How Home 3D Plan compares

The programs people weigh against Home 3D Plan, one page each: what they do, what they cost, where they are stronger, and how to move your drawings across.

BIM authoring

The full BIM programs: one model for drawings, schedules and IFC.

Revit alternative: BIM in the browser, with IFC4 and DWG out, for houses and small buildings. Revit: From $2,915 a year.
Archicad alternative: Plan, model, sheets and IFC4 out, in a browser tab. Archicad: From $2,414 a year.
Vectorworks Architect alternative: The building and its site in one model, in the browser. Vectorworks Architect: From $1,530 a year.
Allplan alternative: Building and structure in one browser model, with a bar schedule. Allplan: From about €204 a month.
Edificius alternative: Model, drawings and quantities from one browser model. Edificius: About €55 a month.
BricsCAD BIM alternative: DWG drafting and a building model in one browser tab. BricsCAD BIM: $1,890 one time.
FreeCAD alternative: Plan to model to IFC4, in the browser, without the learning curve. FreeCAD: Free and open source.
Bonsai alternative: BIM without Blender, with IFC4 out. Bonsai: Free and open source.
AutoCAD alternative: AutoCAD style 2D drafting with DWG and DXF.

Residential design

Software built for houses, their framing, materials and plans.

Chief Architect alternative: Houses, roofs, kitchens and services, in the browser. Chief Architect: From $1,995 a year.
Home Designer alternative: Plan, roof, kitchen and furniture, with drawings out. Home Designer: Pro $595 one time.
SoftPlan alternative: Residential plans, services and drawings, in the browser. SoftPlan: $2,585 one time.
Envisioneer alternative: Residential model, quantities and drawings, in the browser. Envisioneer: From $995 one time.
Cedreo alternative: From the sales plan to drawings and IFC, in the browser. Cedreo: From $129 a month.
ArCon alternative: House plans and 3D, with drawings out, in the browser. ArCon: No published price.
ArCADia BIM alternative: Architecture and services in one browser model. ArCADia BIM: From $765 one time.

Browser BIM

The new building design tools that run in a browser.

Snaptrude alternative: From massing to drawings, services and IFC4 in the browser. Snaptrude: From $60 a month.
Qonic alternative: Author the building in the browser and send IFC4 out. Qonic: From €195 a month.
Arcol alternative: Massing to drawings and IFC4, in the browser. Arcol: Team $100 a user a month.
Rayon alternative: A browser plan that builds the 3D model and drawings. Rayon: From about $21 an editor a month.
Hypar alternative: Grids, rooms, structure and services, drawn rather than scripted. Hypar: From $25 a month.
Motif alternative: Author the building in the browser, with agents through MCP. Motif: $150 a user a month.
Autodesk Forma alternative: Plot, sun study and massing, then the building, in the browser. Autodesk Forma: From $1,445 a year.

Site and landscape

Plots, levels, hardscape and planting.

Vectorworks Landmark alternative: Levels, hardscape and planting round the house, in the browser. Vectorworks Landmark: $1,530 a year.
Lands Design alternative: Landscape design without Rhino, in the browser. Lands Design: $795 one time, plus Rhino.
Realtime Landscaping Architect alternative: Gardens, pergolas, fences and paving in 3D, in the browser. Realtime Landscaping Architect: $599 one time.
PRO Landscape alternative: Hardscape and planting to scale on real levels, in the browser. PRO Landscape: $900 a year.
VizTerra alternative: Outdoor living in 3D on real ground levels, in the browser. VizTerra: $997 a year.
Civil 3D alternative: Levels, roads and drainage for one plot, in the browser. Civil 3D: $2,205 a year.

Services and solar

Electrical, heating, ventilation and solar PV design.

MagiCAD alternative: Services in the building model, without a host CAD program. MagiCAD: Quote only.
Stabicad alternative: Electrical and mechanical services in one browser model. Stabicad: Quote only.
DDS-CAD alternative: Every service of a house in one browser model. DDS-CAD: Quote only.
Aurora Solar alternative: PV on the roofs of the house you modelled. Aurora Solar: From $159 a user a month.
OpenSolar alternative: PV designed with the house, in the browser. OpenSolar: Free core app.
PVsyst alternative: Early PV layout and shade, in the building model. PVsyst: CHF 700 a year.

Structure and kitchens

Framing and trusses, and fitted kitchens.

MiTek Sapphire alternative: Beams, columns and footings in the house model, for the designer. MiTek Sapphire: Quote only.
Vertex BD alternative: The house and its structure, ready to hand to the framer. Vertex BD: Quote only.
Weyerhaeuser Javelin alternative: Beams and floors in the house model, before the dealer. Weyerhaeuser Javelin: Fee on request.
2020 Design alternative: Kitchens fitted to the room, in the browser. 2020 Design: From $995 a year.
Winner Flex alternative: The kitchen and the house around it, in the browser. Winner Flex: Quote only.

Rendering

Real time and path traced renders of the model.

Enscape alternative: Render the model where you draw it, in the browser. Enscape: About €575 a year.
Twinmotion alternative: Model and render in one browser tab. Twinmotion: Free under $1M revenue.
Lumion alternative: Draw, light and render the house in the browser. Lumion: About £1,499 a year.
D5 Render alternative: Path traced renders of the model, in the browser. D5 Render: Pro $360 a year.

Home planners

Floor plans and furnished rooms for homeowners and designers.

HomeByMe alternative: Plan, furnish, render and draw your home in the browser. HomeByMe: Premium about $29 a month.
RoomSketcher alternative: Floor plans with areas, 3D and builder drawings. RoomSketcher: Pro $144 a year.
Floorplanner alternative: Draw the plan, see it in 3D, print the drawings. Floorplanner: Pro $29 a month.
Live Home 3D alternative: Home design storey by storey, in any browser. Live Home 3D: Pro about $99.99 one time.
Planner 5D alternative: Floor plans, 3D and renders in the browser.
Homestyler alternative: Interiors and renders in the browser.
Coohom alternative: Interiors and renders in the browser.
Sweet Home 3D alternative: A home planner with nothing to install.
SketchUp alternative: Push and pull 3D modelling in the browser.

AI design

Layouts and feasibility generated by AI.

Maket alternative: An AI assistant that builds in a real, editable model. Maket: From $20 a month.
Finch alternative: Massing, AI layouts and drawings in one model. Finch: Basic €79 a month.
TestFit alternative: Plot, parking and massing for small sites, in the browser. TestFit: From $195 a month.
Archistar alternative: Plot checks, massing and the building, in the browser. Archistar: From $95 a month.