AEC-ready markup tools on more than just Windows
Drawboard PDF is built natively for Windows, Mac, iPad (with Apple Pencil support), and iPhone, plus a full-featured Web app for anything else. Everything stays in sync across all of them, so your team never has to choose between full capability and the device that works best for them.
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One unified experience, no matter where you work from
Whichever platform someone opens Drawboard PDF from, it's one live document, not a separate copy waiting to catch up. A PM marking up drawings on an iPad on-site and an architect reviewing on a Windows desktop back at the office are working on the exact same file in real time, with the same tools, so neither has to guess which version is current.
Why teams chooseDrawboard PDF over Bluebeam
Professional-level markup without the learning curve
A tool can be full-featured without being hard to learn. Drawboard PDF gives every reviewer the same depth of markup tools a daily power user gets, and nobody needs a course to use them.
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Full depth
Instant start
Full feature set everywhere, even offline
A cloud-first app's limited toolset stays limited offline too. Drawboard PDF's native apps carry the complete toolkit, so downloading a file before heading into the field is all it takes to mark up, measure, and review offline without limits.
Offline downloads
Full toolkit
No limits
Sharing takes one link, not a session
A link is all an external reviewer needs to join in. That opens a live, persistent document in Drawboard PDF's Store + Share that syncs markups in real time and never expires.
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Persistent linkReal-time sync
Always on 
Commitment to Apple and mixed-device teams
Instead of focusing on one side, Drawboard PDF works just as well on macOS & iOS as it does on Windows and Web. Nobody's stuck with a limited version of the tool they pay for, and everyone stays connected in the same synced document, whichever one they're on.
Cross-platform
Any device
No compromise
Compare Drawboard PDF vs Bluebeam on what matters
Give your team a complete markup tool that works everywhere
Jump in on whatever device is available across Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, or Web and get the full toolset every time, not the stripped-down version Bluebeam Cloud leaves for anything that isn't a Windows desktop.
FAQ
What does Drawboard PDF do differently than Bluebeam?
The biggest differences come down to platform, ease of use, and flexibility.
Bluebeam Revu is built around a Windows desktop, with a full technical toolkit that takes real time to learn, and doesn’t work natively on Mac or iOS. At the same time, Bluebeam Cloud is easier to use and works on Apple devices, but offers a limited tool set compared to Revu, missing the CAD integrations, advanced measurements, and automation tools that make Revu worth its price on Windows.
Drawboard PDF runs natively on Windows, Mac, iPad, and iPhone, plus a full-featured web app, with the same complete toolkit no matter which one you open. For example, where Bluebeam reserves its advanced measurement tools for the Windows desktop, Drawboard PDF's calibrated measurement tools work the same on iPad and Mac as they do on Windows, so a measurement taken in the field doesn't need redoing back at a desk.
Drawboard PDF doesn't ask you to trade depth for accessibility; whichever platform your team is on, they're getting the same complete tool, online or off.
Can I use Drawboard PDF on iPad and Mac?
Yes, Drawboard PDF is a native app on iPad, iPhone, and Mac, not a mobile companion to a desktop version. You get the same markup and measurement tools as Windows, including offline access, so a review started on-site with an iPad carries the same capability as one done at a desk.
Is it easy to migrate to Drawboard PDF from Bluebeam?
Yes. Drawboard PDF opens standard PDF files directly, so existing drawing sets and markups carry over without needing conversion. If you have an existing Bluebeam Tool Chest, our team can help bring over your essentials.
Getting started is simple enough that most teams are working confidently in Drawboard PDF within a day or two, and our support team is on hand for onboarding or training if you'd rather have that extra help.
Can I collaborate with my team in real time?
Yes, it’s easy to work alongside your team on any device. Drawboard PDF lets you mark up locally on your own, sync through Store + Share the moment you want others to see it, or move between both in the same session, whichever fits the moment. Once a document is shared, changes sync in real time automatically, with no separate invitation to plug into a session like how Bluebeam's Studio works.
For teams coordinating collaboration across an entire project rather than a single document, Drawboard Projects extends that same approach to full project and drawing set management.
Does Drawboard PDF work offline?
Yes, Drawboard PDF can run entirely locally with no cloud connection at all if that's how your team prefers to work, with files staying on the device and only syncing when you choose to.
If you do work with online sync through Store + Share, going offline mid-session doesn't stop you either. Markups keep saving locally and queue up to sync automatically the moment you're back online. Either way, nothing gets lost waiting for a connection.
Does Drawboard PDF integrate with the tools my team already uses?
Yes. Drawboard PDF connects with Google Drive, SharePoint, Dropbox, OneDrive, Slack, and Microsoft Teams, plus browser add-ons for Edge and Chrome, so files stay wherever your team already works.
AEC-specific integrations like Forma, Revit, Archicad, Procore, and Aconex that already exist for Drawboard Projects are also coming to Drawboard PDF soon, extending the connections your team already relies on across both products.
Does Drawboard PDF offer extended trials?
Yes, we offer an extended free trial for company-wide assessment. This is comes with an admin portal and there is not need for credit card sign up. Minimum 5 users. Email: sales@drawboard.com or click here
Drawboard PDF
