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MeasureFloorPlan vs ACI Sketch: GLA Calculation for Appraisers

ACI Sketch is a field sketching tool built into the ACI appraisal platform: designed to capture measurements on-site and generate ANSI-compliant sketches for your report. MeasureFloorPlan calculates GLA from floor plans you already have, without field visits or sketching software. Here is how they compare.

The short version

• ACI Sketch: Best for field measurement capture integrated directly into ACI appraisal reports. Requires physical presence and a paid ACI subscription.
• MeasureFloorPlan: Best for calculating GLA from an existing floor plan: CubiCasa, Matterport, builder plans, or any to-scale image. Without field measurement.

MeasureFloorPlan vs ACI Sketch: at a glance

What ACI Sketch does

ACI Sketch is the built-in sketching module for the ACI appraisal platform (now part of CoreLogic). It is designed to capture property dimensions on-site using a laser or tape measure, then automatically calculate GLA and generate a clean sketch diagram for inclusion in your appraisal report.

The workflow is field-first: you arrive at the property, measure each wall, enter the dimensions, and the software calculates totals. The sketch outputs directly to the ACI form and includes area calculations broken out by level and type (above-grade finished, below-grade, garage, etc.).

ACI Sketch is a solid tool within its context. If you are already running ACI for appraisal reports and doing full field inspections, the integrated sketch workflow is efficient. The problem is that it is only useful if you are physically present, and it is locked to the ACI ecosystem.

What MeasureFloorPlan does

MeasureFloorPlan is a browser-based tool for calculating GLA from any to-scale floor plan. You upload the image: a CubiCasa export, a Matterport schematic, a builder plan PDF, or even a photo of a paper sketch. Set the scale using one known wall length, trace the perimeter, and get ANSI-compliant square footage in under two minutes.

There is no software to install and no platform lock-in. MeasureFloorPlan works in any browser, on any machine. The output is the GLA figure and individual wall dimensions: not a formatted sketch diagram, but the math behind one.

The key difference: field vs. desk

ACI Sketch and MeasureFloorPlan solve different parts of the same problem. ACI Sketch captures measurements at the property and formats them into a report sketch. MeasureFloorPlan extracts measurements from a floor plan you already have.

For a standard full appraisal with a site visit, ACI Sketch (or any sketch tool) is the right workflow: you are on-site anyway, and the integrated field capture makes sense. For desk reviews, review appraisals, builder plan verification, or any situation where you have a floor plan but not field access, MeasureFloorPlan is the faster path.

Many appraisers use both: ACI Sketch for primary field inspections, MeasureFloorPlan when they need to verify a GLA figure from a plan without scheduling another site visit.

When ACI Sketch is the right call

If you use ACI as your primary appraisal platform and conduct full field inspections, ACI Sketch makes sense as your sketch tool. The tight integration between field capture and report output reduces data entry and potential transcription errors. The sketch flows directly into your form without manual export steps.

ACI Sketch also handles complex footprints well: attached garages, multi-level homes, irregular shapes. Because you are entering each wall measurement manually and can structure the sketch accordingly.

When MeasureFloorPlan is the right call

MeasureFloorPlan is the right call in any of these situations:

• Desk review or review appraisal: You have the original floor plan from the file. No field visit required or permitted.
• Builder plan verification: The builder provided a floor plan PDF. You need to confirm GLA before signing off.
• CubiCasa or Matterport floor plan: These tools produce accurate, to-scale floor plans but no GLA output. MeasureFloorPlan fills that gap.
• Checking your own sketch: Upload your field sketch to verify your GLA calculation before submission.
• Not an ACI user: MeasureFloorPlan works with any appraisal software or workflow. No platform dependency.

Platform lock-in

One practical consideration: ACI Sketch only works within ACI. If you switch appraisal platforms, your sketch workflow changes. MeasureFloorPlan is platform-agnostic: it outputs a GLA number you can use anywhere, whether you write reports in ACI, Total, ClickForms, or a custom template.

Cost comparison

ACI sketch is included in the ACI subscription, which typically runs $400–$600 per year depending on the plan. If you are already paying for ACI, ACI Sketch is effectively free. MeasureFloorPlan is pay-per-measurement from $7: no subscription or annual commitment.

If you only need MeasureFloorPlan for desk review or plan verification (not as a daily sketch tool), a credit pack often covers several months of occasional use at a lower annual cost than any monthly subscription (credits never expire).

The bottom line

ACI Sketch is a field sketching tool built for ACI users who do full inspections. MeasureFloorPlan is a floor plan measurement tool that works from any to-scale image, with no field visit, no platform dependency, and no hardware required.

They complement each other more than they compete. If you use ACI and do field inspections, keep using ACI Sketch for that workflow. Add MeasureFloorPlan when you need GLA from a plan rather than from field measurements.

Try MeasureFloorPlan on your next desk review

Upload a floor plan, set one known dimension, and get ANSI-compliant GLA in under two minutes: no software, no field visit, no ACI subscription required.

Try MeasureFloorPlan →