Tool profile
Cubit Estimating: cost, fit and limits
Cubit Estimating is a construction takeoff and estimating program made by Lochsoft Pty Ltd, trading as Buildsoft, that measures plans and prices a job in one screen, available as desktop or managed cloud editions with an optional AI Estimating add-on.
What to know first
Cubit Estimating shows no prices on its product page. It lists desktop or fully managed cloud-hosted editions, an AI Estimating add-on that automates repetitive takeoff tasks and a 14-day free trial that includes all Enterprise features and the AI module. Revision control updates estimates when plans change, and IFC BIM-based estimating with change detection is named for Enterprise only. Buildsoft's privacy policy states servers in Australia.
Cubit Estimating at a glance
| Maker | Lochsoft Pty Ltd (trading as Buildsoft), Australia |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Free trial only |
| Entry price | Quote only |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Construction Estimating Software in 2026, rank 5 of 13 |
| Website | buildsoft.com.au/cubit-estimating |
Who Cubit Estimating is best for
Builders who want to test the AI module
The 14-day trial includes all Enterprise features and AI Estimating, so a builder can try the top configuration before a quote is requested.
Estimators who revise often
Revision control updates estimates when plans change, which saves re-measuring after each drawing issue on jobs with frequent addenda, where measuring the whole sheet again would otherwise cost an afternoon.
Firms with Australian data preferences
The privacy policy says the sites and hosted services run on servers in Australia, an answer many vendors in this category do not give.
Cubit Estimating plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Cubit Estimating editions | Not published | Desktop or fully managed cloud-hosted options, with an AI Estimating add-on available on any edition. Enterprise adds IFC BIM-based estimating with change detection. |
| AI Estimating add-on | Not published | An add-on that automates repetitive takeoff tasks. The page does not describe the technology or the tasks beyond that sentence. |
| 14-day free trial | Free for 14 days | All Cubit Estimating Enterprise features plus the AI Estimating module, requested through a form on the product page. |
Checked November 2026.
What Cubit Estimating does
- Single-view takeoff and estimating
- Takeoff and estimating sit in one screen, so a quantity measured on a plan updates the priced estimate without switching between a measuring tool and a spreadsheet.
- Revision control
- When plans change, the estimate updates to reflect the revision. That helps on jobs where architects issue several drawing sets and the estimator needs to see what moved.
- IFC BIM-based estimating
- Enterprise names IFC BIM-based estimating with change detection, which lets an estimator price from a model file and see differences between model versions before sending a revised price to the client.
- Reports and price lists
- Bills of quantities and cost reports export to PDF or Excel, and master price lists and template jobs speed up repeated estimate structures for builders who price similar houses many times a year.
- AI Estimating add-on
- The add-on automates repetitive takeoff tasks and is available with any edition. The product page does not name the tasks or describe how results are checked.
How Cubit Estimating handles your data
Buildsoft's privacy policy says its sites and hosted services run on servers in Australia, that information may be kept indefinitely and that an annual tidy-up may delete data. It also says business data may be used in aggregated, anonymous form to improve products. The policy does not describe AI model training, and no certifications are named, only generic safeguards. The vendor's policy was not checked beyond these two pages for how the AI Estimating module handles uploaded plans. Ask in writing whether plan files processed by the add-on leave Australia and whether anonymized use can be disabled.
Where Cubit Estimating falls short in practice
- No prices on the product page. The page links to a separate pricing page and shows no amounts or billing basis, and the AI add-on price is not stated even though the trial includes it.
- BIM estimating is Enterprise only. IFC BIM-based estimating with change detection is named for the Enterprise tier, so a firm on a lower edition cannot assume it has model-based pricing.
- Indefinite retention wording. The privacy policy says information may be kept indefinitely, which sits awkwardly with firms that need a deletion date for bid documents after a project closes.
Works with
Alternatives to Cubit Estimating
Cubit Estimating: common questions
Does the Cubit Estimating free trial include AI?
Yes. The 14-day free trial covers all Cubit Estimating Enterprise features and the AI Estimating module, requested through a form. Since the add-on is otherwise priced separately and the price is unpublished, use the trial to measure a real plan set and ask for a quote while you test.
Where does Buildsoft host Cubit data?
The privacy policy says the sites and hosted services run on servers in Australia. It does not name a cloud provider or list certifications. The product page offers desktop or fully managed cloud-hosted editions, so a desktop buyer may keep files on local machines, which the policy does not address.
Does Cubit Estimating train AI on my plans?
The policy we read does not mention AI model training. It says business data may be used in aggregated, anonymous form to improve products. That is not the same as a statement about plan files, so ask Buildsoft to confirm in writing how AI Estimating treats uploaded drawings.
Which accounting and building tools does Cubit connect to?
The product page names Xero, Microsoft Excel, MudShark, BuilderTREND, Cubit Select and LiveCosts. It does not describe how deep each connection goes, so check whether estimates, quantities or only totals pass across before you depend on a link for invoicing or job costing.
How do I get Cubit Estimating pricing?
The product page links to a separate pricing page and shows no amounts, so expect to request a quote or read that page directly. The AI Estimating add-on price is also not published. Ask for desktop and cloud-hosted quotes side by side.