Bluebeam vs. Revit

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Bluebeam
Score 8.5 out of 10
N/A
Bluebeam Revu is a PDF management, control, and editing tool. It enables collaboration and markup within shared documents across projects’ life cycles and has takeoff and bid creation capabilities.
$240
per year per user
Revit
Score 8.9 out of 10
N/A
Autodesk’s Revit is a Building Information Modelling (BIM) tool. It enables architectural, MEP, structural, and engineering design, and provides analysis to support iterative workflows
$350
per month
Pricing
BluebeamRevit
Editions & Modules
Revu Standard
$349
per seat
Revu CAD
$449
per seat
Revu eXtreme
$599
per seat
Monthly
$350
per month
1-Year
$2805
per year
3-Year
$8415
per 3 years
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
BluebeamRevit
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details—Pricing available for monthly, annual, or 3-year subscriptions. Longer subscriptions offer greater discounts.
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
BluebeamRevit
Considered Both Products
Bluebeam
Chose Bluebeam
There is no comparison. The editing tools, batch tools drafting tools, personal environment profiles, settings, printing, calibrating, direct connecting apps that links Bluebeam to AutoCAD and Revit. This is an extremely powerful program that is amazingly helpful and I probably …
Chose Bluebeam
Bluebeam is a more advanced PDF editor and better suited for the engineering and construction industry. It has far more tools and better capabilities for collaborative viewing, marking up, and sharing of documents.
Chose Bluebeam
Bluebeam Revu has essentially replaced Adobe Acrobat as our default PDF viewer and editor, because its robust suite of architecturally-focused tools allow for better review of documents and creation of simple graphic diagrams. The scale and measurement tools are especially …
Chose Bluebeam
PDF file sharing is really easy and simple, so users can markup and others can view them in real-time. Also, editing PDF files to crop, batch, remove, or replace pages is really efficient compared to Adobe Acrobat DC. Plus, the licensing fee is pretty small compared to Adobe …
Chose Bluebeam
Bluebeam is a good in-between of Adobe and Photoshop. If you're not looking to do photo editing, but need more capabilities than just line work, Bluebeam is perfect.
Chose Bluebeam
Bluebeam is a far superior product to Adobe. I don't even think they should be in the same category for anyone in the construction industry.
Chose Bluebeam
Bluebeam Revu beats DWF review hand down. Bluebeam can communicate with any program that can create a PDF while DWF is exclusive to AutoDesk products thus forcing you to use a different software when working with other programs. The features of Bluebeam Revu compared to Adobe …
Chose Bluebeam
Bluebeam Revu is much more tailored for drafting than Acrobat (the last time I used it in an office), so it caters to architectural markup and review very gratuitously. Tools are quick to find and essential markup symbols are not missing. As a PDF viewer, Bluebeam Revu is much …
Revit
Chose Revit
Revit is great for documentation. I also use Rhino 3D for rapid prototype scenarios that can be imported in, but in the end everything should be documented in Revit because it really is easy.
Chose Revit
Revit brings collaboration to projects on a whole other level never seen in AutoCAD. Revit allows not only another live perspective of projects but also a huge advantage in simultaneous user production of drawings.
Chose Revit
AutoCAD, MicroStation. These are both good programs but they are limited to two dimensions for the most part and I choose to use Revit for its ease in working in 3D, annotation, and organization. If you are looking to have a consistent good-looking set of drawings in 2D or 3D, …
Chose Revit
Revit is used primarily for creation of contract documents and documents that need to be used to build in the field. Sketch Up is great for a quick concept sketch, but lacks the details that Revit has which are needed to construct. AutoCAD is a great tool for details as well, …
Chose Revit
Revit provides much more coordination between trades and the architects. Provides a better picture of how the designs are actually going to be constructed.
Chose Revit
Similar, early on ArchiCAD had a faster learning curve and a bit more rendering abilities for the early design.
Chose Revit
The difference between Revit and AutoCAD is that AutoCAD is a drafting tool while Revit is a design tool. All AutoCAD did was digitize a drafting process and it had no embedded intelligence in the product while Revit being a design tool is more than just lines and circles it is …
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
BluebeamRevit
Reporting & Analytics
Comparison of Reporting & Analytics features of Product A and Product B
Bluebeam
8.7
1 Ratings
6% above category average
Revit
5.4
7 Ratings
41% below category average
Standard reports9.01 Ratings5.56 Ratings
Custom reports8.01 Ratings5.66 Ratings
Data exportability9.01 Ratings6.07 Ratings
Dashboards00 Ratings4.66 Ratings
Construction Project & Field Management
Comparison of Construction Project & Field Management features of Product A and Product B
Bluebeam
8.8
50 Ratings
17% above category average
Revit
6.9
44 Ratings
7% below category average
Plan distribution & viewing9.048 Ratings8.442 Ratings
Plan markups & sharing9.150 Ratings5.837 Ratings
Issue tracking & punchlists9.030 Ratings7.027 Ratings
Photo documentation9.033 Ratings4.518 Ratings
Jobsite reports9.028 Ratings6.414 Ratings
Document sharing9.044 Ratings8.639 Ratings
RFI tools8.932 Ratings8.120 Ratings
Collaboration & approvals9.139 Ratings7.738 Ratings
As-built drawings9.042 Ratings7.642 Ratings
Mobile app7.827 Ratings3.816 Ratings
Submittal design and management8.918 Ratings7.519 Ratings
Checklists9.01 Ratings7.26 Ratings
Change orders8.01 Ratings7.47 Ratings
Meeting Minutes00 Ratings6.75 Ratings
Specifications00 Ratings7.48 Ratings
Estimating
Comparison of Estimating features of Product A and Product B
Bluebeam
8.9
27 Ratings
8% above category average
Revit
7.6
31 Ratings
7% below category average
Takeoff tools7.025 Ratings8.431 Ratings
Job costing8.45 Ratings7.725 Ratings
Cost databases10.01 Ratings8.319 Ratings
Cost calculator10.02 Ratings6.420 Ratings
Bid creation9.07 Ratings7.514 Ratings
Human Resource Management
Comparison of Human Resource Management features of Product A and Product B
Bluebeam
-
Ratings
Revit
6.7
5 Ratings
14% below category average
Employee demographic data00 Ratings6.64 Ratings
Employment history00 Ratings6.74 Ratings
Job profiles and administration00 Ratings6.34 Ratings
Workflow for transfers, promotions, pay raises, etc.00 Ratings7.44 Ratings
Organizational charting00 Ratings6.54 Ratings
Organization and location management00 Ratings6.95 Ratings
Compliance data (COBRA, OSHA, etc.)00 Ratings6.13 Ratings
Payroll Management
Comparison of Payroll Management features of Product A and Product B
Bluebeam
-
Ratings
Revit
7.2
4 Ratings
5% below category average
Pay calculation00 Ratings7.44 Ratings
Support for external payroll vendors00 Ratings6.64 Ratings
Off-cycle/On-Demand payment00 Ratings7.43 Ratings
Benefit plan administration00 Ratings7.14 Ratings
Direct deposit files00 Ratings7.14 Ratings
Salary revision and increment management00 Ratings7.43 Ratings
Reimbursement management00 Ratings7.63 Ratings
Asset Management
Comparison of Asset Management features of Product A and Product B
Bluebeam
-
Ratings
Revit
6.6
4 Ratings
14% below category average
Tracking of all physical assets00 Ratings6.64 Ratings
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User Ratings
BluebeamRevit
Likelihood to Recommend
4.4
(62 ratings)
8.5
(46 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
1.0
(2 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Usability
8.0
(2 ratings)
6.0
(2 ratings)
Availability
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(1 ratings)
Support Rating
1.0
(11 ratings)
7.0
(8 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(1 ratings)
Online Training
-
(0 ratings)
5.0
(1 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(1 ratings)
Configurability
-
(0 ratings)
5.0
(1 ratings)
Ease of integration
-
(0 ratings)
5.0
(1 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
8.0
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
BluebeamRevit
Likelihood to Recommend
Bluebeam, Inc.
The program is great for editing construction drawings, stamping/approving official documents and overlaying revised documents to see design changes. You can use it as an estimating takeoff tool, estimating database, document control, cloud document storage, the list goes on! Bluebeam poses many applications for the user to utilize for the desired needs. There may be some other software that has one specific function that can perform the specific task better, but Bluebeam is a holistic program with many tools for use.
Read full review
Autodesk
Revit is well suited for creating collaborative projects that are fully integrated into the design and construction document process. We work a lot with engineering firms who also use Revit and the program allows us to fully integrate and coordinate our models together to make sure that everything is correct. I can see where my electrical engineer has placed lighting into the model and same with my mechanical engineer and their HVAC equipment
Read full review
Pros
Bluebeam, Inc.
  • Once you set Bluebeam Revu as your default PDF handler, it launches immediately when clicking a PDF to open. The speed with which it opens documents is impressive.
  • Creating PDF's out of other documents, such as Word, Excel, JPG's, etc. is simple.
  • Digitally signing documents is a simple, secure process. You can keep your signature password-protected, yet still access it quickly.
  • The Bluebeam Revu mobile application ( I use the iOS version on an iPad Pro), is awesome. Not only does it handle PDF's like you would expect it to, it allows for effortless digital signing of documents on the fly. Nice to be able to quickly sign a document and email right back out from the tablet no matter where I am.
Read full review
Autodesk
  • 3D Models - It's kind of a no brainer, but the key benefit of Revit is its ability to model in 3D. It's a somewhat complex modeling environment, however, it's not impossible to learn and I have seen users from a range of abilities to effectively model content in Revit.
  • Schedules - 3D is great, but the ability to quantify your geometry is contains valuable data if modeled correctly. If you model how you will build it, Revit has the ability to give very accurate schedules which includes quantities, and any data you would like to incorporate into your model.
  • Industry Standard - Revit is the industry standard. With that being said, it really help to use software that is compatible with other agencies for collaborative model review.
Read full review
Cons
Bluebeam, Inc.
  • If you have several tabs open and you try to drag one out for a side by side view then you do not have all the modification options and you have to combine them back together.
  • There is a lag time when hitting the print option.
  • There is also a lag time when opening files, sometimes I think the window is frozen.
  • I wish the basic version also had basic file editing, as in editing a document as Adobe does.
Read full review
Autodesk
  • There are often several ways to draw certain things, but the object will have different capabilities based on the way it is drawn. This can be confusing when trying to use the object.
  • The way objects are drawn is not always user-friendly. This program would be difficult for someone to figure out on their own without having any Autodesk background.
  • There should be a better way to track changes in the model. Often times the architect will not share a model during construction to avoid sending changes that aren't finalized or complete.
Read full review
Likelihood to Renew
Bluebeam, Inc.
Bluebeam is a powerful PDF viewer and mark-up tool. We are more familiar with it than Adobe Acrobat Pro or other viewers, and it has more features geared towards construction document managers than Acrobat Pro does.
Read full review
Autodesk
We will almost certainly be renewing all of our current seats of Revit and will likely be adding seats as we look to get more and more of our staff trained and using Revit. The software is starting to become the standard for our projects as we move forward as more and more of our clients are requesting or accepting use of it
Read full review
Usability
Bluebeam, Inc.
I'm constantly finding that Bluebeam Revu does more than I knew it could. And when I find something that it can't do, I've found that Bluebeam truly listens to its user base and will work to incorporate any good suggestion when feasible.
Read full review
Autodesk
It is a professional environment, but far from easy and overly complex in many places. The system is often too deep in settings and overrides (see Visibility/Graphics in combination with linked files, filters, color overrides and view templates). I don't really like the dialog-in-dialog interface and its spartan looks. But it works well overall if you know what you are doing.
Read full review
Reliability and Availability
Bluebeam, Inc.
No answers on this topic
Autodesk
Revit seems to always be available when I need it. I have not experiences an outage. There are occasions where we need our internal IT department to trouble shoot a file on our Revit dedicated server and that sometimes causes a delay however that is not a software access issue
Read full review
Performance
Bluebeam, Inc.
No answers on this topic
Autodesk
Revit is a fairly graphics heavy piece of software. It is powerful in its capabilities but as a result it takes a lot of the graphics card, the memory, etc. For all that it can do and the specs of my computer I find it pretty good from a performance standpoint
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Support Rating
Bluebeam, Inc.
Its hard for me to give a rating on this one as we rarely have to use the support feature for Bluebeam. However, when we have used it, they have been ultra supportive in helping us get exactly what we needed. I know another engineer was trying to figure out a feature and the rep gave a detailed tutorial on how to complete the task
Read full review
Autodesk
Autodesk has always had a good support system in place. There is a massive user base for Revit, and there are thousands of forum threads and other discussions online about any and every problem that you could ever run into. For being such a large program with so many different options, there aren't many roadblocks or pitfalls that users can fall into.
Read full review
In-Person Training
Bluebeam, Inc.
No answers on this topic
Autodesk
The training was Revit Essentials and it was very beneficial. I would say that it is best to get the training right before you know you will be using Revit as learning the basis then applying what you learned immediately is the most effective and best value for your money.
Read full review
Online Training
Bluebeam, Inc.
No answers on this topic
Autodesk
The online training is hit or miss. I feel that its better to be live to be able to pace and ask questions to a live person as you are learning hwo to do things. Its not natural to learn Revit especially if you know AutoCAD so my suggestion is the live training
Read full review
Implementation Rating
Bluebeam, Inc.
No answers on this topic
Autodesk
Implementing Revit as your main drafting software (i.e. moving to BIM from CAD) may be a tough decision if you have learned drafting. It is a different way to approach and think about developing a project. However, if you are able to adapt to a new way of thinking and get used to it by working through a few projects than it is as efficient as CAD in most areas in general and will also be both better/worse in some areas
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Alternatives Considered
Bluebeam, Inc.
We feel there is not another program out there that would compare to Bluebeam at this current time. Some of the other programs out there do not include studio or the overlaying process which is one of our main uses. The ease of hyperlinking makes this product stand out the most.
Read full review
Autodesk
Revit like AutoCAD can produce both a 3d model & 2 dimensional drawings such as plans, elevations & sections which are required for any design project to be communicated on paper for construction. But unlike AutoCAD, Revit's focus is to build a 3d model that contain smart information for construction. So for Revit the 2 dimensional drawings becomes a byproduct. In addition to the required drawings needed on paper to communicate the design, Revit offers so much more information in the model for all engineering disciplines.
Read full review
Scalability
Bluebeam, Inc.
No answers on this topic
Autodesk
While I am not directly involved with the deployment of Revit, it seems that our internal IT department has appreciated the ability to increase or decrease the number of seats. I have never had an issue with the deployment if and when needed, especially regarding the availability of a set
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Return on Investment
Bluebeam, Inc.
  • A major positive aspect is being able to take your computer home without taking the entire set of paper drawings. They have made it so easy to navigate a set of drawings that I can work at home using only the digital drawings.
  • Collaboration with owners and architects has been a great feature. Setting up a Bluebeam studio and having everyone get in and mark things up, then having the architect be able to go in and see what markups have been added, has made the constructability review process much much better.
  • Even when not working on drawings, Bluebeam is a very good tool for working with standard PDF documents. The markup tools are very easy to use.
  • The negative aspect is the takeoff function because some people would like estimators to use the Bluebeam takeoff because it would make their job easier down the road; however, the actual act of doing a full scale takeoff in Bluebeam would require much more time.
Read full review
Autodesk
  • It's positive. It saves quite a bit of field time when used correctly, and lets us make sure we have proper room for all equipment and ductwork.
  • Helping minimize field 'thinking' time is an immediate add to the bottom line. 1 guy designing on the front side saves down time of 5-10 guys waiting in the field. Cost savings on labor is apparent.
  • Coordination time is also cut down, saving on office time. It's easy to spell out what your plan of attack is. All these savings directly add to bottom line profit by not expending labor.
Read full review
ScreenShots

Bluebeam Screenshots

Screenshot of Bluebeam Cloud with Markup ListScreenshot of Bluebeam Cloud with Tool ChestScreenshot of Bluebeam Revu MarkupScreenshot of Bluebeam Revu Studio Session