Revit® Vs. AutoCAD® – Software Comparison

Revit vs. AutoCAD – User Experience

The user experience of Revit vs. AutoCAD ultimately depends on the user’s knowledge of the software and the specifications of their project. Revit software is much more powerful than AutoCAD and is better for large designs because of Revit’s automatic clash detection and the workflow associated with design changes. In Revit, design changes are automatically reflected in each view of the model. This makes collaboration easy between a team of designers. Whereas, AutoCAD is more focused on the individual components of a design rather than the design as a whole. This allows AutoCAD users to create precise 2D drafts of a 3D part with more flexibility than Revit when it comes to modifications of individual components. However, some users may dislike this characteristic of AutoCAD as it makes modifications of entire parts and assemblies, as well as collaboration with a team, immensely tedious.

Learning Curve of Revit and AutoCAD

Both Revit and AutoCAD are notorious for being difficult to learn for new users. However, users may find Revit harder to learn than AutoCAD due to the breadth of advanced features not found in AutoCAD. Revit requires extensive training and practice before the software’s full potential is realized.

Is Revit Easier To Learn Than AutoCAD?

No, Revit is not easier to learn than AutoCAD. Revit is more advanced and capable software for complex designs compared to AutoCAD. While AutoCAD is a simpler, computer-based 2D drafting tool, Revit is a parametric modeling software which means features are created based on predefined parameters. This makes Revit less intuitive to use than AutoCAD.

Revit vs. AutoCAD – Application Stability

Stability for any application essentially depends on both the application’s innate design and the computer’s processing power. While a more-powerful computer will run Revit and AutoCAD much more smoothly than a less-powerful one, more-complex 3D models and designs may lead to higher latency during use. Excessively large files or corrupt files can lead to the software crashing. Autodesk routinely releases patches and updates to the two applications as bugs and issues are found.

Revit vs. AutoCAD – Customer Support

Customer support for the two software packages doesn’t differ greatly. Both applications have many official tutorials and walk-throughs for different features and workflows made by Autodesk itself. Autodesk offers several webinars and training classes and offers certifications to users, so they can advance their careers. There is no shortage of customer support from Autodesk.

Revit vs. AutoCAD – Community

Since Revit and AutoCAD are both developed by Autodesk and used in many of the same industries, much of the community input for the two software packages overlap. Several official forums sanctioned by Autodesk exist where users can seek software help, find information related to common software issues, and discuss industry trends. A quick Internet search will lead users to even more forums for both applications where users can seek supplemental help and instruction.

Revit vs. AutoCAD – Price

Access to both Revit and AutoCAD is subscription-based and can be purchased in monthly, yearly, or 3-year increments. Revit currently costs $335/month, $2,675/year, or $7,625/3 years. AutoCAD is slightly cheaper, at a cost of $235/month, $1,865/year, or $5,315/3 years.

Other Alternatives to Revit and AutoCAD

There are several alternatives to Revit and AutoCAD on the market including SketchUp™, DataCAD®, and Vectorworks®. In all three software examples, users can create 2D drawings and 3D models—making the three packages ideal for general CAD use as well as architectural MEP design. There are free CAD programs available for use including FreeCAD® and TinkerCAD®. While the alternatives named here aren’t as advanced in their capability as Revit and AutoCAD, they are still sound substitutes.

Summary

This article presented Revit and AutoCAD, explained what they are, and discussed the comparisons of each software. To learn more about 3D printing software, contact a Xometry representative.

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  1. AutoCAD®, Revit®, TinkerCAD®, and Autodesk® are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates, in the United States.
  2. SketchUp™ is a brand and/or registered trademark of Trimble, Inc. in the USA and/or other countries.
  3. DataCAD® is a registered trademark and/or service mark of DATACAD LLC.
  4. Vectorworks® is a registered trademark of Vectorworks, Inc.
  5. FreeCAD® is a registered trademark of the FreeCAD Project Association (FPA), applicable in the European Union.

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Revit® Vs. AutoCAD® - Software Comparison