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Construction · head to head

RIB CostX vs Vectorworks

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
Vectorworks logo

Vectorworks

CAD

Design software for the AEC industry

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Vectorworks pricing not visible on homepage; no rate disclosure in cached vendor content
  • They diverge on capability: RIB CostX covers 2D drawing takeoff, Vectorworks covers BIM modeling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which RIB CostX and Vectorworks actually diverge.

Attributes where RIB CostX and Vectorworks differ
AttributeRIB CostXVectorworks
Starting priceOn request$29/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWindowsWindows, MacOS
CategoryConstructionCAD
FoundedUnknown1985

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

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 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

Only in Vectorworks

  • BIM modeling
  • 2D/3D design
  • Documentation
  • Rendering
  • GIS integration
  • Entertainment design
  • Landscape tools
  • Lumion

What people use each for

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

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

Vectorworks

  • BIM (Building Information Modeling) design for architecture and constructionnot RIB CostX
  • 3D landscape design and site planning with terrain modelingnot RIB CostX
  • Stage lighting and event production design softwarenot RIB CostX
  • CAD architectural drawing and technical documentationnot RIB CostX
  • 2D/3D drafting for interior design and kitchen/bath layoutsnot RIB CostX

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Vectorworks

  • Pricing not visible on homepage; no rate disclosure in cached vendor content

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Vectorworks

$29/month
  • Architect$2495/month
    • BIM
    • Architecture tools
  • Landmark$2495/month
    • Landscape design
    • GIS
  • Design Suite$3295/month
    • All modules combined

Which should you pick?

Choose RIB CostX if

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

Choose Vectorworks if

  • You need bim modeling.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS.
  • You also want 2d/3d design.
Vectorworks review

Questions people ask

Is RIB CostX or Vectorworks better?
Neither clearly leads. RIB CostX starts at On request and Vectorworks at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, RIB CostX or Vectorworks?
RIB CostX starts at On request and Vectorworks at $29/month.
Does RIB CostX or Vectorworks run on more platforms?
RIB CostX runs on Windows. Vectorworks runs on Windows, MacOS.
What is RIB CostX best used for?
RIB CostX is most often used for a quantity surveying practice that must issue a formatted bill of quantities under nrm or smm7 and cannot do so from a generic takeoff tool, a contractor tendering a job where the client reissues drawings mid-tender, needing revision comparison so only changed areas are remeasured, an estimating department moving from paper and excel to model-based measurement while keeping the same rate library and bill structure, a cost consultant producing early-stage elemental cost plans from partial models, then refining the same workbook as design detail arrives. Of those, a quantity surveying practice that must issue a formatted bill of quantities under nrm or smm7 and cannot do so from a generic takeoff tool and a contractor tendering a job where the client reissues drawings mid-tender, needing revision comparison so only changed areas are remeasured are not what Vectorworks is typically brought in for.
What can RIB CostX do that Vectorworks cannot?
RIB CostX covers 2D drawing takeoff, BIM and 3D takeoff, Live-linked workbooks, Drawing revision comparison. Vectorworks covers BIM modeling, 2D/3D design, Documentation, Rendering.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Vectorworks: How much does Vectorworks cost?

Vectorworks pricing is not displayed on its homepage. The vendor directs users to contact a distributor or reseller for subscription rates.

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.

Vectorworks: Does Vectorworks offer a free trial?

Vectorworks directs potential users to contact a distributor to inquire about trial versions. Trial availability is not mentioned on the website.

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.

Vectorworks: What is the cost of Vectorworks training and education?

Vectorworks University offers customizable training through online seminars, regional classes, and onsite sessions, but pricing is not published on the website.

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.

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