What is the difference between ACI Sketch and Apex Sketch?

ACI Sketch and Apex Sketch are different tools with different strengths. The best choice depends on your workflow, budget, and whether you need features like 3D scanning, floor plan generation, GLA calculation, or design capabilities. This page breaks down a direct comparison.

Which is better for real estate appraisers — ACI Sketch or Apex Sketch?

Aci Sketch and Apex Sketch serve different workflows. Aci Sketch is better suited for one use case while Apex Sketch fits another — the right choice depends on whether you need field capture or office-based GLA calculation from existing floor plans.

Can ACI Sketch and Apex Sketch be used together?

Aci Sketch and Apex Sketch can complement each other in some workflows — for example, using one for field capture and the other for GLA calculation and reporting. Check the comparison table above for specific integration details.

How much does ACI Sketch cost compared to Apex Sketch?

ACI Sketch and Apex Sketch have different pricing models — one may charge per user, per project, or via annual subscription, while the other may offer a free tier or pay-per-use option. Check the comparison table above for current pricing details and which offers better value for your volume of work.

Which is easier to use — ACI Sketch or Apex Sketch?

Ease of use depends on your starting point. ACI Sketch tends to fit one type of user or workflow, while Apex Sketch is designed for another. If you are working from an existing floor plan PDF and need to calculate square footage quickly, a browser-based tool like PlanSnapper may reduce the learning curve entirely — no software installation required.

Do ACI Sketch and Apex Sketch integrate with the same appraisal report software?

ACI Sketch integrates with ACI's appraisal software suite. Apex Sketch integrates with multiple platforms including a la mode's TOTAL. Appraisers tied to a specific report-writing platform should verify compatibility with their preferred sketch tool before switching, since tight integration affects how GLA data flows into the final report.

What happens when you switch from ACI Sketch to Apex Sketch or vice versa?

Sketch files are typically not cross-compatible between ACI Sketch and Apex Sketch. If you switch tools, you will likely need to re-sketch existing properties rather than importing old files. For properties where you already have a PDF floor plan or a prior sketch export, tools like PlanSnapper let you recalculate GLA from the existing file without re-sketching from scratch.

Does ACI Sketch or Apex Sketch work on a Mac?

Both ACI Sketch and Apex Sketch are Windows-based applications and do not have native Mac versions. Appraisers on Mac typically run these tools via Parallels or Boot Camp, or use a Windows virtual machine. If you need a cross-platform option, browser-based tools like PlanSnapper work on any operating system without installation.

Which tool is faster for high-volume appraisers — ACI Sketch or Apex Sketch?

Speed depends on the workflow. Apex Sketch is widely used in high-volume residential appraiser offices and has a reputation for fast sketch entry once mastered. ACI Sketch integrates tightly with ACI report-writing software, which can reduce data re-entry time. For appraisers who already have PDF floor plans, bypassing the sketch entry process entirely with a tool like PlanSnapper can be the fastest option of all.

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ACI Sketch vs Apex Sketch: Which Appraisal Sketch Tool Is Better?

ACI Sketch (part of ACI's appraisal suite) and Apex Sketch (by Bradford Technologies) are both Windows-based sketch tools used by residential appraisers to draw floor plans and calculate ANSI-compliant GLA from field measurements. The right choice mostly depends on which appraisal form platform you already use.

The short version

ACI Sketch: Best if you use ACI's appraisal software. Tightly integrated, no separate license needed within the ACI ecosystem.
Apex Sketch: Best if you use ClickFORMS or want a standalone sketch tool that exports broadly. Bradford Technologies' dedicated sketch product with a polished interface.

ACI Sketch vs Apex Sketch: at a glance

	ACI Sketch	Apex Sketch
Developer	ACI (Appraisal software suite)	Bradford Technologies
Platform	Windows (embedded in ACI suite)	Windows standalone + ACI/ClickFORMS export
Best integration	ACI appraisal forms	ClickFORMS, Total Sketch, most platforms
Pricing	Included with ACI subscription	Separate subscription
GLA calculation	Yes — ANSI Z765	Yes — ANSI Z765
Multi-level support	Yes	Yes
Interface style	Keyboard-driven measurements	Keyboard-driven measurements
UI modernity	Functional, traditional	More modern, regularly updated

What ACI Sketch does

ACI Sketch is the sketching component built into ACI's residential appraisal platform. Appraisers using ACI for their forms get sketch functionality without needing a separate tool. You enter field measurements using keyboard commands, the software draws the floor plan, and GLA flows automatically into your ACI appraisal report.

The workflow is tight and familiar for ACI users. The trade-off is portability — ACI Sketch is designed to work within ACI and does not export as cleanly to other platforms as standalone tools.

What Apex Sketch does

Apex Sketch is Bradford Technologies' dedicated standalone sketch product. Unlike Total Sketch (which lives inside TOTAL) or ACI Sketch (inside ACI), Apex Sketch is designed to be the best sketch tool on its own merits — with clean exports to ClickFORMS, TOTAL, ACI, and other platforms.

Apex Sketch has a loyal following among appraisers who value the UI refinement and prefer keeping their sketch tool separate from their form software. It is particularly popular among ClickFORMS users, since Bradford Technologies makes both products.

Which platform are you on?

This is the deciding question. ACI users should use ACI Sketch — it is included in your subscription and integrates directly. Paying for Apex Sketch on top of ACI would mean running two sketch tools with no clear benefit.

ClickFORMS users will likely prefer Apex Sketch, which comes from the same developer and exports cleanly into ClickFORMS reports. Mixed-platform appraisers or those on TOTAL looking for an alternative also tend to favor Apex Sketch for its broader compatibility.

Both require field measurements

ACI Sketch and Apex Sketch are field sketch tools. You bring measurements from the property, type them in, and the software builds the floor plan. Neither can measure an existing floor plan image or PDF — if you have a plan and need GLA from it, that is a different workflow.

PlanSnapper handles that case. Upload any floor plan (PDF, image, scan), set the scale using one known wall length, and trace the perimeter to get ANSI Z765-compliant GLA instantly — no field work, no sketch software required. It complements field sketch tools rather than replacing them.

The bottom line

ACI Sketch and Apex Sketch do the same job. The choice is almost always driven by which appraisal platform you use: ACI → ACI Sketch, ClickFORMS or standalone → Apex Sketch. If you need to calculate GLA from an existing floor plan instead of sketching from scratch, PlanSnapper is the right tool.

Try PlanSnapper on your next desk review

Upload a floor plan, trace the perimeter, get ANSI-compliant GLA — no field measurements required.

Try PlanSnapper free →