Real markup on the iPad, not a viewer
Annotate the actual plan with stylus or touch (callouts, clouds, counts, and calibrated measurement), the same workflow you would run on a Mac or desktop, on the same drawing.
Bluebeam for iPad
Bluebeam for iPad: the Browser Alternative
Searching for Bluebeam for iPad? Revu is Windows-first with no real iPad app, so it usually means a virtual machine or a second laptop. ContractorCounter runs in the browser on iPad instead. Mark up with an Apple Pencil, measure to scale, and count fixtures, and add it to the home screen to open full-screen like an app.
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Saving, exporting, and bill-of-quantities persist once you start your free trial
- Apple Pencil + touch markup
- Calibrated takeoff on iPad
- Add to home screen, full-screen
- Same drawing on iPad and desktop
Installs like an app
Add it to the iPad home screen and it opens full-screen, no browser chrome. Pick a plan up on the iPad in the field and reopen it on the desktop in the office. It is one browser-based Bluebeam alternative, not separate apps.
No VM, no per-seat desktop license
Mac and iPad users avoid the virtual-machine workaround Revu forces. Start with a 14-day free trial; Pro is US$14/month, not a desktop license per seat.
Bluebeam vs ContractorCounter
A practical comparison for contractors choosing a markup and drawing review workflow.
| Category | ContractorCounter | Bluebeam |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | Contractors who want fast browser-based markup and measurement. | AEC teams that need the full desktop Revu toolset and Studio ecosystem. |
| Price | 14-day free trial; Pro US$14/month (from US$5/week); Team US$10/seat per month; Lifetime US$249 one-time. | US$260–$440 per user per year (Basics / Core / Complete, 2026 list pricing); no free tier. |
| Free trial | Yes: 14 days of full Pro — markup, calibrated measurement, counts, and clean exports — with no credit card to start. | No free tier; paid annual subscription only. |
| Platforms | Any modern browser: Windows, macOS, iPad. No install. | Windows-first desktop app; Mac users typically run a VM or second machine. |
| Workflow | Open drawings, mark up issues, measure, count, and export clean PDFs. | Deep PDF editing, tool chests, markups list, studio sessions, and enterprise standards. |
| Takeoff to quote | Measurements and counts feed a live Bill of Quantities that flows into multi-version quotes. | Measurement and takeoff tools; pricing happens in separate estimating software. |
| Collaboration | Shared team workspace on the Team plan; clean PDF exports anyone can open. | Studio sessions and projects for large-team, document-control collaboration. |
| Setup | Web workspace for lightweight contractor review: sign up and open a drawing. | Desktop-led install with broader configuration depth. |
Common questions
Short answers for contractors
Does Bluebeam Revu work well on an iPad?
Bluebeam is a Windows-first desktop product; its iPad app is limited compared to Revu on the desktop, which is why contractors on iPads look for alternatives. ContractorCounter is browser-based, so the iPad gets the same markup, calibrated measurement, and count tools as every other device, with no virtual machine and no second laptop.
How much does ContractorCounter cost compared to Bluebeam?
Bluebeam lists Revu at US$260 per user per year for Basics, US$330 for Core, and US$440 for Complete (2026 pricing), and there is no free tier. ContractorCounter starts with a 14-day free trial (full access, no credit card required), then Pro is US$14/month (or US$5/week weekly, US$140 yearly), Team is US$10/seat per month, and a lifetime license is US$249 one-time. A full year of Pro works out to US$140, under half of Bluebeam Basics, and you only pay for the weeks or months you actually use, you can prove the workflow during the free trial before spending anything, and the lifetime license costs less than one year of Basics with no renewal ever. For occasional reviewers and seasonal workloads, the pay-as-you-go shape usually matters more than the headline number.
Is ContractorCounter only for estimating?
ContractorCounter is focused on drawing markup, PDF annotation, calibrated measurement, counts, stamps, comments, and clean exports. Estimating can happen after the markup work is clear.
Does it work in the browser?
Yes: ContractorCounter is fully browser-based, which means it runs on Windows, macOS, and iPad without an installer, a Windows-only desktop dependency, or a virtual-machine workaround for Mac users. Upload PDF or image drawings, calibrate the scale once per sheet, and the full markup, measurement, and counting workflow runs in the tab, at the desk or on site. Because the workspace lives in the browser, the same drawing opens identically on every machine, so the office and the field are always looking at the same markups without anyone syncing files or matching software versions. If your team has been locked out of desktop-first tools on Mac or iPad, this is the structural difference to test first.