrete, drywall, MEP, roofing, firestopping, etc.) 

➔ You need takeoff connected to a full preconstruction ecosystem: Quick Bid for estimating, Project Intelligence for lead generation 

➔ You require Multi-Condition Takeoff to manage multi-trade jobs efficiently 

➔ You want a mature, widely adopted platform: 34,000+ active users, 50+ ENR Top 100 firms 

➔ You're an experienced estimator who values depth, customization, and decades of estimator-driven refinement 

➔ Your primary work is commercial landscape installation in the $3M–$20M+ range or commercial electrical, and a trade-specific tool is your top priority 

➔ AI-native takeoff automation for landscape or electrical symbols and measurements is your most important feature 

➔ You're comfortable adopting a newer platform from a 3-year-old company 

➔ You don't currently need broad CSI MasterFormat trade coverage or deep estimating-platform integration 

Don’t just take our word for it

“On-Screen Takeoff to our business in the pre-construction phase of the business is our biggest asset. You could spend a couple days doing an accurate takeoff that you can now do in a matter of hours using On-Screen Takeoff.”
Mike PhillipsVP-Preconstruction, Miller Tippins Construction
"Using ConstructConnect's On-Screen Takeoff and Takeoff Boost, yesterday, I did three projects in 20 minutes. And that probably would have taken me a couple of days if I was doing them all from scratch."
Sheri WinslowLead Estimator, AKS Interior Systems
“I consider Takeoff Boost and OST pretty critical - they're the footer of our foundation. They hold up our estimating department, which is the forefront of our company. We've built a lot of our business with the help of ConstructConnect, OST, and now Takeoff Boost.”
Shane MillsEstimating Manager, Klover Contracting
“Being able to [use Multi-Condition Takeoff] and do multiple measurements simultaneously is fantastic.”
Andrew SkidmoreCost Specialist, Connico
“I've used this product since 2004. Having done so, I've watched it evolve over the years in a very consistent pattern yet remain very friendly and true to its original interface. And that's given me a great comfort to use... And it’s my best friend.”
Richard Millerformer Lead Estimator, American Home Builders
“The Auto Name feature is spectacular - simple, short and sweet. That was a game changer in my opinion. We picked up decent time with that feature alone, and the accuracy of it made it a big win.”
Shane MillsEstimating Manager, Klover Contracting
“Before using On-Screen Takeoff, my experience was inefficiency.”
Andrew SkidmoreCost Specialist, Connico

Frequently Asked Questions

How On-Screen Takeoff Compares to Bobyard

On-Screen Takeoff is a professional construction takeoff software developed by On Center Software, now part of the ConstructConnect suite. It is used by estimators and contractors to digitally measure and quantify construction plans, replacing manual, paper-based takeoff methods.

On-Screen Takeoff supports linear, area, count, and volume measurements directly on digital plan sets. It is widely used by commercial general contractors, specialty trade contractors, and estimating firms for bid preparation, particularly on complex or high-volume projects.

Key capabilities include Multi-Condition Takeoff, AI-assisted takeoffs with Takeoff Boost, plan version comparison overlays, and direct integration with Quick Bid estimating software.

On-Screen Takeoff and Bobyard are both digital takeoff platforms that use AI to accelerate the measurement process. The most meaningful differences are maturity, trade coverage, and how each platform fits into the larger preconstruction workflow.

On-Screen Takeoff is a desktop application developed by On Center Software (now part of ConstructConnect®). It has been actively developed for more than 35 years and is used across all major commercial trades: landscaping, concrete, drywall, MEP, roofing, firestopping, flooring, and more. It includes patented Multi-Condition Takeoff, AI-assisted automation through Takeoff Boost™, and native integration with Quick Bid® estimating and ConstructConnect® Project Intelligence (access to 800,000+ active construction projects).

Bobyard is a venture-backed AI startup founded in 2023 and based in Menlo Park, California. The company raised a $35M Series A in December 2025 (total funding $73.9M) led by 8VC. Bobyard’s current product is focused on commercial landscaping and electrical, with announced expansion into drywall, HVAC, plumbing, and framing using the Series A funding. The platform uses proprietary computer-vision and NLP models to automate symbol counting, area measurement, and length measurement.

On-Screen Takeoff leads on industry tenure, trade breadth, customer base, and end-to-end preconstruction integration. Bobyard leads on AI automation built from the ground up for specific trades, landscaping and electrical.

As of June 2026, Bobyard offers two trade-specific products: its original landscaping product and Bobyard Electrical Takeoff for commercial electrical contractors. Per the company’s December 2025 funding announcement, further expansion into drywall, HVAC, plumbing, and framing is planned but has not yet been released. The maturity of features for trades outside of landscaping and electrical is not detailed in publicly available sources at this time.

Takeoff Boost is the AI takeoff suite built into On-Screen Takeoff. The suite includes four AI tools that work together to speed up the takeoff process from end to end:

  • Auto Takeoff automatically detects and measures areas, linear dimensions, and item counts across plan pages. Auto Takeoff processes up to five plan pages simultaneously, and users have reported time savings of up to 95% versus manual takeoff.
  • Auto Count identifies a symbol once and counts every matching instance across selected pages, eliminating click-by-click counting on repeating elements.
  • Auto Name automatically names and organizes plan sheets across a full plan set, removing one of the most repetitive setup steps.
  • Auto Link automatically creates Named Views and Hot Links so estimators can jump between plan pages and corresponding detail sheets with a single click.

Bobyard’s AI is delivered through its own set of named tools, focused on the trades it serves:

  • Auto Count detects and counts planting, irrigation, and electrical symbols on landscape plans.
  • Auto Area Measurement automatically measures pavers, concrete, and other materials.
  • Auto Length Measurement measures beds, edges, and hardscape.
  • Bobyard Electrical Takeoff automates fixture detection, circuit and panel identification, wire routing, and length estimation for commercial electrical plans.

Both platforms use the name “Auto Count,” but the underlying capabilities apply to different things. Takeoff Boost’s Auto Count handles repeating items across CSI MasterFormat commercial trades. Bobyard’s Auto Count is focused on landscape-specific symbols (plants, irrigation, electrical).

The most meaningful differences between the two AI suites today are scope and trade coverage. Takeoff Boost™ is built into a platform with 35+ years of trade coverage across the full CSI MasterFormat. Bobyard’s AI is delivered as separate, trade-by-trade products. 

If your work is primarily commercial landscape installation or commercial electrical and a trade-specific tool is your top priority, Bobyard offers a product purpose-built for each of those trades. If you bid across multiple commercial trades, need deep integration with estimating and project intelligence tools, or value a platform with 35+ years of estimator-driven refinement and a 34,000+ user community, On-Screen Takeoff is the better fit. Many estimators ultimately choose the platform that aligns with their trade focus, their existing ecosystem, and the maturity of the tools they need.

Ready to Win More Work?

Join 34,000+ construction professionals who trust On-Screen Takeoff for accurate, fast takeoffs.

Request Your Free Demo Today