Softwr

Construction · head to head

Raken vs RIB CostX

Raken logo

Raken

Construction

Daily reporting and field production tracking

From
$40/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: Raken no pricing tiers published on public website. Pricing requires direct contact with sales at 858-290-4477 or [email protected]; 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: Raken covers Daily reporting, 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 Raken and RIB CostX actually diverge.

Attributes where Raken and RIB CostX differ
AttributeRakenRIB CostX
Starting price$40/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWindows
Founded2014Unknown

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 Raken

  • Daily reporting
  • Photo documentation
  • Time tracking
  • Production tracking
  • Safety toolbox talks
  • Procore
  • Autodesk BIM 360
  • Sage

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.

Raken

  • Daily logsnot RIB CostX
  • Field documentationnot RIB CostX
  • Progress trackingnot RIB CostX
  • Time managementnot 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 Raken
  • A contractor tendering a job where the client reissues drawings mid-tender, needing revision comparison so only changed areas are remeasurednot Raken
  • An estimating department moving from paper and Excel to model-based measurement while keeping the same rate library and bill structurenot Raken
  • A cost consultant producing early-stage elemental cost plans from partial models, then refining the same workbook as design detail arrivesnot Raken

Where each one falls short

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

Raken

  • No pricing tiers published on public website. Pricing requires direct contact with sales at 858-290-4477 or [email protected]

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

Raken

$40/month
  • Lite$40/month
    • Daily reports
    • Photo documentation
    • Time tracking
  • Pro$80/month
    • Everything in Lite
    • Production tracking
    • Toolbox talks
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Custom workflows
    • API access
    • SSO

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 Raken if

  • You need daily reporting.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want photo documentation.
Raken 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 Raken or RIB CostX better?
Neither clearly leads. Raken starts at $40/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, Raken or RIB CostX?
Raken starts at $40/month and RIB CostX at On request.
Does Raken or RIB CostX run on more platforms?
Raken runs on Web, Ios, Android. RIB CostX runs on Windows.
What is Raken best used for?
Raken is most often used for daily logs, field documentation, progress tracking, time management. Of those, daily logs and field documentation are not what RIB CostX is typically brought in for.
What can Raken do that RIB CostX cannot?
Raken covers Daily reporting, Photo documentation, Time tracking, Production tracking. RIB CostX covers 2D drawing takeoff, BIM and 3D takeoff, Live-linked workbooks, Drawing revision comparison.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Raken: Does Raken offer a free trial?

Yes, Raken offers a free trial option with no pricing details disclosed on the public website. Interested users can start a free trial or schedule a demo to see the product in action.

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.

Raken: What is Raken's pricing model?

Raken uses a quote-based pricing model. No pricing tiers or rates are published on their website. Pricing must be obtained by contacting their sales team.

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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