Studio Sessions vs. Studio Projects Guide
At Bluebeam, we understand the importance of collaboration for projects of any scale. Studio Sessions provides a virtual environment for real-time collaboration and markup on PDF documents, while Studio Projects serves as a comprehensive cloud-based document management system for storing and managing all project files. Use this guide to help choose the solution that best fits the needs of your project.
| Studio Sessions | Studio Projects |
|---|---|
| Studio Sessions is comparable to a virtual plan room, where multiple project partners from around the globe can simultaneously add markups and communicate on drawings in real time. This real-time collaboration allows multiple people to work together at once, enhancing productivity and ensuring everyone is aligned. All markup activity is tracked, and a built-in chat feature further enhances an intuitively collaborative experience. | Studio Projects is a simple yet powerful cloud-based document management system. Upload PDFs and other file types, and invite project partners to access them from anywhere. While Projects can be shared with multiple people, files are checked out and edited by one person at a time, ensuring document integrity. Additionally, Project files can be used in Studio Sessions for collaborative real-time markups. |
For more information about the key features available in Bluebeam Cloud for each subscription plan, please see this article.
Technical comparison
| Studio Sessions | Studio Projects | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum attendees | Up to 500 users | Unlimited |
| Maximum files per Session/Project | Up to 5,000 | Unlimited |
| Supported file types | PDF only | Word, Excel, PowerPoint, .csv, .jpg, .png, .html, .mp4, .txt, .btx (tool chest), .bex (set) |
| Maximum file size | Up to 1 GB per file | Unlimited |
| Maximum markup size | Up to 10 MB per markup | Unlimited |
| Total storage available | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Manage attendee access rights | Yes | Yes |
| View and restore previous file revisions | No | Yes |
| Notifications about file and user activity | Yes | Yes |
| Send and receive markup alerts | Yes | No |
| Bluebeam Subscription required for collaborators | No | No |
Although Studio Projects offer unlimited file size and storage, our best practices suggest keeping the total size of the Project under 10 GB for higher performance.
Platform compatibility
| Platform | Studio Sessions | Studio Projects |
|---|---|---|
| Window |
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| iPad |
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| Web browser |
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| iOS app |
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(coming soon) |
| Android app |
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(coming soon) |
Common use cases
| Scenario | Use Studio Sessions | Use Studio Projects | Use Both Together |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real-time collaboration and markup on PDF documents with multiple users |
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| Facilitating live collaboration while maintaining accountability for users' markups |
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| Enforcing deadlines with session expiration dates |
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| Storing, organizing, and sharing all project documents (any file type) |
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| Supporting large projects with long-term lifecycles |
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| Individual document work with check-in/check-out |
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| Maintaining a full version history and permissions for documents |
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| Combining long-term storage with periodic collaborative reviews |
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| Uploading documents from storage for collaborative markup sessions |
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| Facilitating input from external third parties without granting full access |
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| Accessing records and reporting for collaboration activities |
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| Utilizing offline mode for uninterrupted work |
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| Sending and receiving markup alerts |
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| Setting permission levels for users, groups, and folders for greater document security |
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| Access full Revu markup capability |
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Resources
Revu 21
Studio
Getting Started
