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You have tools that measure drawings. You don’t have one that outputs a BoQ.

Bluebeam, PlanSwift, CostX, Cubit — all excellent at takeoff. But the BoQ still gets rebuilt by hand in Excel, every project. Finorly makes the BoQ the output, not a side-effect of your measurement tool.

Not a takeoff replacementRuns alongside your toolsStandards built in
Cost of one BoQ

4–8 hrs

rebuild by hand
VS

€1–€4

3–9 credits · editor free
you’re not competing with software · you’re competing with habit
Two different jobs

Measurement tools vs. BoQ tools.

Most tools on the market were built to measure areas, lengths, and counts from PDFs or DWGs. A BoQ is a different artefact — standard-mapped items, descriptions, units, and quantities structured for pricing. Finorly starts there.

Measurement / markup tools

BoQ is a side-effect

Bluebeam, PlanSwift, CostX, Cubit — all excellent at what they do.

  • Mark up PDFs, measure lengths and areas
  • Export counts and quantities to Excel
  • BoQ structure is up to you, usually in spreadsheets
  • Strong for detailed estimation & bid markup
bridged byspreadsheets
Finorly

BoQ is the output

A drawing goes in, a standard-mapped BoQ comes out.

  • Upload PDF / DWG / DXF / ZIP
  • Mapped to NRM2 / POMI / CESMM4 / SMM7
  • Editable BoQ with descriptions, units, quantities
  • Export to XLSX, CSV, PDF for pricing
Not a takeoff replacement. If you need pixel-accurate measurement across hundreds of pages for a detailed bid, a dedicated takeoff tool is still the right choice. Finorly produces the BoQ artefact — most users run it alongside their existing takeoff workflow.
The real comparison

The hidden cost isn’t the software. It’s the rebuild.

Every BoQ, every project, the same loop. It’s not a product — it’s a process you repeat by hand. That’s where the hours go.

01
Measure

Takeoff software. Scale, layers, tags.

02
Export

Quantities to Excel.

03 · THE REBUILD
Rebuild

Structure, descriptions, units, standard mapping — by hand.

THIS IS WHERE THE HOURS GO
04
Check

Hunt for missed items.

05
Fix

Every project, every time.


then
repeat
Your current loop

Measure → export → rebuild → check → fix.

That’s not software — it’s a process you repeat every time. The tool changes. The rebuild step doesn’t.

With Finorly

Measure → export → rebuild removed → check → fix.

Finorly removes the rebuild step. The BoQ comes out of the drawing, structured to your chosen standard. You still check and fix — because you’re the QS.

At a glance

How Finorly sits alongside the tools QSs already use.

Read the rows, not the columns. Each tool is good at what it was designed for.

 Finorly BoQExcel / manualBluebeam RevuPlanSwiftCostXCubit
01 · Primary purpose
Built forBoQ generationdrawing → standard BoQEverything & nothing — flexible but unstructuredPDF markup & measurementDigital takeoffTakeoff & 5D estimatingTakeoff & estimating
Output artefactStructured BoQthe BoQ is the outputSpreadsheet (your structure)Annotated PDF + quantitiesQuantities to ExcelPriced bill / estimatePriced bill / estimate
02 · Inputs & standards
Input formatsPDF · DWG · DXF · ZIPAny (manual entry)PDF (native)PDF · image · DWG*PDF · DWG · BIM*PDF · DWG · BIM*
Standards built-inNRM2 · POMI · CESMM4 · SMM7mapped on generationNone — you build itNoneUser-built templatesUser-built templatesUser-built templates
03 · Speed & onboarding
Time to first BoQMinutesupload → review → exportHours → daysHours (takeoff only)Hours (takeoff only)Hours → daysHours → days
Learning curveLow — one flowHigh — methodologyMediumMediumHigh — training commonMedium–High
InstallBrowser — nothing to installExcelDesktop appDesktop (Windows)Desktop (Windows)Desktop (Windows)
04 · Pricing
How you payFree tier + credits on generationeditor & exports freeFree (Excel license)Per-user license / subsPer-seat subscriptionPer-seat license (high)Per-seat subscription
Cost of one BoQ~€1–€4 per BoQ3–9 credits · editor freeHours of your timeLicense + hours of your timeLicense + hours of your timeLicense + hours of your timeLicense + hours of your time
05 · Collaboration & exports
ExportsXLSX · CSV · PDFXLSXPDF · CSVXLSXXLSX · PDF · bespokeXLSX · PDF · bespoke
Team / sharingShared workspace (Pro/Business)File-basedStudio sessionsFile-basedShared drivesShared drives
* depends on edition / add-on · estimates based on single-discipline moderate complexity
The same job, two ways

Producing one BoQ from a single DWG.

A realistic, unhurried workflow — not a benchmark. Your mileage will vary with drawing complexity and standard.

Takeoff + Excel — BoQ as side-effect

≈ 4–8 hrs
01
Open drawing in takeoff software; calibrate scale
~10m
02
Mark up areas, lengths, counts, layer by layer
2–4h
03
Export measured quantities to Excel
~15m
04
Rebuild BoQ structure by hand — copy quantities, write descriptions, assign units, map to standard
1.5–3h
05
Review, check for missed items; send out
~30m

Finorly BoQ — BoQ is the output

≈ 20–40m
01
Drag DWG / PDF into Finorly. Pick standard (NRM2 etc.)
~1m
02
See estimated credit cost. Confirm.
~10s
03
Finorly generates standard-mapped BoQ
1–3m
04
Rebuild BoQ structure by hand — removed
05
Review items as a QS; export XLSX / CSV / PDF
15–30m
Estimates based on a single-discipline floor plan, moderate complexity. Substation drawings, multi-discipline BIM, or heavy XREFs will extend both sides.
Per-tool notes

When each tool is the right answer.

Excel / manual

VS · 01
The universal default — flexible, familiar, free (if you have Office).
Good at
Bespoke structures, small jobs, one-off bills.
Friction
Every BoQ rebuilds from a blank sheet; standards compliance is manual.
Excel when a BoQ is a one-off — Finorly when you do it every week.

Bluebeam Revu

VS · 02
Industry standard for PDF markup and on-PDF measurement.
Good at
Collaborative markup, RFIs, Studio sessions, measurement on PDFs.
Friction
Produces measurements — not a structured BoQ. Still needs Excel to finish.
Keep Bluebeam for markup; use Finorly for the BoQ output.

PlanSwift

VS · 03
Popular digital takeoff for contractors and estimators.
Good at
Fast on-screen takeoff with assemblies and custom templates.
Friction
BoQ structure is template-driven; standards mapping is on you.
PlanSwift for quantities, Finorly for the standard-compliant bill.

CostX

VS · 04
Heavy-duty takeoff & 5D estimating used by QS practices.
Good at
BIM-aware takeoff, rate libraries, detailed cost plans.
Friction
High license cost, steep learning curve, desktop-bound.
CostX for detailed cost planning, Finorly for faster first-pass BoQs.

Cubit Estimating

VS · 05
Takeoff + estimating with a natural spreadsheet feel.
Good at
Familiar interface, "Buildup" pricing, good for mid-sized jobs.
Friction
Standards templates are user-managed; Windows-only.
Cubit for hands-on estimating — Finorly for BoQ-first workflows.

Finorly BoQ

BoQ-first. Drawing in, standard-mapped bill out.
Good at
Fast, browser-based, NRM2 / POMI / CESMM4 / SMM7 out of the box.
Friction
Not a takeoff tool. Works best when the BoQ is the deliverable.
Use when the deliverable is the BoQ itself.
Straight talk

When Finorly isn’t the right tool.

Every tool has a job. Here’s where we’re honestly not the best fit — yet, or by design. If any of these describe your workflow, another tool will serve you better.

no fake AI claims · no feature stuffing

Don’t use Finorly if…

These are the cases where another tool is the right answer.

  • You need pixel-accurate takeoff across hundreds of pages for a tender bid.
  • You're producing a fully priced 5D cost plan with a large rate library.
  • Your drawings are heavily annotated PDFs where markup is the primary artefact.
  • You work to a bespoke in-house standard that isn't NRM2 / POMI / CESMM4 / SMM7.
  • You need desktop-only, air-gapped working (Finorly is browser-based and cloud).
Switching questions

Before you change anything.

Full answers on the FAQ page →

Do I need to stop using my current tool?+
No. Most QSs run Finorly alongside their takeoff software. Finorly owns the BoQ step; your measurement tool keeps owning measurement and markup.
Will Finorly read exports from Bluebeam / PlanSwift / CostX?+
If you already have quantities from a takeoff tool, you can work them into Finorly's editor manually. Direct ingest from specific takeoff exports is on the roadmap — tell us which format you use.
How accurate is the generated BoQ?+
The BoQ structure and standard mapping is the focus. Quantities are extracted from the drawing and should always be reviewed by a qualified QS — the editor is free precisely so review isn't rationed by credits.
Is this "AI that does my job"?+
No. Finorly accelerates the structural and repetitive part of BoQ production. Professional judgment — scope, assumptions, rates, risk — stays with the QS.
Can I try it before switching anything?+
Yes. The Free tier gives you 10 credits on signup, enough for about one BoQ. Run it on a real drawing you've already produced, and compare.
CURRENT TOOLFINORLYBoQ · DONERUN ALONGSIDE · NO SWITCH REQUIRED
The only comparison that matters

Upload a drawing you’ve already priced — and see how fast you get a BoQ.

The best comparison is the one you run on your own work. 10 free credits on signup. No card, no setup, no training.