Softwr

Construction · head to head

Contractor Foreman vs RIB CostX

Contractor Foreman logo

Contractor Foreman

Construction

Construction management for contractors covering scheduling, invoicing and crew management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RIB CostX logo

RIB CostX

Construction

2D and BIM quantity takeoff with live-linked estimating workbooks for quantity surveyors and estimators

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Contractor Foreman has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Contractor Foreman 100-day money-back guarantee only available for annual billing, not monthly; RIB CostX pricing is not published anywhere and is quoted per package and per seat through regional resellers, so two firms of similar size routinely pay materially different rates for the same configuration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Contractor Foreman and RIB CostX actually diverge.

Attributes where Contractor Foreman and RIB CostX differ
AttributeContractor ForemanRIB CostX
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWindows

Identical on both: 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 Contractor Foreman

Nothing recorded that RIB CostX does not also cover.

Only in RIB CostX

  • 2D drawing takeoff
  • BIM and 3D takeoff
  • Live-linked workbooks
  • Drawing revision comparison
  • Bill of quantities production
  • Rate libraries
  • Subcontractor comparison
  • CostX Viewer

What people use each for

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

Contractor Foreman

  • Construction project management and trackingnot RIB CostX
  • Field team crew coordinationnot RIB CostX
  • Project timeline managementnot RIB CostX
  • Multi-project workload balancing for contractorsnot RIB CostX

RIB CostX

  • A quantity surveying practice that must issue a formatted bill of quantities under NRM or SMM7 and cannot do so from a generic takeoff toolnot Contractor Foreman
  • A contractor tendering a job where the client reissues drawings mid-tender, needing revision comparison so only changed areas are remeasurednot Contractor Foreman
  • An estimating department moving from paper and Excel to model-based measurement while keeping the same rate library and bill structurenot Contractor Foreman
  • A cost consultant producing early-stage elemental cost plans from partial models, then refining the same workbook as design detail arrivesnot Contractor Foreman

Where each one falls short

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

Contractor Foreman

  • 100-day money-back guarantee only available for annual billing, not monthly
  • All plans include 30-day trial, but commitment ends trial with charges
  • Stripe payment adds 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction fee; ACH adds 1% + $0.30 max fee

RIB CostX

  • Pricing is not published anywhere and is quoted per package and per seat through regional resellers, so two firms of similar size routinely pay materially different rates for the same configuration.
  • It is Windows desktop software with heavy graphics demands; there is no meaningful macOS or browser option, which rules it out for practices standardised on Apple hardware.
  • The learning curve is steep enough that firms typically budget formal training, and an estimator productive in a rival tool takes weeks rather than days to reach the same output here.
  • RIB is owned by Schneider Electric, whose strategic interest is the wider RIB construction cloud, so a buyer choosing CostX today is betting on continued investment in a desktop estimating product inside a group focused elsewhere.
  • BIM takeoff is only as good as the model, and on projects where the model is modelled for coordination rather than measurement the automatic quantities need enough manual checking that the time saving largely disappears.

Pricing, plan by plan

Contractor Foreman

Free
  • Basic$49/month
    • 1 user
    • 30-day free trial
    • 100-day money-back guarantee (annual only)
  • Standard$105/month
    • 3 users
    • 30-day free trial
    • 100-day money-back guarantee (annual only)
  • Plus$166/month
    • 8 users
    • 30-day free trial
    • 100-day money-back guarantee (annual only)
  • Pro$221/month
    • 15 users
    • 30-day free trial
    • 100-day money-back guarantee (annual only)

RIB CostX

On request
  • CostX Quantify$undefined/year
    • 2D and BIM takeoff
    • Measurement export
    • No integrated estimating workbook
  • CostX Core$undefined/year
    • Takeoff plus live-linked workbooks
    • Rate libraries
    • Standard reporting
  • CostX Complete$undefined/year
    • Full BIM takeoff
    • Advanced workbooks and bills of quantities
    • Subcontractor comparison

Which should you pick?

Choose Contractor Foreman if

  • You want to start without paying.
Contractor Foreman review

Choose RIB CostX if

  • You need 2d drawing takeoff.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want bim and 3d takeoff.
RIB CostX review

Questions people ask

Is Contractor Foreman or RIB CostX better?
Neither clearly leads. Contractor Foreman starts at Free and RIB CostX at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Contractor Foreman or RIB CostX?
Contractor Foreman has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Contractor Foreman and On request for RIB CostX.
Does Contractor Foreman or RIB CostX run on more platforms?
Contractor Foreman runs on Web. RIB CostX runs on Windows.
Can I use Contractor Foreman for free?
Yes. Contractor Foreman has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RIB CostX starts at On request.
What is Contractor Foreman best used for?
Contractor Foreman is most often used for construction project management and tracking, field team crew coordination, project timeline management, multi-project workload balancing for contractors. Of those, construction project management and tracking and field team crew coordination are not what RIB CostX is typically brought in for.
What can Contractor Foreman do that RIB CostX cannot?
RIB CostX covers 2D drawing takeoff, BIM and 3D takeoff, Live-linked workbooks, Drawing revision comparison.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Contractor Foreman: How much does Contractor Foreman cost?

Contractor Foreman pricing ranges from $49/month for 1 user (Basic) to $332/month for unlimited users (Unlimited). Annual payment provides 100-day money-back guarantee.

Source
RIB CostX: How much does RIB CostX cost?

RIB does not publish prices. It is quoted per package (Quantify, Core or Complete) and per seat, usually through a regional reseller.

Contractor Foreman: How many users are included in each Contractor Foreman plan?

Basic includes 1 user, Standard includes 3 users, Plus includes 8 users, Pro includes 15 users, and Unlimited plan includes unlimited users.

Source
RIB CostX: Is a perpetual licence available?

RIB has historically offered both perpetual and subscription licensing, with subscription now the default push. Ask explicitly, because the perpetual option is not advertised.

Contractor Foreman: Does Contractor Foreman offer a free trial?

Yes, all Contractor Foreman plans include a 30-day free trial with no charge until the trial ends. Annual plans also include a 100-day money-back guarantee.

Source
RIB CostX: Does it do BIM takeoff or just 2D?

Both. Complete handles IFC and Revit models; Quantify and Core differ in workbook capability rather than measurement.

Contractor Foreman: What payment methods does Contractor Foreman accept?

Contractor Foreman accepts Stripe payments (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction) and ACH bank transfers (1% + $0.30 max fee).

Source
RIB CostX: Who is it for?

Quantity surveyors and estimators in markets that use bills of quantities: UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East and South Africa above all.

RIB CostX: Can we open estimates without a licence?

A free CostX Viewer lets others open and inspect measured drawings and workbooks without a full seat.

Share

Related pages

More on Contractor Foreman

More on RIB CostX

Keep looking

Other head to heads