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Bluebeam Max vs Exayard: AI on PDF plans, two different starting points

Bluebeam Max is the premium Bluebeam Revu plan, adding AI drawing review, comparison and an MCP connection for AI assistants; Exayard is an AI-first takeoff and estimating platform where you describe what to count or measure. Both publish prices. Desk research from vendor pages read Oct 24, 2026; not tested, no winner.

DESK RESEARCH, NOT TESTED. Compiled from vendors' public websites (accessed Oct 24, 2026). Vendor claims are not verified by Means & Methods Lab. No scores or rankings.

In short: Bluebeam Max (Drawing review & markup; vendor publishes prices) vs Exayard (Takeoff & estimating; vendor publishes prices). Facts last checked Oct 24, 2026. No winner declared; not tested.

Side by side

Bluebeam Max vs Exayard: AI on PDF plans, two different starting points: vendor-published facts side by side
Sheet rowBluebeam MaxExayard
CategoryDrawing review & markupTakeoff & estimating
AI role (our label)AI features added to established productAI-first
What it doesPremium Bluebeam Revu subscription adding AI drawing reviews and comparisons, MCP for AI assistants, and Revit-connected sessions. Features listed: AI integration via MCP (Claude, GitHub Copilot, AnythingLLM), AI drawing reviews (Smart Review for discrepancies and scope gaps), AI drawing comparisons (Smart Overlay), AI multi-view Stitching, Magic Markups, and Connected Studio Sessions with Revit. Vendor notes Smart Review and Smart Overlay are currently in preview; Smart Review is optimized for US-based vertical commercial construction. Launched globally May 19, 2026. Re-checked Oct 21, 2026: unchanged in substance (MCP integration with Claude, GitHub Copilot and AnythingLLM, Smart Review and Smart Overlay still marked as in preview, Stitching, Magic Markups and Connected Studio Sessions with Revit). Customer quotes on the page are not used here. Re-checked Oct 22, 2026: unchanged in substance; Smart Review (missing sheets, missing door or plumbing fixture tags, gridline inconsistencies) and Smart Overlay are still marked as in preview, and MCP integration still names Claude, GitHub Copilot and AnythingLLM. Re-checked Oct 23, 2026: product page unchanged in substance (MCP connection to AI tools including Claude, GitHub Copilot and AnythingLLM; Smart Review and Smart Overlay still marked as in preview, Smart Review optimized for US-based vertical commercial construction; Stitching, Magic Markups and Connected Studio Sessions with Revit). Customer quotes on the page are vendor content and not used. Re-checked Oct 24, 2026: product page unchanged in substance (MCP connection to Claude, GitHub Copilot and AnythingLLM; Smart Review and Smart Overlay still marked as in preview, Smart Review optimized for US-based vertical commercial construction; Stitching, Magic Markups and Connected Studio Sessions with Revit). Customer quotes are vendor content and not used.AI takeoff and estimating platform: describe what to count or measure in plain language, review the detected quantities, and price the estimate. It accepts PDF, image, or CAD (DWG/DXF/DGN) plans. Offers a REST API, MCP server, webhooks, and CLI. Re-checked Oct 19, 2026: the pricing page also lists yearly billing (2 months free), multi-currency display, bids with logo, e-signature and reminders, a price book with trade starter packs and QuickBooks, market prices from published cost books, and on Professional alternates, allowances, revision compare and live supplier prices; Starter and Professional still show $100 and $250 of AI work per seat each month (about 20 and 50 drawing sheets). Re-checked Oct 20, 2026: the pricing page lists AI takeoffs and its Exa assistant on web, email, WhatsApp and a customer's own website on Starter; its plan comparison also lists API keys for the REST API, MCP server and Public CLI, and webhooks, Zapier, n8n, Make, Slack and Teams. Local prices are shown in 15 currencies, which the page says are reviewed every six months, with existing subscribers keeping their price for 12 months after any change. Re-checked Oct 21, 2026: unchanged in substance (describe-what-to-count AI takeoffs on PDF, image and CAD files, estimates and proposals, agent and API access); the pricing page now also says local prices are reviewed every six months and existing subscribers keep their price for 12 months after any change, and lists AI takeoffs and its Exa assistant on web, email, WhatsApp and your website. Re-checked Oct 22, 2026: the homepage now carries an Onboard your agent to Exayard banner and says it works with Claude, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode, alongside the existing REST API, MCP server and CLI. Re-checked Oct 23, 2026: homepage unchanged in substance (upload PDF, image or CAD plans, describe the count or measurement in plain language, review and export to Excel, PDF or integrations; trade examples from landscaping to FF&E); a banner now invites users to connect an AI agent (Claude, Codex, Cursor or OpenCode). Re-checked Oct 24, 2026: homepage unchanged in substance (describe the count or measurement in plain language on PDF, image or CAD plans, review and export; the Onboard your agent banner names Claude, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode). The homepage says MCP, REST, webhooks and a public CLI come on every paid plan.
Who it's forAEC teams already using Bluebeam Revu for drawing review and markup.Contractors across trades (vendor lists concrete, electrical, roofing, framing, plumbing, drywall, and more).
Pricing (as publicly stated)Per-user annual subscription: $590 per user per year, listed as an introductory price locked through the 2027 renewal. Free trial available; existing Bluebeam users can trial Max through Org Admin. Re-checked Oct 19, 2026: price unchanged; the pricing FAQ says later renewals will be at standard list price, announced at a future time. Max includes everything in Complete; the other Revu plans are listed at $260 (Basics), $330 (Core) and $440 (Complete) per user per year, billed annually. (Pricing re-checked Oct 14 and Oct 19, 2026.) Re-checked Oct 21, 2026: unchanged (Max $590 per user per year, introductory price; Basics $260, Core $330, Complete $440 per user per year, billed annually). Re-checked Oct 22, 2026: unchanged (Max $590 per user per year, introductory price; Basics $260, Core $330, Complete $440 per user per year, billed annually; existing users can trial Max through Org Admin). Re-checked Oct 23, 2026: unchanged (Max $590 per user per year, introductory price locked through the 2027 renewal; Basics $260, Core $330, Complete $440 per user per year). Re-checked Oct 24, 2026: unchanged (Max $590 per user per year, introductory price locked through the 2027 renewal; Basics $260, Core $330, Complete $440 per user per year; existing users can trial Max through Org Admin).Per-user subscription plus metered AI usage. Starter $99/user/month ($100 AI credits; up to 50 manual takeoffs/month at our Oct 14 read), Professional $249/user/month ($250 AI credits, unlimited manual takeoffs), Enterprise custom ($1,000+ AI credits/user/month at our Oct 14 read). Developer docs say AI takeoffs are metered and a plan sheet averages about 15 credits (stated as an average, not a price). (Pricing re-checked Oct 14, 2026; unchanged Oct 19, 2026: Starter $99/user/month, Professional $249/user/month, Enterprise custom.) Re-checked Oct 20, 2026: Starter ($99) and Professional ($249) per user per month are unchanged, with the same $100 and $250 of AI work per seat each month (about 20 and 50 drawing sheets). Two plan details read differently: Starter now lists unlimited seats, projects and measuring by hand (the 50-manual-takeoff cap is no longer shown), and Enterprise now reads AI usage per seat set to your volume rather than a $1,000+ credit figure. The page lists unlimited seats while quoting prices per seat, so confirm how seats are billed with Exayard. Re-checked Oct 21, 2026: no price changes (Starter $99 and Professional $249 per seat per month with $100 and $250 of AI work per seat, about 20 and 50 drawing sheets; Enterprise custom with AI usage set to your volume); prices are stated per seat before tax. Re-checked Oct 22, 2026: no price changes (Starter $99 and Professional $249 per seat per month before tax, with $100 and $250 of AI work per seat, about 20 and 50 drawing sheets; Enterprise custom; local prices in 15 currencies). Re-checked Oct 23, 2026: no price changes (Starter $99 and Professional $249 per seat per month before tax with $100 and $250 of AI work, about 20 and 50 sheets; Enterprise custom; two months free with yearly billing). The developer docs say 1 credit is $1, the Free plan gets 30 credits a month per company, the API and MCP server are free on every plan, and admins can allow extra usage with a default $1,000 a month limit. Re-checked Oct 24, 2026: no price changes (Starter $99 and Professional $249 per seat per month with $100 and $250 of AI work, about 20 and 50 drawing sheets; Enterprise custom; two months free with yearly billing). The developer docs still say 1 credit is $1, the Free plan gets 30 credits a month per company, extra usage has a default $1,000 a month limit, and a plan sheet averages about 15 credits.
User reviewsNo reviews yet. Read or writeNo reviews yet. Read or write
Vendor links
Sources

Facts last checked: Oct 24, 2026. Prices change; check the vendor page before relying on them.

Where the vendor descriptions differ

  • What each does (vendor pages): Bluebeam says Max includes everything in Revu Complete plus AI drawing reviews (Smart Review, for issues like missing sheets, missing door or plumbing fixture tags and gridline inconsistencies), AI drawing comparisons (Smart Overlay), Stitching, Magic Markups and Connected Studio Sessions with Revit; Smart Review and Smart Overlay are marked as in preview. Exayard says you upload PDF, image or CAD (DWG/DXF/DGN) plans, describe the count or measurement in plain language, review the quantities and price the estimate, with bids, e-signature and a price book.
  • Starting point: Bluebeam Max is a markup and review tool for teams already working in Revu, with takeoff done through Revu's measurement tools. Exayard is built around AI takeoff and estimating for trade contractors (the vendor lists concrete, electrical, roofing, framing, plumbing, drywall and more).
  • AI assistants and integrations: Bluebeam says Max connects Revu to AI tools including Claude, GitHub Copilot and AnythingLLM through MCP, to find information, create and update markups and build custom columns. Exayard says MCP, REST, webhooks and a public CLI come on every paid plan, and its homepage names Claude, Codex, Cursor and OpenCode as agents you can onboard.
  • Pricing (checked Oct 24, 2026): Bluebeam Max is $590 per user per year, an introductory price locked through the 2027 renewal (Revu Basics $260, Core $330, Complete $440 per user per year); existing users can trial Max through Org Admin. Exayard is $99 (Starter) or $249 (Professional) per user per month, including $100 or $250 of AI work per seat each month (about 20 or 50 drawing sheets), with Enterprise custom and two months free on yearly billing.
  • Cost shape: Bluebeam charges a flat annual seat price; Exayard charges a monthly seat price plus metered AI usage beyond the included credits (its developer docs say 1 credit is $1 and a plan sheet averages about 15 credits).
  • Not used here: customer quotes on both vendors' pages. Neither tool has been tested by Means & Methods Lab.

Paraphrased from the sources listed above. Vendor claims are reported as claims.

What users say

The facts above come from vendor websites. Whether either tool is any good for your work is something only people who use them can say. These are member reviews, all ratings shown, never edited or removed for being negative.

Used either of these? Share your take

Good or bad, an honest review from an estimator, PM or super helps the next team more than another vendor demo. You post under a handle; your email is never shown.

Questions to ask in your review

  • What Bluebeam Max costs after the introductory renewal
  • How Smart Review and Smart Overlay perform once out of preview
  • Exayard AI takeoff accuracy and real credit use on your own drawing sets
  • What did you use it for, on what kind of work and project size?
  • How long did setup and training take, and who on your team did it?
  • What does it cost you in practice, compared with what the sales call said?

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