Bluebeam Revu Cost: An All-in-One Construction Project Management Tool Reviews

“Bluebeam Revu - PDF Productivity

Pros

Revu made giant leaps for editing and processing pdf's when Adobe and other pdf readers had only viewing and basic editing features. When used properly Bluebeam Revu can make navigating large documents a breeze. With software plugins for Autodesk Revit sorting and organizing large sets of documents can be automated from the start saving lots of time. Drawing and marking up documents in Revu are also a serious plus.

Cons

Newer versions offer a wide array of editing tools and toolboxes but this also introduces a learning curve. Loading time for large files and graphics has increased due to the multitude of tools.

“Expensive but great for editing pdf documents

Pros

Useful for renovation projects creating professional presentations and accurate material take-offs with an appreciated hatch feature.

Cons

The software's expense in American dollars adds up quickly for Canadian users. Newer versions are more complex to navigate and the software is less compatible with Mac laptops.

“PDF Viewer For Engineering

Pros

Handy Engineering Tools: Praised for intuitive engineering tools replacing the need for Adobe Acrobat.

Cons

Bugs in newer versions complex functions leading to overwhelm but irreplaceable after familiarization.

“The best PDF markup tool for the A&E industry

Pros

I'm constantly amazed by how many features bluebeam has packed in. The markup tools themselves have a lot flexibility. Being able to scale drawings and generate dimensions and areas is a huge plus. Creating new elements and adding them to your tool chest for future use is also a nice feature to have. The OCR tools are fantastic helping us create bookmarks and labels to navigate large PDFs. We also routinely use the hyperlink tool to create linkable details that make navigating a large drawing set even easier. (I believe this feature is available only in the "Extreme" version). There is also an option to take two versions of a document and compare changes between two versions. Beyond that being able to use blue beam sessions to collaborate with your project team on common markups is a great bonus.

Cons

I'd appreciate the software allowing the creation of preset profiles for markup styles and colors.

“Best PDF Tool for Architects Designers Construction and Real Estate Developers

Pros

Tops Adobe Acrobat in markup tools and ease of use excellent for design and construction professionals.

Cons

Difficulty in selecting objects due to large invisible "selection zones" around them affecting small and closely placed markups' selection.

“Blue beam #1 software for both reading and constructing. .

Pros

Crucial for consultant engineers aiding document reviews overlays and dimension measurements.

Cons

Not many cons except for slow responses to large files.

“PDF writer and Document control for the construction industry

Pros

Intuitive interface efficient document updating and complex formula entry akin to Excel.

Cons

Acknowledgment of a vast array of additional tools from an expansive network of users.

“A Great PDF viewer!

Pros

Offers smooth performance easy markups and quick email editing ideal for design professionals.

Cons

The plugin for Windows Explorer allowing viewing PDFs without opening them can be slow to load and sometimes easier to bypass for direct file opening.

“A Must have for any pdf reader or editor

Pros

Versatile for personal and professional tasks praised for its customer support and continuous improvement.

Cons

Large file sizes and information overload can make files cumbersome and slow to load or buffer.

“Not just a PDF viewer!

Pros

EVERYTHING! This software is incredible and to say that you can use it to markup PDF's is just scratching the surface. You can use it as an estimating takeoff tool estimating database document control system cloud document storage and more! Really the list goes on and on for the uses of this tool. I have never been so satisfied by any software as much as I am with Bluebeam Revu. You cant go wrong here and if you ever do mess something up or think you can't do something their customer support team is top notch so you'll be saved by their graces! (Shout out to Amanda Wieting for the impeccable support over the years!)

Cons

The only issue I had was with the UI change in 3018 altering colors which was the worst experience I've had with this program.

“Bluebeam's Multi-use Capability

Pros

Vital for our project site simplifying drawing markups submittals and contract reviews with templates and time-saving features.

Cons

The search option could use refinement though no specific guidance on how to improve it is available. It's just a personal feeling that it could be more user-friendly.

“Long Time Bluebeam Revu User - Best Day to Day Software I use

Pros

Construction Industry Standard: Seen as a necessity in the construction industry not just a PDF viewer with wide-ranging functionalities.

Cons

Learning curve for extensive feature utilization ongoing learning curve even after years of use.

“Game Changer

Pros

What is there not to like about Bluebeam? I first started using it when I got in the construction industry in June 3016 and I have never used a PDF editing software that is as user friendly as Bluebeam. There is countless things you can use it for and more than anything it is the editing options and capabilities that this program has what makes it simply unique. Being able to create a session and invite members to join is quite a unique feature too; I am glad my company uses it for basically everything!

Cons

I don't have anything negative to say but additional training on new versions compared to older ones would be beneficial. Nonetheless it's the best PDF viewer/editor available.

“Love Bluebeam! It should be the PDF standard!

Pros

A powerful software far superior to Adobe Acrobat especially with overlay comparison and text manipulation.

Cons

The software's cost might deter regular users but it offers plenty of well-developed features.

“Excellent PDF mark-up software with time-saving features and intuitive UI. Easy to use and learn.

Pros

Familiar & Intuitive Interface: Familiar features make it easy to use requiring no special training allowing for quick adoption.

Cons

Anomalies in MS Word to PDF conversion requiring QC checks.

“BlueBeam is a MUST for Construction!

Pros

Excellent Learning Curve & Versatility: Minimal learning curve going from basic to advanced features quickly integrating well with other software.

Cons

Toolbar customization issue recurring despite locking otherwise no major complaints.

“Bluebeam Revu is a fantastic product for viewing editing and extracting information from PDF files

Pros

The toolbox is underrated but it completely sets Revu apart from any other pdf viewer/editors available. It is easy to use easy to distribute reliable. Editing is also great for minor edits as well as spotting spelling mistakes. Extracting information from sheets is a breeze as well as the OCR feature if you have the Extreme version. Studio sessions which are also underutilized are a real game changer for real time collaboration.

Cons

The latest release saw a shift from a ribbon-type interface to something more traditional making it harder to find many tools and potentially impacting productivity.

“I consider Bluebeam Revu a necessity for my engineering work.

Pros

There are so many pros about this program. My favorite tools would be the calibration tool for verifying and editing architectural plans the stamp and markup tools for approving and commenting on official documents and the comparison tool for overlaying revised documents to see design changes. I love that Bluebeam Revu is simple yet sophisticated.

Cons

There are some minor inconveniences such as losing the stamp folder path on network disconnection. Additionally an option for team access to flattening and unflattening would be beneficial.

“Very comprehensive pdf editing software - I'll never go back to Adobe!!!

Pros

Ease of Use with No Training: Highlighted for its ease of use even without prior training offering simplicity in layout and icons.

Cons

Overwhelming initially eased by numerous tutorial videos.

“Easy to use. Lot of functionality.

Pros

Bluebeam has a lot of buttons and features out-of-the-box. The default layout is intuitive. Quickly and easily add text highlights shapes callouts and lines to PDFs. The buttons for rotating the page are readily available. Taking snapshots/copies cropping and other editing functions are easy. Bluebeam has measurement tools so you can easily get dimensions off of plans. There are tons of keyboard shortcuts and "toolboxes" that allow you to perform repetitive tasks quickly. Customize stamps to create signatures or other repetitive text like "By..." or dynamic shop drawing stamps (like "Make Corrections Noted"). Flatten tool allow you to lock your edits into place. Security features are also available. Bluebeam also allows you to merge/staple multiple sheets together and further manipulate pages within a document.

Cons

Bluebeam offers extensive functionality but depending on your needs there might be more cost-effective and simpler alternatives. The "Staple" function for file combination within a Windows Explorer window/menu could be more straightforward compared to other software like Adobe Acrobat.