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Construction · head to head

Houzz Pro vs RIB CostX

Houzz Pro logo

Houzz Pro

Construction

Business management platform for home builders and remodelers

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 Houzz Pro has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Houzz Pro the Pro plan includes only 1 seat and additional users cost $60 per user per month; 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.
  • They diverge on capability: Houzz Pro covers Project management, RIB CostX covers 2D drawing takeoff.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Houzz Pro and RIB CostX actually diverge.

Attributes where Houzz Pro and RIB CostX differ
AttributeHouzz ProRIB CostX
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWindows
Founded2009Unknown

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 Houzz Pro

  • Project management
  • Client communication
  • Portfolio management
  • Lead management
  • Budgeting
  • QuickBooks
  • Square
  • Stripe

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.

Houzz Pro

  • Generating remodeling and design leads from a Houzz professional profilenot RIB CostX
  • Producing estimates, proposals and change orders for residential design and build projectsnot RIB CostX
  • Running client-facing selection boards and 3D floor plans for interior designersnot 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 Houzz Pro
  • A contractor tendering a job where the client reissues drawings mid-tender, needing revision comparison so only changed areas are remeasurednot Houzz Pro
  • An estimating department moving from paper and Excel to model-based measurement while keeping the same rate library and bill structurenot Houzz Pro
  • A cost consultant producing early-stage elemental cost plans from partial models, then refining the same workbook as design detail arrivesnot Houzz Pro

Where each one falls short

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

Houzz Pro

  • The Pro plan includes only 1 seat and additional users cost $60 per user per month
  • Plans are gated by annual project volume, with Pro limited to up to $500,000, Custom covering $500,000 to $5M and Enterprise required above $5M
  • Advertising packages are a separate add-on starting at $499 per month on top of the software subscription
  • No monthly subscription price for any tier is shown on the pricing page
  • Takeoffs, scheduling, selections boards, daily logs, budgets, bid management, change orders and financial reporting are not in the free basic plan

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

Houzz Pro

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Portfolio showcase
    • Lead generation
    • Basic profile
  • Plus$39/month
    • Advanced portfolio
    • Lead management
    • Client communication

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 Houzz Pro if

  • You need project management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want client communication.
Houzz Pro 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 Houzz Pro or RIB CostX better?
Neither clearly leads. Houzz Pro 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, Houzz Pro or RIB CostX?
Houzz Pro has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Houzz Pro and On request for RIB CostX.
Does Houzz Pro or RIB CostX run on more platforms?
Houzz Pro runs on Web, Ios, Android. RIB CostX runs on Windows.
Can I use Houzz Pro for free?
Yes. Houzz Pro has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. RIB CostX starts at On request.
What is Houzz Pro best used for?
Houzz Pro is most often used for generating remodeling and design leads from a houzz professional profile, producing estimates, proposals and change orders for residential design and build projects, running client-facing selection boards and 3d floor plans for interior designers. Of those, generating remodeling and design leads from a houzz professional profile and producing estimates, proposals and change orders for residential design and build projects are not what RIB CostX is typically brought in for.
What can Houzz Pro do that RIB CostX cannot?
Houzz Pro covers Project management, Client communication, Portfolio management, Lead management. RIB CostX covers 2D drawing takeoff, BIM and 3D takeoff, Live-linked workbooks, Drawing revision comparison.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Houzz Pro: How much do additional Houzz Pro users cost?

Additional user seats on the Houzz Pro plan cost $60 per user per month.

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.

Houzz Pro: What is the cost of Houzz Pro's advertising package?

Houzz Pro offers an add-on advertising package starting at $499 per month.

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.

Houzz Pro: Is there a free trial for Houzz Pro?

Houzz Pro offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required and includes a free basic plan with 3D Floor Planner, Estimates, and Invoicing.

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.

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.

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