Softwr

Construction · head to head

InEight vs RIB CostX

InEight logo

InEight

Construction

Enterprise construction software platform

From
$1000/month
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

  • Each has a real cost: InEight a wide set of separate modules, including Control, Contract, Estimate, Schedule, Document and Model, so a working setup means choosing several; 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: InEight covers Project controls, 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 InEight and RIB CostX actually diverge.

Attributes where InEight and RIB CostX differ
AttributeInEightRIB CostX
Starting price$1000/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, WindowsWindows
Founded2006Unknown

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 InEight

  • Project controls
  • Planning and scheduling
  • Risk management
  • Financial reporting
  • Document management
  • Oracle EBS
  • SAP
  • Procore

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.

InEight

  • Cost control and forecasting on large capital projectsnot RIB CostX
  • Estimating and bid preparationnot RIB CostX
  • Contract and change order managementnot RIB CostX
  • Field progress and completions trackingnot RIB CostX
  • Document control across an engineering projectnot 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 InEight
  • A contractor tendering a job where the client reissues drawings mid-tender, needing revision comparison so only changed areas are remeasurednot InEight
  • An estimating department moving from paper and Excel to model-based measurement while keeping the same rate library and bill structurenot InEight
  • A cost consultant producing early-stage elemental cost plans from partial models, then refining the same workbook as design detail arrivesnot InEight

Where each one falls short

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

InEight

  • A wide set of separate modules, including Control, Contract, Estimate, Schedule, Document and Model, so a working setup means choosing several
  • Prices are not published; enterprise deals are custom and per-user purchasing goes through a separate portal
  • Built for capital projects in construction, energy and mining rather than general project work

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

InEight

$1000/month
  • Professional$1000/month
    • Project controls
    • Planning
    • Risk management
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Advanced analytics
    • Custom workflows
    • Multi-project support

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 InEight if

  • You need project controls.
  • You work on Web, Windows.
  • You also want planning and scheduling.
InEight 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 InEight or RIB CostX better?
Neither clearly leads. InEight starts at $1000/month and RIB CostX at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, InEight or RIB CostX?
InEight starts at $1000/month and RIB CostX at On request.
Does InEight or RIB CostX run on more platforms?
InEight runs on Web, Windows. RIB CostX runs on Windows.
What is InEight best used for?
InEight is most often used for cost control and forecasting on large capital projects, estimating and bid preparation, contract and change order management, field progress and completions tracking. Of those, cost control and forecasting on large capital projects and estimating and bid preparation are not what RIB CostX is typically brought in for.
What can InEight do that RIB CostX cannot?
InEight covers Project controls, Planning and scheduling, Risk management, Financial reporting. RIB CostX covers 2D drawing takeoff, BIM and 3D takeoff, Live-linked workbooks, Drawing revision comparison.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

InEight: How much does InEight cost?

InEight pricing is not published online. Enterprise pricing is determined through consultation with the sales team based on number of users, products selected, and contract length. Per-user pricing for the InEight NOW product allows monthly and annual billing options, but exact figures require contacting sales.

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.

InEight: Does InEight offer a free trial?

InEight offers modular and configurable pricing based on which products customers select. The brief mentions customers can request a demo to discuss pricing, but no specific free trial details are published.

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.

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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