Bluebeam vs Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

If you’re in the construction industry and need to edit PDF blueprints and other documents, then we ranked Adobe Acrobat Pro DC as one of the best alternatives to Bluebeam which is Windows only.

Since 2020, Bluebeam Revu has been discontinued on macOS and Adobe Acrobat Pro DC offers the next best solution for PDF editing.

However, there’s no denying that it lacks the construction specific editing tools of Bluebeam.

Although some of the best Mac CAD software offer annotation tools for blueprints, Bluebeam is purpose built for it.

Both Bluebeam Studio (part of Bluebeam Revu) and Adobe Acrobat Pro are powerful tools for managing and editing construction blueprints.

However, they are tailored for different audiences and use cases.

Here’s an overview of how they compare side-by-side.

	Bluebeam Studio (Revu)	Adobe Acrobat Pro
Main Usage	Construction and architectural workflows, including real-time collaboration.	General document creation, editing, and PDF management.
Blueprint Markup Tools	Specialized tools for measurements, stamps, and takeoffs; supports quantity takeoff and estimating workflows.	Basic markup tools (e.g., shapes, lines, text annotations).
Collaboration Features	Real-time collaboration via Studio Sessions; multiple users can mark up documents simultaneously.	Collaboration via Adobe Cloud; comments and shared reviews are supported but less construction-focused.
Measurement Tools	Advanced measurement tools specific to construction (e.g., length, area, volume, radius).	Basic measuring tools; less suited for detailed takeoffs.
Integration with Industry Software	Integrates with Procore, AutoCAD, and other construction management tools.	Limited integration with industry-specific tools although there is a plugin for AutoCAD blueprint measuring.
Ease of Use for Construction	Designed specifically for construction professionals; intuitive for blueprint editing.	General-purpose interface, not optimized for construction workflows.
PDF Editing Capabilities	Comprehensive PDF creation, editing, and management optimized for construction needs.	Strong PDF editing capabilities but lacks construction-specific tools.
File Format Support	Native PDF with support for DWG, DWF conversion (via plugins).	Native PDF; limited native support for CAD formats.
Cloud Storage	Bluebeam Studio Prime (paid cloud service); integrates with common platforms like SharePoint.	Adobe Cloud for storage and collaboration.
Platform Availability	Windows only, no macOS support (Revu for Mac, discontinued in 2020).	Fully supported on Windows and macOS.
Pricing	License or subscription (e.g., Core, Complete plans); competitive for construction professionals. Starts at $260 per user and goes up to $440 per user.	Subscription-based as low as $12.99 per month. Pricing depends on whether you pay annually and it’s also included in Adobe Creative Cloud plans. One time purchase also available.
Custom Tools and Profiles	Fully customizable tools, profiles, and workflows for different trades.	Limited customization for specific industries.

Bluebeam vs Acrobat Pro: Key Differences

The biggest differences we’ve found between Bluebeam and Acrobat Pro are as follows.

1. Blueprint Editing and Markups:
   • Bluebeam Revu excels in construction-specific features, such as quantity takeoffs, advanced measurement tools, and trade-specific stamps.
   • Adobe Acrobat Pro offers more generic markup tools that are fine for basic edits but lack the depth required by construction professionals.
2. Collaboration:
   • Bluebeam Studio supports real-time collaboration in Studio Sessions, making it ideal for construction teams working on the same blueprint.
   • Adobe Acrobat’s collaboration is cloud-based via Adobe Document Cloud but is more suited for document reviews rather than interactive editing.
3. Integration and Customization:
   • Bluebeam integrates with industry-specific tools like AutoCAD and Procore and allows customization of tools and workflows.
   • Adobe Acrobat integrates well with general-purpose productivity tools like Microsoft Office but lacks construction-specific features. However, there is an Adobe Acrobat plugin for AutoCAD which allows you to measure and edit blueprints.
4. Platform Support:
   • Adobe Acrobat Pro is a obviously a better desktop option for Mac users, as Bluebeam discontinued macOS support in 2020.
5. Pricing: Both require a subscription although Acrobat Pro DC is available on a monthly payment basis whereas Bluebeam is paid annually. There is also a one-time purchase of Acrobat Pro DC available.

Using The Windows Version of Bluebeam on a Mac

If you really can’t live without Bluebeam, then one option is to install Windows on your Mac and run the Windows version of Bluebeam in it.

There are various ways to do this although for Bluebeam we’d recommend using a virtual machine.

For a complex tool like Bluebeam, we’d recommend using Parallels which offers the best support for running Windows on a Mac.

However, there are free virtual machines such as VMware Fusion although you may find that Bluebeam doesn’t work as smoothly in them and you won’t get any support if there’s an issue.