Rayon

Rayon is a 2D CAD workspace for interior designers and architects creating architectural plans. It is best for people who want drafting, BIM tools, AI assistance, and live collaboration together; look elsewhere for 3D modeling or an uncapped free workflow.

Overview

Rayon focuses on architectural plans, pairing drafting commands with BIM tools rather than serving as a general-purpose 3D design suite. Shared editing, comments, doodles, public links, guest access, and presentation mode make it useful when clients or colleagues need to review a drawing. A brand kit adds support for presenting work consistently.

Its boundary is clear: Rayon is 2D software, not a 3D modeling tool. It imports DWG, DXF, PDF, and image files, but each import type has a 25 MB cap. Exports are PNG, PDF, DWG, and DXF; the Free plan limits PDF and DWG export, so users with regular document handoffs may need a paid tier.

Key features

Drafting, libraries, and AI

Rayon combines CAD commands and BIM tools for architectural plan work. More than 4,000 elements and over 100 pre-built templates provide reusable starting points, while personal libraries and templates let users build repeatable conventions. These resources are a practical advantage for recurring projects, though they do not change the product's 2D focus.

AI features cover several distinct tasks: finding or generating assets, answering CAD questions, creating architectural visuals, and converting images into vector sketches or wireframes. This breadth can help with both drawing preparation and exploration. AI use is metered on paid plans, so the weekly credit allowance matters to anyone relying on those tools frequently.

Collaboration and file handling

Realtime editing, comments, and doodles support feedback in the drawing itself, while public-link sharing and guest access make it easier to involve people who are not editors. The import and export formats suit common CAD and document exchanges, but the 25 MB import ceiling may rule out larger source files, and Free's restricted PDF and DWG exports can complicate final delivery.

Pricing

Rayon uses a freemium model. Free costs nothing and offers the full editing experience, unlimited public models, limited PDF and DWG export, limited block and style libraries, seven days of model history, and AI support only. It is a useful way to work in the editor without paying, but the export and history limits make it less suited to ongoing client or team projects.

Pro costs $21 a month, billed per month. It adds unlimited private models, full PDF and DWG export, full access to Rayon libraries, unlimited model history, AI support and async personal support, personal templates and libraries, and 100 AI credits per week. It fits individual users who need private work and unrestricted exports; it does not include the Team plan's live personal support or team-level billing.

Team costs $38 a month, billed per month, per editor. It includes the Pro export, private-model, library, and history features, plus team templates and libraries, team-level billing, live personal support, and 200 AI credits per week. A 15-day free trial gives teams a chance to assess the tier before committing. Per-editor pricing means the cost rises with the number of editors, so the additional support and shared resources are most compelling for active teams.

Rayon also offers desktop apps for Windows and Mac, alongside its web platform. It says personal data transfers use US-based processors with appropriate safeguards, including Standard Contractual Clauses where applicable.

Platforms

Rayon runs on the web and has desktop apps for Windows and macOS. That gives users a choice between browser access and installed desktop software, but it does not extend to mobile platforms.

Who it's for

Rayon is a strong fit for interior designers and architects who produce 2D plans, reuse drawing components, and need collaborators to review work in real time. Solo users can start on Free, while Pro suits individuals needing full exports and private models; teams that value live personal support and shared libraries should consider Team. It is not the right choice for workflows centered on 3D modeling, and large-file imports exceed its stated cap.

Pros and cons

• Pros: CAD drafting and BIM tools share one 2D plan workflow, with AI assistance spanning asset discovery, CAD questions, visuals, and image-to-vector conversion.
• Pros: Realtime collaboration, comments, doodles, guest access, and public links support review without limiting sharing to editors.
• Pros: A library of more than 4,000 elements and over 100 templates can support reuse, with options to create personal or team resources.
• Cons: Rayon is not 3D software, so it cannot serve users who need three-dimensional modeling.
• Cons: Imports are capped at 25 MB, which can exclude larger DWG, DXF, PDF, or image files.
• Cons: Free limits PDF and DWG export, libraries, and model history; meaningful ongoing use may require a paid plan.
• Cons: Team pricing is per editor, and AI credits remain finite even on paid tiers.

Alternatives

For broader architecture-software options, see Architecture Software. If you are comparing visual boards rather than architectural drafting tools, Mood Board Software is the relevant category.

Adobe Firefly is a freemium alternative with a free tier limited to daily generations and platform support for Android, iOS, web, and API; choose it when those platform options and generation-focused use matter more than Rayon’s CAD and BIM plan workflow.

Milanote is a freemium option with a free tier capped at 100 notes, images, or links and 10 file uploads, plus unlimited shared boards. Choose it for shared visual boards rather than architectural plan drafting.

Moodis offers a free tier for local mood boards and a Pro plan at €5 a month; consider it when mood-board work and its lower stated paid price are a closer fit than CAD drafting.

PureRef is another freemium alternative for readers comparing tools in this category.

ShopLook keeps its creative canvas free and offers ShopLook Pro for $3.99 a month; it is an option for creative-canvas use rather than architectural plan production.

Soleil Clusters has a free Demo tier with 50 cards, unlimited clusters and collaborators, and standard media only; choose it for collaborative clustering rather than CAD plans.

Kanvaz is free, MIT licensed, and has no feature paywall, making it worth considering when an entirely free desktop option is the priority.

LibreMoodboards is a free, open-source Windows app without subscriptions, microtransactions, or paywalls; it is an alternative for mood-board work on Windows.

Verdict

Choose Rayon if you need a collaborative 2D architectural drafting workspace with BIM tools, reusable libraries, and AI features in the same product. Its paid plans remove important export and history restrictions, but the 25 MB import cap and lack of 3D make it a poor fit for large-source-file or modeling-heavy work.