BIMcollab vs VisualARQ

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.

VisualARQ is architectural BIM software for Rhino 7 and 8, turning freeform geometry into BIM objects and supporting custom parametric objects. Its tools include walls, curtain walls, doors, windows, beams, columns, stairs, railings, slabs and roofs. It generates linked 2D plans, sections and elevations, real-time vector drawings, and dynamic quantity take-off reports that can be exported to Excel. The software supports IFC 2×3 and IFC 4 exchange and DWG export of page layouts. Grasshopper components and a RhinoCommon API support development with C#, VB.NET or Python. It also works with Rhino-compatible render engines including V-Ray, Enscape, Lumion and Twinmotion. VisualARQ works in Rhino for Windows only; the maker says there is no Mac version. Licenses are permanent, have no subscription fees and include free updates within the same major version. A fully functional 90-day evaluation is available, after which some features are disabled. Floating licenses use Cloud Zoo or Rhino Zoo.