Skip to main content
TrustRadius
Bluebeam

Bluebeam

Overview

What is Bluebeam?

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.

Read more
Recent Reviews

TrustRadius Insights

Bluebeam Revu is a widely accessible tool for the construction industry, enabling users to transform paper-based workflows to electronic …
Continue reading

Making Markups Easy

8 out of 10
January 14, 2020
Incentivized
It is utilized to put together presentation pdfs for clients, meetings, etc. We also use it to aid in space planning and laying out …
Continue reading

Great for the price

9 out of 10
December 13, 2019
Incentivized
Bluebeam Revu is a PDF reader and editor tool. It also does measurements and other markups. Right now only a handful of staff has this …
Continue reading
Read all reviews

Awards

Products that are considered exceptional by their customers based on a variety of criteria win TrustRadius awards. Learn more about the types of TrustRadius awards to make the best purchase decision. More about TrustRadius Awards

Popular Features

View all 21 features
  • Plan markups & sharing (50)
    9.1
    91%
  • Plan distribution & viewing (48)
    9.0
    90%
  • Document sharing (44)
    9.0
    90%
  • As-built drawings (42)
    9.0
    90%

Reviewer Pros & Cons

View all pros & cons
Return to navigation

Pricing

View all pricing

Revu Standard

$349

On Premise
per seat

Revu CAD

$449

On Premise
per seat

Revu eXtreme

$599

On Premise
per seat

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee
For the latest information on pricing, visithttps://www.bluebeam.com/pricing

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services

Starting price (does not include set up fee)

  • $240 per year per user
Return to navigation

Product Demos

Veebinar "Bluebeam Revu 20 versiooni uued võimalused " 29. märts 2021

YouTube

Bluebeam Revu

YouTube

Bluebeam Revu Make it easy - Takeoff

YouTube

COMMERCIAL PAINTING Takeoffs demo - fast version

YouTube

ALL CAD Northwest - Bluebeam Revu 12 Feature Demo

YouTube

Bluebeam Revu AEC Demo

YouTube
Return to navigation

Features

Reporting & Analytics

Users can report on and analyze usage, performance, ROI, and/or other metrics of success.

8.7
Avg 8.2

Construction Project & Field Management

Features related to collaboration between construction management and project execution (e.g. the office and the job site, general contractors and subcontractors)

8.8
Avg 7.4

Estimating

A set of tools and applications that allow contractors to forecast, track, monitor, and adjust the cost of building a structure. Cost estimates are used by project owners to determine the scope and feasibility of a project, and also for budget allocation. Contractors also use cost estimates when deciding whether or not to bid on a project and for bid creation.

8.9
Avg 8.2
Return to navigation

Product Details

What is Bluebeam?

Bluebeam develops technology solutions that according to the vendor support project efficiency and collaboration for over two million design and construction professionals worldwide. Bluebeam Revu and Bluebeam Cloud aim to give teams the flexibility to work together anywhere through design, build and handover. And with Bluebeam's desktop and cloud collaboration solutions built on open standards, documents and data can be accessed on any web or iOS device, onsite or off.


Bluebeam Revu®

Revu offers customizable document management, markup and automation tools with a built-in collaboration space, Studio.

• Log in to any desktop with Revu installed and access projects and tool sets

• Mark up and measure together with teammates in real time using Studio

• Share the latest drawings and documents with teams in the field using Bluebeam Cloud

• Increase security and simplify user login with single sign-on (SSO)

Bluebeam Cloud (Web & Mobile)

Connect office and field and complete workflows on the go with Bluebeam Cloud, a suite of web and mobile solutions that connects with documents and tool sets in Revu.

• Work from anywhere via web or iOS device — no set-up or installation required

• Access tool sets and Studio Project files from Revu

• Invite team members to markup and collaborate in real time with the Markup Editor

• Manage punch, RFIs and submittals on the go with Field Tools

Services

Get more out of Revu and Bluebeam Cloud with Bluebeam services designed to help finish the job faster.

• Unlimited centralized cloud storage

• Access to technology partner integrations to support custom workflows

• Access to Bluebeam University training courses at no additional cost

• Technical support via email and phone

• Geolocational insights to help visualize, connect and organize data

Bluebeam Features

Construction Project & Field Management Features

  • Supported: Plan distribution & viewing
  • Supported: Plan markups & sharing
  • Supported: Document sharing
  • Supported: Issue tracking & punchlists
  • Supported: Photo documentation
  • Supported: Jobsite reports
  • Supported: RFI tools
  • Supported: Collaboration & approvals
  • Supported: As-built drawings
  • Supported: Mobile app
  • Supported: Submittal design and management
  • Supported: Checklists
  • Supported: Change orders

Estimating Features

  • Supported: Takeoff tools
  • Supported: Bid creation

Reporting & Analytics Features

  • Supported: Dashboards
  • Supported: Standard reports
  • Supported: Custom reports
  • Supported: Data exportability

Additional Features

  • Supported: Digital stamps and signatures

Bluebeam Screenshots

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

Bluebeam Videos

What Does Bluebeam Do?
Comparing Bluebeam Revu to Procore and e-builder by Trimble

Bluebeam Technical Details

Deployment TypesOn-premise, Software as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based
Operating SystemsWindows
Mobile ApplicationApple iOS, Mobile Web
Supported CountriesUSA, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Australia
Supported LanguagesEnglish, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, Japanese, Korean

Frequently Asked Questions

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.

Bluebeam starts at $240.

Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro, Autodesk Build, and Procore are common alternatives for Bluebeam.

Reviewers rate Plan markups & sharing and Collaboration & approvals highest, with a score of 9.1.

The most common users of Bluebeam are from Mid-sized Companies (51-1,000 employees).
Return to navigation

Comparisons

View all alternatives
Return to navigation

Reviews and Ratings

(358)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

Bluebeam Revu is a widely accessible tool for the construction industry, enabling users to transform paper-based workflows to electronic formats. It has been widely adopted by project managers, estimators, safety managers, and accounting staff for various purposes such as takeoffs, markups, form building, electronic signatures, and stamp approvals. Users have found Bluebeam Revu to be a user-friendly tool for tasks like takeoff quantities, PDF manipulation, detail markups, phasing plans, invoice billing, change orders, and creating illustrations for presentations. The software's markup tools are highly valued for expediting the design process and building punch lists from site visits. Additionally, Bluebeam's Studio feature facilitates real-time collaboration and markups on the same document by multiple users, preventing duplication of work. Overall, Bluebeam Revu addresses the business problem of communicating issues using visual aids and provides a centralized location for updating and maintaining construction documents.

Efficiency in Batch Processes: Several users have praised Bluebeam Revu for its efficiency in batch processes, saving significant time compared to manual alternatives. This has been highlighted by reviewers who found the software to be a powerful tool for streamlining tasks and improving productivity.

Seamless Collaboration with Bluebeam Studio: Many reviewers have commended Bluebeam Revu's cloud-based collaboration feature, Bluebeam Studio, for its ease of use and effectiveness in facilitating collaboration among team members. Users appreciate the seamless collaboration capabilities provided by Bluebeam Revu, which enhance teamwork even when working from different locations or offices.

User-Friendly Markup Tools: The intuitive markup tools in Bluebeam Revu have received positive feedback from multiple users. They find it easy to annotate and mark up PDF documents using the software's user-friendly interface. This feature allows for efficient document editing and enhances the overall user experience.

Difficulties with Typewriter and Textbox Tools: Some users have found the typewriter and textbox tools in Bluebeam to be functional but not user-friendly, stating that they could be easier to use and more precise. Aligning text with specific areas on a form using the typewriter tool can be frustrating for some users.

Laborious Flattening Process: Users have expressed frustration with the process of flattening documents before sharing them in Bluebeam. They believe it could benefit from a default setting that automates this process, as manually flattening documents is time-consuming.

Complexity of Stamp Creation: The creation of stamps in Bluebeam involves several steps and can be confusing for some users. They feel that the process could be streamlined or macro automated to save time, creating a bottleneck for stamp creation.

Users recommend reaching out to other users and utilizing the support team for tricks and tips. They also suggest customizing the interface and exploring tutorials to fully utilize Bluebeam Revu's capabilities. Users highly recommend taking training to learn how to use the software effectively. Additionally, users recommend trying the free trial before purchasing to determine if Bluebeam Revu meets their needs.

Overall, these recommendations highlight the importance of seeking assistance from other users and the support team, as well as investing time in learning how to customize and optimize Bluebeam Revu through tutorials and training. The free trial option is also suggested as a way to evaluate the software before making a purchase decision.

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(1-25 of 62)
Companies can't remove reviews or game the system. Here's why
Heather MacLean | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • When I have different tabs open, it reverts back to the main or first tab which is helpful when I am moving documents around.
  • There are for sure a ton of more options even on the basic version.
  • Exporting to folders is super easy and separates the documents in order.
  • 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.
Christian Maxwell | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Clear and easy viewing of project plans.
  • In depth and extremely detailed mark up tools and sketching tools.
  • Excellent help and support services.
  • The sketch to scale tools are minimal and could be expanded.
  • The group editing and selection is not the easiest to use.
  • I think drawing tools could be improved in placing and editing line dimensions.
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Recent and recall of PDFs that you had open so you can easily flip back in forth between files all within the same window.
  • Instant access to a list of tools and setting of the defaults.
  • At times it is difficult to find out where a certain function is.
  • Some secure files won't open in Bluebeam and must be used in Adobe.
  • The comparisons feature has difficulties with scanned documents.
January 24, 2020

Great for scaled markups

Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Great fast PDF viewer with better editing tools than Adobe Acrobat.
  • Useful feature set for architects, such as setting drawing scale, distance and area measurement tools.
  • I wish the drawing tools had 'snapping' options.
  • There should be more control over dimming backgrounds and flattening/unflattening markups so you can be sure your recipient is seeing the same thing.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • It makes estimating take-offs a breeze by allowing for the simple creation of groups and automating counting and take off.
  • Revu is the best tool in the AEC space for marking up plan sets. It is the tool that simulates pen and paper the best.
  • Bluebeam needs to integrate with more systems. The few they have are great, but they need to expand.
  • Revu is lacking in PDF forms. They often do not support newer forms of technology for multiple release cycles.
Bob Kramer, RCDD, LEED AP | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • General PDF viewing: it seems to have the best PDF engine for speed and accuracy.
  • Redlining PDFs: it's simple to use and can create custom stamps easily.
  • REVU for ipad is not as easy to use as the desktop application.
  • The recent change of the user interface when going to the 2018 version was somewhat confusing. We have users on both older and newer versions.
December 07, 2019

Bluebeam Gets It Done

Matthew Smith | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Easy surface-level use but can become a deep and powerful tool if you invest in learning all its features.
  • Perfect for editing PDFs, stamping, markups and creating templates.
  • Well equipped for simple or complex take-off methods.
  • Lots of customization for layout and tool ribbons.
  • I would like to see better Excel integration and exporting.
  • Id like to see a web app and cloud version to use on Chrome and also a Chrome preview extension
  • It would be nice to see integration into Microsoft Office
Jill Liegghio | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • It is relatively easy to use - without formal instruction.
  • It easily allows you to grab PDF documents and edit them.
  • It allows you create canned tools, like stamps, so data editing can be standard.
  • Although it is relatively easy to use, the editing tools do not exist in drop down menus. I wish the interface were more similar to other Windows programs.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Scaling drawings to get accurate measurements from drawings.
  • Cloud sharing via Bluebeam Studio.
  • The markup tools.
  • Bookmarking pages to make pages easier to find.
  • Creating hyperlinks within a document.
  • Comparing document changers with their compare tool.
  • I would like to see Bluebeam Studio be able to see document change dates for files that are not PDFs.
  • Every now and then the program gets a little glitchy.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Markups
  • Takeoffs
  • Drawing comparisons
  • Rendering speed is a bit slow at times
  • View and scrolling preferences (e.g. full page vs. scrolling view vs. zoom w/ scroll wheel) could be executed better
  • Multi-document or side by side viewing
  • Cost
May 15, 2019

Bluebeam rocks

CHE CHAVEZ | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Dimensioning scaled PDF documents is one of the things I use the most. I can get an accurate measurement where one has not been provided
  • Editing PDF documents- there are documents that are automatically created through systems software that may need to be edited to me to the specific needs of a particular project. With Bluebeam, you could do this with ease.
  • Document control is a major strength of Bluebeam. I have used Bluebeam on a project that had over 18,000 drawings. We also used the link feature to hyperlink each page that had a fallout.
  • The iPad is where Bluebeam has the most room to improve upon. I have used Bluebeam to record punch list as it is easy to create punch items but is not as simple to update the punch list status.
  • Creating reports is also not a strength of Bluebeam. You cannot create a report to tell you what items are linked to each other.
  • Storage, editing, and navigation are strengths of Bluebeam. But tracking document status is not a strength of Bluebeam.
Michael Savala | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Draw on PDFs. No other software I've ever used is better at this, and I've used Photoshop, Illustrator, and Adobe Acrobat. Revu molds together the best features in CAD (powerful drawing capabilities, point snap abilities, extreme accuracy) with a great PDF viewer. Very much worth it.
  • Mark up / annotate PDFs. Typing on Revu is very easy via the text box tool or the typewriter tool. You can choose from a variety of fonts, opaque or transparent backgrounds, any color--the possibilities are endless.
  • Combining and rearranging PDFs. You can easily move pages around, combine separate files, and flatten files.
  • A feature I would add -- a command line. The shortcuts are good, and in the latest version of Revu you can create your own which makes things easier. But I have used CAD and I find the command line much faster than dropdown menus.
  • Something that could be better -- PDF compression. Revu files, when marked-up, can be massive, and there's not a clear enough way to shrink the file down by reducing clarity, etc. I understand this is a vector program--not rasterized--and vectors can be far more complex, especially with patterns and such. But compression would be nice.
  • Features I'd like--enhanced vector abilities. Feathering lines, precise arc drawing, etc. Similar to Illustrator.
Nick Tanner | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Drawing markup. There are multiple ways to markup files from revision clouds, hyperlink tools, various shapes, and lines. All of these markups can also be counted and sorted for estimating takeoff style markups.
  • Compiling and organizing. Bluebeam Revu also is a PDF authoring tool. You can create and export PDFs from anywhere there is a 'print' feature, or even convert filetypes directly to PDF. Multiple different PDFs can easily be combined, split apart, or rearranged.
  • File distribution. The Studio Project and Studio Session feature allow for teams to have a cloud storage resource to share files with various permission and viewing abilities.
  • It really is a great product and there really isn't a con that I can think of. Sometimes very large files struggle to refresh on a screen, but that is to be expected.
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • The drawing editing tools are more advanced than those of similar products.
  • Batch tools make processes like plotting, file rotation, or reduction of file size save countless hours.
  • Being able to calibrate PDFs to a scale allows me to quickly show missing dimensions in the field without opening a model editing it printing it and sending out the file.
  • Sometimes when I'm plotting multiple files to PDF, Bluebeam will start rotating them 90 degrees during the plot process. Not sure why.
  • As you select text to highlight for some reason it will sometimes automatically select all the text in the drawing which will have to be undone if that was not your intention.
February 26, 2019

TIME SAVER!

M.A ADIL ANSARI | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Easy to use. No need to convert files. You can work on a PDF file directly.
  • You can directly export the quantity to MS Excel.
  • You can write comments in the drawings.
  • I want a Keyboard shortcut to reuse the previous command as I use the same few commands repeatedly. I didn't find any shortcuts online. In AutoCAD, by pressing enter or space bar you are allowed to use the previous command.
Return to navigation