Find the best Architectural CAD Software for your business. Compare product reviews and features to build your list. 2D drafting, and 3D CAD software for Mac. But autocad is soo horrible for architects maby for some other kind of peaple who work with werry different stuff its good but for architect horrible software. Revit i believe is one of best for architect. Sketchup better than autocad but still not really architect stuff.
Best architecture software
Read on for our detailed analysis of each app
The big challenge with architectural design is that it's not simply about having an overall creative vision, but also being able to work with the technicalities of structure as well as practical considerations.
This means that specialist architecture software is required, whether dealing with building, interiors, or even infrastructure projects.
Of course, design needs to take into consideration more than just layout, as workflows, analyses, and project management tasks often also need to be integrated with any design element.
The positive of course is that software makes overall management of any architectural process far simpler than the old days of working only on paper, and even better, much easier to communicate and zoom into any features that may require further exploration or development.
And because everything is digital, it's also much easier to make changes and adjustments as required.
We'll therefore showcase the best in architectural software currently on the market, to help you make an informed choice on what you may or may not require from any particular provider.
- We've also highlighted the best drawing and painting software
- Want your company or services to be added to this buyer’s guide? Please email your request to desire.athow@futurenet.com with the URL of the buying guide in the subject line.
1. 3DS Max
3D Studio existed before Windows 3.x and was one of the first tools to offer hardware accelerated rendering of 3D images.
Its value is in creating visuals and fly-through animations to promote a project, rather than design it from the floor up.
Along with the vanilla 3DS Max, you can choose three special flavours designed for Media work & Entertainment, Production design & manufacturing, and an Architecture, Engineering and Construction collection.
That last collection includes products we’ll mention separately, including AutoCAD, Civil 3D. Revit and also InfraWorks, Navisworks Manage.
Those are just the major applications, as it also has tools for structural analysis, steel detailing, building performance analysis and even vehicle path calculations.
3DS Max is available through a yearly subscription of $1,545 with a discount available if you sign up for two or three years in advance. Alternatively, you can buy it as part of a bundle with Revit, AutoCAD, Civil 3D, InfraWorks, and Navisworks Manage for (a discounted) $2,825.
2. Civil 3D
AutoCAD with a civil engineering twist
Modelling and drawing are only two of the functions needed from CAD by architects and builders. There are many others, many of which are addressed by Civil 3D from Autodesk.
Designed to work with other Autodesk products, specifically AutoCAD, Revit and 3DS Max, it offers a design and documentation pipeline for Building Information Modelling (BIM) workflows.
One useful ability is the integration of survey images with terrain modelling, roads, service schematics and constructional geometry. All these elements are placed into a single highly annotated package. Allowing engineers to focus on their specific area, but also see how their changes might interfere with others.
Civil 3D costs $2,205 per year to license, or like 3DS Max it can be licensed with other Autodesk products in the Architecture, Engineering & Construction Collection for $2,825 per year.
3. AutoCAD
AutoCAD - MonthlyAutoCAD has long been a staple of constructional engineers and architects, and Autodesk has built in specific building design and architecture toolkits into its staple AutoCAD software.
To speed up the process, it provides pre-built objects for walls, doors and Windows, and mechanisms for creating elevations, sections and plans from model geometry.
The only big caveat to this application is how firmly aligned to older working practices it is, where many in the building trade are moving towards a Building Information Modelling application (BIM) future. For those customers Autodesk offers Revit.
Cost is $1,610 per year, or you can get it as part of the Architecture, Engineering & Construction Collection for $2,825 per year.
4. CATIA
Can model buildings just as well as jets
We first encountered CATIA over thirty years ago, when the creators Dassault Systèmes started to promote their in-house solution to other companies.
Originally conceived to precision model military hardware, it can easily handle complex architectural problems and generate finely detailed models.
Where many CAD systems added collaboration and security controlled distribution later, CATIA had this from its inception. And, more recently it expanded those coordination features to embrace Cloud functionality.
With such powerful and fully featured software Dassault don’t post exact pricing. Instead, you have to ask for a quote. That hints at a high cost per seat, although the number of companies that use it also indicates that it is probably worth what they’re demanding.
5. Chief Architect
A software house building kit
Substantially more homes are built than giant office complexes or retail parks, and that is the forte of Chief Architect.
This tool can be utilised by homeowners wanting to remodel, home builders, interior designers and architects creating unique residences.
Depending on specific needs there is a product selection that begins very modestly and focuses, for example, on Interiors. Or, you can spend much more on their Premier product that handles complete buildings with all their details.
Using Premier or Architect Interiors you to rapidly construct 3D models of exterior and interior spaces and then project those into 2D plans and elevations.
Premier costs $2,995, and Architect Interiors costs $2,195 per annum, and then $495 per year renewal for either. Or you can rent them for roughly 10% of those prices per month.
6. Revit
Part of a whole new generation of Autodesk products aimed specifically at architectural studios that handle complex projects and need BIM (Building Information Modelling), Revit not only enabled the design and modelling of a building, but the coordination of multiple engineers collaborating on the same scheme.
Designers using Revit are working with objects, not a vector between two points, and that allows them to work quickly and with confidence.
However, even if they both use a command line interface, this isn’t like AutoCAD. And, those coming from that discipline might struggle initially with the transition. Once they’ve scaled the steep learning curve, Revit can offer a competitive edge over those that are just using traditional design applications.
Revit starts at $2,310 per year and comes in the same collection that AutoCAD and 3D Studio Max offer for architects.
7. Rhino 6
The king of curved surfaces
Most CAD applications are great with straight lines and less marvellous with anything curved. Rhino was designed from inception to handle curved lines, meshes and NURBS surfaces of high complexity, like those in the features of a human face or the sweeping curves of a super-car.
For architectural design, Rhino can easily model the complex intersections of curved roofing or any part of the structure that isn’t inherently straight.
As a platform, it isn’t a specialised tool. Instead, it caters for add-ins and the Grasshopper visual programming system to enable it to be tailored to specific tasks.
This makes Rhino a highly flexible tool that can be tweaked to automate complex modelling and detailing operations for those projects that need them.
A single license for Rhino 6 on Windows PC costs €995 (£880, or $1,160), with a number of add-ons costing extra. Unusually for CAD software, you are not forced to upgrade to the next release and upgrades generally cost half that of a new license.
8. Sketchup
Originally a Google-backed project, Sketchup is now owned and developed by Trimble, who release a new version at least once a year.
As a start point for anyone entering 3D modelling, Sketchup is as easy as CAD gets. After a few easy to follow tutorials, designers should be able to work rapidly to construct complex solid geometry using it.
Tthe free release has made Sketchup very popular, generating a large and active community of Sketchup users on hand to help the inexperienced. The user-base has also contributed to an extensive object library, a vast resource of pre-constructed parts to drop into any project.
It might not be suitable for designing a building entirely, but it is an excellent tool for rapidly prototyping a design when it is still at a conceptual stage.
Sketchup offers a free tier, although it has limited features. Sketchup Shop has more for $119 per year, while the full-featured Sketchup Pro costs $299 per year.
Other architecture software options to consider
While we've featured some of the most powerful and popular AutoCAD and 3D design software programs in this roundup, especially for use in designing buildings and other architectural interests, there are plenty of alternative options to consider. Some of these are worth looking at because they better serve as an introduction for beginners, while others are notable for being free while retaining useful features.
TurboCAD Deluxe 2018 is a particularly good choice for beginners and intermediate users. It may not offer as many features as some of the other products on this page, but that's to be expected with a price tag of just $149. Even so, it may be a good piece of software to try in order to simply get used to basic functions, though be warned that there are no command line options here (which more advanced programs tends to offer).
FreeCAD is a free open source 3D modeler, which is especially good for reverse engineering models and seeing how changing parameters can affect the whole design. While it's not so feature-rich as the big paid-for programs, it is a well-supported platform and it does actually have some complex features to explore. Furthermore, it offers cross-platform support, so you can use it regardless of whether your PC is running Windows, macOS, or Linux.
SolidWorks is a powerful CAD program that manages to strike a balance between ease-of-use and advanced features. There's still a learning curve, though it's not overly steep, and some of the nice touches here include a wizard that looks for structural weaknesses in designs. However, it is a general 3D modeling tool rather than specific to architecture itself, so it might be better used for materials modeling rather than buildings. Even so, this product carries a lower price tag than many of the rivals we've featured here, so may be worth a look.
Tinkercad is another general 3D modeling tool that gets a mention because it's free to use and targeted at beginners. So if you lack confidence with tackling grand projects for the moment, Tinkercad could be something to get you used to some of the basics and features you might later develop more advanced training in. And because there's no charge to use it, the program won't burn a hole in your pocket – just treat it like a design sandbox to grow your skills.
CorelCAD is a dedicated CAD program from the ubiquitous Corel design team. It's a 2D drafting and 3D design platform that can be easier to use than some of the more complex products featured here. As you'd expect from Corel, though, this is a good all-rounder that aims to bring together a strong toolkit – not least in terms of the creation and manipulation of vector graphics – at a price that is less than half of the more expensive programs featured here.
Architectural CAD software help architects to design as well as a document more effectively and efficiently. Using this layer management is possible as well as drawings can be created in 2D or 3D. Using these CAD Software floors, doors, stairs, walls, roofs etc can be composed of the 2D plan. If there are changes and doors or windows are removed, the walls mend themselves. Columns, beams, and slabs too can be created. These allow annotation of rooms to be done too.
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ZWCAD
This software is used for architects who want immediate work done. It has content libraries as well as various tools which help to make the workflow more efficient. It automates the task of drafting and it reduces errors while increasing the efficiency.
Chief Architect
This helps in remodeling as well as for designing. It is used for 3D Rendering, it has modeling tools and using it construction drawings, as well as elevations, can be created. This has orthographic and perspective 3D camera tools and one can take virtual tours using this software. It allows for perspective layout views and more.
LUMION 7.0
This software is easy to learn and using it videos as well as images can be created, even 360-degree panoramas. It helps with architectural visualizations. There are skies, water, material, people, plants, trees and more than can be added. It has a huge library of artistic effects.
SketchUp
This has usability and functionality as well without compromising on either. You can copy, stretch, rotate and paint anything. It allows for 3D projects to be created, you can choose the drawing scales, dimensions, graphics, call outs and more. You can even export to PDF files, images or CAD files.
CADlogic
This software is easy to use and it does not have restrictions. It allows for high efficiency, accuracy, and minimization of repetitive designing. It is usable in building designs, structural designs as well as various forms of engineering.
Punch! Home & Landscape Design Architectural Series v19
This allows for easy editing of objects, customization of building materials, it allows for the precise and fast creation of symbols using the ready-made tools, you can create plans, furniture, there are panning, cutaway tools and more.
CYCAS CAD 2D + 3D + ARCHITECTURE
This software help in the creation of technical drawings as they had a number of construction and modification tools as well as various selection tools to measure and snap objects to place.
Free Architectural Cad Software For Mac
TurboCAD 2016 Professional
QCAD
Dream Plan Home Design Software
Free Cad Software For Mac
ILEXSOFT HighDesign 2017
MyArchiCAD for Windows
This software is designed for Windows Operating Systems. This is used for generating of associative documentation and you can create a virtual building model. It is great for schools, educational institutions and professional users alike. It has a Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing modeler which is used for creation or editing and even of importing of networks such as piping, ductwork, and cable trays.
ARES® Commander for Mac
This is designed for Mac, Linux, and Windows devices. It has a user-friendly environment and there are various features to increase productivity. This comes in 14 languages and it has a programming interface for various programming languages. This uses .dwg as the main format.
CAD Touch Free for Android
This is developed for Android devices and has a multitouch interface which is precise and flexible. It offers support for imperial measure units and decimal support as well. It does not require internet connectivity and you can share and save the work in PDF, PNG and DWG formats.
AutoCAD Architecture – Most Popular Software
This is one of the most popular software. It is used to draw shapes accurately and quickly as well as modify the outlines of the roof using precisely controlled measurements. It helps in producing renovations more efficiently and confirming of styles of walls, doors, and windows before adding.
These software helps in the creation of technical drawings as they had a number of construction and modification tools as well as various selection tools and tools to measure and snap objects to place.