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There is countless BIM software on the market, and it is not always easy to choose. So, we’ve listed for you, the best BIM software to use in 2024. As always, before finding the right software, you need to define your needs. Are you looking for a tool to create a 3D BIM model? For document management on a construction project, to control the quality of models, or to automate your reporting? For a point cloud, asset management, or planning? There are countless types of BIM software, and it is not always easy to differentiate and categorize them. So, we’ve put together a list of the best BIM software to use in 2024. Most of them are part of the most popular BIM software. We have added to the list a few little gems that we think are still too little known. Therefore, here’s our list of the best BIM software to use in 2024 in our opinion.We hope this blog post will help you see it more clearly.
To work in BIM process it is necessary to model the buildings, and for that, you will need modeling software. we start the bim software list with the most popular BIM modeling software:
Revit, part of Autodesk’s BIM software list, stands out as our preferred modeling and plans creation tool. This BIM (Building Information Modeling) software caters to designers, builders, and creators, enabling 3D building modeling for better coordination among construction trades. It also aids in clash detection, quality control, and offers numerous plugins for specialized tasks like point cloud or thermal calculations. You can even create custom plugins if you know how to code. Although it has a steep learning curve, the extensive community, forums, and tutorials within the BIM software list make it easier to master. Exporting to IFC may pose challenges, but ample tutorials are available to assist.
Revit offers a free trial, and pricing starts at $2675 per year.
Capterra note: 4,6/5
Archicad is a BIM Architecture tool, a collaborative solution dedicated to architects. It allows to model a building in 3D and to establish different types of documents necessary for the construction project, such as plans, cuts, lists of objects or perspectives, and elevations.It is an OpenBIM solution, which can create and read data in .ifc format.Exporting to .ifc is relatively easy to do.
Archicad pricing starts at $2250 per year, a complementary 30 days trial is offered.
Capterra note: 4,4/5
It is a computer-aided design software, created by the Nemetschek group.Allplan developed different solutions for different needs of the AEC industry : Architecture, Building engineering,Precast Buildings,Rebar detailing,Civil engineering and BIM collaborationBIM collaboration.The export to .ifc is limited because not all parameters can be exported.
Allplan basic plan costs $1435 per year.
Many fields have been using analytics for years, but it is still not used enough in the construction industry. Leveraging analytics from your BIM software list and other data sources on your construction projects allows better risk management and thus, a cost reduction. It allows you to aggregate different databases together and have automated reporting with relevant KPIs to increase profitability. But also to answer more easily your financial, legal, and environmental challenges.
SeveUp App allows you to transform the data of your BIM models into real insights understandable by everyone, even non-BIM specialists.Create your own dashboards, for your clients, your teams, or yourself. Reporting, quality control of the BIM model, 4D planning, space management, Key performance indicators…Data visualization is the best way to help you meet your challenges, whether they are environmental, legal, or financial. Check here for more details
-> free trial with no obligation, test it now from here
To work in a BIM process, you need a BIM model, but above all, you need a qualitative BIM model from your BIM software list! It is important to ensure that it is qualitative because the purpose of BIM is not the model but the uses that result from it. Uses such as: quantity control, 4D planning, program control, KPIs… And, if the data in the model is not all accurate, then the resulting uses are bound to be distorted. Therefore, it is imperative to verify the quality and conformity of BIM models.
Solibri allows you to control the quality of a BIM model. Describe the BIM rules and then check with the data present in your BIM model. You will end up with a list of objects to check with a 3D viewer in order to identify each object. Model Checking, Quality Assurance, Analysis, and Code Compliance. However, it is a technical tool that requires some knowledge, a great tool but complex to learn.
Solibri starts at 280 euros per month.
Catenda offers BIM solutions facilitating collaboration across the construction lifecycle. From Catenda Hub’s user-friendly platform to Catenda Site’s mobile capabilities, and Catenda Duo’s digital twin for operations, they optimize project management. Additionally, Catenda Boost empowers software integration. With 20 integrations, Catenda Hub enhances collaboration in the construction industry.
The SeveUp BIM Data Checker ensures BIM model quality by analyzing and detecting errors, ensuring compliance, validating data, supporting performance analysis, optimizing workflows, promoting collaboration, and providing detailed reports. It simplifies data analysis with user-friendly dashboards and customizable IDS-based criteria, saving time and improving project outcomes.
4D planning, increasingly popular in the construction industry, connects the site schedule to the 3D BIM model in real-time from your BIM software list. This practice enables the anticipation of potential risks on the construction site, optimizing the project. Initially, it was a sequence of images in video format, but new tools within the BIM software list are evolving this practice, making it more manageable and accessible. So, you don’t want your building to look like Homer’s barbecue, do you?
Synchro is a Bentley tool.It is a complete portfolio of integrated field-to-office applications for digital construction management and estimating.It’s useful for 4D planning, you can link schedules with objects from your BIM model and then export a video for the project owners.You can also use it to describe quantities, QTO (Quantities Take-Offs) for example.
Synchro offers a 30-day free trial.
Capterra note: 4,7/5
Navisworks by Autodesk is a project review software designed to improve BIM coordination.Like Synchro, Navisworks is a 4D planning tool, you can link schedules to BIM objects.It also allows you to make clash studies and identify interference issues.Use Navisworks Manage to control your BIM models.
Navisworks plans start at $1020 per year, a free trial is available.
Capterra note: 4,2/5
The 4D experience is no longer reserved for specialists, it becomes accessible to all, with ease. Access a dashboard linking the schedule to the BIM model. Check-in real-time the progress of your site compared to the forecasted progress. Most importantly, visualize the progress, and the areas of delay or risk by interacting with the 3D viewer to have a higher level of information. Since tasks are associated with equipment in the model, when you select a date you see the objects in the viewer.
What would a BIM project be without a DMS from your BIM software list? The DMS is the tool at the heart of the project, allowing collaboration between different specialties and actors. DMS stands for Document Management System. It is the space where all project information is collected, managed, and stored. It is the memory of the project.
Kairnial is an online collaborative platform that allows you to digitize your business processes and control your asset data. DMS, construction project follow-up, viewer, BIM data management, inspections, and equipment management. It’s great for tracking contractual documents and seeing if they correspond to the provisional list. Kairnial allows you to structure and centralize all of your data, to monitor the performance of your projects. And, it’s accessible online from your phone or computer. It allows you to manage the approval of contractual documents (called visa in French).
This collaborative platform streamlines processes from pre-construction to project completion. It allows better anticipation of risks. Procore helps you with Preconstruction (manage designs, budgets, and bids) & project management, with quality & security control. You can identify & track critical costs and know the financial health of your project.
Capterra note: 4,5/5
Dalux is a good DMS. It also offers a great free BIM viewer, allowing comments on the models and monitoring in real-time. 2D plans can be matched with 3D models, which makes it much easier to move around the model. Integration of Revit, ArchiCAD, Navisworks, Tekla models, it also works with IFC files.
Capterra note: 4,8/5
Bimsync, part of the BIM software list, is a great collaboration and Open BIM project management platform developed by Catenda. It allows stakeholders such as architects, engineers, project managers & owners to receive up-to-date information. It is a very easy-to-use tool, the 2D and 3D viewer is high quality, and there is a BCF server. So, it’s also a tool to check the conformity of your models. Cool UX, and it’s a tool that’s easy to use.
Bimsync Arena offers a free plan.
Capterra note: 4,5/5
Yes, Dropbox is not originally a BIM solution, but it is increasingly used as a DMS in construction projects. Dropbox is only partially a DMS because it does not impose naming, it should be seen as a simple sharing platform like Google Drive. Yet, Dropbox Business allows you to consult and organize the plan in the field as well as exchange feedback with other stakeholders on the project.
Capterra note: 4,5/5
Autodesk BIM 360, a key addition to your BIM software list, is part of the Autodesk Construction Cloud. It enables you to work collaboratively with the models, often used in full Revit projects. It allows you to reduce risks, improve the quality of your construction projects, and deliver projects on time and on budget. Notable features include a document naming feature for better issue visibility and construction quality management, as well as the development of a standardized safety program for easy adoption by all. It also helps designate clear responsibilities for each step of the RFI (Request For Information) and submission process.
Capterra note: 4,3/5
Trimble Connect is a cloud-based common data environment (CDE) and collaboration platform, a stand-alone tool. It’s easy to learn and offers a large number of integrations, which enables data transfer between your favorite applications. It is a DMS that manages the different versions of documents, with a viewer to visualize each document. However, it does not offer approval management of contractual documents. The little extra we liked, we can choose the location of the servers at registration, it’s great in terms of the security of our data. Trimble Connect could have a better UX and improve the loading time of the models and the visualization of those. More features would make it a more complete tool. It can be connected to BIM collab.
And, there is a free personal plan.
Capterra note: 3/5
Kroqi is a collaborative platform, which allows you to create projects for each activity of your organization. Smooth communication, centralization of your documents by project, agile task management, shared calendar, meeting planning, and reporting. Use Kroqi Drive to work offline. It is a good solution for BIM submission, inexpensive, simple and effective for small and medium projects. As for the viewer, you can download EveBIM and connect it to the Kroqi online platform.
Starter plan is free.
The BIM collaborative platform Axeobim is a DMS & CDE (Common Data Environment). It’s made for actors in the construction industry, from the project owner to the project management teams and general contractors. Intuitive and advanced management of your validation circuits, management of access rights, and codification of your documents. You can streamline the exchange of key information with all stakeholders and companies. Everyone can see the models, plans, and other documents related to the construction site. BCF management, viewer and UX could be improved.
In conclusion, the world of BIM software is vast, offering a multitude of options to cater to various needs in the construction industry. Choosing the right solution from the BIM software list for your 2024 projects is crucial, and it begins with a clear understanding of your specific requirements. Whether you seek powerful BIM modeling tools like Revit and Archicad, analytics-driven insights from SeveUp App, rigorous model checking with Solibri or Catenda Bimsync, dynamic 4D planning using Synchro and Navisworks, or efficient document management through Kairnial, Procore, Dalux, Dropbox, Autodesk BIM 360, Trimble Connect, Kroqi, or Axeobim, there’s a BIM software solution tailored to your needs. As you embark on your BIM journey in 2024, choosing the right software is a critical step toward enhancing collaboration, ensuring quality, and achieving success in the ever-evolving construction industry.
Want to get started with your very own BIM project? You’ll be surprised by just how easy it is. Create your own free account is SeveUp today and give it a try.
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