A SubmittalExchange alternative that builds the package, not just tracks it
SubmittalExchange (now part of ConstructConnect) is a submittal management and exchange tool: it routes submittals between the contractor, architect, and owner, logs their status, and keeps an audit trail of the review cycle. It is built around tracking and exchanging documents that someone else has already assembled.
Submittal.app comes at the problem from the other end. Instead of tracking a package once it exists, its AI Submittal Builder creates the package — reading a schedule or spec section, finding the correct manufacturer cut sheets, matching part numbers, checking conformance, and assembling a formatted, review-ready document. If the part you dislike about the process is the hours spent building the package before anyone can review it, that is exactly the gap this fills.
| SubmittalExchange | Submittal.app | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary job | Route, track, and log submittals | Assemble the submittal package with AI |
| Finds manufacturer cut sheets | No — you supply them | Yes — from a 335,000+ product catalog |
| Matches part numbers | No | Yes, automatically |
| Checks products against the spec | No | Yes — flags deviations and substitutions |
| Package assembly | Manual, before upload | Automated, review-ready output |
| Pricing | Quote-based (via ConstructConnect) | Free to start |
What SubmittalExchange does
SubmittalExchange is a workflow and tracking system for the submittal review cycle. Its strengths are routing (getting a submittal from the sub to the GC to the design team and back), status logging, notifications, and a defensible record of who reviewed what and when. It is widely used on larger projects where the owner or GC standardizes on a single exchange platform for accountability.
What it does not do is assemble the submittal. Someone still has to hunt down the manufacturer data, mark up the cut sheets, and compile the package before it enters the exchange. Pricing is quote-based through ConstructConnect rather than published, which is often what people are trying to pin down when they search for its cost.
How Submittal.app is different
Submittal.app is an AI package builder first. You describe a schedule or hand it a spec section, and it locates the right cut sheets, matches part numbers automatically, compares the proposed products against the specification, flags deviations, and outputs a formatted package — cover page, table of contents, organized documents — in minutes. The same confirmed catalog numbers then carry through to your quote and purchase order, so nothing drifts across the procurement chain.
The two approaches are not mutually exclusive: many teams build the package in Submittal.app and still route it through whatever exchange or tracking system their project mandates. The difference is where the hours go. Tracking tools manage the review; Submittal.app removes the assembly work that happens before the review even starts. It is free to start, so you can run it against a real spec section and compare the output to your current process.
Choose SubmittalExchange if…
- • The owner or GC mandates a single exchange platform for the whole project.
- • Your priority is routing, notifications, and a defensible review audit trail.
- • Packages are already being assembled and you just need to move and log them.
Choose Submittal.app if…
- • The bottleneck is building the package — finding data, matching parts, checking the spec.
- • You want AI to assemble a review-ready package in minutes, then route it however you like.
- • You want to start free and see the output on a real spec section before committing.
Frequently asked questions
Is Submittal.app a direct replacement for SubmittalExchange?
They solve different halves of the process. SubmittalExchange routes and tracks submittals; Submittal.app assembles them. Teams often use Submittal.app to build the package and then route it through whatever exchange or tracking system a project requires. If your pain is assembly rather than routing, Submittal.app replaces the manual work SubmittalExchange leaves to you.
How much does SubmittalExchange cost?
SubmittalExchange pricing is quote-based through ConstructConnect and is not published publicly, which is usually what people are trying to find. Submittal.app is free to start, so you can evaluate it on a real spec section at no cost.
Can I use both together?
Yes. Build the package in Submittal.app, then upload or route it through your project's exchange platform. The two are complementary — one assembles, the other tracks.
See the full field in our comparison of construction submittal software.