# RIB CostX Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Is RIB CostX the right Construction Estimating solution for you? Explore 62 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/75416/CostX/reviews --- RIB CostX 4.5 (62) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/75416/CostX/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Reviews of RIB CostX Ease of use 4.3 Customer Service 4.3 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews FJ Feifei J Quantity surveyorConstruction, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “It's particularly praised for its integrated approach, which combines takeoff and estimating functionalities in one platform, helping to reduce errors and streamline workflows.“ June 24, 2025 RN Raj N EstimatorConstruction, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “During the cost review process, one of the limitations identified was the issue of CostX not linking directly to Excel for real-time or dynamic data exchange. Although CostX allows exporting to Excel and importing data in .csv formats, it does not offer a live-link capability similar to what some other platforms or add-ins provide.“ May 29, 2025 RS Richard S General Manager, EstimatingConstruction, 10,001+ employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “I run a team of over 200 estimators and cost planners across a very wide range of disciplines, and it is one of our key tools for take offs“ June 25, 2025 RS Richard S General Manager, EstimatingConstruction, 10,001+ employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “The subcontractor vetting module is ok for fully documented projects but doesn't have the ability to deal with substantial changes in design.“ June 25, 2025 NK Nikos K Senior AssociateReal Estate, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “The cloud-based collaboration feature is also a standout, allowing team members to stay aligned and work together in real time, no matter their location“ June 4, 2025 RB Rob B Cost ManagerConstruction, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Creating formulas within workbooks could be a bit more automated and measuring curves is quite clunky.“ June 24, 2025 DL Dhanushka L Quantity SurveyorConstruction, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “It brings accuracy, efficiency, and clarity to the table, making it an invaluable asset for construction professionals dealing with complex projects. Whether you're managing large-scale developments or intricate designs, this feature alone can transform how you approach and execute cost estimation.“ July 31, 2024 FJ Feifei J Quantity surveyorConstruction, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “Some users have found setting up projects or navigating certain aspects of the software to be initially unintuitive without proper naming conventions or professional expertise.“ June 24, 2025 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 62 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Cameron H. Project Consultant Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Daily use with minimal issues and fantastic customer support" June 11, 2018 5.0 This made daily tasks very easy to compete and generally made my work life all around much easier. Pros The software is easy to use once you've taken the time to do the training, with a wide range of useful features. Being able to extract large amounts of take-off speeds up everything, while the 5D BIM integration is among the best available. I use it daily and compared to other competing software the competition doesn't compare. Cons A fairly advanced knowledge of methods of take-off is required, along with use of the provided training information and guides. For 2D take-off, DWG files are preferred, followed by vector'd PDFs and then rasta'd PDFs and images. While these will work, it really is built around DWG use. Review Source Response from RIB Software June 12, 2018 Hi Cameron, Thanks so much for your great review! We're especially pleased to hear about how you've received great support from our team. We're also happy to hear you're finding our 5D BIM features world class! As you mentioned, CostX 2D takeoff is most powerful when used with DWG drawings, as the program allows you to take advantage of the in-built drawing intelligence. However, we can of course still support PDFs, JPGs and other image files for those that don't receive these. Thanks again! KO Karl O. Quantity Surveyor Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "My "Go To" App" June 4, 2025 5.0 I have used CostX now for more than 10 years and it runs on my PC from the start of my day to when I finish. I do try to use as many of the functions as I can but I am constantly impressed whenever I try something new - I still have a lot to learn but the software is perfect for my work and I could not be without it now. Pros CostX provides a great way to measure and price a project seamlessly. The software is very stable and technical support staff are always available ready to solve any issues or queries. Cons To undertake project revisions can sometimes be frustrating especially if it is not completely clear on the screen where any un-amended dimensions still need to be reviewed, This is often where a very small section of a line has not been reviewed and can be tricky to locate on a drawing. Review Source Response from RIB Software July 4, 2025 Hi Karl, Thank you for the fantastic 5-star review and for being a long-time CostX user for over a decade — that’s a tremendous vote of confidence and we truly appreciate it! We’re glad to hear the measurement, pricing, and flexible workbook/database setup continue to support your wide range of projects. Your point on the complexity of handling revisions across linked workbooks is well taken — it’s something we’re continually working to make more intuitive, especially for users working across multiple estimates. Thanks again for your ongoing trust in RIB CostX — we’re proud to be your go-to app. VR Verified Reviewer Quantity Surveyor Building Materials Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Convenient for taking off and pricing" January 1, 2020 3.0 Pros It helps to automate creation of Bills of Quantity or Pricing Section after taking off or measurement stage. Shorten the process by alot and increase a QS productivity. Cons Price slightly on the high side. If they could lower to a personal user affordability level then the retail user might increase. Review Source Response from RIB Software February 14, 2020 Hi, thanks for taking the time to review CostX. We're happy to hear that you're finding CostX convenient for BOQ creation and other quantity surveying workflows. We have many free webinars and blog posts available on our website that cover other time-saving tips for the QS that we've built into our software. On the topic of affordability, we offer CostX with a range of feature levels to suit different businesses and budgets, including personal users. For example, those who don't require workbooks or reporting capability can select our CostX Takeoff option, which is cheaper than the full CostX platform. Thanks! JT Julie T. Estimator Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "RIB CostX is an invaluable tool" May 29, 2025 4.0 RIB CostX has significantly enhanced the accuracy and efficiency of our estimating processes. From early-stage feasibility studies to detailed post-tender cost plans, it handles every stage with confidence. Pros 1\. The live-link between drawings and cost plans is seamless. 2. Tailoring rate libraries and estimate structures to suit specific project types or client preferences is straightforward. 3. Reports generated through CostX are professional, detailed, and configurable. 4. The RIB support team is responsive and knowledgeable. Cons 1\. Cloud based limitations, requires a VPN network to access the software for multi-user configurations. 2. Exporting to excel or excel work books are not configurable. 3. Limited Integration with Some Project Management Tools, it would be great if we can sync the database with a dashboard tool like Power BI. The out of the box platforms provided by RIB like benchmark require the user to follow a locked in format. 4. Ideas portal is in its infancy, there is not much traction and visibility to see other users' ideas for us to vote on. Review Source Response from RIB Software July 7, 2025 Hi Julie, Thank you for taking the time to leave a review — we’re so pleased to hear that CostX has helped improve the accuracy and efficiency of your estimating workflows. It’s great to know features like the live-link between drawings and cost plans, flexible rate libraries, and professional reporting are making a real difference for your team. Regarding your comment about Power BI integration — while CostX doesn’t offer native syncing with Power BI, it can be integrated using our OData REST API. The recommended method is to extract data into a corporate data lake or warehouse, then connect Power BI from there for optimal performance and flexibility. We truly appreciate your feedback and will continue to enhance integration options going forward. If you'd like help getting started with REST API, our support team is here to assist. Thanks again for your support! GC Geoff C. Quantity Surveyor Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "CostX to Cubit conversion required" June 2, 2025 4.0 In general our overall experience with this software is excellent. We are still learning our way around but have found it is generally easy to use, fast and efficient Pros Fast and efficient onscreen measurement for most trades. In addition, our clients have the ability to review in detail exactly what we have measured giving them an extra measure of confidence in the Builders BoQ's we produce for tender purposes Cons Converts to Buildsoft Global but does not convert to Cubit. We measure tenders for groups of builders, and now Global is being discontinued we are left in the situation where some builders in the group want CostX and some want Cubit (but few want Global), but the process of transferring first to Global then to Cubit is lengthy as the Global conversion has no headings, secondary quantities or Q coding transferred over (and the Q coding system is only compatible with two digit codes). Direct conversion from CostX to Cubit is essential Review Source Response from RIB Software July 4, 2025 Hi Geoff, Thank you for your review and for highlighting what’s working well for your team. It’s great to know the measurement tools and layered estimating structure are helping streamline your workflows. We’ve noted your comments on the conversion limitations with Cubit — we understand how critical flexibility in data migration can be, and we’ll keep this front of mind as we explore ways to better support transitions between platforms. Thanks again for your valuable feedback. MK Marlise K. Quantity Surveyor Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "User Friendly and productive" May 31, 2025 5.0 Very good! User friendly! Easy to train colleagues to use a software that is product for our company! Pros User friendly, Time saving, more productive. Can share Cost X files with clients for easy reviews of project. Cons Require folders for workbooks for easy grouping together. Page breaks don't show in workbooks, have to print a couple of times to make sure page breaks in the correct positions Review Source Response from RIB Software July 4, 2025 Hi Marlise, Thank you for the wonderful 5-star review! It’s fantastic to hear that CostX is not only boosting productivity for your business but also easy for your team to adopt and use confidently. We’re really pleased that sharing files with clients has been a smooth process — collaboration is a big part of what we’re aiming to enable. Your feedback about grouping workbooks and clearer page break visibility is noted. Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience. MF Morgan F. Estimator Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Solid beast, my side kick for last 8 years" June 24, 2025 5.0 My overall experience with RIB CostX has been solid. It’s a powerful and reliable estimating software, and so far, there’s no alternative in the market that offers a better combination of accuracy, speed, and integration Pros I liked how RIB CostX offers integrated and reliable estimating tools that streamline quantity takeoffs and cost planning within one platform. It saves time and improves accuracy, making the estimating process much more efficient. Cons What I liked least about RIB CostX is that it heavily relies on keyboard shortcuts, which can be hard to memorise and slows down productivity for new or occasional users. Review Source Response from RIB Software July 4, 2025 Hi Morgan, Thanks so much for the review! Calling CostX your “sidekick” for the last 8 years is the kind of feedback we love to hear — it’s an honour to support your estimating journey. We’re glad you find the platform reliable and intuitive. Your suggestion about needing more workflow customisation and detailed guidance is well taken — we’ll be looking at ways to strengthen this experience for you and other long-time users. Thanks again for your trust and loyalty — we’re grateful you’re part of the CostX community JZ Jeremy Z. Cost Planner Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Best 2D Measurment & Pricing software" May 29, 2025 4.0 CostX is one of the best measurements and pricing software. Very easy to use and user friendly while improve work productivity. Some of the function is really powerful in the workbook function Pros 1\. 2D measurement is easy to use and very efficient if polyline is used 2. Workbook pricing functional works as excel (incl. formula-based function) is very powerful Cons 1\. A bit slow if loading a 3D BIM model with revit or ifc format 2. Can't printing multiple drawings with measurement in one go (only allow to print one by one) Review Source Response from RIB Software July 4, 2025 Hi Jeremy, Thank you for your review and for highlighting what you value most in RIB CostX. We're thrilled to hear that the 2D measurement, dimension groups, and live-link functionality have been such strong assets in your estimating process. Your feedback on performance with complex 3D BIM models and the user interface is much appreciated. We’re continually working to improve both performance and usability, and comments like yours help guide those efforts. Thanks again for your support — we’re glad to have you as part of the CostX community! EF Even F. Director Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Experience with cost x " May 29, 2025 4.0 Good experience except the IT support now wants us to lodge a ticket for support, sometime we are time poor and phone technical support is much easier. Pros It’s very visual and easy to explain to client what we have measured. Overall client has praised the software. Cons When there are several sections within an estimate, we have to go up and down a level and this takes time Review Source Response from RIB Software July 4, 2025 Hi Even, Thank you for your review and for highlighting how helpful CostX has been when it comes to visually presenting estimates to clients. Making the complex simple is one of our key goals, and it’s great to know that’s coming through in your experience. We appreciate your support and look forward to continuing to help you deliver clear, confident estimates. RS Richard S. General Manager, Estimating Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "The most flexible measuring tool on the market" June 25, 2025 5.0 I have been using CostX for well over a decade. As a measure tool for structures / building projects it is second to none in the local market. I run a team of over 200 estimators and cost planners across a very wide range of disciplines, and it is one of our key tools for take offs Pros The ability to read pretty much any file type used in the industry and integrate them together. You can have a design made up of scanned hand sketches for one dissipline and a fully federated model from another and seamlessly combine them together. Cons The subcontractor vetting module is ok for fully documented projects but doesn't have the ability to deal with substantial changes in design. Review Source Response from RIB Software July 4, 2025 Thanks for the fantastic 5-star review and for being a long-term supporter of RIB CostX! It’s wonderful to hear the software has become an essential part of your daily routine. We're especially pleased to know that the flexibility and speed of CostX continue to add real value to your estimating work — that’s exactly what we aim to deliver. We also appreciate your feedback on the subcontractor vetting module, something we will keep in mind as we continue to improve. Thanks again for your continued trust and support. BR Bharat R. IT Support Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Best Service" May 30, 2025 5.0 We never had a bad experience with the software, it works fine for all CostX users and it's friendly. Pros Customer service, like when we have an issue opening the CostX file due to the low version installed the customer service team helps to get it resolved asap. Cons Price :) Sometimes it feels very expensive when we are going for renewal, but overall, no complaints about the software. Review Source Response from RIB Software July 4, 2025 Hi Bharat, Thank you for the 5-star review! We're so pleased to hear you've had such consistently positive experiences with both the software and our support team. Knowing that our customer service stands out to you means a lot — we work hard to be there when our users need us. Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience. CC Chris C. PM Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Good product but like anything it can improve" May 29, 2025 4.0 Good just needs to improve interface layout to more user friendly and no crashes is a big bonus that helps. Pros A lot of information and can store a lot of the project information in this system, haven't had any crashes. Cons Layout can be confusing and more drop down boxes could help the layout, larger size text could also assist. Review Source Response from RIB Software July 4, 2025 Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad to hear you find the stability and data storage capabilities of the product valuable. It's great to know that the system has been crash-free and reliable for your projects. Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience! TB Tony B. Senior Server Analyst Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "CostX Review" August 8, 2024 4.0 Again, the overall administration of the CostX software is very straightforward. As far as our end users are concerned, I believe they are satisfied with the product as well. Pros I am writing this as the admin of our CostX environment and, not an end user. Over all, administration of the product is straightforward as it applied to installing and updating both the CostX Server Admin and CostX client applications. Cons On the CostX Server side, I will say that the space required for the database when updating the software seems ridiculous. It seems that we need 3 times the space when updating the software and that is a waste of storage. Review Source Response from RIB Software August 22, 2024 Hi Tony, Thank you for your review! We’re pleased to hear that you find the administration of CostX straightforward and it’s great to know that your end users are also happy with the product. Regarding the space needed for software updates, this is proportional to the amount of data in your database. To reduce the load on your internal IT resources, we suggest looking into upgrading to CostX Cloud. With CostX Cloud, our team takes care of all hosting and version upgrades, which can help simplify your operations and manage storage more effectively. Thank you again for sharing your experience! CE Charlie E. Quantity Surveyor - Pricing Manager Construction Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Wouldn't Look Back" August 12, 2018 5.0 I had been putting off getting any sort of software packages for a long time as I really liked doing manual take offs and using spreadsheets. Cost X was very easy to change to after doing these type of take offs. I wouldn't look back now. I have had a new graduate start with me and it is very easy to teach them (as most of it has already been set up by me), this also keeps uniformity over take offs. One of the biggest advantages for us being a residential / light commercial building company is that we seem to have a lot of revisions over a job up until contract stage - the revision tool has been great for this and makes doing a series of changes from one plan to the next a breeze and a report can give a detailed breakdown of the changes at these revision points. Pros \- Really easy to get started, just set out dimensions as you would manually, set out your spreadsheets and link the two up. The more you use it, the more you learn, and it just keeps getting better. - No need to save all the time as all your work is up to date. - Easily relates to excel spreadsheets. - Data from spreadsheets can be exported or imported with ease. - Importing of .dwg files directly from the drawing team makes measurements exact. Any mistakes in the drawing files can be picked up and relayed back to the drawing team before another revision. - When working on multiple build projects, it is a lot easy to open and close jobs from the same place compared to other applications where they would all be seperate files needing to be opened. - Being able to compare drawing files, ie; site plan over a subfloor plan to work out pile heights easily. - The ability to do measurements, add a legend with quantities, save as a PDF and provide to subcontractors. ie; joist layout for builder, measure of a full drainage plan for the drainlayer. Cons The only thing that I have found hard work is the report software provided with Cost X. This is mainly because I just haven't had the time to put into it. I can see that it will be very good, but can see that this is going to take some time to get what I want from it. Other than that I still was able to make up functional reports easy enough, just not to the level I would like yet. Review Source Response from RIB Software September 3, 2018 Hi Charlie, thanks for your great review! We're so happy to hear that you're loving CostX! It's great to see you're getting full use from the functionality, and that the revisioning tool is making your life easier! With regards to the reporting, we do offer the standard report writer which allows you to create basic reports, but the custom report writer can be a little more complex. Because of this, we do offer training for it, so if you are interested in exploring it further that may be worthwhile. Thanks again! ML Michelle L. Senior Cost Consultant Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Does the job but there is better estimating software " September 11, 2019 4.0 It's an okay software as a measuring tool to do quantity takeoff but not a good comprehensive estimating software. Pros It is pretty easy to use ONCE you get it set up or if someone else sets it up for you. One of the nice features is you can click a line to measure its length as opposed to clicking from point to point. Cons It is not very intuitive to set up a project. When you upload the drawings, hopefully they are already named properly or you'll have trouble finding the drawing you're looking for. The drawings are linked to a file on your hard drive, so if you move that file the link is broken and needs to be re-established which is a big disadvantage in many ways. The workbook is a blank spreadsheet and requires a professional to set up in order to be used effectively. Review Source Response from RIB Software September 30, 2019 Hi Michelle. Thanks for your review, we're glad to hear that you've had a positive experience with the measuring aspects of our software. Regarding your feedback on initial setup for projects and workbooks, we do offer a range of free training videos that make these processes clear to understand. Users can also access free webinars that provide helpful advice on workbook setup, while paid online and on-site training options are also available for expanding CostX knowledge. We would like to assist with making these setup processes easier for you, so feel free to contact our North American team on +1 (512) 768 8111 and ask to speak with one of our qualified Product Specialists for advice. Thanks again! MR Michael R. senior quantity surveyor / team leader Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "I'm using the software daily, I'm happy with the level of service it provide to me and the company." January 10, 2018 5.0 Pros Ability to have open drawings in more screens. Ability to quickly update the building templates with ease. Ability to create reports. Ability to have a support team on hands. Cons Here we use costx to standardize the estimates we do for our construction projects. We are utilizing a default template on all our estimates and sometimes we require to update specific cells in multiple workbooks. It would be nice if we were able to do it, once, for a series of buildings, rather then repeating the same task several times. Review Source Response from RIB Software January 12, 2018 Hi Michael, Thanks so much for your review! It's great to hear you're happy with the features and the support you're receiving. Thanks also for your comment regarding your default template. Mass updates are possible to do with some items, such as live-linked rates. One of our Product Specialists will give you a call to further discuss specifics. Thanks again! DC Drew C. Estimator Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Very good software, a good all rounder" November 28, 2017 5.0 Pros Takeoff software is second to none, simple excel style pricing structure makes it easy to use. Rate libraries are extensive and detailed once populated correctly. Cons Reports are a tad complicated if you want your own custom report. With a large number of buildings its best to keep a searchable building code somewhere else as it can get confusing scrolling through the list. I have been informed this will be implemented in the future though. Review Source Response from RIB Software December 4, 2017 Hi Drew, Thanks so much for your review! We always appreciate receiving feedback from our customers. It is great to hear that you're enjoying the takeoff and our Excel-style workbook. Thanks also for your comments on reports and building codes, we have passed it onto our Product Development team. BB Bob B. IT Manager Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Support Experience is always first class, friendly and helpful" October 27, 2017 5.0 It started small with a few internal users using it, the benefits of speed and exporting data has led to a universal uptake in its use and staff in every office have access. Pros My users find that the software is easy to use, deploy and update. Feedback is positive that it does what it says on the box! Cons Resource hungry, we use an i5 processor platform with Solid State Drive and some functions seem slower than others, so would benefit being on faster systems. Review Source Response from RIB Software November 1, 2017 Thanks for your great review Bob! We're very happy that you've found CostX easy to use, and will definitely be passing this feedback onto our team. Thanks again! FM Fabio M. Assistant Cost Consultant Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "CostX" February 11, 2022 4.0 Problems include operating over a centralised server, once down affects everyone Pros Usually extremely fast for quick take-off exercises Cons When exporting cost plans it was very difficult finding the correct template to print Review Source Response from RIB Software February 16, 2022 Hi Fabio, Thanks so much for your review. We are so glad to hear you're finding iTWO costX is fast and easy to use! You mentioned that the system can be slow when operated over a centralised server but it is worth noting that this can be dependent on the server specifications; we also offer a cloud version or standalone version to mitigate any server speed issues which may be worthwhile for you to review. Hope this helps and thanks again for the great review! RC Rakesh C. Senior Quantity Surveyor Construction Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "I am new with CostX, but now I am get the advantages of it." March 16, 2018 5.0 This tool saves lots of time in measuring compared with old school method of using scale ruler. Pros I am using this daily - measuring quantities. This way quicker and faster then the old school method of using scale rule. this is a great tool for the quantity surveyors Review Source Response from RIB Software March 18, 2018 Hi Rakesh, Thanks so much for your great review! We're so pleased to hear you're finding CostX to be an upgrade from your scale ruler. As you're new with CostX, you may be interested in reviewing our CostX Coffee Break webinars for some tips & tricks that will help even more with your CostX use! (http://www.exactal.com/en/webinars) Thanks again and happy measuring! aA arfan A. quantity surveyor Used the software for: ### "good software" October 20, 2014 5.0 this software made the measurement work more be easy Review Source RL Ruslan L. Cost Management Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Comprehensive and Reliable Estimating with Strong BIM Integration." March 31, 2026 5.0 Overall, RIB CostX delivered a solid, reliable estimating solution with intuitive takeoff tools and strong BIM integration. Support and training resources made adoption smooth, though mastering advanced features took some time. Collaboration and invoicing capabilities improved project workflows, while occasional performance issues with very large models and limited report customization were minor drawbacks. Overall, a valuable tool for accurate, efficient cost estimation. Pros Intuitive interface and fast takeoff tools. Accurate, reliable quantity measurement. Seamless BIM integration with 2D/3D models. Efficient reporting and customizable outputs. Responsive customer support and helpful documentation. Manageable learning curve with useful training resources. Strong project collaboration features for team workflows. Clear invoicing and cost-tracking tools. Cons Occasional performance slowdowns with very large models. Limited advanced customization in some reports. Initial setup and full feature mastery can take time. Occasional delays in feature requests or roadmap communication. Review Source Response from RIB Software May 6, 2026 Hi Ruslan, Thank you for the outstanding 5‑star review and for taking the time to share such a detailed evaluation of RIB CostX. We are delighted to hear that you find the solution reliable and intuitive, and that its BIM integration stands out. It is also great to know that our support and training resources helped make adoption smooth. Your feedback on performance with very large models and report customisation is appreciated and aligns with areas we are actively working to improve. Thank you for your insights and continued support. TZ Tom Z. Project Manager Construction Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Cost x Review" June 24, 2025 4.0 Overall experience has been really positive - I think there is a lot to learn from the interface of a program like cubit which will make things a bit easier. Pros Easy to spot measure and the layers of the workbook make it great to calculate complex items that can't always be measured. Cons a few things here: - No ability to measure slanting walls - Workbook needs to be able to function slightly more like excel it is clunky and doesn't allow for formulas to be correctly input with ease. - Drawings should be stored within the costx file - this way if they are moved on the companies server all drawings aren't lost. - When printing reports in levels that don't apply to all line items in a workbook, they should not show up with an empty bar - should just have a line item to clean up the printout. Alternatives considered [Cubit](https://www.capterra.com/p/126183/Cubit/) Reason for choosing RIB CostX The price point was better and the ability to have a server that other people could log on to, rather than different standalone licenses. Review Source Response from RIB Software July 4, 2025 Hi Tom, Thanks for the positive feedback on how CostX supports project budgeting. We're glad to hear that ease of use and workbook layering stood out as highlights for you. Your suggestions are very helpful — we hear you on the limitations around sloped surface measurement, 3D rendering, and workbook flexibility. These are important areas for us to continue improving. Thanks again for your thoughtful review — and for trusting CostX to support your projects. TR Tony R. Estimating Manager Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Review Tony" May 29, 2025 5.0 Excellent program, I have used it for many years, previously I used Buildsoft and changed over to this program for the revision function and have never gone back. Pros Workbook versatility, the 10 levels gives you a perfect ability to be able to produce very detailed breakdowns. Measuring measure directly from drawings and revision function are excellent. I have not used measuring from 3d model for 10 years as we don't get them at tender time. Cons Would like workbook to be able to be linked between levels from top to bottom not bottom to top and automatic named cell function. The workbook has lots of potential to produce very detailed rate breakdowns, I currently work in the Civil Earthworks field and had previously used the program for 20 years in building and construction, so I understand it Switched from [Cubit](https://www.capterra.com/p/126183/Cubit/) For the revision function and measuring features from drawing and the workbook Review Source Response from RIB Software July 4, 2025 Thank you for your 5-star review and for being a long-time supporter of RIB CostX! We're so pleased to hear the revision function and workbook structure continue to deliver value in your estimating work — especially across both building and civil construction. We really appreciate your thoughtful suggestions around top-down workbook linking and automatic named cells. Feedback like this from experienced users helps us continue to refine and evolve the platform. SC Sam C. Estimating Manager Construction Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Estimating in a tick" June 2, 2025 5.0 I am using CostX for more than a decade. I am also familiar the other software available in the market. I do not have to think twice to say that CostX is the best among them. Pros CostX has most functions of other software; and even more. But same time to simple to use. CostX team collect ideas, and incorporate the relevant ones. Cons The cost of CostX is not cost effective. User cannot use different colours to the descriptions like in other software. Sometimes CostX is to be found slow Alternatives considered [Cubit](https://www.capterra.com/p/126183/Cubit/) Reason for choosing RIB CostX More estimators in the team was familiar with CostX Switched from [PlanSwift](https://www.capterra.com/p/70808/PlanSwift/)[Cubit](https://www.capterra.com/p/126183/Cubit/) Being an estimator working full time, I am forced to go with the software the employer provide Review Source Response from RIB Software July 4, 2025 Hi Sam, Thank you for the 5 star review and for being with us for over a decade! It’s fantastic to hear that CostX continues to deliver the speed, flexibility, and performance you rely on in your day-to-day estimating. We’re especially glad to know that features like live links, dimension grouping, and customisation have been valuable to your workflow. Hearing that CostX outperforms other platforms in many areas is exactly the kind of feedback that motivates us to keep pushing the product forward. We appreciate your thoughts on pricing and the user interface. These are areas we’re actively working to enhance so the platform not only stays powerful, but also modern and accessible. Thanks again for your long-standing support — it means a lot to our team. Similar Products Featured ## Related categories [Takeoff](https://www.capterra.com/takeoff-software/)[Construction Estimating](https://www.capterra.com/construction-estimating-software/)[BIM](https://www.capterra.com/bim-software/) ## Send me user reviews about this product ### Fill out the form and we'll send a list of the top-rated software based on real user reviews directly to your inbox.