Revit vs AutoCAD: Which Should I Use?

Let’s tackle this Revit vs AutoCAD debate right away. First of all, what is Revit used for? and what is AutoCAD used for? well, these two are architectural design software programs that are both designed to create complete sets of precise construction drawings, but there are important differences between the two of them, and things that one does better that the other one as well as things that one has that the other one doesn’t. Basically, each program has its pros and cons, and the more we know about them, the easier it will be for us to make a decision on which to use. By taking a look at 5 important features in each software (although there are more), you’ll definitely have more clarity as to which one would work best for your company and/or your freelance projects. We won’t jump into any conclusions, but instead, we will let you decide based on the information provided below.

Software purpose:

Continuing on with this Revit vs AutoCAD topic, AutoCAD was designed as a general drafting program, meaning that any professional in any discipline (not just architects and designers) can benefit from it since it offers general shapes (lines, circles, arcs, rectangles, etc.) to draw anything we can think of. Two lines side by side can represent a wall for an architect, while those two same lines can represent two cables of a circuit for an engineer. A circle can be used to represent a round table, a mechanical piece, a space or any other object with a round shape. While this is beneficial since we can represent anything we want, we don’t have any specific tools for specific disciplines, thus making some specific tasks a little more complicated and time consuming.

Revit was originally designed to cater to the construction industry. It is an architectural project-centered software. This means that all the tools we use in the program are related to the construction world. We have a tool for creating walls, a tool for creating/adding windows, a tool to create stairs, and a tool for each of the elements of a building. This makes things a lot more streamlined in the project since we are building a project exactly the same way it will be built.

Revit vs AutoCAD 2D/3D capabilities:

Both programs are able to handle 2D and 3D models, but there is a big difference between the two of them.

AutoCAD’s strongest suit is certainly the 2D representation, but for many years, it has had 3D capabilities. While AutoCAD allows us to work with different types of 3D objects (solids, meshes and surfaces), all these objects are just generic objects that, once again, can be used to create anything in any industry. If we talk about the architectural industry, then 3D objects that we commonly use are: stairs, sloped roofs, walls, windows, doors, etc. Any of us, who have used AutoCAD for a while know that creating any of these things in AutoCAD 3D is basically a nightmare since we have to do everything quite manually. For example, inserting a window on a wall in AutoCAD means that we have to create a box (the wall), then make a hole on the box for the window (making sure it’s the right size), then create the window in 3D and place it in the hole area. This is all good if a project never changed, but design can change quite quickly, and editing 3D in AutoCAD is quite time consuming.

Revit, as we mentioned before, was designed for architectural/construction projects, so there is a tool to create automatic stairs and automatic sloped roofs. Two or three clicks create a stair and a few clicks can create any type of sloped roof. Inserting doors or windows into a wall is as simple as clicking on the wall, and editing 3D objects is as easy as dragging objects or moving lines around.

Working on a project:

For every project, we will need a set of construction drawings that include: floor plans, elevations, sections, details, perspectives, etc. In AutoCAD, we have to draw each plan manually, and every plan/elevation/section/etc. we draw is completely unaware/independent of the rest. Any changes we make in any of the drawings, for example, moving a window in the floor plan, needs to be updated in the rest of the drawings manually (in the elevations/sections/perspectives for example). This is quite time consuming, and in big projects, a huge source of problems since we can easily forget to update the changes in other views, especially when the projects change so rapidly and we need to keep up with the industry demands.

In Revit, we work on one single 3D model, out of which we extract all the 2D views (plans, elevations, sections, perspectives and more). We can even work on any of those extracted 2D views and whatever we do in them, will be reflected everywhere, including the 3D. For example, if we move a window in the 3D model, this change is automatically reflected in all the related views, so the possibility of forgetting to update something is reduced to zero. This helps to have a consistent project all the time and to streamline our work a lot more, plus, the fact that everything is 3D helps to visualize potential problems/clashes that are hard to spot in 2D. Also, having everything in 3D means that what we are working on is as close to the real project as possible, making it easy to make design decisions and fix errors before the construction stage begins, which can help to save a lot money (errors in the construction stage can be quite expensive).

Revit vs AutoCAD in terms of BIM:

Unfortunately, AutoCAD is not a BIM program, and this limits its potential quite a lot. Most of the work we do in AutoCAD is manual and is not related to anything else within the drawing.

Revit on the other hand, was conceived as a BIM program, which allows, not only to work on one single 3D model to streamline the whole process, but to add additional information to the architectural elements, such as: cost, manufacturer, occupant, finishes and any other additional information). This information can help us to quickly and automatically generate schedules, legends, material takeoffs, etc., which save us a lot of time since it takes all the information directly from the 3D model to generate them.

Collaboration with other disciplines:

Finally to sum up this Revit vs AutoCAD post, lets talk about collaboration capabilities.

AutoCAD, as mentioned before, is a general drafting software, so anyone involved in the project (architect, designer, engineer, contractor, etc.) can jump on board and work on the project as long as they have the dwg files. Each professional, using lines, circles, arcs, rectangles, etc., can work on their own part, and through the use of external references, e-transmits and reference files, they can all work on the same project.

Revit has its own set of collaboration tools that allow multiple users to be working on the same project simultaneously, thus, reducing the risk of mistakes. Plus, each professional will have tools to do their work in 3D more efficiently. Structural engineers have beams, columns, braces, etc., while MEP contractors will have ducts, air terminals, wires, conduits, etc. This of course makes the project a lot closer to a what the real project will be and, as we mentioned before, it reduces the possibility of error since we can see everything in 3D all the time.