The daily 20% of Revu, in the browser
Markups, takeoffs, revision compare, and sharing - the work your team actually does in Bluebeam, running on Mac, Windows, or a jobsite tablet. Nothing to install, and takeoff is on the free plan.
The short version
Bluebeam Revu is genuinely good software, and if your firm lives in batch scripting, CAD plug-ins, and thousand-sheet automation, it has earned its place. Most people never touch that. They cloud a detail, measure a floor, compare a revision, and send it to someone - and for that work they carry a Windows-only install and a $330-per-year tier.
Notch is built for exactly that daily work. It runs in the browser on any machine, the free plan includes the full editor - takeoff included - on 3 drawings, and one $240 plan covers everything after that. Viewers are free, always.
One more date worth knowing: Revu 20, the last perpetual version, reaches end of life on December 31, 2026. If you're deciding what comes next, this page is for you.
Side by side
Bluebeam pricing and platform details verified August 2026 from bluebeam.com and Bluebeam's support documentation. Spotted something out of date? Tell us at hello@notch.build and we'll fix it.
Runs where your team already works
Revu's full product is Windows-only. The Mac version ended in 2023, the native iPad app was retired at the end of 2025, and Bluebeam's own answer for Mac users is a browser version or a Windows virtual machine. The browser version - Bluebeam Cloud - doesn't carry advanced takeoff, batch tools, or the plug-ins, so the machine you're on decides what you can do.
Notch has one version, and it's the whole thing. Open a drawing on the office PC, your Mac at home, or a tablet in the trailer - same editor, same tools, same set. There's no install, no licence server, and nothing for IT to image onto a machine.
Takeoff without the tier ladder
In Revu, real measurement lives on the ladder. Basics at $260 gets simple length and area; calibrated takeoff with counts, volumes, and Excel links starts at Core, $330 per user per year. If you want batch compare or Dynamic Fill, that's Complete at $440.
Notch doesn't gate tools by plan. The free plan is the full editor - calibrated takeoff, counts, areas, volumes, Excel export, revision compare - on up to 3 drawings. Pro lifts the drawing limit. That's the whole ladder.
Sharing that doesn't need seats
Revu 21 removed the free View Mode that used to let unlicensed subs and consultants mark up in a Studio Session. Today a non-subscriber joins your session read-only, or with a stripped-down markup set. In practice, everyone who matters to the review needs a paid seat.
In Notch, you send a link. A view link opens the current set in the browser - no account, no install, no seat. An edit link puts a sub or architect on the drawing in seconds. Viewers never count toward billing, and your marked-up PDFs export as ordinary PDFs anyone can open - including Revu users.
If you're on Revu 20
Revu 20 - the last version you could buy outright - loses support on July 31, 2026 and reaches end of life on December 31, 2026, taking Studio access with it. Staying means moving to a $260-590 annual subscription.
Before you do, it's worth asking what you actually use. If the answer is markups, measurements, compare, and sharing, you can try all of it in Notch today, free, on your own drawings - and keep your PDFs, markups, and quantities exportable either way.
When Bluebeam is the right choice
An honest comparison cuts both ways. Stay with Revu if any of these describe you:
- Your firm runs on batch automation - scripting, Batch Link, Batch Slip Sheet - across very large sheet sets.
- You need CAD plug-ins that create PDFs straight from Revit, AutoCAD, or Navisworks.
- Your company has standardized on shared Tool Chest profiles and the workflows built around them.
- You work offline for long stretches where a browser tool can't follow.
Common questions
Is Notch a full Bluebeam replacement?
For markups, quantity takeoff, revision compare, and sharing - the daily work - yes. Notch doesn't do batch scripting or CAD plug-ins, and doesn't try to. If your workflow depends on those, keep Revu for them and judge Notch on the everyday work.
Does Notch work on a Mac?
Yes. Notch runs entirely in the browser, so Mac, Windows, Linux, and tablets all get the same full editor. Bluebeam ended its Mac version in 2023.
Can I really do takeoffs on the free plan?
Yes. The free plan is the complete editor - calibrated length, area, volume, and count measurements with Excel export - on up to 3 drawings. Paying lifts the drawing limit; it doesn't switch tools on.
Can people without Notch accounts see my markups?
Yes. A view link opens the current drawing set in any browser with no account and no seat. Edit links bring collaborators into the drawing in seconds. Viewers are always free.
What happens to my work if I leave?
It leaves with you. PDFs, markups, and quantity exports download freely on every plan, including after you cancel. Your drawings are yours.
What should Revu 20 users do before end of life?
Revu 20 support ends July 31, 2026 and the version reaches end of life - including Studio access - on December 31, 2026. Try Notch free on a real drawing set before you commit to a subscription; if it covers your daily work, you have your answer.
Leave the desktop behind. Keep the capability.
Free on up to 3 drawings · No credit card required