Side by side

BIMx Desktop Viewer vs Open IFC Viewer

Both stand on 3d model viewer software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

BIMx Desktop Viewer

Free plan MacWindows

BIMx Desktop Viewer provides model navigation, measurement, display controls, and PDF export at no cost. Note the listed system requirements and that Windows 10 is unsupported.

Visit BIMx Desktop Viewer

Open IFC Viewer provides local IFC viewing alongside validation, measurement, collision detection, and several export options. Note the documented import and plugin limits, and that schedule timelines depend on data in the model.

Visit Open IFC Viewer

The facts

	BIMx Desktop Viewer	Open IFC Viewer
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Open source	Not published	Not published
Runs on	Mac, Windows	Linux, Mac, Windows
Lowest paid plan	Free or on request	Free or on request
Plans published	1	1
Maker	Not published	Not published
Website	help.graphisoft.com	openifcviewer.com
On 3d model viewer software	#15 of 29	#19 of 29

BIMx Desktop Viewer: what it does well

Free desktop viewer for Windows and macOS.
Links 2D documentation with the 3D model.
Smart Measure covers 2D dimensions and 3D guides.
Exports layouts and 3D views to PDF.
Hyper-models can be viewed through browser links.

What to know first

Windows 10 is installable but unsupported.
Minimum requirements include 4 GB RAM.
Minimum requirements include 5 GB free disk space.
Private sharing is for specified Graphisoft subscribers and users.

Open IFC Viewer: what it does well

Works locally without a cloud dependency.
Supports Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Model validation results can be filtered and saved.
Collision results can be saved in BCF format.

What to know first

Spaces are not imported by default.
Element Placement and IDS Manager plugins are experimental.
Schedule timelines require schedule data in the model.

Alternatives to BIMx Desktop Viewer Alternatives to Open IFC Viewer The whole list