ARCHICAD vs Lumion

AutoCAD

Revit

MicroStation

Rhino 7

V-Ray

Corona Renderer

Compare ARCHICAD and Lumion based on features, pricing, verified reviews, integrations & more on GetApp. Find out which software is best for your business in 2026.

Revit is a BIM (building information modeling) solution for architects, structural engineers, construction companies, & MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) services. The platform facilitates coordinated 3D design & offers tools such as floor plan design, 3D visualizations, & a WYSIWYG editor.

AutoCAD is a design and drafting platform which supports automated design tasks and offers features such as 2D drafting, drawing and annotation, 3D modeling and visualization, and more.

MicroStation is a 3D architecture software that helps businesses in the oil and gas, construction, mining, manufacturing, and other sectors create and visualize 2D drawings and 3D computer-aided designs. The platform enables creators to build models using various parametric designing tools including mesh, surface, and solid modeling.

Archicad from Graphisoft is an architectural CAD and building information modeling software for architects, interior designers and planners, with Archicad adding enhancements including CineRender engine, remastered Façade Design tool, Parametric Profile Editor and BIMx mobile model visualizations

2D Drawing

3D Imaging

3D Modeling

Access Controls/Permissions

Activity Tracking

Animation

Annotations

Approval Process Control

Architectural Symbol Library

Bills of Material

BIM Modeling

CAD Tools

Change Management

Collaboration Tools

Comparison View

Component Library

Configurable Workflow

Conflict Tracking

Contact Management

Content Library

Contract/License Management

Customizable Templates

Data Import/Export

Data Visualization

Design Management

Design Modeling

Document Management

Document Storage

Drafting

File Management

For AEC Industry

For Architects

Graphical Data Presentation

Historical Reporting

Issue Tracking

Labeling

Mobile Access

Modeling & Simulation

Multiple Projects

Offline Access

Planning Tools

Presentation Tools

Project Management

Project Planning

Project Tracking

Project Workflow

Projections

Quotes/Estimates

Rendering

Reporting & Statistics

Reporting/Analytics

Role-Based Permissions

Scheduling

Search/Filter

Secure Data Storage

Status Tracking

Subcontractor Management

Template Management

User Management

Version Control

Workflow Management

ARCHICAD

Android

Web-based

Windows

iPad

iPhone

Project Manager

The customer service is excellent and has been great to solve all of out doubts from the day 1.

Architect

I have been with ArchiCAD since V4 and watched it grow into a great piece of software for our industry. It is used nearly every day and is a great asset in our office.

The inability to create "blocks" is utterly ridiculous and maddening. There are 20 ways to access every objects setting and it will confuse you to no end for the first year.

That said, with limited or no support between versions of the same package from the industry standard, coordination can still be a pain.

project coordinator

This software is pretty easy to use right away and very powerful. The 3D design ability is great as well.

Civil Engineer

Can easily handle this software If we are familiar with AutoCAD because it's pretty similar UI like AutoCAD. ArchiCAD helps us to create powerful 3D drawings with more details.

Architecture student

ArchiCAD has excellent customer service and incredible functionality, is very friendly system and has options to enter from a mobile which has helped me a lot in the university.

It has a very nice suite of features, nice integration based on BIM. For architectural purposes it has almost all the features and tools that one would need.

With the release of ArchiCAD V23 there are a lot of new features that have increased my more flow. The integration of  add-ons like TwinMotion and the new an improved coloumns and beams tools.

Executive

Even nonprofessionals can do amazing work on the software. Unlike other software in this category, it allows for complete ownership instead of renting.

Architecture

Good for comunication with both entreprenours and costumers.

Architectural Designer

It is extremely easy to create what you set out to create and Archicad is not overloaded with features like some of its competitors.

Architetto

The thing I like most is the easy-to-use user interface and the BIMx function in order to share the model with other users.

3d modeler

M basically happy with the program. It does the assigned things.

Architec

Poor and complicated tools, takes longer than the competition.

The software is very good, has many features and is well accepted in the market, has features that other software does not have, it is a little difficult to learn but it is still great software.

Interior Designer

Can only have one floor plan and one elevation and one 3d view open at a time. Hard to  make changes on renovation layouts independently from other layers.

Coordinator

The value for money of ArchiCAD can't be beat and it has all of the drafting features a person could want.

ARCHICAD screenshot: Archicad AI Visualizer in Archicad

ARCHICAD screenshot: The Parametric Profile Editor allows for the generation of wall, beam and column profiles of greater intelligence, with the ability to then apply those profiles across multiple details

ARCHICAD screenshot: Expression-defined property values aids architects wishing to define complex data-processing expressions for elements, useful in ArchiCAD for the purpose of tagging or filtering

ARCHICAD screenshot: Performance enhancements in ArchiCAD 22 includes ultra-high 4 and 5K monitor screen resolution on Microsoft Windows 10 operating systems, comparable to the retina display on macOS platforms

ARCHICAD screenshot: Maxon’s R19 CineRender engine enables tone mapping plus stereoscopic 360-degree or spherical renderings to be performed within ArchiCAD

ARCHICAD screenshot: Custom graphical labels can be created using drawing primitives such as lines, arcs and polylines combined with text blocks

ARCHICAD screenshot: IFC import and export enhancements include the switch from IFC2x3 to IFC4 when exporting component and material information

ARCHICAD screenshot: An updated Attribute Manager dialog allows for instant attribute search, a combined tab for layers and layer combinations, plus support for the edit of multiple attributes at the same time

ARCHICAD screenshot: The Model View Options dialog has also been updated, reorganized and revised to match the layout of other ARCHICAD dialogs

ARCHICAD screenshot: The BIMx app for iOS and Android devices features the BIMx Hyper-model for 2 and 3D navigation, while also supporting Google Cardboard VR

ARCHICAD screenshot: Real time 3D cutaways with instant access to current room-related information can be viewed within the BIMx model viewer app available for iOS and Android devices

ARCHICAD screenshot: The remastered Façade Design tool promises an enhanced design environment for creating and detailing Curtain Walls, internal or external facades featuring repeating patterns

Freelancers

Large Enterprises

Mid Size Business

Public Administrations

Small Business

Chaos® V-Ray® is a 3D rendering plugin available for SketchUp, 3ds Max, Maya, Cinema 4D, Rhino, Revit, and more. It is widely used in architectural visualization, advertising, and visual effects for film and television.

This uninhibited free-form 3D modeling tool allows users to create designs quickly while maintaining accuracy and measurements.

Corona is a 3D rendering plugin available for Autodesk 3ds Max and Cinema 4D. It’s specifically designed for architecture visualization and animation.

From early ideas to final visuals, Lumion’s real-time rendering solutions—Lumion View and Lumion Pro—fit naturally into your workflow, making visualization fast, seamless, and intuitive. Designed for architects, designers, and visualizers, Lumion supports every step of the creative process.

3D Design & Modeling

3D Light Rendering

3D Texture Rendering

Building Information Model

Communication Management

Image Editing

Landscape Design

Panoramas

Real Time Comparisons

Real-time Product Visualizations

Real-Time Updates

Video Creation

Lumion

The best part of this software is its user interface, it's really easy to use and learn for someone using it for the first time. It's a great tool for 3D Animation and really good quality renderings.

Chairmen

Great quality of textures and great quality of scenes. The best feature of this software is landscaping and the rendering of walkthrough.

Design Manager

It saves time for creating superb animation walkthroughs/flythroughs and stunning images.

Architect/ Graphic Designer

It gave me a lot of good reviews and feedbacks for my designs from my clients. They were able to see a nice visualization and presentation of my designs.

Civil Structural Engineer

And it creates amazing Quality pictures for showing to clients, posters and all printable media.

Changing the environmental conditions, weather and landscape, is easy to accomplish and interesting for the over whole rendering result without spending hours to do it.

LumiOn has a very good learning curve as it is easy to learn and has very intuitive tools.

There is no edit feature inside of the program and the working area is limited to 2km to 2km making working with large landscapes difficult.

Ease of use and the ability to integrate into workflow quite easily. You can produce way faster than with traditional rendering softwares.

Also, its interface can be confusing sometimes.

Designer

I guess the main thing I dislike is the fact that you cant use more than one computer to render in a network. Also you cant use the software in more than one computer at the same time.

LimiOn's library of native resources is great, very diverse, varied and almost complete.

Photo rendering effects (shadows, contrast, reflection, water…) create a more realistic render without difficulties and video rendering features are easy to use and give a remarkable outcome.

ARCHITECTE

Forms site that we import ,I cannot put it precisely in place I must put digital coordinates. It bothers me that he cannot model.

Architect 

Doesn't fulfill my expectations on 3D renderings. You have to invest a lot on a great video card if you want to have a good experience.

It is a wonderful and fast program that does not cost much time, although there are some shortcomings. I wish for more success and development.

ARCHICAD vs Lumion Comparison (2026)

ARCHICAD

Lumion

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives