Compare
EasySiteSI vs AutoCAD, Bluebeam, PowerPoint/Visio and SketchUp for site logistics plans
An honest look at the tools people use to draw site logistics plans: what each is good at, where EasySiteSI is the better fit, and where another tool is.
The short answer
Site logistics plans are drawn in all sorts of tools: CAD, PDF markup software, PowerPoint or Visio, and 3D modelling software. Each is good at its own job. EasySiteSI is built for one job: putting your site plan on aerial imagery at true scale, then adding cranes, fencing, site sheds, gates, routes and phases, and exporting a print-ready PDF, all in your browser with no CAD skills.
If your team already works in one of the other tools, that tool may still be the right home for design drawings, document review or 3D models. EasySiteSI is designed to work alongside them.
EasySiteSI compared with AutoCAD, Bluebeam, PowerPoint/Visio and SketchUp
| What you need | EasySiteSI | AutoCAD (CAD) | Bluebeam (PDF markup) | PowerPoint / Visio | SketchUp (3D) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best at | A to-scale site logistics plan over aerial imagery, quickly, without CAD skills | Precise 2D and 3D CAD drafting, design and construction documentation, DWG deliverables | PDF markup, measurement, takeoff and document review across drawing sets | Quick diagrams, slides and concept sketches most people can already edit | 3D modelling and visualising massing, heights and sequencing |
| Starting point | Your site plan PDF, PNG or JPG (or DXF on Pro), calibrated over live satellite, street or hybrid mapping | CAD drawings, with imagery or geolocation added as part of the set-up | PDF drawing sets, calibrated to the drawing scale | A blank slide or page, often with a pasted screenshot | A 3D model, with location imagery or terrain added as part of the set-up |
| True-scale aerial basemap | Built in: the plan is pinned to the map at true scale | Possible with set-up and CAD skills | Possible by bringing in an aerial image | PowerPoint has no drawing scale; Visio does, but no aerial basemap or plant library. | Possible with set-up |
| Crane slew rings and lift / no-lift zones | Built in: true-size cranes (tower, mobile, crawler, pick-and-carry) with slew rings split into lift and no-lift zones | Drawn by hand or with blocks | Drawn with markup shapes or tool sets | Drawn as shapes, not to scale by default | Modelled in 3D or from model libraries |
| Fence length and panel counts | Built in: trace a fence line and see its length and panel count | Measured from the drawing; counts by hand, blocks or scripts | Measured with length tools; counts by hand or custom tools | Not built for it | Measured from the model |
| Phases | Built in on Pro: assign objects to phases and export a sheet for each | With layers, layouts or separate drawings | With layers or separate pages | Separate slides or pages | With scenes, tags or separate models |
| Skills needed | No CAD skills: drag, drop and export | CAD training | PDF markup experience | Everyday office skills | 3D modelling experience |
| Where it runs | In your browser, no install | Mainly desktop software, with web and mobile options | Mainly desktop software, with web and mobile options | Desktop and web | Desktop and web |
| Output | Print-ready PDF sheets at A1, A3 or A4 with legend and north arrow; title block and logo on Pro | DWG drawings, PDF and plots | Marked-up PDFs and reports | Slides, diagrams and PDF | 3D models, images and animations |
This comparison describes the general strengths of each type of tool for site logistics plans, as at October 2026. Features change, so check each vendor’s own website for current details. AutoCAD is a trademark of Autodesk; Bluebeam and Revu are trademarks of Bluebeam, Inc.; PowerPoint and Visio are trademarks of Microsoft; SketchUp is a trademark of Trimble. EasySiteSI isn’t affiliated with any of them.
Where EasySiteSI is the better fit
- True-scale aerial basemap. Your site plan is calibrated over live satellite, street or hybrid mapping, so you see the plan in its real surroundings: streets, footpaths and neighbouring properties.
- Crane rings and lift zones. Place true-size tower, mobile, crawler and pick-and-carry cranes, set the lift radius and split the slew into lift and no-lift zones.
- Fence panel counts. Trace a fence line and EasySiteSI shows its length and panel count.
- Phases. On Pro, assign objects to phases such as mobilisation, structure, façade and services, fit-out and external works, and export a sheet for each.
- No CAD skills. Site managers, planners and events teams can drag true-size objects onto the plan and export a PDF.
- Runs in your browser. Nothing to install. Projects are saved on your own computer as EasySiteSI files.
Where the other tools are the better fit
- AutoCAD and other CAD software for design drawings, detailed set-out and construction documentation, and when the deliverable has to be a DWG.
- Bluebeam for reviewing, measuring and marking up whole drawing sets, takeoffs and document workflows with your project team.
- PowerPoint and Visio for quick concept diagrams and presentations that anyone in the office can edit.
- SketchUp for 3D views: massing, heights, sequencing animations and visualising the site in three dimensions.
Using EasySiteSI with the tools you already have
- From CAD: on the Pro plan, import a DXF. Got a DWG? Save it as a DXF from your CAD software first. If the drawing uses Australian MGA grid coordinates, EasySiteSI places it on the map automatically.
- Into PDF markup: export your site logistics plan as a PDF and open it in any PDF tool for review.
- Into presentations: drop the exported PDF sheet into a slide deck or a tender submission.
EasySiteSI isn’t a 3D or BIM tool, a crane lift-study calculator or a CAD replacement. See what EasySiteSI isn’t.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is the best software for a site logistics plan?
It depends on what you need. If you want a to-scale site logistics plan over aerial imagery, with cranes, fencing, site sheds, gates, routes and phases, and you don’t want to learn CAD, EasySiteSI is built for exactly that and runs in your browser. If your deliverable is a CAD drawing, a reviewed PDF set or a 3D model, CAD, PDF markup or 3D software may suit that part of the job better.
Can I use my AutoCAD drawings in EasySiteSI?
Yes, on the Pro plan you can import a DXF file. Save a DWG as a DXF from your CAD software first. A layer picker lets you choose which layers to show, and if the drawing uses Australian MGA grid coordinates, EasySiteSI places it on the map automatically. Otherwise you calibrate it with two points, just like a PDF.
Can I mark up an EasySiteSI plan in Bluebeam or another PDF tool?
Yes. EasySiteSI exports print-ready PDF sheets at A1, A3 or A4, which you can open in any PDF tool for review and markup.
Why not just draw a site logistics plan in PowerPoint?
PowerPoint is quick, but it has no concept of real-world scale, so a 12 m shed is whatever size you drew it. In EasySiteSI your site plan is calibrated over aerial imagery at true scale and every object is true size, so you can see what actually fits.
Learn more
Plan your next site in minutes
Open EasySiteSI in your browser and start with your own site plan. It works in your browser, no install, and you start with a 30-day Pro plan trial. The Basic plan is free.
Found a bug or have an idea? Send feedback (with screenshots) from the Feedback button in the app, or get in touch via paretoway.com.au.