About Bluebeam Revu
Bluebeam Revu works as a plugin inside Microsoft Office’s Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint applications, as well as popular CAD programs, like AutoCAD. The plugin brings customizable PDF markups, PDF creation and editing, and image handling to some of the most commonly used office and design applications. Bluebeam Revu is available in three specialized versions: Standard, CAD, and eXtreme.
Bluebeam Revu Standard offers single-click PDF creation, 2D and 3D PDF markup, and real-time collaboration. Advanced PDF editing features of this version of Bluebeam include customizable layouts, fonts, headers, and footers. Users can also split PDFs into sections, extract and rotate pages, and export them as editable Word documents, as well as perform color processing and grayscale conversion. Batch processing allow users to apply changes across multiple documents at once. The plugin also performs PDF conversion of other types of Windows files.
Bluebeam CAD has all the features of the Standard editor while adding specialized functions for design professionals. The CAD plugin works with AutoCAD, Revit, and SolidWorks (64-bit versions). Bluebeam CAD brings 2D and 3D PDF handling and editing, with a full slate of customizable parameters. This version introduces the ability to export annotations and compare versions. Users can add digital stamps and signatures and embedded security features to documents. For 3D PDF creation, Bluebeam CAD also integrates with Navisworks Manage and Navisworks Simulate (64-bit only), as well as Sketch Pro (2013-14).
The most powerful version of the plugin, Bluebeam Revu eXtreme, includes all the document management, markup, and handling features of the Standard and CAD versions, while adding professional PDF management features. This version of the plugin lets users add complex bookmarks, redact sensitive content permanently, and create complex PDF forms. A full suite of automatable parameters with fully customizable scripting. This version of Bluebeam Revu also includes a Batch Slip Sheet, which helps you quickly create new versions of PDFs while carrying over markups, bookmarks, and links. Bluebeam Revu eXtreme users can also redact markups, link items within documents, and control file access.
All versions of the Bluebeam Revu plugin features cloud-based collaboration via Bluebeam Studio, as well as SharePoint and ProjectWise integration. Bluebeam Revu runs on Windows 7/8 (32 and 64-bit systems), Citrix XenApp6.5-7.6 and XenDesktop 7-7.6 virtual environments, and tablet PC versions of Windows 8.
Pricing starting from:
US$240.00/year
- Free Version
- Free Trial
- Subscription
Top 5 alternatives to Bluebeam Revu
Key benefits of Bluebeam Revu
- Markup, edit, and manage PDFs within Microsoft Office and popular CAD programs.
- Edit 2D and 3D PDFs inside the programs in which they are created.
- Create reusable templates with Bluebeam Revu's Tool Chest.
- Collaborate online and offline with the cloud-based Bluebeam Studio Platfrom.
- Quickly navigate complex PDFs with in-document search.
Typical Customers
- Freelancers
- Small Businesses (2-50)
- Mid-size Companies (51-500)
- Large enterprises (500 and more)
Deployment
- Cloud-based
- On-premise
Pricing starting from:
US$240.00/year
- Free Version
- Free Trial
- Subscription
Top 5 alternatives to Bluebeam Revu
Images
Features
Total features of Bluebeam Revu: 48
Alternatives
Dropbox Business
On-Screen Takeoff
PDF Studio
Egnyte
Reviews
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- Industry: Construction
- Company size: 201–500 Employees
- Used Daily for 1+ year
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support Software
- Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10
BlueBeam is a MUST for Construction!
Reviewed on 7/16/2018
Pros
I can't say enough good things about this software using it in the construction industry. I have used multiple different PDF editors but nothing comes close to as how good BlueBeam is. There is not much of a learning curve and you can learn the basics very quickly. It goes about as advanced as you would need and can do almost anything.
Marking up blueprints is straightforward and easy to do. There are multiple different callout shapes and easily input the tag on it. You can have a favorite toolset on a window for the most frequently used items such as your stamp, signature, check mark, etc... Once you collaborate the blueprint you can measure dimensions, surface, and volume.
Bluebeam integrates into most other software such as browsers, Microsoft Excel, and word. It has a quick button in these programs to easily convert it into a PDF inside of Bluebeam. If it does not have integration with the software you can print something and use Bluebeam as a printer to convert it into a PDF inside Bluebeam. You can even set spaces and do punch lists as well.
Everyone I work with loves with the product and nobody has a bad thing to say about it.
Cons
The only complaint I have been able to come up with but I'm sure it is user error is that my customized toolbar keeps reverting back to the default. I have locked the toolbar and messed with it but randomly every now goes back. I am unsure why this happens and is pretty frustrating when it does. Other than this no complaints.
- Industry: Civil Engineering
- Company size: 51–200 Employees
- Used Daily for 1+ year
-
Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support Software
- Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10
A great software for engineering firms
Reviewed on 9/6/2021
I am very happy with the software. I have been using it for over an year now and I definitely...
I am very happy with the software. I have been using it for over an year now and I definitely recommend it to anyone who is starting off in an engineering firm. You will spend a large part of your time working with this software. It has all the bells and whistles and there is literally nothing more than you can want out of it. However, this sometimes makes it difficult to find some stuff. I would like to see an option to toggle between a simple document review option (similar to Adobe Acrobat Pro) and a detailed drawing review option. Otherwise I am very happy and it manages to surprise me everyday with the sheer amount of features available.
Pros
Primarily one might feel it's just another PDF reviewer and editor similar to Adobe Acrobat Pro, but this is more catered towards engineering jobs. It's easy to make markups on the drawings, with specific options like revision clouds, grid lines among other things. One can also make some specific markups and save them in their tool box. One neat feature is the ability to compare two documents by overlaying them on top of each other. This is especially helpful to check if their were any changes in different revisions of the drawings which can be easily missed by a normal human review.
Cons
Since it's so much loaded with features, sometimes it becomes difficult to find exactly what you needed to do. It is in such times that I miss the simplicity of Adobe Acrobat Pro, where the User Interface is clean. But then again Adobe is catered towards a general document review whereas Bluebeam Revu caters engineering firms. I would like to see an option to turn on and off the detailed User Interface to get a more simplistic Adobe like interface as required.
- Industry: Design
- Company size: 2–10 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
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Review Source
Overall rating
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support Software
- Likelihood to recommend 7.0 /10
Blue Beam Review
Reviewed on 12/2/2021
It is a daily use and I could not do my job as effectively without it
It is a daily use and I could not do my job as effectively without it
Pros
Markup tools, Editing, Color Highlighting, Clouds
Cons
Having to scale drawings to get dimensions
Alternatives Considered
Adobe Acrobat ReaderReasons for Choosing Bluebeam Revu
Easier to use and more functionsSwitched From
Adobe Acrobat ReaderReasons for Switching to Bluebeam Revu
Ease of use for my daily use- Industry: Construction
- Company size: 5,001–10,000 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
-
Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Customer Support Software
- Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10
A flexible PDF file editor that helps us estimate , analyze and mange construction projects.
Reviewed on 1/8/2023
Bids that we are currently pricing are received from clients in the form of PDF files and contain...
Bids that we are currently pricing are received from clients in the form of PDF files and contain many fees that are not clear in scale; however, with the help of Bluebeam tools, we were able to establish measurements for them, calculate areas, and issue tables of quantities accurately, greatly simplifying the pricing procedures for projects.
Pros
Bluebeam is one of the best PDF management programs, particularly in the realm of construction projects, as it allows us to highlight the details of plans and allocate measurements accurately, allowing us to take measurements directly and also calculate areas and sizes directly from PDF files, even if it is a manual drawing. The ability to alter texts is fantastic, and I also enjoy that new elements, symbols, and even pagination can be added with relative ease. It's simple to add a digital signature, which is useful for keeping tabs on who approved and received credit for files that were shared across teams.
Cons
Once you get past the initial learning curve, using Bluebeam is simple, but the high annual subscription costs mean that we can't afford to include all of our members.
- Industry: Construction
- Company size: 51–200 Employees
- Used Daily for 2+ years
-
Review Source
Overall rating
- Value for Money
- Ease of Use
- Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10
Should not be an Option - Should be Mandatory
Reviewed on 3/9/2021
I can't imagine doing my job without access to Bluebeam. I use it that much. For that many...
I can't imagine doing my job without access to Bluebeam. I use it that much. For that many different things.
Pros
Bluebeam is so versatile. I can create and/or modify all my RFI's, shop drawings, and detail clarifications from various professional sources - all in one package. I'm surprised at how often I find new ways to make use of the standard tools included with the software.
Cons
Bluebeam does have some issues reading some fonts. Not sure what the deal is, but some pdfs show up looking like a crude binary system.
Alternatives Considered
Adobe Acrobat ReaderReasons for Choosing Bluebeam Revu
Bluebeam is more stable - Adobe would crash on me. Also - a lot more features out of the box.Switched From
Adobe Acrobat ReaderReasons for Switching to Bluebeam Revu
Versatility and price. You can't lose with this software. Easy to complex - it can handle it all.Bluebeam Revu FAQs
Below are some frequently asked questions for Bluebeam Revu.Q. What type of pricing plans does Bluebeam Revu offer?
Bluebeam Revu offers the following pricing plans:
- Starting from: US$240.00/year
- Pricing model: Subscription
- Free Trial: Available
Basics: Essential tools for marking up and managing your AECO office and project documents - $240 per user, billed annually. Complete: Everything you need to manage and optimize complex AECO projects at scale - $400 per user, billed annually. Core: Comprehensive tools for managing and collaborating on small- and mid-sized AECO projects - $300 per user, billed annually.
Q. Who are the typical users of Bluebeam Revu?
Bluebeam Revu has the following typical customers:
Self Employed, 2–10, 11–50, 51–200, 201–500, 501–1,000, 1,001–5,000
Q. What languages does Bluebeam Revu support?
Bluebeam Revu supports the following languages:
Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish
Q. Does Bluebeam Revu support mobile devices?
Bluebeam Revu supports the following devices:
iPhone (Mobile), iPad (Mobile)
Q. What other apps does Bluebeam Revu integrate with?
Bluebeam Revu integrates with the following applications:
Box, Dropbox Business, Microsoft SharePoint
Q. What level of support does Bluebeam Revu offer?
Bluebeam Revu offers the following support options:
Email/Help Desk, FAQs/Forum, Knowledge Base Software, Phone Support
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