Arkio

Arkio is a design collaboration tool for architects and other spatial designers. It best suits teams that want to develop and review models together across mobile and XR devices. Its strongest case is live, shared design work; meeting-size caps, device concurrency, and AI-credit limits make plan choice consequential.

Overview

Arkio combines real-time solid modeling with meetings where participants can edit or view the same scene. Boolean operations and parametric volumes give designers tools to develop forms, while saved views, voice-transcribed notes, AI renders, and collaborative 2D frames support review. This makes it more than a viewer, but its practical fit depends on how many people need to meet and how much rendering the team expects.

Key features

Modeling and shared meetings

Real-time solid modeling, including boolean operations and parametric volumes, supports design development in the same environment used for collaboration. Participants can view and edit together during meetings, a useful combination for teams making decisions around a shared scene. Starter meetings are limited to one-on-one; larger groups need a paid plan.

Review and AI renders

Saved views, voice-transcribed notes, and 2D frames help teams record and discuss design feedback. AI renders add visualization, but each render costs one credit and monthly allowances renew monthly. Teams that render regularly should account for the monthly cap rather than assume unlimited use.

Application integrations

Plugins connect Arkio with Archicad, Navisworks, Revit, Rhino, and SketchUp for model and related-data import or export. Access varies by plan: Pro includes Revit, Rhino, and SketchUp import/export and Archicad and Navisworks import, while Starter is limited to OBJ/GLB and image import/export.

Pricing

Arkio has a free Starter plan, a 14-day Pro trial with 20 AI credits, and paid subscriptions. The trial is a useful way to assess the paid workflow before choosing a plan.

• Starter — free. Includes all modeling tools, one-on-one meetings, and OBJ/GLB and image import/export. It suits solo work or pairs with basic exchange needs, but its meeting size and narrower file support are significant constraints for team collaboration.
• Pro — $35 a month. Annual billing is $35 month/user if billed annually; otherwise it is $45 billed per month. Tax is not included. Pro supports up to six meeting participants, includes 500 AI credits/month, and adds Revit, Rhino, and SketchUp import/export plus Archicad and Navisworks import. It fits small teams that need those integrations and more than one-to-one meetings. A license can be installed on up to two devices but used on only one device at a time.
• Enterprise — $85 a month. Billed $85 month/floating license, annual billing only; tax is not included. It allows up to 24 meeting participants, includes 1000 AI credits/month per license, and adds floating licenses and priority support. This is the better fit for larger teams needing broader meetings or shared licensing, but annual-only billing is a commitment.

Arkio also offers free educational licenses for schools and educational institutions to apply for. A help center and community forum are available; Enterprise adds priority support, personal onboarding, and custom training plans.

Platforms

Arkio supports Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows, with VR/AR support and mobile viewing. That range suits teams working across desktop and mobile or XR devices, though Pro’s one-device-at-a-time rule limits simultaneous use of a license.

Who it's for

Arkio is a strong fit for architects and spatial designers who need to shape models and review them collaboratively, particularly when live scene meetings and its named application integrations are central to the workflow. It is less suited to teams that need large meetings on the free plan, unrestricted simultaneous device use, or AI rendering beyond their monthly credits.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Modeling, shared scene meetings, and review tools sit together, supporting both design development and feedback.
• Pro: Plugins cover five named design and coordination applications, with Pro adding several import/export paths beyond Starter’s OBJ/GLB and image exchange.
• Con: Starter meetings stop at one-on-one, so teams must pay to collaborate in larger groups.
• Con: AI rendering consumes monthly credits, and Pro use is limited to one device at a time even though the license can be installed on two.
• Con: Enterprise requires annual billing, making it a less flexible choice for teams unsure they need its larger meetings and floating licenses.

Alternatives

Archicad is worth considering for eligible students and educators seeking its free one-year educational license, or for teams looking for a paid option with a free trial. Graphisoft BIMx is a better match when a free app and browser viewer is enough; opening projects on mobile and desktop requires a Graphisoft account, and it has no free trial.

Live Home 3D offers a free app with in-app Standard and Pro subscriptions and lifetime licenses, which may suit users choosing among those purchase formats. usBIM.platform is an alternative for those seeking a free basic configuration with 10 GB cloud storage and free online applications; its subscriptions let users choose additional applications.

Bonsai is a free, open-source option for users who want Studio and Viewer software across Linux, macOS, or Windows. Rayon may suit teams seeking a free plan with full editing, unlimited public models, and limited PDF and DWG export, block and style libraries, and model history.

TAD Designer is another free option; its Lite plan is free to use, while the full version requires free teamTAD Discord membership. Twinmotion offers a free plan and a seat plan with one-year upgrades, Twinmotion Cloud, documentation, learning materials, and community forums.

Architecture Software and 3D Visualization Software are broader directories for comparing tools in those categories.

Verdict

Choose Arkio if your design work benefits from shared, editable scenes, review tools, and integration with the applications it supports. Starter is a credible way to work on models with one other person, while Pro is the practical step up for small teams needing six-person meetings and broader exchange. Look elsewhere if your team needs larger meetings without an annual Enterprise commitment, or expects AI rendering and concurrent device use without tight limits.