Autodesk Build vs. PDF Xchange Viewer and Editor

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Autodesk Build
Score 6.8 out of 10
N/A
Autodesk Build, based on the former PlanGrid, is construction productivity software. It includes tools to collaborate, collect, and manage project information throughout the project’s construction and operations lifespan. It enables document centralization and tracking.
$39
user per month
PDF Xchange Viewer and Editor
Score 9.5 out of 10
N/A
PDF Xchange Viewer and Editor is a pdf editing and conversion software offering from Tracker Software Products. It includes features such as create pdf and convert to pdf.N/A
Pricing
Autodesk BuildPDF Xchange Viewer and Editor
Editions & Modules
Nailgun
$39
user per month
Dozer
$59
user per month
Crane
$139
user per month
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Autodesk BuildPDF Xchange Viewer and Editor
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Autodesk BuildPDF Xchange Viewer and Editor
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
Autodesk BuildPDF Xchange Viewer and Editor
Construction Project & Field Management
Comparison of Construction Project & Field Management features of Product A and Product B
Autodesk Build
6.5
58 Ratings
15% below category average
PDF Xchange Viewer and Editor
-
Ratings
Plan distribution & viewing7.057 Ratings00 Ratings
Plan markups & sharing6.057 Ratings00 Ratings
Issue tracking & punchlists5.052 Ratings00 Ratings
Photo documentation9.049 Ratings00 Ratings
Jobsite reports9.037 Ratings00 Ratings
Document sharing8.056 Ratings00 Ratings
RFI tools5.039 Ratings00 Ratings
Collaboration & approvals8.043 Ratings00 Ratings
As-built drawings5.043 Ratings00 Ratings
Mobile app3.055 Ratings00 Ratings
Best Alternatives
Autodesk BuildPDF Xchange Viewer and Editor
Small Businesses
FollowUp CRM
FollowUp CRM
Score 10.0 out of 10
PDFfiller
PDFfiller
Score 9.1 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro
Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro
Score 9.3 out of 10
PDFfiller
PDFfiller
Score 9.1 out of 10
Enterprises
Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro
Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro
Score 9.3 out of 10
Bluebeam
Bluebeam
Score 8.8 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Autodesk BuildPDF Xchange Viewer and Editor
Likelihood to Recommend
7.0
(70 ratings)
10.0
(3 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
10.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
5.0
(2 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Support Rating
9.0
(52 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
Autodesk BuildPDF Xchange Viewer and Editor
Likelihood to Recommend
Autodesk
PlanGrid performs really well in all aspects of construction from the general to the sub/trade. The platform distributes and communicates project documentation in an extremely user-friendly manner. As with most software, it is cheaper the larger the scale of the project. In situations where the project is relatively small, and the trade contracts are also of relatively low dollar value, the product can be cost-prohibitive.
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Tracker Software Products
If you'd like to switch from Adobe to a less expensive and more robust solution, you can choose PDF X Change. It does everything other expensive solutions do. We are using it to add some additional information on scanned PDF files and Sign them and it does it in a simple and easy way. You can use to combine multiple files into one, creating PDF from different resources.
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Pros
Autodesk
  • Plangrid is the best SaaS I have seen for ease of uploading construction plans and automated organization of those plans.
  • For companies that are not using other products for mobile access, the Plangrid mobile apps are perfect to allow people on and off site to share and collaborate in many phases of construction project documentation.
  • Plangrid has a very responsive technical support team (although it is pretty much email only).
  • Plangrid's website layout is easy to use and understand and allows new users to jump right in and do basic to moderate tasks without little training.
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Tracker Software Products
  • Easy to edit PDFs.
  • Easy to add headers and text boxes.
  • Fast, no lags.
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Cons
Autodesk
  • The photo attachment process is a bit complicated. In ProCore (another similar software I've used), you can upload photos directly into RFIs for your reference, or into e-mails. For PlanGrid, you have to first upload the photo into the documents tab, then link them into the RFI. It's not intuitive and can add confusion to the documents tab.
  • Photos can't be directly uploaded. Between different devices and colleagues, it's possible you'll get an important photo outside of the PlanGrid photo capture feature within its app. Again, it's complicated for users to use.
  • In their new drawings viewer, the icons for actions do not have icons available. I had to use them all in order to understand what they meant, and I'm fairly tech savvy. I'm not sure if a new person to PlanGrid will pick up on each icon's abilities very easily.
  • There's no all-in-one solution in CM, but PlanGrid is fairly barebones, and I don't believe it has any ability to connect to other software. There's no ability to take meeting munites; you can hack the field reports feature to accomplish this, but it's clear that was not the intent of the designers.
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Tracker Software Products
  • There have been a couple of instances where I struggled to locate a feature that I thought was missing. A quick reply from support staff usually help me find and understand the feature better.
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Likelihood to Renew
Autodesk
We are at the point where we have shown our teams what is possible with this software. We cannot take it away and go back to the way we used to do things. I think that they would push back on us to give them access to something electronic. It is a good program that we will continue to use
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Tracker Software Products
No answers on this topic
Usability
Autodesk
Hard to get the hang of this software, but with time it become very repetitive and easier to navigate. I have used this software for over a year now and the constant updates by Autodesk have made the software better and better to use at work. This allows me to use this tool more effectively
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Tracker Software Products
It's easy to use, making it very efficient for us as we do not have to train additional people on how to use this software. It opens up documents quickly and saves quickly as well. Overall the usability is not an issue for us at all. It is also extremely easy to integrate it with other PDF programs.
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Performance
Autodesk
No answers on this topic
Tracker Software Products
Performance wise, PDF Xchange Viewer and Editor is flawless. It runs fast, and I haven't experienced any immediately crashing. The reports save quickly, and the document size is never an issue. It saves into a regular PDF, and we're able to open it on any other program or computer. All text boxes, features, and headers show up flawlessly on other programs.
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Support Rating
Autodesk
Online chat during business hours is extremely helpful. The Plangrid staff has gone above and beyond many times to help us. One time they even offered to completely rebuild our 900+ sheet project so I could slip sheet a few old drawing revisions! This undoubtedly would have taken hours on Plangrid's end. They are always responsive and are continually improving, listening to user feedback.
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Tracker Software Products
The application had no issues (we did not contact support) and that's why I give a 10.
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Alternatives Considered
Autodesk
Plangrid, while not serving the external document distribution function, is unrivaled for internal document distribution and sharing in the construction industry. The speed at which documents are navigatable, the ability to download your projects for viewing without an internet connection, and the document mark-up and photo tools place it head and shoulders above the competition.
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Tracker Software Products
PDF Xchange hits a sweet spot for me and my users. It is powerful, includes a full suite of creation, markup, and management tools. It is very affordable.
Bluebeam is too much that isn't print and PDF related. It is EXPENSIVE ... more than $300 per person before almost mandatory additional training.
PDF Creator is good for PDF creation. It doesn't include markup and management tools.
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Return on Investment
Autodesk
  • It helped us "wow" a joint commission survey in 2016 and have a successful survey because he loved how we could access plans on an iPad, check suite sizes, and didn't have to carry around huge, heavy sets of life safety plans.
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Tracker Software Products
  • Saving money on licensing
  • Saving computing ressources
  • Saving time on training
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ScreenShots

Autodesk Build Screenshots

Screenshot of No confusing folders - all your plans at your fingertips.Screenshot of Easy overlay to visually detect changes or clashes.Screenshot of Track issues directly on the plan, including descriptions, photos, cost, and schedule impacts.Screenshot of Mark up plans for instant communication between field and office.Screenshot of Attach any kind of construction documents to your plans, including 360 photos.Screenshot of Track, review, and submit all your field reports on a mobile device.