Alternatives
Autodesk Forma Alternative
The plot with its setbacks, height limit and sun, a massing block with its area and plot ratio, and then the building itself, drawn and sent out as IFC4.
Autodesk Forma: From $1,445 a year. Home 3D Plan (home3dplan.com): Free.
What Autodesk Forma does, and where it is here
Site context
The plot, its north, datum, setbacks and height limit. See the tool
Sun analysis
A sun study on the plot and the building. See the tool
Massing
A footprint and storeys with floor area, coverage and plot ratio, checked against the setbacks and height limit. See the tool
Terrain
Spot levels, contours and breaklines shape the ground. See the tool
Hand over to design
The massing turns into walls, and the building carries on to drawings and IFC4. See the tool
Home 3D Plan and Autodesk Forma, side by side
| Feature | Home 3D Plan | Autodesk Forma |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $185 a month, or $1,445 a year. Included in the AEC Collection |
| Free option | Start in the browser with no account | Trial |
| 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 with wind, noise, daylight and sun analysis |
| Quantities | Takeoff by storey, element, function and material, as CSV or a workbook | Area metrics |
| Drawings and sheets | Sections, elevations, 1:5 details and sheet sets to PDF, DWG, DXF and SVG | See vendor |
| 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 | Cloud collaboration |
| AI and agents | MCP server with 38 tools for Claude, ChatGPT and other agents | See vendor |
Autodesk Forma prices as published on 10 October 2026 (https://www.g2.com/products/autodesk-forma-formerly-autodesk-construction-cloud/pricing). "See vendor" means the vendor does not publish the fact or we could not confirm it. Autodesk Forma is a trademark of Autodesk. Home 3D Plan is not affiliated with Autodesk.
What Autodesk Forma does that Home 3D Plan does not
- Wind, noise and daylight analysis at neighbourhood scale.
- City context data brought in for the site.
- A link into Revit for the next stage.
Moving from Autodesk Forma
Put the Forma site plan under the drawing as a scaled image and trace the plot and the block.
From there the building carries on here to drawings and IFC4.
Which one fits your work
Pick Autodesk Forma when
- You test large sites against wind, noise and daylight.
- You work at neighbourhood scale.
- Your next stage is in Revit.
Pick Home 3D Plan when
- You plan a house or a small building on one plot.
- You want the massing to become the building in the same model.
- You need drawings, structure and services after the feasibility.
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.
Autodesk Forma and Home 3D Plan, answered
Does Home 3D Plan check setbacks and plot ratio?
Yes. A massing block reports floor area, coverage and plot ratio, and whether it stays inside the setbacks and the height limit you give the plot.
How much does Autodesk Forma cost compared with Home 3D Plan?
Autodesk Forma: $185 a month, or $1,445 a year. Included in the AEC Collection, 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
- Site Boundary: The plot, its north, datum, setbacks, height limit and sun study.
- Massing: Footprint and storeys, with 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.