BIMcollab vs BIMx Desktop Viewer

BIMcollab brings together document management, BIM coordination and model checking for collaboration on buildings and infrastructure. Its WebViewer supports IFC models, while BIMcollab Zoom is a downloadable viewer for Windows and Mac OS X. Zoom includes Smart Views, clash detection and IDS checks; its free mode supports viewing, annotations, BCF issue management and visual validation with Smart Views. Issues can be managed using BIM-tool plug-ins and exported as BCF, PDF, CSV or XLS. BIMcollab lists more than 35 integrations, including Power BI, Solibri, Trimble Connect, AutoCAD, Autodesk Docs and Revit. All plans list unlimited projects; Basic includes 10 GB storage per space, while Advanced and Enterprise list unlimited storage. A free plan and free trial are available. Paid pricing ranges from €12.50 a month for Basic with annual commitment to €39 a month for Enterprise billed monthly. Cloud data is stored in the Netherlands unless the customer uses an on-premise installation. BIMcollab is headquartered in Eindhoven, Netherlands, and was founded in 2014.

BIMx Desktop Viewer is a free Windows and macOS application for exploring BIMx Hyper-models alongside linked 2D project documentation and embedded BIM data. Markers and hyperlinks connect locations in documents with the 3D model and are created during export. Smart Measure provides length, angle, and area measurements in 2D, plus measurement guides in 3D. Users can export a current layout, an entire layout book, or a 3D view to PDF. Display controls include field of view, perspective or parallel projection, shading, sun position, and anti-aliasing. Hyper-models can be generated in Archicad or DDScad and published locally, to BIMx Model Transfer, BIMcloud, or another location. They can also open in a browser through a web link without installing an app. Graphisoft says BIMx Issues support markup of 2D and 3D views and BCF compliance. Facility managers and owners can access Facilities Management databases through the BIM model. Minimum desktop requirements are 4 GB RAM and 5 GB free disk space; Windows 11 or macOS 10.15 are listed.