McCormick Estimating vs STACK
Head-to-head comparison of pricing, features, integrations, and use-case fit.
McCormick Estimating
Electrical, plumbing and mechanical estimating software with built-in takeoff, from Foundation Software
- Starting price
- Custom quote
- Best team size
- 1-100
- Free trial
- None listed
STACK
Cloud takeoff and estimating software for contractors and subcontractors, with a free plan
- Starting price
- Free tier available
- Best team size
- 2-200
- Free trial
- 7 days
What actually separates them
Only the points where our data on McCormick Estimating and STACK differs. A feature or integration missing from one tool's list means our entry does not record it, not that the tool lacks it. Everything they share is further down.
- → Price transparency: STACK publishes its prices (Free tier available). McCormick Estimating does not, so you need a quote from McCormick Estimating to compare them.
- → Trades served: STACK serves Roofing, General Contractors, Landscaping & Lawn Care, Cleaning Services, Painting, Flooring. The other tool's entry does not list them.
- → Free trial: STACK offers a 7-day free trial. Our data records no free trial for McCormick Estimating.
- → Integrations listed for one tool only: STACK: quickbooks online, quickbooks desktop, sage intacct, netsuite.
- → Fit for shared trades: McCormick Estimating scores higher for Electrical (8/10 vs 7/10); STACK scores higher for Fire Protection & Life Safety (7/10 vs 6/10).
- → Features listed for one tool only: McCormick Estimating: supplier pricing integration, change orders; STACK: ai assistant, aerial measurements.
Quick verdict
McCormick Estimating: Electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors who want trade-specific estimating with built-in takeoff, preloaded items and labor units, and supplier price updates.
STACK: Contractors and subcontractors who bid from plans every week and want takeoff, labor and material estimating and proposals in one browser-based tool.
STACK publishes its prices (Free tier available); McCormick Estimating quotes only.
STACK lists more integrations in our data (7 vs 0).
Decision matrix: which one is right for you?
Pick McCormick Estimating if…
- → Your situation matches McCormick Estimating's target profile: Electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors who want trade-specific estimating with built-in takeoff, preloaded items and labor units, and supplier price updates
- → You work in Electrical: McCormick Estimating has the higher vertical-fit score there (Electrical: 8/10 vs 7/10)
Pick STACK if…
- → Your situation matches STACK's target profile: Contractors and subcontractors who bid from plans every week and want takeoff, labor and material estimating and proposals in one browser-based tool
- → You want to try before buying: STACK offers a 7-day free trial; our data records none for McCormick Estimating
- → QuickBooks matters: STACK lists a QuickBooks integration (QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop); our entry for McCormick Estimating lists none
- → You work in Fire Protection & Life Safety: STACK has the higher vertical-fit score there (Fire Protection & Life Safety: 7/10 vs 6/10)
- → You want to budget before asking for a quote: STACK publishes its prices (Free tier available); McCormick Estimating quotes only
- → You serve several trades: STACK serves 10 trades in our data, against 4 for McCormick Estimating
Pricing side-by-side
| Tier | McCormick Estimating | STACK |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Custom quote: quote | Free: free |
| Tier 2 | - | Premium: $299/mo |
| Tier 3 | - | Pro: $349/mo |
| Tier 4 | - | Build Your Own Subscription: quote |
McCormick Estimating publishes no price, so ask for a written quote for your team size. STACK has a free tier (Free).
Pros & cons
McCormick Estimating
- + Higher vertical-fit score for Electrical
- + Founded in 1979
- − No published pricing, it covers estimating rather than field operations, and it is built for electrical, plumbing and mechanical work rather than general trades
- − No QuickBooks integration in our data (STACK lists one)
- − No free trial in our data (STACK offers 7 days)
- − No published price: you need a quote
STACK
- + Publishes its prices; McCormick Estimating quotes only
- + 7-day free trial
- + Higher vertical-fit score for Fire Protection & Life Safety
- + QuickBooks integration listed (QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop)
- + Serves 10 trades in our data
- − Paid plans are 12-month commitments at $299 or more per user per month billed annually ($349 billed monthly), and labor and material estimating, proposals and ERP connectors need the Pro plan at $349
- − The Free plan allows only one active project a month
Feature comparison
Features as listed in our entries. The lists use different words for similar features, so check a feature you need on both vendors' sites.
Listed for McCormick Estimating only
- + supplier pricing integration
- + change orders
Listed for both
- ✓ estimating
- ✓ material takeoffs
- ✓ takeoffs
- ✓ proposals
- ✓ reporting
Listed for STACK only
- + ai assistant
- + aerial measurements
Integrations
Listed for McCormick Estimating only
None
Listed for both
None in common in our data
Listed for STACK only
- + quickbooks online
- + quickbooks desktop
- + sage intacct
- + netsuite
- + acumatica
- + procore
- + autodesk
Which fits better in each trade
| Trade | McCormick Estimating fit | STACK fit | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC | 7 / 10 | 7 / 10 | Tie |
| Plumbing | 7 / 10 | 7 / 10 | Tie |
| Electrical | 8 / 10 | 7 / 10 | McCormick Estimating |
| Fire Protection & Life Safety | 6 / 10 | 7 / 10 | STACK |
Vertical-fit scores (1-10) rate how well each tool is built for the trade, checked against the trades the vendor's own pages say it serves. See methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, McCormick Estimating or STACK?
It depends on your trade, team size and budget. McCormick Estimating is best for electrical, plumbing and mechanical contractors who want trade-specific estimating with built-in takeoff, preloaded items and labor units, and supplier price updates. STACK is best for contractors and subcontractors who bid from plans every week and want takeoff, labor and material estimating and proposals in one browser-based tool. See the decision matrix above, and the trade-by-trade fit table if you work in one trade.
Is McCormick Estimating cheaper than STACK?
STACK publishes its prices (Free tier available); McCormick Estimating quotes only, so ask McCormick Estimating for a written quote at your team size before comparing.
Can McCormick Estimating and STACK integrate with QuickBooks?
Our entry for McCormick Estimating lists no QuickBooks integration. STACK lists QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop. Check which way each sync runs, and on which plans, in each tool's full review before you buy.
Do McCormick Estimating or STACK offer a free trial?
McCormick Estimating: no free trial in our data. STACK: a 7-day free trial.
Can I move from McCormick Estimating to STACK (or the other way)?
Our data does not record migration support for either tool. Ask both vendors which records they import and export (customers, jobs, invoices, recurring agreements, price books), in which file format, and whether they help with the import.
McCormick Estimating vs STACK: which has better customer support?
Our data does not record support channels or response times for either tool. Ask each vendor which support comes with the plan you would buy. Each full review links to G2 and Capterra, where you can read current user reviews.
Which suits a solo contractor, and which a growing team?
Our data puts McCormick Estimating's best team size at 1-100 and STACK's at 2-200. McCormick Estimating's entry price is no published price (quote only); STACK's is a free tier. Price both at the team size you expect to have, not only today's.
Need a deeper look?
See our full reviews with each tool's pricing tiers, integrations and weaknesses.
Should your product be in this comparison?
We check McCormick Estimating and STACK against their own websites and list the cons next to the pros. If you build a competing product that is not listed here, you can submit it for editorial review. An evaluation can end with or without a listing.
Listings are free. We do not accept payment for inclusion, for placement, for a score, or to remove a documented con. Read this page first and decide whether you want that.