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They are not like-for-like alternatives. Allplan Architecture was an architectural BIM authoring product; current ALLPLAN is an active design-to-build platform for creating models and producing project deliverables. Tekla BIMsight was a model-review and coordination tool, and Trimble has discontinued it. For new BIMsight-style coordination work, evaluate Trimble Connect instead. This comparison reflects product information available as of September 23, 2026.
Two different jobs in a BIM workflow
The name “Allplan Architecture” can refer to an older product or package. It should not be treated as identical to a current ALLPLAN edition: the product line and package names have changed. Current ALLPLAN is presented as a broader platform spanning architecture, engineering, construction, infrastructure, fabrication, and site planning. Its architectural role is to author and develop building information models, then create documentation and other design-to-build outputs.
Tekla BIMsight sat at a different layer. It was intended for reviewing and coordinating models from authoring tools, including viewing multiple models, navigating and measuring, using clip planes and markups, and working with IFC-based project information. It was not a full architectural modeling and documentation system. In practical terms, ALLPLAN can be where a building model and its drawings are made; BIMsight was a place to inspect and discuss models made elsewhere.
That distinction matters more than a feature checklist. A coordination viewer cannot replace an authoring system when the work requires editing the source building model, maintaining its information, and issuing plans, sections, schedules, or construction documentation.
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Tekla BIMsight is discontinued
Trimble ended BIMsight distribution, support, and maintenance. The last version was 1.10, and the end-of-life notice gives January 31, 2020 as the final date for support and online services. Trimble says existing users may continue to use the software offline, but users cannot sign in or register as new users. As of September 23, 2026, Trimble’s product page no longer offers BIMsight for download and directs users to Trimble Connect for Windows as the successor path. See Trimble’s end-of-life notice and its BIMsight status and replacement page.
So BIMsight may still matter if a project archive or existing offline installation depends on it, but it is not a sound choice for a new deployment that needs vendor support, current installers, maintenance, or dependable long-term collaboration. Do not confuse it with Tekla Structures: that is a separate product for structural modeling and detailing, not the current name for BIMsight.
What current ALLPLAN offers
ALLPLAN’s current product page positions the platform for work from concept through detailed design, construction planning, and delivery. Depending on edition, its functions include 2D drafting, 3D and information modeling, visualization, documentation, quantities, clash detection, cloud collaboration, and workflows for engineering and construction. The ALLPLAN 2026 edition comparison distinguishes the feature sets rather than presenting every capability as universal.
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Rank #2
- Basic: an entry-level option for drawings and simpler 3D work; the feature comparison indicates more limited industry-specific functionality than higher editions.
- Concept: oriented toward building modeling, visualization, evaluation, and documentation.
- Professional: adds broader architectural and engineering design/detailing workflows, including building, road, and civil-structure work.
- Ultimate: the broadest multidisciplinary design-to-build package, with advanced detailing and construction-oriented capabilities.
Exact functions depend on the edition, release, region, connected services, and project setup. Older Allplan Architecture brochures and prices should not be used as a substitute for checking the current package comparison and license terms.
Use-case comparison
| Need | Current ALLPLAN | Tekla BIMsight |
|---|---|---|
| Create or substantially edit an architectural BIM | Yes; architectural authoring is a core use, with capability varying by edition. | No; it was a review and coordination tool, not a full authoring environment. |
| Produce plans and project documentation | Yes; documentation and drafting are part of the current product family. | Not its purpose. |
| Review multiple discipline models | Current editions list coordination-related functions, including clash detection; check edition and workflow needs. | Historically a central use: assemble and inspect models, measure, section, and mark up. |
| Quantities, detailing, or construction workflows | Available to differing degrees by edition, with broader capabilities in higher packages. | Not a comparable architectural production workflow. |
| Current vendor support and new deployment | Active product family; verify regional availability, system requirements, and licensing. | Discontinued and unsupported; not available as a current Trimble download. |
| Current BIMsight-style coordination path | ALLPLAN collaboration services may suit ALLPLAN-centered projects. | Trimble directs users to Trimble Connect, not BIMsight. |
ALLPLAN pricing: a dated U.S. snapshot
The official U.S. ALLPLAN shop showed the following starting prices on August 18, 2026: Basic from $140/month, Concept from $241/month, Professional from $299/month, and Ultimate from $404/month. These are “from” prices and exclude VAT or other taxes. Check the current shop listing for the actual price applicable to your location, billing term, user count, and contract; cloud entitlements and other terms may also differ.
Those figures are not directly comparable to BIMsight’s historical reputation as a free tool. BIMsight is not a currently supported product that can be newly procured. Trimble describes Trimble Connect for Windows as free on its replacement page, but that statement should not be read as a verified summary of every current Trimble Connect plan limit or commercial term.
Interoperability: decide what must survive the handoff
Before choosing either platform, define what you need to exchange. A model that opens for visual inspection is not necessarily a model whose object properties, classifications, quantities, relationships, issue history, and views round-trip intact. Confirm the IFC version and exchange requirements for the exact software releases involved; also test whether your team’s DWG, PDF, BCF, and other deliverables meet the project specification.
Keep these tasks separate in your evaluation:
- Viewing: Can the recipient open and navigate the geometry?
- Federated coordination: Can several discipline models be assembled and reviewed together?
- Issue exchange: Can comments, viewpoints, and assigned issues move between the tools your team actually uses?
- Authoring: Can the responsible designer edit and maintain the source BIM rather than merely inspect it?
- Documentation: Can the source model reliably produce the drawings, schedules, and other required project outputs?
Trimble documents a specific limitation for native BIMsight .tbp project imports into Trimble Connect: ToDos, views, and clash checks are not exported. Do not assume migration is lossless. Review Trimble’s .tbp migration guidance and replacement guidance, then validate a representative project against your requirements.
Choosing the right current workflow
Choose ALLPLAN if you need architectural production
Consider current ALLPLAN when your team must create architectural BIM, develop design information, produce drawings or quantities, coordinate design and engineering, or support wider detailing and construction planning. Start with the edition comparison and map required functions to the project rather than buying on the historical Allplan Architecture name alone. Concept may fit building modeling and documentation needs; Professional or Ultimate may be appropriate where broader engineering, detailing, or design-to-build functions are needed.
Rank #4
Choose Trimble Connect if you need coordination, not authoring
If your primary task is to view, share, review, or coordinate models—and especially if you are seeking the successor to BIMsight—evaluate Trimble Connect for Windows. It is the relevant current path Trimble promotes, but it is not an architectural authoring replacement for ALLPLAN. Confirm current plan terms and test the exact exchange and issue workflow your project requires.
Keep an archival plan for old BIMsight projects
If you hold a .tbp project or depend on an old installation, preserve the original files and installation media before attempting migration. Test a representative project, not just a small sample. Compare geometry, placement, properties, markups, views, ToDos, and clash checks against the source; expect the documented losses of ToDos, views, and clash checks on import into Trimble Connect. If legal or operational obligations require access to the original environment, retain an appropriately controlled offline archival workstation rather than relying on unsupported BIMsight as a live collaboration platform.
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- Architectural firm authoring models and issuing documentation: evaluate current ALLPLAN editions.
- BIM coordinator reviewing federated models: evaluate Trimble Connect or the project’s established coordination platform, not discontinued BIMsight.
- Existing BIMsight archive: preserve the source, test migration, and plan for lost project objects.
- Structural steel or concrete detailing: assess Tekla Structures separately; it is not BIMsight’s replacement name.
For an ALLPLAN rollout, selection is only part of the work: firms may also need to configure standards and templates, test IFC exchanges, prepare libraries, train staff, and plan archive migration. Requirements vary by team and project, so validate these in a pilot before standardizing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can Tekla BIMsight create architectural BIM models?
No. BIMsight was designed for model viewing and coordination, not as a full architectural authoring and documentation application.
Is Trimble Connect an exact replacement for BIMsight?
Trimble identifies Connect for Windows as the successor path, but it should not be assumed to preserve every BIMsight project item. In particular, Trimble documents that ToDos, views, and clash checks are not exported when importing native .tbp files.
Is Tekla BIMsight the same product as Tekla Structures?
No. BIMsight was a coordination and review tool. Tekla Structures is a separate structural modeling and detailing product.
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