PlanSwift and Bluebeam Revu are both widely used for on-screen quantity takeoff, and many estimators have used both. They come from different starting points, though. PlanSwift was built as a takeoff and estimating tool. Bluebeam Revu was built as a PDF markup and document workflow tool that includes strong measurement features. That difference shapes how each one fits into an estimating workflow.
This comparison describes capabilities in general terms. Both products are updated regularly and sold in different editions, so confirm current features, system requirements, and licensing directly with each vendor before you buy. We do not list prices here because they change.
PlanSwift at a Glance
PlanSwift is a Windows desktop takeoff and estimating application, currently offered by ConstructConnect.
- Takeoff tools: area, linear, segment, and count measurements drawn on plan images or PDFs.
- Items and assemblies: a single takeoff can drive several related quantities. A linear wall takeoff, for example, can calculate studs, track, drywall, and insulation through formulas tied to wall height and spacing.
- Parts and pricing: material and labor pricing can be attached to items so the takeoff extends to a cost.
- Formulas: item properties can reference each other, which is how assemblies calculate derived quantities.
- Export: quantities and estimates can be exported, commonly to Excel, for pricing or bid forms.
- Extensions: plugins and templates are available for trade-specific workflows.
Where it tends to fit: estimators and specialty subcontractors who want a takeoff that flows into a structured estimate, and who reuse the same assemblies across many bids.
Bluebeam Revu at a Glance
Bluebeam Revu, from Bluebeam (a Nemetschek Group company), is a PDF creation, markup, and collaboration application for Windows, sold on a subscription basis in several tiers. Bluebeam also offers browser and mobile access through its cloud product; check which features are available on each platform.
- Measurement tools: length, polylength, area, perimeter, volume (area times a depth), count, and cutouts for openings, all calibrated to the sheet scale.
- Markups List: every measurement is a markup that appears in a sortable, filterable list, which can be grouped by layer, subject, or custom fields.
- Custom columns: user-defined columns, including formula columns, can calculate derived quantities or costs from measurement values.
- Tool Chest: saved, pre-configured measurement tools make takeoff consistent across a team.
- Collaboration: Studio Sessions let multiple users mark up the same documents; Studio Projects provide shared file storage.
- Document workflow: OCR, search, sheet comparison (overlay and compare documents), and hyperlinking, which are useful for reviewing addenda and revisions.
- Export: the Markups List can be exported, commonly to CSV or Excel, for pricing.
Where it tends to fit: general contractors and teams that already use PDFs for plan review, RFIs, and document control, and want takeoff in the same tool.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Aspect | PlanSwift | Bluebeam Revu |
|---|---|---|
| Primary purpose | Takeoff and estimating | PDF markup, document workflow, and takeoff |
| Platform | Windows desktop | Windows desktop, with cloud/mobile companion access |
| Derived quantities | Assemblies and item formulas | Custom formula columns and multiple measurements |
| Pricing inside the tool | Built-in item/part pricing | Possible via custom columns; often done in Excel or a separate estimating system |
| Collaboration | Mainly single-user files | Studio Sessions and Studio Projects |
| Revision review | Basic | Sheet comparison and overlay tools |
| Typical export | Excel and reports | CSV/Excel from the Markups List |
| Licensing | Confirm with vendor | Subscription tiers; confirm with vendor |
Neither is objectively better. The right choice depends on whether your bottleneck is turning takeoffs into priced estimates quickly (PlanSwift’s strength) or managing documents, revisions, and team markups alongside takeoff (Bluebeam’s strength).
Worked Example: One Wall Takeoff in Each Tool
Example: an interior partition layout totals 240 LF of wall, 10 ft high, metal studs at 16 in on center, 4x12 gypsum board on both sides. There are six 3 ft x 7 ft door openings. Assume 10% waste on board.
The math (same in either tool):
- Gross wall area, one side: 240 LF x 10 ft = 2,400 SF
- Both sides: 2,400 SF x 2 = 4,800 SF
- Openings: 6 doors x (3 ft x 7 ft) = 6 x 21 SF = 126 SF per side; x 2 sides = 252 SF
- Net board area: 4,800 SF - 252 SF = 4,548 SF
- Sheets (4x12 = 48 SF each): 4,548 / 48 = 94.75 sheets
- With 10% waste: 94.75 x 1.10 = 104.23, rounded up to 105 sheets
- Studs (layout only): (240 LF x 12 in/ft) / 16 in = 180 spaces, plus 1 = 181 studs, before adding studs at door jambs, corners, and intersections
- Track (top and bottom): 240 LF x 2 = 480 LF
In PlanSwift, you would typically build a wall assembly with height, stud spacing, and board layers as properties. Drawing the 240 LF linear takeoff and adding the door deductions produces studs, track, and board quantities from the assembly formulas. Reusing that assembly on the next job is where the time savings appear.
In Bluebeam, you would typically measure the walls with a polylength tool configured with a height, measure or count the doors, and use custom formula columns (or a follow-on spreadsheet) to convert lengths and areas into sheets, studs, and track. Saving the tools in a Tool Chest keeps the method consistent.
Both routes reach the same numbers if set up correctly. The difference is where the formulas live and how easily you can reuse them. For more on drywall quantities, see our drywall estimating services.
Which Tool Fits Your Estimating Workflow?
Choose PlanSwift to test a repeatable assembly-based takeoff workflow when your team regularly turns measured lengths and areas into related material quantities. Choose Bluebeam Revu to test a drawing-review workflow when comparing revisions, managing markups and collaborating on PDFs is central to the job. These are evaluation criteria, not a guarantee that either product includes every feature in every license tier.
For a practical comparison, use the same issued drawing revision in both tools. Check sheet calibration, opening deductions, quantity exports, revision tracking and the time needed to review a second estimator’s measurements. Keep the resulting quantity schedule and marked-up PDF as the evidence for your choice. If the job requires a priced bid rather than quantities alone, verify how each workflow handles labor, material quotations, taxes, overhead and exclusions.
Alternatives to PlanSwift 9: Test Your Existing Takeoff First
If you are replacing PlanSwift 9, test a completed bid before migrating your whole library. Recreate one wall assembly with a known quantity, then compare the new takeoff with your original report. Check drawing scale, deductions, units and Excel totals. Record which formulas or custom parts need to be rebuilt before you move active bids.
Bluebeam plus Excel is a useful workflow to evaluate if your team mainly needs checkable PDF measurements and prices in a separate workbook. If you rely on one measurement to generate studs, track, board and insulation, test those linked quantities in any replacement before switching. Keep an archived copy of the old project and exported quantity report for future addenda.
Selection Checklist
- What do you need to produce: priced estimates, or quantities that feed another pricing system?
- Do several people need to work on the same drawings at once?
- How often do you receive revised sheets that need comparing?
- Which operating systems and devices does your team use?
- Can your existing templates, assemblies, or Tool Chests carry over?
- What export format do your bid forms or estimating spreadsheets need?
- Have you run a trial on one of your own recent projects?
Common Mistakes
- Wrong scale calibration. Always verify scale on each sheet against a known dimension; sheets in one set can use different scales.
- Not deducting openings consistently. Decide which openings reduce material and apply the rule the same way everywhere.
- Double-counting overlapping measurements. Especially when several people work on one set.
- Trusting the tool over the drawings. Software measures what you draw; it does not read notes, details, or specs for you.
- Choosing on features alone. The tool your team will actually set up and maintain templates for is usually the better choice.
How F&K Estimatings Can Help
F&K Estimatings offers drawing-based quantity takeoff support. Confirm the software workflow, measurement rules, export format and pricing inputs for your project in the written scope; this article is a software comparison, not evidence of a particular software license or certification. If you would rather outsource takeoff than set up the software yourself, see our quantity takeoff service, our subcontractor takeoff service, or pricing.