ArcSite turns the sketch you draw on a customer’s driveway into a to-scale drawing, a material takeoff and a signed proposal before you pack up the truck. It runs on iOS, Android and Windows, starts at $10 per month billed yearly, and the company says more than 21 million drawings, takeoffs and proposals have been created inside it. This in-depth ArcSite review covers the real plan limits, the features that justify the higher tiers and the cases where it is simply the wrong tool.
📋 Quick Verdict
ArcSite is a mobile CAD and estimating platform built around one workflow: draw the job on site, let the software calculate materials from those drawings, then send an estimate, collect a deposit and issue an invoice from the same project. It runs on iOS, Android and Windows, and it is aimed squarely at trades where the sale happens in front of the customer — fencing, concrete, decks and patios, roofing, gutters, turf, flooring and home inspection among more than 50 industries listed on its site.
Our review found the pricing ladder is the whole story here. Draw Basic at $10 per month billed yearly ($14.99 month-to-month) gives you the drawing engine and unlimited projects but no takeoffs, price book or proposals. Draw Pro at $30 ($34.99 monthly) adds measurements, data capture, DXF/DWG export and the AR room scanner. Takeoff at $99 ($119.99 monthly) adds automated material calculations and a digital price book, and Estimates at $129 ($159.99 monthly) adds proposals, eSignature approvals, payments and change orders. There is a 14-day free trial across the board and an Enterprise tier quoted on request.
The honest tension is that the money-making features start at the $99 tier. A solo contractor who already estimates in a spreadsheet can sketch in Draw Pro and export the plan, but anyone who wants the “draw it and the price appears” experience needs Takeoff or Estimates, which is a real jump from a $10 entry point. For teams that close jobs on site, ArcSite’s own customer quotes suggest the maths works; for occasional users it probably does not.
👍 Pros
- Genuine CAD tools on a phone or tablet, including exact-to-scale drawing
- 21+ million drawings, takeoffs and proposals created, per ArcSite’s own counter
- Drawings drive material takeoffs automatically once you reach the Takeoff tier
- Exports to PNG, PDF, DXF and DWG so plans leave the app cleanly
- Integrations with Salesforce, QuickBooks, Jobber, Moasure, ServiceTitan and laser measures
- Company-level controls: SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001 and GDPR compliance stated on its site
- 14-day trial on paid plans and real ratings across Capterra, GetApp and Software Advice
👎 Cons
- The useful business features (takeoffs, price book, proposals) sit at $99–$129 per month
- Cheapest tier is a drawing tool only — no estimates, no material calculations
- No permanent free plan, just a 14-day trial
- AR room scanner needs LiDAR-capable Apple devices
- Mobile-first design will feel limiting to anyone who prefers full desktop CAD
- Payments and financing depend on third-party providers inside the workflow
- Small shops must grow into a whole estimating process to get the return
🤔 What Is ArcSite?
ArcSite is CAD for people who do not use CAD software. Its own about page puts it plainly: the company wanted to democratise design so that anyone can sketch a space accurately on a phone or tablet, with the drawing rendered to scale and tied to the data a job needs. Practically, that means a sales rep or estimator walks the property, traces the fence line, deck or roof plan, drops in measurements, photos and notes, and ends up with a professional document the customer can approve.
The company is based at 5075 Cascade Rd STE I in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with Pei Zhan as founder and CEO, and it is available on iOS, Android and Windows. Its positioning page claims ratings across Capterra, GetApp and Software Advice, and the pricing page cites 21,000+ reviews alongside the 21+ million drawings, takeoffs and proposals created figure. Recent product news is telling: in August 2026 ArcSite launched topographic drawings that turn elevation problems into something a customer can actually see, which is the clearest signal of where the roadmap is heading — visual selling, not drafting features for their own sake.
⚙️ Key Features
1. On-site drawing with real measurements
The core canvas is a mobile CAD tool: unlimited projects and drawings, industry and custom shape libraries, layers and versioning, satellite map access, annotation and markup tools, unlimited photo uploads and elevation points. Laser measure devices from Bosch and Leica can feed distances straight into the drawing, and Moasure is supported through integration, so you are not squinting at a tape and typing numbers while the customer waits.
2. Takeoffs that come from the drawing
Automated material takeoffs are the feature that changes the economics. ArcSite builds a custom product library and a digital price book, supports product bundles, and attaches product images and videos to line items, then calculates quantities from the plan rather than from memory. Reports and dashboards summarise what has been quoted, and multi-location price books let a franchise keep regional pricing without rewriting the workflow for every branch.
3. Proposals, approvals and payments in one link
On the Estimates tier, ArcSite produces branded proposals with customised templates and good/better/best pricing options, collects digital approvals with eSignature, and takes digital payments, deposits and service plans. Change orders, invoicing and client financing are handled in the same record, which matters in trades where scope changes are normal and chasing a second approval by email is how margin disappears.
4. Data capture, custom shapes and forms
Beyond geometry, ArcSite collects job data through custom forms and template libraries, supports surveys and inspections with industry-specific shape sets, and keeps everything tied to the project for the office team. The AR Room Scanner on LiDAR-equipped Apple devices can measure a room by pointing the camera at it, and topographic heatmaps visualise grade and elevation, a workflow ArcSite expanded with its 2026 topographic drawing launch.
5. Integrations and exports that respect existing tools
ArcSite exports to PNG, PDF, DXF and DWG, so drawings can be handed to engineers or suppliers, and it connects to Salesforce, QuickBooks, Jobber, Housecall Pro, JobNimbus, ServiceTitan, Zoho CRM, Zapier and moasure through essential and advanced integrations plus an open API. Teams that already run a field service platform can keep it and let ArcSite own the drawing and estimating stage instead of replacing everything at once.
💰 Pricing & Plans
ArcSite lists its prices in two columns, monthly and yearly, with the yearly option saving up to roughly 20%. The table below reflects the figures published on its pricing page at the time of our analysis; confirm the live numbers before you commit, since Enterprise is quoted individually and promos change.
| Plan | Monthly | Billed yearly | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draw Basic | $14.99 | $10 | Unlimited projects and drawings, mobile CAD, for DIY and hobby use |
| Draw Pro | $34.99 | $30 | Shared team account, measurements and data capture, DXF/DWG export, AR scanner, laser integration |
| Takeoff | $119.99 | $99 | Automated material takeoffs, custom product library, digital price book, bundles, reports |
| Estimates | $159.99 | $129 | Proposals, eSign approvals, payments, invoicing, change orders, sales reports, API access |
| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | User management, multi-location price books, BI reports, dedicated account manager |
Two practical notes on the pricing. First, the 14-day trial applies to the paid plans, so you can test the takeoff and estimate workflow before choosing a tier — do that rather than judging ArcSite from the basic drawing tools. Second, Draw Basic is explicitly pitched at DIY users, which means the question for a trade business is not “is ArcSite affordable” but “which tier replaces the spreadsheet, the paper form and the separate proposal tool”, and that answer usually starts at Takeoff.
⚔️ ArcSite vs. Competitors
ArcSite overlaps with three different categories: floor-plan scanner apps, desktop takeoff software and field service management platforms. Rival pricing shifts constantly, so check each vendor directly before comparing budgets.
| Tool | Strength | Where ArcSite wins or loses |
|---|---|---|
| ArcSite | Drawing, takeoff, proposal and payment in one mobile flow | Strongest when the sale happens on site in a measurable trade |
| MagicPlan and similar scanner apps | Fast room capture and floor plans, low cost to start | ArcSite goes further into takeoffs and selling; scanners stay closer to documentation |
| Desktop takeoff suites (STACK and similar) | Very deep measurement tools working from large plan sets | ArcSite trades depth for drawing live on site and closing before you leave |
| Jobber, Housecall Pro and other field service apps | Scheduling, dispatch, invoicing and customer records | ArcSite is far better at drawings; the two usually coexist through integrations |
| Houzz Pro and remodeler suites | All-in-one CRM, proposals and project management for remodelling | ArcSite’s CAD and takeoff engine is deeper; the suites are broader on marketing |
| Moasure and laser measures | Hardware accuracy in the field | Complementary — ArcSite integrates with both instead of replacing them |
The pattern is clear from the table: ArcSite is not trying to beat dedicated design software on drafting depth, and it is not trying to be a full CRM. It is trying to be the fastest path from walking a property to a signed, priced job, and on that specific measure it is one of the few products in the field that does the whole chain on a tablet. If you already own a takeoff suite and a field service app that talk to each other, ArcSite is optional. If your process is a clipboard, a tape measure and a laptop at 9 pm, it replaces all three.
🎯 Who Should Use ArcSite?
- Fencing, concrete, deck, turf and roofing crews that measure and quote in the same visit
- Home inspectors and field inspectors who need structured forms, photos and marked-up plans
- Sales teams whose close rate depends on showing a plan rather than reading a number
- Businesses standardising pricing and drawings across several reps or locations
- Companies already on QuickBooks, Salesforce, Jobber or ServiceTitan that want estimating handled properly
- DIY users who mainly need clean to-scale drawings on the Draw Basic tier
🚫 Who Should Skip It
- Engineers and architects who need full desktop CAD rather than a mobile-first tool
- Solo tradespeople quoting by spreadsheet who would never use the takeoff or proposal tiers
- Anyone unwilling to pay $99–$129 per month for the features that actually generate revenue
- iPad users without LiDAR who specifically want the AR room scanner
- Teams looking for a free permanent plan instead of a 14-day trial
- Contractors in trades where drawings are irrelevant and a simple quote form is enough
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is ArcSite free to use?
There is no permanent free plan. ArcSite offers a 14-day free trial so you can explore the product, after which you choose a paid subscription. Its own FAQ states the trial lets you test the features and that you then pick the plan that fits, with a demo available for teams.
How much does ArcSite cost?
At the prices listed during our analysis: Draw Basic $14.99 per month or $10 billed yearly, Draw Pro $34.99 or $30 yearly, Takeoff $119.99 or $99 yearly, and Estimates $159.99 or $129 yearly. Enterprise is quoted individually. Billing yearly saves up to roughly 20%.
Do I need a long-term contract?
No. ArcSite states that it operates on a subscription basis with no long-term contract, and that you can cancel at any time without commitment. That is worth confirming against the current terms when you subscribe.
What devices does ArcSite run on?
ArcSite is available on iOS, Android and Windows. The AR room scanner requires LiDAR-capable Apple devices, and drawing on a tablet with a stylus is the most natural fit for the workflow. Laser measure integrations cover Bosch and Leica hardware, plus Moasure.
Can ArcSite export plans I can share with suppliers?
Yes. Export formats include PNG, PDF, DXF and DWG, so drawings can be passed to engineers, suppliers or permit reviewers. Plan exports are part of the paid tiers, with DXF and DWG listed at Draw Pro and above.
Does ArcSite replace my accounting or field service software?
Usually it complements rather than replaces them. It integrates with QuickBooks, Salesforce, Jobber, Housecall Pro, JobNimbus, ServiceTitan, Zoho CRM and Zapier, plus an open API, so most teams keep their back office and let ArcSite own the drawing, takeoff and proposal stage.
🏁 Final Verdict
Our analysis finds ArcSite strongest in a specific scenario: a contractor who needs to measure a property, calculate materials and hand over a priced proposal in the same visit, without a desktop and without waiting on the office. The 21+ million drawings and proposals ArcSite reports, the breadth of integrations and the compliance credentials on its site (SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, GDPR) all point to a product built for real teams rather than a demo. The August 2026 topographic drawing release shows continued investment in the visual-selling idea.
The reason to hesitate is the step pricing. The $10 entry tier is genuinely useful only as a drawing app, and the features that change a business sit two tiers up at $99 and $129 per month. That is a fair price if it wins one extra job a month, and a bad one if you are a solo operator who already quotes confidently. Run the 14-day trial on Takeoff or Estimates, test it on a real job, and decide from the numbers rather than from the marketing page.
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What we verified (13 Oct 2026)
- Plans and prices on the vendor’s own page: Draw Basic $14.99/month ($10/month billed yearly), Draw Pro $34.99 ($30), Takeoff $119.99 ($99), Estimates $159.99 ($129); Enterprise is custom pricing.
- Trial and billing: 14-day free trial with full features; paying yearly saves roughly 20%.
- Scale figure stated on the page: “21+ million drawings, takeoffs, and proposals created with ArcSite”.
- How we judge it: we compare the cheapest paid tier against what a solo surveyor or installer actually does on site — draw, measure, quote — and note the point where the upgrade becomes unavoidable.
- How we test: see our methodology.
- Source: arcsite.com/pricing, checked 13 Oct 2026.
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