(650) 332-8623The 5 Best BIM Software Solutions for 2025
Looking for the best BIM software for your construction business? We’ve reviewed 5 of the best apps on the market to help you choose!
BIM software helps you dodge expensive construction mistakes before they blow up your budget. By whipping up a digital version of your entire build, BIM software solutions can help you easily reduce errors and omissions before your team lays the first brick.
In this article, we’ve rounded up the best BIM software to elevate your construction planning and ensure your projects will be as successful as originally planned.
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Intuitive 3D modeling and BIM tools for architecture
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Advanced BIM software for 3D design and collaboration
The Bottom Line
Construction workforce management and BIM software have one goal: to help your team zoom in on the most crucial details so you can prevent your project from becoming the next costly construction fiasco.
As the best project tracking tool for construction, Workyard enhances a BIM software’s error-spotting capabilities.
While BIM helps teams zero in on structural weak spots, Workyard helps address financial blind spots and low worker productivity, ensuring your construction projects are always completed on time and within budget.
Discover why Workyard is the best workforce management solution to integrate with BIM software or sign up for its 14-day free trial to access its premium features at no cost.
Our Scoring System Explained
Our 8-part scoring system was created to help you understand the potential value of any software we review simply and fairly.
We created it after reviewing dozens of software products, which we covered in depth, but without providing a direct and simple way for readers to compare products on their merits – without spending a lot of time looking through our articles for the information they needed to make an informed decision.
Every app we review will include Customer Support and Company scores, which we’ll explain in more detail below. Many of the factors reviewed in this article will also be consistent across most (or all) of our software reviews, with some differences:
The 8 factors assessed and their contribution to a product’s overall score may differ slightly from product to product based on various factors, such as the use case we’re reviewing for, the type of business these products are tailored to, and other considerations. However, all reviews will feature an 8-part score, weighted and combined to calculate each product’s overall score.
How We Score Software
All factors in our reviews are scored on a 10-point scale – technically 11 points – from 0-10. However, we only give products a score of 0 if it does not include an essential feature at all, and we try to avoid giving out 0 scores if a product can demonstrate any functionality in line with the specific factor being reviewed.
In general, the 0-10 range translates as:
- 9.0 – 10 – One of the absolute best in its category (amazing).
- 7.5 – 8.9 – Very good, but with some minor issues (very good).
- 6.0 – 7.4 – Mediocre performance with notable shortcomings (average).
- 3.0 – 5.9 – This feature is not ready for prime time (borderline).
- 1.0 – 2.9 – This feature actually makes its product worse (unacceptable).
- 0 – The product doesn’t include this important feature at all.
How We Calculate Overall Scores
The 8 factors reviewed are weighted based on an overall total of 100%:
- Ease of Use: 20%
- Time Tracking Accuracy: 20%
- Scheduling Features: 15%
- Job Tracking: 15%
- Integrations: 10%
- Customer Support: 15%
- Company: 5%
Methodology for Each Factor
Ease of Use
We evaluate a product’s ease of use based on three main considerations:
- How easy is it to set up this app?
- How easy is it for managers to use the backend dashboard?
- How easy is it for frontline workers to use the (mobile) app?
These three considerations cover the main ways you and your team would use the software being reviewed – when you first obtain it, when someone (a manager, executive, team leader, or similar role) needs to use it to manage people, money, data, and other things, and when workers you’re tracking use the app (usually a mobile version of the software designed for frontline and/or field team members) to clock in, clock out, record time worked, or address other day-to-day needs.
Time Tracking Accuracy
Every minute matters when you’re trying to control payroll costs. This factor accounts for various features and common needs in time-tracking apps, such as…
- How accurate or precise is its GPS tracking capability?
- How accurate – and how customizable – is its geofencing feature?
- How accurate is its travel and mileage tracking (if available)?
- Can it automatically clock workers in and out based on the above?
- Can you set and/or restrict rules for clocking in and out?
- Can the app continue tracking workers while offline?
- How easy is its mobile app and/or kiosk for frontline workers?
Scheduling Features
Many construction businesses prefer to manage as many aspects of employee labor activity as possible in a single app, which is why many time-tracking apps also include worker scheduling as a core feature.
When we consider a product’s scheduling features, we look at:
- Its dashboard customizability (daily, weekly, or monthly views).
- Its project-based scheduling and visibility.
- Its real-time updates and notifications for workers.
- Its real-time map views of worker locations for best-fit scheduling.
- Its recurring schedule (copies to subsequent weeks, etc.) functionality.
Job Tracking
This factor helps you understand if the software can also provide insight into specific projects, which is particularly handy when your business deals with many customers or clients who generally need shorter-term work. Effective job tracking typically also includes accurate job costing functionality for construction companies.
We assess several things when calculating a product’s job tracking score:
- Its project-based tracking for multiple projects per day/week/etc.
- Its ability to track multiple / many projects simultaneously.
- Its use of (and your ability to customize) construction cost codes.
- Any built-in job costing views.
- Any integrations for cost coding (QuickBooks etc.)
Integrations
No business can operate on a single app, which is why integrations with other apps and tools are such important aspects of modern business software.
To calculate a product’s integration score, we’ll examine:
- How many native integrations (the simplest connection) does it offer?
- How effective and easy-to-use are its integrations with payroll software?
- Does it have robust data import and export features?
Customer Support
Learning how to use a new app can be frustrating, even if it’s meant to be the most user-friendly app around. That’s why great customer support is so essential when considering which time-tracking app to use.
Customer support scores are calculated based on:
- Live support channels available (phone, email, chat, etc.).
- Live support hours (business hours only, 24/7, etc.).
- The strength of the product’s online help center and/or FAQs.
- What other users say about support in online reviews.
Company
A great company with a highly customer-friendly approach can often make up for shortcomings in their software products – at least up to a point.
When assessing this score, we’ll examine:
- Transparency (easy-to-find pricing, etc.)
- Trial period (duration, feature availability, credit card requirements, etc.).
- Subscription flexibility (contracts, required durations, etc.).
- Ease of cancellation or pausing subscriptions.
- Customer perceptions (online product reviews).
- Website (a minor consideration, but great companies tend to have great websites).
Any questions about our scoring system? Have any suggestions on how we could make it even better? Click here to send us your feedback – we’d love to hear from you!
Building Information Modeling (BIM) software is a set of tools and technologies used to create and manage digital representations of physical buildings and infrastructure. BIM software allows users to generate intelligent 3D models containing detailed information about a project’s design, construction, and operations.
The main features and benefits of BIM software include:
- Creating 3D parametric models with intelligent objects that contain data about their properties, relationships, and behaviors
- Facilitating collaboration between different disciplines by providing a shared model and data environment
- Enabling clash detection to identify and resolve conflicts between building systems early in the design process
- Extracting accurate quantities and cost estimates directly from the model
- Simulating construction sequencing and logistics with 4D and 5D modeling
- Providing data to support building operations and maintenance over the asset’s lifecycle
BIM (Building Information Modeling) software in construction refers to a set of tools and technologies used to create and manage digital representations of physical buildings and infrastructure projects.
BIM software allows users to generate intelligent 3D models containing detailed information about a project’s design, construction, and operations.
Some key features and benefits of BIM software in construction include:
- Creating 3D Parametric Models: BIM software enables the creation of 3D models with intelligent objects that contain data about their properties, relationships, and behaviors.
- Facilitating Collaboration: BIM provides a shared model and data environment that facilitates collaboration between different disciplines involved in a construction project.
- Enabling Clash Detection: BIM software allows for identifying and resolving conflicts between building systems early in the design process through clash detection.
- Extracting Quantities and Cost Estimates: Accurate quantities and cost estimates can be directly extracted from the BIM model.
- Simulating Construction Sequencing: 4D and 5D modeling in BIM software enables simulating construction sequencing and logistics.
- Supporting Operations and Maintenance: The data contained in BIM models can support building operations and maintenance over the asset’s lifecycle.
Here are the key steps to effectively use BIM (Building Information Modeling) software:
a. Understand the BIM Process
BIM is a collaborative workflow that involves creating and managing digital representations of a building project’s physical and functional characteristics. It goes beyond using 3D modeling software—it’s a process that integrates data and information throughout the entire project lifecycle.
b. Learn the Fundamentals of BIM Software
The most popular BIM software platforms include Autodesk Revit, Graphisoft ArchiCAD, Bentley Systems, and Trimble. Familiarize yourself with the key features and capabilities of your chosen BIM software, such as:
- 3D parametric modeling
- Clash detection
- Quantity takeoff and cost estimation
- 4D construction sequencing
- 5D cost management
- Data management for operations and maintenance
c. Develop Technical Skills
To effectively use BIM software, you need a combination of technical skills, including:
- 3D modeling and drafting
- Parametric design and family creation
- Rendering and visualization
- Coordination and clash detection
- Data management and exchange formats
- Integration with other software like CAD, analysis, and project management tools
- d. Understand the Information Workflows
BIM relies on a shared data environment where information is created, managed and exchanged between all project stakeholders. Learn how to:
- Create and maintain a common data environment (CDE)
- Establish information requirements and standards
- Manage data security and access permissions
- Integrate data from multiple sources and disciplines
e. Collaborate with the Project Team
BIM is a collaborative process that requires effective communication and coordination between architects, engineers, contractors, and owners. Develop skills in:
- Facilitating BIM workshops and meetings
- Establishing roles, responsibilities, and workflows
- Coordinating with other disciplines and trades
- Resolving conflicts and issues through the model
- Providing training and support to the project team
By mastering these key aspects of the BIM process and software, you’ll be able to effectively leverage BIM to improve the quality, efficiency, and outcomes of your construction projects.
There is no single “best” BIM software, as the most suitable option depends on each project’s and organization’s specific needs and requirements. However, the article above reviews some of the most popular and widely used BIM software.
When choosing BIM software, factors such as the project’s scale, the level of collaboration required, compatibility with existing workflows, and the specific features needed for the project’s requirements must be considered.
Investing in BIM training and understanding the fundamentals of BIM processes can also help professionals maximize these powerful tools and improve project outcomes in the construction industry.
When selecting BIM software, consider features such as 3D modeling capabilities, collaboration tools, integration with other software (like project management or accounting tools), real-time data sharing, clash detection, and reporting functionalities. These features will enhance your ability to manage complex projects effectively.
