Comparison
PlanSwift alternatives
Mirage vs PlanSwift
PlanSwift is a point-and-click, assembly-based takeoff tool, the estimator drags parts and assemblies onto a digitized plan, with an add-on for some AI-assisted automation. Mirage is an AI agent that reads the plan set and returns quantities directly.
Executive Summary
PlanSwift is one of the longest-established takeoff and estimating tools in construction: a visual, point-and-click interface where the estimator drags individual parts or assemblies onto a digitized blueprint to build a takeoff and estimate.
Its core workflow is manual-first: PlanSwift Takeoff Boost adds a suite of AI-powered tools on top, aimed at automating some of the repetitive measuring, counting, and scaling, but the assembly-based, click-driven model remains the foundation of the product.
PlanSwift Professional runs around $2,000/year on subscription, or roughly $1,749 as a one-time purchase with support and updates optional after year one at $250/license/year.
Mirage is AI-first from the ground up: the agent reads the plan set directly and returns quantities with source location attached, deployed by engineers into your existing estimating workflow rather than sold as a licensed desktop tool.
Key Takeaways
- PlanSwift's core workflow is manual, point-and-click, assembly-based; Mirage's agent automates the takeoff directly.
- PlanSwift's AI tools (Takeoff Boost) are an add-on layer; Mirage's automated reading is the product itself.
- PlanSwift runs ~$2,000/year; Mirage is scoped per engagement.
- The John Cockerill case study reports 80 to 90% less time on piping takeoff using Mirage's agent.
At a Glance
| Aspect | Mirage | PlanSwift |
|---|---|---|
| Model | AI agent that reads plan sets and returns quantities automatically | Point-and-click, assembly-based manual takeoff tool, with an AI-powered add-on (Takeoff Boost) |
| Core workflow | Automated: the agent quantifies the plan set directly | Manual-first: the estimator drags parts/assemblies onto a digitized plan |
| Reported results | 80 to 90% less time on piping takeoff (John Cockerill case study) | No independently published takeoff-time benchmark found for Takeoff Boost |
| Deployment time | 4 to 6 weeks to production; a proof of concept a week after the first meeting | Desktop software install; usable immediately, no deployment phase |
| 2026 pricing | Scoped per engagement, not published publicly | ~$2,000/year subscription, or ~$1,749 one-time with optional $250/license/year support after year one |
| File formats | Reads native plan-set formats directly as part of the deployment | .TIF, .PDF, .DXF, .DWF, .DWG, .PLN, .JPG, plus import from online plan rooms |
| Team involvement | Mirage engineers embedded in your operation during and after rollout | Self-serve; the estimator performs the takeoff, assisted by assemblies and Takeoff Boost |
Key Differences
AI-first vs. manual-first with an AI add-on
Mirage's agent reads and quantifies the plan set as its core function. PlanSwift's foundation is the point-and-click assembly workflow; Takeoff Boost adds automation on top rather than replacing the manual process.
Forward-deployed agent vs. licensed desktop software
Mirage is deployed by engineers who wire the agent into your specific plan formats and downstream systems. PlanSwift is a license you install and run yourself, with support available separately.
Broad trade coverage vs. construction-wide document intelligence
PlanSwift's assembly library spans concrete, drywall, electrical, flooring, framing, HVAC, and more, well suited to trade-specific manual takeoff. Mirage's agent is deployed as part of a broader construction document-intelligence capability, not a trade-assembly library.
Advantages and Limitations
Mirage
Advantages
- Automates the takeoff itself, not just the point-and-click tools around it
- 80 to 90% less time on piping takeoff in a documented case study (John Cockerill)
- Quantities returned with source location attached, feeding directly into the estimate
- Forward-deployed engineers handle plan-format mapping
Limitations
- Pricing is scoped per engagement, not published publicly
- No self-serve entry point, every deployment involves Mirage engineers
PlanSwift
Advantages
- Published, predictable pricing (~$2,000/year or ~$1,749 one-time)
- Wide assembly library across trades (concrete, drywall, electrical, HVAC, and more)
- Long-established in the market, with broad file-format support
- Usable immediately after purchase, no deployment phase
Limitations
- Core takeoff workflow is still manual, point-and-click, assembly by assembly
- AI automation (Takeoff Boost) is an add-on layer, not the product's foundation
Real-World Use Cases
Teams wanting the takeoff step itself automated
Estimators who want quantities generated directly from the plan set, rather than a faster assembly-based click workflow, are a closer fit for Mirage.
Trade contractors with a stable assembly library
Subcontractors whose takeoff work maps cleanly onto a fixed library of assemblies (electrical, HVAC, flooring, framing) are a closer fit for PlanSwift's point-and-click model.
High-volume bidding with tight turnaround
The John Cockerill case study reports 80 to 90% less time on piping takeoff and a fabrication bill of materials produced ten times faster, using Mirage's agent instead of manual measurement.
Mirage Products
Takeoff & Estimating
Mirage's AI agent for construction quantity takeoff, reads plan, section, and detail sheets together and returns quantities with their source attached.
See the pageConstruction
Mirage's AI agents for construction operations, takeoff, bid leveling, specification review, document intelligence, and more.
See the pageHow to Choose
PlanSwift's assembly-based workflow is well suited to trade contractors whose takeoff work maps onto a stable, repeatable library of parts, the point-and-click model is fast once an assembly is set up correctly.
The tradeoff is that the estimator is still the one performing the takeoff, assisted by that library and by Takeoff Boost's automation layer. Mirage's agent is built to remove that manual step directly, which tends to matter more for teams with high plan-set volume or variable, non-standard drawings.
Where Mirage fits on US and UK projects
On US projects, Mirage reads US drawing sets and returns quantities traced to their sheet and detail for your estimators to price in the system they already use, and runs the document workflows around the bid and the job: CSI MasterFormat organisation, certified payroll against prevailing wage determinations and AIA G702/G703 pay applications. It does not check drawings against US building codes.
On UK projects, the quantities can be measured into an NRM2-structured bill for the quantity surveyor to price, and the contract side covers NEC4 administration.
FAQ
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Takeoff & Estimating
Mirage's AI agent reads plan, section, and detail sheets together and returns quantities with their source attached, deployed by engineers who work inside your estimating workflow.
See takeoff and estimatingGet a custom automation plan
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