Archicad

Overview

Archicad is BIM software for designing and delivering building projects, aimed chiefly at architects and multidisciplinary AEC teams. Its strongest case is a connected workflow from model to coordinated documentation and collaboration; the per-seat annual commitment makes it a serious professional purchase rather than a casual design tool.

It runs on macOS and Windows, and those versions share file-format compatibility and Teamwork. Graphisoft, its Budapest-based developer, was founded in 1982. For category comparisons, see BIM Software, Architectural Design Software, and Architecture Software.

Key features

Archicad covers mass modeling, sketches, design-option exploration, building elements, and custom components, alongside quantity take-offs. That breadth suits teams moving from early design toward project documentation, though it is more tool than a casual home-planning project is likely to need.

Drawings are derived from the 3D model, with real-time coordination and automated annotation updates. This keeps documentation connected to design changes. IFC, BCF, and IDS support openBIM workflows, and connections include Bluebeam, BIMplus, Solibri, Autodesk Forma, Enscape, Twinmotion, and D5.

Visualization spans sketches, photorealistic images, fly-throughs, and animations, with a cloud-powered AI Visualizer also available. BIMcloud can centralize a model for live updates and notifications. The Collaborate plan adds Graphisoft-hosted BIMcloud for global Teamwork, while Studio provides local teamwork through BIMcloud Basic.

Archicad also supports multi-discipline work, clash detection, API access, and quantity take-offs. Mobile access is viewer-oriented, so the core design workflow remains a desktop proposition.

Pricing

Archicad is paid software with a 30-day trial. The commercial plans are priced per seat and require an upfront annual subscription, so the monthly figure should not be mistaken for a month-to-month commitment.

• Archicad EDU — free. A free educational license for eligible students, educators, and educational institutions, valid for one year. It is limited to non-commercial learning, teaching, or academic projects, and files carry an irremovable watermark on views and printouts. It is unsuitable for commercial project delivery.
• Archicad Studio — $201 a month. Billed at $201 + tax / month, with an upfront payment of $2,414 + tax for a 1-year Subscription Term per seat. It includes architectural design, local collaboration, Archicad, BIMx Pro, and BIMcloud Basic. This is the lower-cost commercial choice for users who can work with local teamwork rather than hosted global collaboration.
• Archicad Collaborate — $237 a month. Billed at $237 + tax / month, with an upfront payment of $2,840 + tax for a 1-year Subscription Term per seat. It includes architectural design, collaboration, MEP design, Archicad, BIMx Pro, and BIMcloud Software as a Service. It fits teams that need MEP modeling and Graphisoft-hosted global Teamwork; those additions cost $36 more per month than Studio.

The Studio trial gives unlimited access to Archicad, BIMcloud Basic, and BIMx for 30 days, for one free seat. Eligibility requires that the user has never purchased a trial and has not applied for one in the previous 12 months. Archicad 29 commercial use requires a cloud license, CodeMeter software key, or CodeMeter hardware key.

Platforms

Archicad runs on macOS and Windows; the two editions are compatible for file formats and Teamwork. The broader platform listing also includes Android, iOS, and web, but mobile access is viewer-focused rather than a replacement for desktop design.

Who it's for

Archicad is a strong fit for architecture practices and AEC teams that need model-based documentation, openBIM exchange, quantity take-offs, visualization, and structured collaboration. Studio suits teams working locally; Collaborate is the better fit when hosted global teamwork or MEP modeling matters. It is a poor fit for non-commercially restricted EDU work when projects are commercial, or for people seeking a lightweight home-design app.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Model-linked drawings and annotation updates help keep documentation coordinated as designs change.
• Pro: IFC, BCF, and IDS support openBIM exchange, while a broad set of named connections reaches visualization and coordination tools.
• Pro: Collaborate combines MEP design with Graphisoft-hosted BIMcloud for global Teamwork.
• Con: Commercial plans demand a full year paid upfront per seat, which raises the entry commitment for small teams.
• Con: Studio lacks the hosted BIMcloud and MEP modeling included with Collaborate, so teams needing either must pay for the higher tier.
• Con: EDU files are watermarked and restricted to non-commercial use, ruling them out for paid project work.

Alternatives

Graphisoft BIMx is the more focused choice when the need is a free project viewer rather than a full BIM authoring workflow; a Graphisoft account is required to open projects on iOS, Android, and desktop.

Live Home 3D is a freemium option for home-design needs, with a free app and in-app Standard and Pro subscriptions or lifetime licenses.

usBIM.platform offers a free basic configuration with 10 GB of cloud storage and free online applications; choose it when that cloud-and-app setup is a better fit than Archicad's model-centered design plans.

Bonsai is free, open-source BIM software with Studio and Viewer, and is worth considering when those qualities matter more than Archicad's paid plan structure.

Rayon offers a free plan with full editing, unlimited public models, limited PDF and DWG export, limited block and style libraries, and seven days of model history; it is an alternative when those constraints suit the work.

TAD Designer is another free option, with full version use tied to free teamTAD Discord membership and a demo mode.

Twinmotion is an alternative with a free plan and a seat plan that includes one-year upgrades, Twinmotion Cloud, learning materials, and community forums.

Maket is a web-based freemium alternative; its Homeowner plan is $20 a month and includes 300 AI credits per month, with annual billing offering a 17% discount on a 12-month commitment.

Verdict

Choose Archicad if your architecture or AEC team needs one workflow for building design, coordinated documentation, openBIM, and collaboration. Studio is the sensible starting point for local teamwork; Collaborate earns its higher price when hosted global teamwork and MEP modeling are needed. Look elsewhere if the annual per-seat commitment is too steep, or if your work calls for a simpler viewer or home-design tool.