BricsCAD and AutoCAD feature comparison
The following tables compare BricsCAD features with AutoCAD® features.
Licensing
| BricsCAD | AutoCAD® | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Pro | BIM | Mechanical | Ultimate | LT | Full | |
| Cross-platform Licenses (Windows, Linux, macOS) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Perpetual Licenses | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Perpetual + (Optional) Maintenance (1) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Subscriptions (2) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Single User (3) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Network Multi-user | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Academic | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
(1) For Perpetual license, Maintenance is included for every new license in the first year. From the second year onwards, you are free to renew your Maintenance.
(2) For Subscriptions, Maintenance is always included during the subscription period.
(3) BricsCAD Single User Licenses are Node-locked.
Drawings
| BricsCAD | AutoCAD® | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Pro | BIM | Mechanical | Ultimate | LT | Full | |
| Native DWG file format (through AutoCAD® 2026) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| DWG Password Protection | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| eTransmit | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sheet Set Manager | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Geographic Location Settings | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Esri Maps (1) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drawing Compare | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cloud Collaboration | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
(1) BricsCAD provides Esri Maps through the GEOMAP command.
Import, export, output
| BricsCAD | AutoCAD® | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Pro | BIM | Mechanical | Ultimate | LT | Full | |
| Print/Plot | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Print as JPG | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Print as TIFF | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Print as PNG | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Print as BMP | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Publish/Batch Plot | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Create PDF Bookmarks | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CTB & STB Files | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| PC3 Printer Configuration Files | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Named Page Setups | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| PDF Import, Export | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| DAE Import, Export | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| IFC Import, Export | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| 3DM Import, Export | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| LandXML Import, Export | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Import Autodesk® Civil 3D Data | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| RFA Import | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| SKP Import | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| DGN Import | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| RVT Import, Export | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| DWF Export | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| SVG Import | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| SVG Export | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| FBX Export | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| STL Export | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Point Cloud Export (available formats below) | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | (1) |
| LAZ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | (1) |
| HSPC | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | (1) |
| PTS | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | (1) |
| Point Cloud Import (available formats below) | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | (1) |
| e57 | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | (1) |
| HSPC | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| LAS | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | (1) |
| LAZ | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | (1) |
| LGSX | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| HSPC.PACK | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| PTS | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | (1) |
| PTX | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | (1) |
| RCP | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| RCS | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| RSP | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | (1) |
| RDBX | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | (1) |
| ZFS | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | (1) |
| Datasmith Export | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
(1) In the Autodesk® product suite, Recap is needed to import non-native point cloud formats and convert to AutoCAD®'s native RCS/RCP. For LAS/LAZ/PTS/PTX, Map 3D and/or Civil 3D may be sufficient.
Additional file formats available via Communicator for BricsCAD
| BricsCAD | AutoCAD® | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Pro | BIM | Mechanical | Ultimate | LT | Full | |
| CATIA V4 4.1.9 − 4.2.4 | - | (1) | (1) | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| CATIA V5 V5R8 − V5 − 6 R2021 | - | (1) | (1) | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| IGES up to 5.3 | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Inventor V11 − V2022 | - | (1) | (1) | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| JT 8.x, 9.x, 10, 10.2, 10.3 and 10.5 | - | (1) | (1) | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| NX 1 − NX 195311 − NX 1953 | - | (1) | (1) | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Parasolid 9.0.x − 33.0.x | - | (1) | (1) | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Pro/E / Creo 16 − Creo 8.0 | - | (1) | (1) | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Solid Edge V18 − SE 2021 | - | (1) | (1) | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| SolidWorks 2003 − 2021 | - | (1) | (1) | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| STEP AP203, AP214, AP242 | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| STL All (Graphical data only) | - | (1) | (1) | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| VDA−FS 1.0 − 2.0 | - | (1) | (1) | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| XCGM R2012 − 2021 1.0 | - | (1) | (1) | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
(1) A Communicator for BricsCAD license is required in addition to downloading and installing Communicator for BricsCAD.
Interface
| BricsCAD | AutoCAD® | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Pro | BIM | Mechanical | Ultimate | LT | Full | |
| Dark and Light Color Themes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Industry standard commands, aliases, and variables | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
|
Clickable Command Line with Auto Complete |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Start page | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| File (Drawing) tabs | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Model and Layout tabs | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Layout Manager | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Menu Bar | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Toolbars | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ribbon | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tool Palettes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Contextual Right-click Menus | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Contextual Quad Menu | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Status Bar | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Workspaces | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Searchable Settings (SysVar) Dialog Box | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Lockable Interface | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Clean Screen Mode | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drawing Explorer | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Customizable User Interface (CUI) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Structure panel | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
Visualization tools
| BricsCAD | AutoCAD® | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Pro | BIM | Mechanical | Ultimate | LT | Full | |
| Layers & Layer States | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Entity Transparency | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Visual Styles | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| LookFrom (ViewCube) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Match Perspective | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Lights | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Sun Properties | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Materials | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Rendering | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Animation Editor | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Walk-through 3D Navigation | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| ANIPATH command | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Built-in Direct Link with Twinmotion/Unreal | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
Selection, snap & track
| BricsCAD | AutoCAD® | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Pro | BIM | Mechanical | Ultimate | LT | Full | |
| Selection Filtering (QSELECT) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Add Selected | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Select Similar | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Selection Cycling | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Entity Snaps (OSNAPs) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Polar Tracking | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Z-intersection 3D snap | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Nearest Distance | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Adaptive Grid Snap | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Real-time Boundary Detection | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| 2D Dynamic UCS | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| 3D Dynamic UCS | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
Drawing tools
| BricsCAD | AutoCAD® | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Pro | BIM | Mechanical | Ultimate | LT | Full | |
| Line, Polyline, 3D Polyline, Spline, Ray, Xline | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multi-lines and Multi-line Styles | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Circle, Arc, Ellipse, Elliptical Arc | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Polygon, Rectangle, Region, Donut, Point | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Helix | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| 2D Parameters & Constraints | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| 2D Auto-constrain | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | (1) | (1) |
| Calculator | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
(1) You can automatically apply geometric constraints but you cannot automatically apply a combination of geometric and dimensional constraints.
Annotation tools
| BricsCAD | AutoCAD® | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Pro | BIM | Mechanical | Ultimate | LT | Full | |
| Dimensions, Dimension Styles | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Quick Dimension | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Quick Dimension Advanced Mode | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Multi-leaders, Multi-leader Styles | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Single and Multi-line text, Text Styles, Text Editor | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hatches, Gradients, Hatch/Gradient Editor | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Wipeouts | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Revision Clouds | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Attributes, Attribute Editor | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tables, Table Styles | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fields | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Data Extraction | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Data Linking | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Annotation Scaling | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Spell Check | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| AutoCAD® Mechanical Compatibility: Read, Display, Edit, Create | - | - | - | (1) | (1) | - | - |
(1) You can create ACM symbols using the following commands: AMSURFSYM, AMEDGESYM, AMWELDSYM, AMSIMPLEWELD, AMNOTE, AMFCFRAME, AMDATUMID, AMPARTLIST, AMPARTREF, AMRESCALE.
Editing tools
| BricsCAD | AutoCAD® | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Pro | BIM | Mechanical | Ultimate | LT | Full | |
| Move, Copy, Rotate, Scale, Stretch, Mirror, Align | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Trim, Extend, Lengthen, Break, Join | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Fillet, Chamfer | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Solid Fillet, Solid Chamfer | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| CopyGuided | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| MoveGuided | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Grip Editing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Properties panel | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Manipulator (3D Gizmo) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Draw Order | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Undo Per Entity (Property History) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Optimize | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Simplify | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Drawing Health Management | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
Reference tools
| BricsCAD | AutoCAD® | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Pro | BIM | Mechanical | Ultimate | LT | Full | |
| Blocks, Block Editor | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dynamic Blocks | (1) | (1) | (1) | (1) | (1) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Camera-facing Blocks | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Blockify | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | (2) | (2) |
| Associative Arrays | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| DWG (XREF) Attach, Clip, Bind, & Edit | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| PDF Attach, & Clip | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Image Attach, Clip, & Adjust, with Transparency | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
(1)
Important: In the event that you purchase BricsCAD in the U.S. or for use in the U.S., this feature is neither available nor licensed to you. Please see EULA for more information.
(2) AutoCAD® has the Smart Blocks functionality.
Modeling tools
| BricsCAD | AutoCAD® | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Pro | BIM | Mechanical | Ultimate | LT | Full | |
| ACIS-based Solid Modeling | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Solid and Surface Modeling | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Solid Primitives | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Mesh Primitives | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Polysolids | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Union, Subtract, Intersect | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Interfere | - | (1) | (1) | (1) | (1) | - | ✓ |
| Extrude, Revolve, Loft, Sweep, Thicken | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Twist | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Fillet, Chamfer | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Slice | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Multi-slice | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| T-Connect, L-Connect, & Connect with Nearest Tools | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Extract Edges | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Direct (history-less) Modeling | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Deformable (Free-form) Modeling | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Audit, Simplify | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Solidify | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Stitch | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| 3D Parameters & Constraints | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| 3D Automatic Parameterization | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| 3D Blockify and Parametric Blockify | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| 3D Parametric Design Tables | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Section Planes (Plane, Boundary, Volume, Slice) | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Drawing Views: Base, Projected, Section, Detail and Break Views | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| 3D Threads | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
(1) Interfere in BricsCAD:
- Processes much faster and larger number of entities (10 times).
- Shows the interferences in a list view that can be managed (resolve and delete issues).
- Shows the intersection volume.
- Interference list is kept in the panel after the command finishes.
Building tools
| BricsCAD | AutoCAD® | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Pro | BIM | Mechanical | Ultimate | LT | Full | |
| CAD-based BIM features | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| IFC2x3 / IFC4 / IFC4x3 Import/Export | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| IFC2x3 / IFC4 / IFC4x3 Classifications | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| IFC Import as Underlay | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| BIM Update Underlay | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| IDS Import | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| RVT/RFA Import | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| NWC, NWD, NWF Import | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | (1) |
| RVT Export | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Structural and MEP Modeling Toolset | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Project Database | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Model federation reference points (Survey, Project, and Site Location) | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Project Browser | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Library Database | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Site, Building and Stories | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Windows and Doors | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Fully Parametric BIM Component Creation | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Bill of Materials (BOM) Manager | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| XLSX and CVS Properties Import | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| 3D Spaces | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Wall | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Roof | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Quickdraw | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Quickbuilding | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Construction Detail Management | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Propagate | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Custom BIM Properties | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Graphical Override | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Drawing Customizations | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| BIM Dimensions | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Selection Dimensions | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Analytical Models | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Python Scripts | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| BCF issue management | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
(1) AutoCAD® allows attaching NWC and NWD files for visualization only (without editability or metadata import), while it doesn't support NWF .
Point cloud tools
| BricsCAD | AutoCAD® | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Pro | BIM | Mechanical | Ultimate | LT | Full | |
| Preprocess | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Normals | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Bubble Viewer (static and kinematic scans) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Outline Filter | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Dollhouse | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Gap Filling | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Show Bubbles | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Eye Dome Lighting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Classifier (PCC 11) | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Color-mapping | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Align | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Crop / Uncrop / CropSolid | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Deviation Analysis | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Extract Edge / Extract Corner | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Region | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Trace (geometry detection) | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Export | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Modify Class (classification editing) | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Project Section | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | (1) |
| Fit Cylinder | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Fit Planar (geometry detection) | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Profile Sweep | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| To Mesh (mesh generation) | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Geometry Detection | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Floor Detection | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Room Detection | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Fit Rooms | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
| Scan2Bim | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | - | - |
(1) PCEXTRACTSECTION command in AutoCAD® only generates lines, not orthographic photos.
Manufacturing tools
| BricsCAD | AutoCAD® | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Pro | BIM | Mechanical | Ultimate | LT | Full | |
| AutoCAD® Mechanical 2022 DWG file format | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| 2D Mechanical Drawing Standards (ISO, DIN, JIS, ANSI) | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Settings for Standards | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Parts Reference and Part Lists | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Balloons associated with Part References | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Power dimensions | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Welding Symbols | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Surface Texture | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Feature Control Frame | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Datum ID | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Edge Symbol | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Taper and Slope Symbols | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Leader Notes | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Rescale Annotations | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Mechanical Blocks | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Mechanical Browser | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Parts Library | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Parametric Piping | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Assembly Modeling | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Assembly Inspect | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Exploded Views | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Bill of Materials (BOM) | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Balloons associated with BOM and Drawing Views | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Sheet Metal Design | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| 3D Solids to Sheet Metal Parts Recognition and Conversion | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Corner Relief for Adjacent Edge Flanges | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Lofted Bends | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Junctions, Miters, Tabs, Form Features | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Feature Coloring | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Diagnostic & Repair for Sheet Metal Features | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Batch Processing of Sheet Metal Features | - | - | - | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
Civil and survey tools
| BricsCAD | AutoCAD® | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Pro | BIM | Mechanical | Ultimate | LT | Full | |
| TIN Surface Modeling | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Civil Points | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| TIN Volume Surface | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| TIN Volume Report | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| MPolygon | (1) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Grading | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Alignments | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Strings | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Profiles (Vertical Alignments) | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Corridors | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Autodesk® Civil 3D Object Enabler | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Boundary Trim | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| GIS Data | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Labels | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Civil Section lines | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Civil Section views | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Auto mapping | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
(1) MPOLYGON, MPOLYGONEDIT, and POLYDISPLAY commands are not available in BricsCAD Lite. However, if you open a drawing that contains MPolygons, these are still displayed. You can select and edit an MPolygon using grips, but additional MPolygon properties do not appear in the Properties panel.
Programming
| BricsCAD | AutoCAD® | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | Pro | BIM | Mechanical | Ultimate | LT | Full | |
| ActiveX | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Extended Entity Data Editor | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Script Recorder | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| LISP Support (vl, vlr, vla and vlax) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | (1) | ✓ |
| Solutions Development System (SDS/ADS) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| Dialog Control Language (DCL) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| COM API | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| VBA Project Support | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| .NET Core API | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| BRX (ARX-compatible API) | - | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | ✓ |
| TX (Teigha eXtensions) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - |
| Plugin Bundles (.bundle) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| CUI Menu File Support, with Diesel Expressions | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
(1) LISP support in AutoCAD® LT is limited.