Planswift vs Bluebeam: Which Is Better for Electrical Estimating?

Choosing between Planswift and Bluebeam Revu is one of the most common decisions electrical estimators face. Both are excellent tools, but they serve slightly different purposes. Here's a detailed comparison.

Bluebeam Revu

Best for: PDF markup, document management, and collaboration.
Pros: Industry standard, powerful markup tools, excellent for plan review and collaboration.
Cons: Not a dedicated estimating tool — requires Excel or another system for pricing.

Planswift

Best for: Digital takeoff with built-in pricing and templates.
Pros: Integrated takeoff and pricing, assemblies and templates, good reporting.
Cons: Smaller user base, less robust for document collaboration.

Our Recommendation

Many professional estimators use both — Bluebeam for plan review and collaboration, and dedicated estimating software for pricing and bid preparation. At FK Electrical Estimatings, we use both tools to deliver the best results.