Comparison · Active 2026; multiple Reliance Steel subsidiaries integrated
Lift vs Vector Intelligence
How Lift compares to Vector Intelligence on detection breadth, integrations, customer outcomes, and what an estimator should buy in 2026.
01 · In short
Vector Intelligence positions on lineage, with the tagline 'Experts in Steel & Software', and it runs deep inside the Reliance Steel orbit. It reads a PDF and produces both a takeoff and a 3D model. The company is less visible publicly than the newer entrants, and more embedded inside a small handful of large customers.
This page lays out how the two line up on detection, maturity, integrations, usability, pricing clarity, and stack independence. Then it covers where each has the real edge and where each falls short. The one-paragraph call is at the bottom. Both are real options for a steel shop. Which one fits depends on the specifics below, not on a single headline number.
02 · Head-to-head score
Editorial scoring, 0 to 100, based on public claims, product surface area, field reports, and 2026 positioning. It is not a benchmark. Neither product leads on every axis, and where Vector Intelligence is ahead, the bar shows it.
03 · Spec comparison
| Attribute | Lift | Vector Intelligence |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | SketchDeck.ai | Vector Intelligence (vectorintelligence.org) |
| Status | Generally available · paying customers since 2021 | Active · Active 2026; multiple Reliance Steel subsidiaries integrated |
| Pricing | By quote · no per-month takeoff cap | Not publicly disclosed |
| Detects | Beams, Columns, Braces, Joists, Plates | Beams, Columns, Structural framing |
| Member attributes | Shape, Size, Length, Stud counts, Camber, Framing conditions, Moments, Copes, Holes | Not publicly itemized at this depth |
| Elevations | Yes, plans and elevations | Not in public scope |
| Integrations | Tekla, Strumis, Fabtrol, E.J.E., Excel | PDF input, 3D model output |
| Headline metric | 95–99% accuracy · 50–80% time savings | Not publicly quantified |
| Named results |
King Steel · 50% bid takeoff time reduction FabArc Steel · 91% time reduction per sheet Metals Fabrication · 40% more bids completed |
Not published |
04 · Where each has the edge
In Lift's favour
- Lift's customer set spans independent fabricators, not one parent group.
- Lift puts named outcomes and an integration list in public. Vector publishes comparatively little.
- Lift's revision management ships. Vector's revision behavior is not publicly documented.
In Vector Intelligence's favour
- Two decades of steel detailing experience baked into the product.
- Embedded across multiple Reliance Carbon Structural Group subsidiaries.
- 3D model output alongside the takeoff.
05 · Limitations on both sides
Lift's limitations
- Priced at the higher end of the category, and quoted rather than published, which makes it harder to weigh against a public number.
- The interface is not the fastest in head-to-head demos. Newer entrants like Ferra switch pages with less lag.
- Column workflows are still maturing. Some rivals ship a dedicated column scanner today.
- Feature pace is steady rather than flashy. Parametric assemblies and base-plate schedules are on the roadmap, not shipped.
Vector Intelligence's limitations
- Limited public marketing. Feature breadth is hard to verify outside a demo.
- Field feedback has been uneven, and outside the Reliance subsidiaries the install base is smaller.
- No published pricing and no public throughput metrics. The roadmap isn't public either.
The take
Vector Intelligence is deeply embedded in the Reliance Steel orbit, and it brings two decades of detailing experience to the product. If you're inside that ecosystem, it's a known quantity worth evaluating directly. For an independent fabricator, the harder problem is diligence. Lift puts named outcomes and an integration list in public. Vector publishes comparatively little. That gap in disclosure, not a gap in features, is the main reason to look closely before you commit.