Carlson Takeoff vs EarthWorks

Carlson Takeoff7.9Visit EEarthWorks7.9Visit

Carlson Takeoff #2 in Earthwork Estimating Software 7.9/10 Pricing on request · 30-day trial Free trial✓ 1 of 3 features Visit Carlson

vs

E EarthWorks #4 in Earthwork Estimating Software 7.9/10 7-day trial Free trial✓ 1 of 3 features Visit EarthWorks

• Carlson Takeoff fits best

  Estimators handling roads, trenches, and cut/fill

• EarthWorks fits best

  Estimators needing earthwork calculations across platforms

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Side by side

Feature	Carlson Takeoff 7.9/10 Visit ↗	EEarthWorks 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	7.9	7.9
Ranking	#2 in Earthwork Estimating Software	#4 in Earthwork Estimating Software
Best for	Estimators handling roads, trenches, and cut/fill	Estimators needing earthwork calculations across platforms
Pricing model	Paid	Paid
Starting price	Pricing on request · 30-day trial	—
Free plan	—	—
Free trial	30 days	7 days
Free trial length	30 days	7 days
Deployment	Desktop	Cloud, Desktop
Platforms	Windows	Web, Windows, macOS, Linux
Support	Email, Phone	Email, Phone
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market
Features Carlson Takeoff 1/3 · EarthWorks 1/3
Cut-fill analysis	✓	✓
Material cost database	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Bid templates	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Takeoff method	Both	2d
Plan input formats	Mixed	Mixed
Included projects	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Calculates cut/fill, strata, topsoil, subgrade, and over-excavate volumes Supports road profiles, cross-sections, end-area volumes, and mass haul Exports machine-control surfaces for Topcon, Trimble, and Leica	Calculates cut-and-fill, topsoil, over-excavation and engineered fill Takes off PDFs, TIFFs, vector PDFs and CAD drawings Shows 3D and cross-section views with materials and subtotal reports
Cons	Windows desktop deployment may not suit teams needing other platforms Pricing requires contacting Carlson Software The CAD engine choice may add setup considerations for some buyers	No free plan; paid licensing is required Cloud licensing requires a separate annual subscription No listed integrations
Our verdict	Carlson Takeoff is desktop CAD software for estimating earthwork quantities and preparing data for field stakeout and machine control. It is aimed at estimators working with roads, trenches, cut and fill, and mixed paper and digital plans.… Read the review →	EarthWorks from Trakware, Inc. is excavation takeoff and estimating software for contractors and estimators who need to calculate earthwork quantities from plans. It supports PDF and TIFF takeoffs, vector PDF linework, and CAD/AutoCAD… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Carlson Takeoff — where it wins

  • Calculates cut/fill, strata, topsoil, subgrade, and over-excavate volumes
  • Supports road profiles, cross-sections, end-area volumes, and mass haul
  • Exports machine-control surfaces for Topcon, Trimble, and Leica

  Where it doesn't

  • Windows desktop deployment may not suit teams needing other platforms
  • Pricing requires contacting Carlson Software
  • The CAD engine choice may add setup considerations for some buyers

• EarthWorks — where it wins

  • Calculates cut-and-fill, topsoil, over-excavation and engineered fill
  • Takes off PDFs, TIFFs, vector PDFs and CAD drawings
  • Shows 3D and cross-section views with materials and subtotal reports

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan; paid licensing is required
  • Cloud licensing requires a separate annual subscription
  • No listed integrations

• Carlson Takeoff7.9/10 · Pricing on request · 30-day trial

  A desktop CAD tool for detailed earthwork quantities, road and trench workflows, and machine-control exports.

  Visit CarlsonFull verdict →
• EEarthWorks7.9/10 · 7-day trial

  Earthwork takeoffs across desktop and web, with detailed cut-and-fill calculations.

  Visit EarthWorksFull verdict →