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Construction · head to head

Bluebeam Revu vs Clearstory

Bluebeam Revu logo

Bluebeam Revu

Construction

PDF markup and collaboration for construction

From
$260/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Clearstory logo

Clearstory

Construction

Digital change order and time and materials tag exchange between subcontractors and general contractors

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bluebeam Revu hosting a Studio collaboration requires the $330 Core plan; the $260 Basics plan can only participate in one; Clearstory value depends on the counterparty using it, so a subcontractor whose general contractors have not adopted it ends up running the digital process and the emailed one at the same time.
  • They diverge on capability: Bluebeam Revu covers PDF markup, Clearstory covers Digital time and materials tags.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bluebeam Revu and Clearstory actually diverge.

Attributes where Bluebeam Revu and Clearstory differ
AttributeBluebeam RevuClearstory
Starting price$260/yearOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Web, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android
Founded2002Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Construction).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Bluebeam Revu

  • PDF markup
  • Document creation
  • Measurement tools
  • Cloud collaboration
  • Takeoffs
  • Procore
  • PlanGrid
  • Box

Only in Clearstory

  • Digital time and materials tags
  • Review and signature routing
  • Change order log
  • Cost exposure reporting
  • Field mobile capture
  • Document export

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Bluebeam Revu

  • Marking up and measuring construction drawings as PDFsnot Clearstory
  • Overlaying and comparing drawing revisionsnot Clearstory
  • Running takeoff quantities into Excel on the Complete plannot Clearstory

Clearstory

  • A speciality subcontractor that regularly performs extra work and struggles to get tags signednot Bluebeam Revu
  • A general contractor tired of receiving a stack of disputed tags at project closeoutnot Bluebeam Revu
  • A project team that needs the value of pending extras visible during the job rather than after itnot Bluebeam Revu
  • A contractor standardising change documentation across trades on a large projectnot Bluebeam Revu

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Bluebeam Revu

  • Hosting a Studio collaboration requires the $330 Core plan; the $260 Basics plan can only participate in one
  • Quantity Link with Excel and batch automation are held back to the $440 Complete plan
  • The $590 Max price is labelled introductory on the vendor's own pricing page, so it is not a settled rate

Clearstory

  • Value depends on the counterparty using it, so a subcontractor whose general contractors have not adopted it ends up running the digital process and the emailed one at the same time.
  • It documents extra work but does not settle it; a general contractor determined not to pay is not persuaded by better paperwork, only better positioned to be argued with.
  • Field staff have to complete tags properly for the record to hold up, and the discipline required is the same discipline that was failing on paper.
  • Poor connectivity in basements, plant rooms and lift shafts is exactly where extra work gets documented, so offline reliability needs testing before rollout rather than after.
  • It overlaps with change management already present in Procore and similar platforms, so buyers must be clear about which system holds the authoritative log or they will maintain two.

Pricing, plan by plan

Bluebeam Revu

$260/year
  • Basics$260/year
    • Per user, billed annually
    • PDF creation, viewing, editing and markups
    • Measure length and area
  • Core$330/year
    • Per user, billed annually
    • 2D and 3D PDF markup tools
    • Overlay and compare drawings
  • Complete$440/year
    • Per user, billed annually
    • Dynamic Fill measurements
    • Quantity Link with Excel
  • Max$590/year
    • Per user, billed annually, introductory pricing
    • AI drawing reviews and comparisons
    • AI multi-view stitching

Clearstory

On request
  • Clearstory$undefined/year
    • Digital time and materials tags
    • Change order log
    • Mobile field capture

Which should you pick?

Choose Bluebeam Revu if

  • You need pdf markup.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want document creation.
Bluebeam Revu review

Choose Clearstory if

  • You need digital time and materials tags.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want review and signature routing.
Clearstory review

Questions people ask

Is Bluebeam Revu or Clearstory better?
Neither clearly leads. Bluebeam Revu starts at $260/year and Clearstory at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bluebeam Revu or Clearstory?
Bluebeam Revu starts at $260/year and Clearstory at On request.
Does Bluebeam Revu or Clearstory run on more platforms?
Bluebeam Revu runs on Windows, macOS, Web, iOS, Android. Clearstory runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Bluebeam Revu best used for?
Bluebeam Revu is most often used for marking up and measuring construction drawings as pdfs, overlaying and comparing drawing revisions, running takeoff quantities into excel on the complete plan. Of those, marking up and measuring construction drawings as pdfs and overlaying and comparing drawing revisions are not what Clearstory is typically brought in for.
What can Bluebeam Revu do that Clearstory cannot?
Bluebeam Revu covers PDF markup, Document creation, Measurement tools, Cloud collaboration. Clearstory covers Digital time and materials tags, Review and signature routing, Change order log, Cost exposure reporting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bluebeam Revu: How much does Bluebeam Revu cost?

Bluebeam publishes four annual per user plans: Basics at $260, Core at $330, Complete at $440 and Max at $590 per user per year. Max is listed as introductory pricing.

Source
Clearstory: Is Clearstory for subcontractors or general contractors?

Both, because the workflow crosses between them. The subcontractor originates the tag, the general contractor reviews it, and adoption works best when the general contractor mandates it.

Bluebeam Revu: What is the difference between Bluebeam Basics and Core?

Core adds specialty markup tools for 2D and 3D PDFs, measurement of perimeters, counts, angles and volume, drawing overlay and comparison, CAD plug-ins, and the ability to host Studio collaborations rather than only join them.

Source
Clearstory: Does it replace change management in Procore?

It can, for time and materials tags and the change order log, but you must decide which system is authoritative. Running both without that decision creates reconciliation work.

Clearstory: What happens on sites without signal?

Tags are captured on the device and synchronised later. Test that path with photographs attached before relying on it.

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