PlanSwift on a Mac: your options, and a free PDF takeoff tool
PlanSwift is desktop takeoff software for Windows. There's no Mac version, so estimators on Macs either run Windows or use a takeoff tool that works in the browser.
HardHat Quote isn't affiliated with PlanSwift or ConstructConnect. We make a free browser takeoff tool, so here's an honest look at where each option fits.
1. Run PlanSwift in Windows on your Mac
On an Apple silicon Mac, that means a virtual machine such as Parallels Desktop with Windows 11 for ARM (Boot Camp only exists on older Intel Macs). Check with ConstructConnect that your PlanSwift version is supported on Windows for ARM before you buy anything.
You keep PlanSwift's assemblies, templates and estimating features, but you pay for Windows and the virtual machine on top of your PlanSwift license.
2. A browser-based takeoff tool
If you mostly need calibrated lengths, areas and counts from PDF plans, a browser tool avoids Windows entirely. Our free PDF takeoff tool measures plans in Safari or Chrome, totals quantities across sheets, exports a CSV and sends the quantities into an estimate. Your PDF never leaves your computer.
Paid web takeoff services such as STACK, zzTakeoff and Easy Takeoffs add features like shared projects and assemblies; compare their current plans on their own sites.
Side by side
| PlanSwift in a Windows VM | HardHat Quote (free) | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs on macOS without Windows | No | Yes, in the browser |
| Calibrated length, area and count | Yes | Yes |
| Assemblies and material formulas | Yes | No |
| Totals across sheets, CSV export | Yes | Yes |
| Quantities straight into an estimate | Within PlanSwift | One click into a HardHat Quote estimate |
| What you pay | PlanSwift license + Windows + VM | Free |
When our tool isn't the right fit
- Assemblies that turn a wall length into studs, plates and drywall sheets: PlanSwift does that; we don't yet.
- Large commercial bids with shared projects across an estimating team.
Measure your next plan in the browser
Free, no account, nothing uploaded. Pro + Takeoff ($24/month) with saved projects is coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Mac version of PlanSwift?
No. PlanSwift is Windows software. Mac users run it in a Windows virtual machine or use a browser-based takeoff tool instead.
Is there a free PlanSwift alternative for Mac?
For measuring PDF plans, HardHat Quote's takeoff tool is free and runs in the browser. It doesn't have PlanSwift's assemblies or material formulas.
Is HardHat Quote connected to PlanSwift?
No. PlanSwift is a trademark of its owner. We mention it only to describe the options available to Mac users.
Sources
- Use Bluebeam Revu on Mac — Parallels. Running Revu on Windows 11 for ARM in Parallels Desktop on Apple silicon; needs Windows and Revu licenses (checked October 21, 2026).