Small Firm Exchange

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  • 1.  Bluebeam Alternative

    Posted 01-26-2023 07:34 PM
    Hi,
    I was happily using Bluebeam Revu on my Mac to edit, mark-up and stamp Shop Drawings and Submittals until they stopped making the software for Macintosh in 2020. Does anyone know of a similar PDF editing and mark-up software (for Macs). I've tried Acrobat Reader, Acrobat Pro and Preview, but nothing is as intuitive and geared towards the construction industry as Bluebeam.


  • 2.  RE: Bluebeam Alternative

    Posted 01-27-2023 09:30 AM
    Wow, they stopped making Bluebeam for Apple products? I'm so sorry. I hope you get some good suggestions here!

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    Sarah Mannes Homstad AIA
    Prairie Line Architecture
    Yankton SD
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  • 3.  RE: Bluebeam Alternative

    Posted 01-27-2023 01:11 PM
    Hi Dennis,
    Wow! why would they abandon a market share of users? Interesting. Maybe working with Mac OS and iOS is cumbersome and way too closed or who knows... I did a quick search on line and found an app that is inviting, its called PDF Expert. Here is a link to check it out. It looks like it allows similar mark ups as we are used to in Bluebeam. 
    https://pdfexpert.com/blog/bluebeam-for-mac-alternative
    Let us know if this is a viable alternative for Mac users. 

    Best,

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    Daniel Guich, NCARB, CDT, LEED ap
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  • 4.  RE: Bluebeam Alternative

    Posted 01-30-2023 05:44 PM
    I also downloaded and tried to use PDF Expert. It is not even close to Bluebeam. Like not at all. It may be the next best thing but as a Bluebeam daily user it is not a replacement. Bluebeam has also gone away from the perpetual license to a subscription platform that is $400 /- per year. We are now having trouble printing from our perpetual licenses with font size and type. I figured this would be inevitable as the existing versions become obsolete with other software upgrades.

    If anyone has other pdf editor apps for architects, especially Mac based please share!

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    Eric Simonsen AIA
    Simonsen Architect
    Billings MT
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  • 5.  RE: Bluebeam Alternative

    Posted 01-28-2023 11:40 AM
    Did you check out Bluebeam Cloud?
    It looks like a web based version.  The Bluebeam website directs you to it if you use a MAC or IOS.

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    Kenneth Crutcher AIA
    Crutcher Studio Architects
    Farmington MI
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  • 6.  RE: Bluebeam Alternative

    Posted 01-30-2023 11:24 AM
    The Adobe Acrobat family is about as good as it gets now that Bluebeam left for the darkside PC-world only.  Definitely not geared for anything like what Bluebeam delivered.

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    R. Ashley Coco AIA
    Parkhill
    Midland TX
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  • 7.  RE: Bluebeam Alternative

    Posted 01-30-2023 05:35 PM
    We have been using PDF Studio Pro from Qoppa as a replacement to BlueBeam and are happy with it.  It is great for mark ups, dimensioning, notes and edits.  Good price point as well.

    https://www.qoppa.com/pdfstudio/

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    Paul Rivers AIA
    Rivers Barden Architects
    Houston TX
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  • 8.  RE: Bluebeam Alternative

    Posted 01-31-2023 09:33 AM
    Thanks for the Studio Pro recommendation. I'm installing the trial and will see how it compares. I've always been very happy with Bluebeam and consider it a great value considering how much more productive it's made me, but I'm also always looking for a good/better deal!

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    Sarah Mannes Homstad AIA
    Prairie Line Architecture
    Yankton SD
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