Alternative · Blue Sky Plan
Blue Sky Plan plans the case. CBCTHub gets it to everyone else.
Blue Sky Plan is free implant and aligner planning software for Windows. CBCTHub is the browser viewer that puts the same scan in front of the patient, the referring dentist and the surgeon — on a Mac, an iPad or a phone, with nothing to install.
What is Blue Sky Plan?
Blue Sky Plan is Blue Sky Bio's treatment-planning application. Its stated intended use is converting CT-generated DICOM images into a format that lets a dentist assess the topography of the maxilla and mandible and locate important structures. It covers surgical guides, dentures, orthodontics and aligners, splints, endodontics, cephalometric analysis and crown and bridge. The software is free to download with no annual or upgrade fees; Blue Sky Bio charges per case when a designed component is exported to STL for printing or milling.
What Blue Sky Plan does well
- ✓Free to download and install on an unlimited number of computers, with no annual or upgrade fees
- ✓FDA-cleared, with clearances on record through 2024
- ✓Implant-system agnostic
- ✓A peer-reviewed study (Al-Ekrish, Saudi Dental Journal, 2021) found no statistically significant difference in the accuracy of linear implant-site measurements between Blue Sky Plan, coDiagnostiX and RadiAnt
- ✓Unusually broad module set for software that costs nothing to install
Things to weigh before picking Blue Sky Plan
- •Windows only. Blue Sky Bio states plainly that "BlueSkyPlan is no longer available for Mac. It can only be installed on Windows computers"
- •The hardware requirements are real for free software: 64-bit Windows, quad-core i7 or comparable, at least 16 GB of RAM and a dedicated GPU with 3 GB of VRAM
- •It is planning software, not a delivery platform — Blue Sky Bio does not document a web viewer or a patient portal
- •For a referring dentist to open your case, they install the software on a Windows machine that meets those requirements
- •DICOM import is documented; DICOM export is not — the manual lists STL, JPG, PDF and a proprietary project file
- •Unlike most products in this category, there is no public body of user reviews on Capterra, G2 or SoftwareAdvice to weigh
Where CBCTHub fits
- →Runs in the browser: Mac, Windows, iPad, Android — no 16 GB machine required on the other end
- →Built for sharing, which is the part Blue Sky Plan does not cover
- →The patient and the referring dentist open a link, with no software and no account
- →White-label: the scan arrives under your practice's brand
- →Standard DICOM in and out, from any CBCT scanner
CBCTHub vs Blue Sky Plan at a glance
| Feature | CBCTHub | Blue Sky Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Any modern browser | Windows desktop only |
| Works on Mac | Yes | No — discontinued by the vendor |
| Minimum hardware | A browser | 16 GB RAM, dedicated 3 GB GPU |
| Share with a referring dentist | Link, no install | Not documented — they install the software |
| Implant guide design and export | No | Yes, its core purpose |
| Cost model | Free plan, Pro $39/mo | Free software, per-case STL export credits |
They solve different halves of the same case
Plan the implant in Blue Sky Plan if that is your workflow — it is free and its measurement accuracy has been studied. Then use CBCTHub so the general dentist who referred the patient, and the patient themselves, can actually look at the scan without a Windows machine and a 16 GB graphics requirement.
FAQ
Is CBCTHub free like Blue Sky Plan?
There is a free plan with 2 GB of storage and every viewing tool included. Paid plans start at $39/mo and are about storage and branding, not about unlocking the viewer.
Can CBCTHub design surgical guides?
No. Guide design and STL export are what Blue Sky Plan is for. CBCTHub is a viewer and a delivery platform.
Can I view a CBCT on a Mac?
Yes, in the browser. Blue Sky Bio discontinued its Mac version and now states the software installs on Windows only.
Does Blue Sky Plan export DICOM?
Its manual documents DICOM import, and lists STL, JPG, PDF and a project file for export. We have not found DICOM export documented, so we do not claim it either way — ask Blue Sky Bio.
See CBCTHub in action
Upload a CBCT, share with a patient, and explore every tool in the free plan.
Share the scan, not the workstation →