ARCHICAD vs. MicroStation

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
ARCHICAD
Score 9.3 out of 10
N/A
ARCHICAD is a 3D architectural design application and BIM from Graphisoft, a Nemetschek Group company headquartered in Budapest.
$240
per month
MicroStation
Score 8.4 out of 10
Mid-Size Companies (51-1,000 employees)
Bentley Systems offers the MicroStation application and product family as a 3D and 2D modeling and computer-aided design (CAD) solution for engineers and designers.
$250
Per User Per Month
Pricing
ARCHICADMicroStation
Editions & Modules
Archicad Solo Version
$240
per month
Archicad Full Version
$280
per month
Microstation
$250.00
Per User Per Month
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
ARCHICADMicroStation
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoYes
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details——
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
ARCHICADMicroStation
Considered Both Products
ARCHICAD
Chose ARCHICAD
The feature set in ARCHICAD and integration with various other products is growing year on year and, from conversations with their support, you can see that this is set to continue. It feels genuinely like a product the developers believe in, and they seem to spend the …
Chose ARCHICAD
Essentially ArchiCAD has proved better by any metric, despite my original skepticism.
MicroStation
Chose MicroStation
MicroStation is best suited for large infrastructure projects, example: road design projects. Designing 2D and 3D can be done in other software too, but the context of real-life examples is an added advantage of MicroStation.
Chose MicroStation
It seems to be getting good investment with features, and information exchange is working between us and others still.
Top Pros
Top Cons
Best Alternatives
ARCHICADMicroStation
Small Businesses
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Score 9.1 out of 10
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Score 8.7 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Rhino
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Score 9.1 out of 10
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Score 8.7 out of 10
Enterprises
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Score 9.1 out of 10
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Score 8.7 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
ARCHICADMicroStation
Likelihood to Recommend
9.2
(8 ratings)
7.2
(8 ratings)
Usability
-
(0 ratings)
2.0
(1 ratings)
Support Rating
10.0
(2 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
ARCHICADMicroStation
Likelihood to Recommend
Graphisoft
ARCHICAD, is well suited in presenting all desired projects in building and construction works more so where the client has just an idea but lacks the actual picture in mind. When doing all commercial buildings where proper records and evidence is record is needed, ARCHICAD should be considered. Projects which involve complex and large volumes of labor require well-presented drawings or representation done with ARCHICAD for proper and easy execution. ARCHICAD is less appropriate for small jobs like shades which are not complex and need less attention.
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Bentley Systems
MicroStation is THE program to use for roadway and corridor modeling. Most departments of transportation and municipalities in my region require that the models be delivered in the dgn format, so it is MicroStation or bust. It is an absolute pain to use some of the add-in features though. Things that are easy in other programs like making smart tables that update with the latest information usually necessitate the use of Axiom or similar outside programs/add-ins. I design storm sewer systems, and it takes us 6 months to train up new hires on this software, because it is NOT intuitive. You need to know which buttons to press, since it is not designed to be easily command-based like AutoCAD Civil 3D.
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Pros
Graphisoft
  • User interface is super cool. It helps you customize any new theme on your architectural objects.
  • Minimalistic approach in the toolkit helps in quick editing.
  • Render realistic images.
  • Collaboration with other team members is an awesome feature.
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Bentley Systems
  • Plethora of design alternatives to choose from right from design to completed models
  • Detailed approach towards parametric, mesh and surface modelling
  • Well integrated modelling workflows
  • Intelligent parametric components with 2D and 3D designs
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Cons
Graphisoft
  • ArchiCAD lacks a few feature sets, including an automatic Keynote database extraction system, an expandable Phasing/Options manager, and an easy way to transfer standard details into a project.
  • The Revision/Change Manager, as well as the new Stair and Railing tools, while impressively flexible, are too complex to set up and customize.
  • It is an underdog product. Revit has a market share because it spends more money on marketing, and less on product development.
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Bentley Systems
  • Some of the more complex models have had a few issues exporting.
  • We've struggled with external consultants using the custom Autocad engineering tools, and it plays nicely with MicroStation.
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Usability
Graphisoft
No answers on this topic
Bentley Systems
MicroStation is very hard to use for our newest employees. It is not intuitive, and you need to know where to find the buttons to perform the commands you would like to perform instead of typing in the commands like other similar modeling programs. Also, it has no good traffic turning add-ins. We continue to run ALL our turning in Autoturn, since this is not a usable feature with MicroStation.
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Support Rating
Graphisoft
We have rapid responses from their support team, and they often go the extra mile to pinpoint the root cause of an issue and assist the team in resolving it. They are honest when a problem is down to user error, or a glitch on the version we are on.
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Bentley Systems
We haven't had to use it for many years, so not able to comment.
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Alternatives Considered
Graphisoft
AutoCAD uses line works in actual presentation whiles ARCHICAD uses real structural walls which are easy to use and present compared to line works. Revit largely and mainly focused on structural design and is more complex to use compared to ARCHICAD which helps one focus on different aspects of drawing and is easy to integrate with rendering software like Lumion 360 panorama.
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Bentley Systems
The only general purpose CAD program that you can compare MicroStation with would be AutoCAD. MicroStation, in my opinion, is a superior product in every way but one. That one issue is that there are just more people who have and know how to use AutoCAD than there are ones who know MicroStation. This makes AutoCAD easier to get up and running for most firms.
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Return on Investment
Graphisoft
  • This product allows us to draft on a Mac OS.
  • The tool we use to make our product (Architectural Plans).
  • Helps 3D model and render images for clients.
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Bentley Systems
  • MicroStation usage is primarily necessitated by our major client who also uses the program.
  • Without using MicroStation there would be many times where we would not be able to provide our clients with what they need.
  • Therefore, MicroStation has had an incredibly positive impact on the business I work for as its usage has continued to secure contracts.
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ScreenShots

MicroStation Screenshots

Screenshot of Take advantage of built-in support for 100+ common formats and data types for 2D and 3D raster and vector geometry and associated BIM information, including trusted RealDWGScreenshot of Supporting hundreds of coordinate systems and dozens of geospatial data types, users can reliably integrate existing data quickly and confidently.Screenshot of Produce better documentation, faster, with fully integrated 2D and 3D workflows, creating a single integrated model that allows you to view drawings and other model information directly immersed within the 3D modelScreenshot of You can ensure your design intent while speeding modeling with extremely powerful and flexible constraints and a range of solid, mesh, surface, and topological modeling toolsScreenshot of MicroStation's native support for an unmatched range of file formats and data types means you can leverage any data you have to speed drafting and modeling and decision-makingScreenshot of Turn your models into polished professional presentations to win stakeholder buy-in and speed approvals on your design projects.