The McCormick alternative
that runs in the cloud.
McCormick is a deep electrical estimating system — tens of thousands of prebuilt items and assemblies, auto-count, the patented Auto Home Run. It's also a Windows desktop tool focused on one trade. Pilars automates takeoff across every trade, in the browser.
What McCormick is good at
McCormick Systems is a long-standing electrical (and plumbing/mechanical) estimating platform with a large prebuilt database, assemblies and labor, plus assisted takeoff features like auto-count and Auto Home Run. Electrical shops that live in it are fast and have their pricing dialed. It's desktop, per-seat, and trade-led.
Where Pilars is different
Pilars automates the takeoff itself across all trades and runs in the browser, then exports confidence-scored quantities to your estimate. If McCormick is your pricing home for electrical, Pilars can be the automated takeoff that feeds it — and it also covers the other trades a GC or diversified sub bids.
| Capability | Pilars | McCormick |
|---|---|---|
| Fully automated takeoff | Yes | Auto-count assist |
| Runs in the browser (Mac too) | Yes | Desktop |
| Reads the spec book | Yes | No |
| Code-compliance flagging | Yes | No |
| Trade coverage | All trades | Electrical-led |
| Pricing | $100 per trade, per plan | Per-seat license |
Based on public documentation as of 2026. McCormick is a trademark of its owner; this is an independent comparison.
Questions estimators actually ask
Does Pilars replace McCormick for electrical pricing?
Not the pricing — Pilars automates the takeoff and exports quantities you can price in McCormick. Think of it as the automated front end to your existing electrical estimating.
Is Pilars only electrical?
No — it covers all trades, so unlike a trade-specific desktop suite it works for multi-trade GCs and subs outside electrical too.
Why move takeoff to the cloud?
No install, no Windows requirement, works on a Mac, always current, and your whole team can use it without per-seat licenses.
Pricing?
$100 per trade, per plan, no per-seat fees, unlimited projects.