Alternatives
Arcol Alternative
Early design and what comes after it, in one browser model: massing on the plot with area and plot ratio, then walls, roofs, structure, services, drawings and IFC4.
Arcol: Team $100 a user a month. Home 3D Plan (home3dplan.com): Free.
What Arcol does, and where it is here
Massing
Footprint and storeys with floor area, coverage and plot ratio, turned into walls. See the tool
Site
The plot with setbacks, height limit and a sun study. See the tool
Metrics
Room areas, and quantities by storey, element and material. See the tool
Boards
Sheets composed from plans, sections and elevations, to PDF. See the tool
Collaboration
Organisation projects with discipline roles and live presence. See the tool
Home 3D Plan and Arcol, side by side
| Feature | Home 3D Plan | Arcol |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free Solo plan. Team $100 a user a month |
| Free option | Start in the browser with no account | Free Solo plan |
| Runs on | Any modern browser: Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS, iPad and phone | Browser |
| Install | None. Can be installed as a web app | None |
| IFC | IFC4 export of architecture, structure and services | See vendor |
| DWG and DXF | DWG and DXF in and out | See vendor |
| Structure | Columns, beams, braces, footings and gridlines, with a reinforcement bar schedule | See vendor |
| Services (MEP) | Electrical, plumbing and heating, drainage, ventilation, gas and solar PV | See vendor |
| Site and terrain | Survey levels, terraces, retaining walls, roads, paving and planting | Site context |
| Quantities | Takeoff by storey, element, function and material, as CSV or a workbook | Live areas and metrics |
| Drawings and sheets | Sections, elevations, 1:5 details and sheet sets to PDF, DWG, DXF and SVG | Presentation boards |
| Rendering | Four render tiers, the top one a GPU path tracer on desktop | See vendor |
| Team work | Organisation projects with discipline roles and live presence | Real time collaboration |
| AI and agents | MCP server with 38 tools for Claude, ChatGPT and other agents | See vendor |
Arcol prices as published on 10 October 2026 (https://arcol.io/pricing). "See vendor" means the vendor does not publish the fact or we could not confirm it. Arcol is a trademark of Arcol. Home 3D Plan is not affiliated with Arcol.
What Arcol does that Home 3D Plan does not
- Presentation boards and live metrics made for early design reviews.
- Fast multiplayer editing of early options.
- Workflows for general contractors at feasibility.
Moving from Arcol
Bring Arcol plans in as an image or PDF underlay set to scale and trace them, then carry the model on here.
Send it out as DWG, PDF and IFC4.
Which one fits your work
Pick Arcol when
- Your work is early design and client boards.
- A general contractor runs feasibility with you.
- Many people edit options at once.
Pick Home 3D Plan when
- You carry the design on to drawings, structure and services.
- You need IFC4 and DWG for consultants.
- You design houses and small buildings end to end.
How to start
Open the editor
Go to home3dplan.com and open the editor. Nothing to install and no account needed to start.
Bring your drawing
Open a DWG or DXF and turn its lines into walls, or trace over a PDF or a scan set to scale.
Build the model
Draw walls and the storeys, rooms, slabs and 3D model follow. Add roofs, structure, services and the site.
Send it out
Print sections, elevations and sheets to PDF or DWG, and send the building out as IFC4.
Arcol and Home 3D Plan, answered
Is Home 3D Plan for early design like Arcol?
It has massing with area, coverage and plot ratio, but it is built to carry on to walls, roofs, structure, services, drawings and IFC4. Arcol is focused on early design and presentation.
How much does Arcol cost compared with Home 3D Plan?
Arcol: Free Solo plan. Team $100 a user a month, as published on 10 October 2026. Home 3D Plan is free to use in the browser today.
Does Home 3D Plan export IFC and DWG?
Yes. The building goes out as IFC4, with its architecture, structure and services, and the drawings go out as DWG, DXF, PDF and SVG. DWG and DXF also come in. The editor does not open IFC files.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Home 3D Plan runs in any modern browser on Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS, iPad and phones, and can be installed as a web app if you want an icon.
Read on
- Massing: Footprint and storeys, with floor area, coverage, plot ratio and walls from it.
- Snaptrude alternative: From massing to drawings, services and IFC4 in the browser.
- Qonic alternative: Author the building in the browser and send IFC4 out.
- All alternatives: Every product we compare against, with its price.