Fieldwire alternative
zipBoard vs Fieldwire: Plan Review & Markup Compared
Fieldwire is a full construction management platform (BIM viewer, punch lists, RFIs, submittals, budgets) priced per user, starting at $39–$89/user/month. zipBoard is a focused plan review and markup tool priced by document volume, not headcount – reviewers and collaborators are unlimited and free. If your team’s core need is getting drawings marked up, commented on, and signed off by your own team plus outside GCs, owners, or consultants, zipBoard does that job for a fraction of the cost.
Fieldwire vs zipBoard Overview
If you’re comparing zipBoard and Fieldwire, you’re probably trying to solve one specific problem: getting construction drawings reviewed, marked up, and signed off without email threads, screenshots, and version confusion. Both tools can do that. Where they diverge is in how much of your jobsite operation they’re trying to run, and how they charge you for it.
| Feature / Criteria | zipBoard | Fieldwire |
|---|---|---|
| What it's built for | Document/drawing markup, measurement, review, and sign-off — PDFs, images, and more | Full jobsite management with budget tracking |
| Pricing model | By document volume. Reviewers/collaborators unlimited and free on every plan. | Per user, every tier above free Basic. Every viewer needs a paid seat. |
| Entry price | $99/mo (20 uploads) | $39/user/mo annual (Pro tier) |
| BIM (3D model) viewer | Not available | Yes, from Business tier ($64/user/mo annual) |
| Trade-specific markup symbols | Not available | Yes — plumbing, mechanical, electrical, fire suppression, and more |
| Punch lists | Yes. Assign tasks, track progress, and resolve issues in real time with zipBoard. | Yes |
| RFIs, submittals, change-order budgets | Yes. zipBoard allows you to easily track the status of RFIs and their responses. For example, you can see which RFIs are pending, in review, or resolved, and who is responsible for each action item. | Yes, from Business Plus ($89/user/mo annual) |
| Native mobile app / offline field use | Not available — browser-based, works from any device via link | Yes, dedicated iOS/Android apps |
| Reviewing content beyond construction plans | Yes — images, video, web pages, SCORM, audio | No — built specifically for jobsite plans and BIM models |
Where zipBoard actually wins
Fieldwire charges for every pair of eyes on a project. During a complex construction plan review, zipBoard eliminates seat inflation by keeping reviewers and collaborators completely free, meaning your clients, subs, and stakeholders never trigger an extra charge.
You don't pay per reviewer
Seats every user (prorated or owner-billed). Occasional reviewers cost full seats.
Reviewers & collaborators are completely unlimited and free.
No install, no seat provisioning
Requires active licensed seats and app setup for every outside party.
Instant browser link. No account needed to comment on any device.
Beyond construction plans
Strictly built for jobsite plans and BIM models.
Handles PDFs, images, video, web pages, and mixed submittals.
You don’t pay per reviewer
This is the core of the zipboard vs fieldwire pricing debate. Fieldwire licenses every user above the free tier, meaning a part-time field tech or revolving subcontractor costs a paid seat just like your project manager. Fieldwire does prorate charges based on the exact time a user has project access, and you won’t pay extra if an invited collaborator brings their own existing premium account. That seat-licensing model is what drives most Fieldwire pricing searches. In contrast, zipBoard’s collaborators and reviewers are completely unlimited and free on every plan; only the people who create and manage projects need a paid seat.
No install, no seat provisioning for outside parties
A zipBoard review link works in a browser, on any device, with no account required to comment. Inviting a GC, owner, or outside consultant into a review costs nothing and takes no setup. On Fieldwire, every person in that review needs a licensed seat.
It’s not limited to construction plans
Fieldwire is purpose-built for jobsite plans and BIM models. zipBoard reviews PDFs, images, video, and web pages, useful if your review workflow spans more than drawings, including specialty document sets like MEP document management, mixed submittal packages, marketing or closeout documents, and training materials.
Manage and Review all your Construction documents at one place
Get started in minutes with zero setup friction.
Where Fieldwire actually wins
If your team’s day-to-day plan review relies heavily on native mobile field apps, 3D BIM coordination, or offline jobsite access, Fieldwire remains the better tool.
BIM (3D model) viewing
Full 3D model coordination & clash checks (Business tier+).
Trade-specific markup symbols
Dedicated symbol libraries for plumbing, electrical, MEP, & fire suppression.
RFIs, submittals & change orders
Formal RFI tracking and cost/hours budget fields (Business Plus+).
Field use without connectivity
Dedicated iOS/Android apps built for offline job-site execution.
BIM (3D model) viewing
If your review work involves 3D coordination, clash checks, or model-based measurements, zipBoard doesn’t do this at all. Fieldwire’s BIM viewer (Business tier and up) does. If BIM coordination tied to your Autodesk workflow specifically is the priority, it’s also worth comparing Autodesk Docs vs. zipBoard to see how that gap plays out against a different BIM-adjacent platform.
Trade-specific markup symbol libraries
Fieldwire ships dedicated symbol sets for plumbing, mechanical, electrical, fire suppression, and audiovisual work. If your markups need to speak that visual language, this is a real, unreplicated gap on zipBoard’s side.
RFIs, submittals, and change-order budget tracking
Fieldwire’s Business Plus tier covers formal RFI and submittal workflows plus cost/hours tracking on change orders. zipBoard can add a note to an item as a change order but has no cost or hours fields behind it. Teams that need this level of financial tracking at true enterprise scale often end up comparing Fieldwire against Procore instead, since Procore goes even further on budgets and financials than Fieldwire does.
Field use without connectivity
Fieldwire has dedicated iOS/Android apps built for job-site use, including offline scenarios. zipBoard is browser-based; there’s no confirmed offline mode.
If your team needs several of these, you may end up needing Fieldwire (or a similar full jobsite platform).
A concrete pricing example
Say your team has 3 people who need manager-level access (create/manage projects) and 5 field techs who just need to review drawings and leave comments:
zipBoard: $199/mo base (Agency, 50 uploads, 1 manager included) + $25/mo x 2 additional managers = $249/mo. The 5 field techs are free.
Fieldwire Business (needed for the BIM viewer/custom forms tier): $64/user/mo annual × 8 people (3 managers + 5 field techs, everyone needs a seat) = $512/mo.
The gap widens with every additional reviewer you add – that’s the structural difference, not a one-time promotional price.
Who should actually pick which
Pick zipBoard if…
- Core focus is plan markup, review, and sign-off without full jobsite management overhead.
- You frequently add outside reviewers (GCs, owners, consultants) who shouldn't require paid seats.
- You review diverse file formats beyond drawings—mixed docs, video, or web pages.
- You want a streamlined, cost-effective tool dedicated strictly to the review and approval workflow.
Pick Fieldwire if…
- You require integrated budget tracking within one environment.
- Your team performs 3D model coordination and BIM review rather than just 2D sheets.
- Field crews depend on dedicated native mobile apps with offline execution capabilities.
- You want a single comprehensive platform running your entire jobsite ecosystem.
Pick zipBoard if…
- Your core pain is plan markup, review, and sign-off — not full jobsite management
- You regularly bring outside reviewers (GCs, owners, consultants) into reviews and don’t want to pay per seat for them
- You review more than construction drawings — mixed document types, video, or web content
- You want a lighter, cheaper tool specifically for the review/approval step
Pick Fieldwire if…
- You need punch lists, RFIs, submittals, or budget tracking in the same tool
- Your review work is 3D/BIM-based, not 2D plan sheets
- Your field crew needs a dedicated mobile app, including offline use
- You want one platform running your whole jobsite, not just the review layer
Bring Your Team Together
No credit card required. Invite unlimited collaborators instantly.
See What Makes zipBoard the #1 Fieldwire Alternative for Construction Plan Review
Effortless Workflow Setup for Plan Reviews
Easily set up a customized workflow for construction plan reviews. The intuitive interface allows users to create review cycles, assign tasks, and track progress in real time.
Upload Plans
Drop PDFs or drawings
Mark Up & Assign
Visual feedback in real time
Approve & Sign
Resolve issues & close out
Browser-Based Accessibility
Work directly from your browser with zipBoard’s cloud-based platform.
This eliminates the need for software downloads and enables team members to collaborate from anywhere, making it ideal for global teams.
Collaborative PDF Markups for Plan Reviews
Measure Directly in Your Review Layer
Smart Version Control for Plan Review
With smart version control, zipBoard automatically stacks revisions under a single asset card so your team always knows which drawing is the latest. Plus, built-in side-by-side comparison lets you visually spot changes between versions instantly.
Automated Actionable Task Tracking on Every Markup
zipBoard accelerates RFIs, submittals, and punch lists by turning every markup and annotation directly into an actionable task. You can instantly track who commented, define exact action items, assign owners, set due dates, and monitor progress all in one place, eliminating endless email threads and keeping every stakeholder aligned.
No Licenses Needed for all Users
20,000+
users
15,000+
projects
20,000+
feedback processed
Pricing plan
Transparent and justifiable pricing. No hidden costs.
Team
Starts at $99/ mo
- Includes:
- Up to 20 Digital Asset Pieces
- Up to 1GB Storage
- Unlimited Collaborators
- Unlimited Reviewers
- Unlimited Projects
- Standard Email Support
- Knowledge Base
Agency
Starts at $199/ mo
Ideal for an agency with multiple managers to manage projects.
- Includes everything in Team, plus:
- Up to 50 Digital Asset Uploads
- Project reports
- Integrations
Enterprise
Custom
Flexibility of content volume, priority support and dedicated account manager.
- Includes everything in Agency, plus:
- Premium Customer Success
- Single sign-on
- Archive Projects
- Custom Integrations
- Custom Workflows
- Custom Training
- Custom Reports & Insights
- Custom User Permissions & Roles
Optimize Construction Plan Review Workflows with zipBoard
Try the best Fieldwire alternative for free. See how zipBoard streamlines document review workflows, improves collaboration, and drives efficiency for your PDF document reviews and collaboration.
FAQ
Is zipBoard a replacement for Fieldwire?
Not a full replacement. zipBoard replaces the plan review, markup, and sign-off part of Fieldwire’s workflow. If you also rely on Fieldwire for BIM viewing or field-ops tracking, you’d still need Fieldwire (or a similar tool) for those.
Does zipBoard charge per user like Fieldwire?
No. zipBoard’s collaborators and reviewers are unlimited and free on every plan; you only pay for manager seats (people who create and manage projects) plus your document volume tier. Fieldwire charges a per-user license at every tier above its free Basic plan, see the full pricing for details.
Can zipBoard view BIM or 3D models?
No. Fieldwire’s BIM viewer (Business tier and up) supports 3D model viewing, measurements, and metadata access that zipBoard doesn’t offer.
Does zipBoard have trade-specific markup symbols like Fieldwire's plumbing/mechanical/electrical libraries?
No, not today. If your markup workflow depends on standardized trade symbols, Fieldwire is ahead here.
How much does Fieldwire cost compared to zipBoard?
Fieldwire is $39–$89 per user per month (annual billing), with every user needing a paid seat. zipBoard starts at $99/mo for 20 document uploads and unlimited free reviewers, see the worked example above for how the totals compare at a real team size.
Can't find your question?
Request Demo here or send us an email via [email protected]
Can outside GCs or owners review documents on zipBoard for free?
Yes, reviewers and collaborators don’t need a paid seat or even an account to comment on a shared review link.
See how zipBoard compares with Plangrid
Try the best Plangrid alternative for free. See how zipBoard streamlines document review workflows, improves collaboration, and drives efficiency for your PDF document reviews and collaboration.
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