OpenBuildings Designer
Building design and building information modeling (BIM) software
CAD software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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$3,543.00 per 12-month Virtuoso Subscription
Free Trial
Free version unavailable
Small
Medium
Large
- Transportation and logistics
- Construction
- Energy and utilities
What is OpenBuildings Designer
OpenBuildings Designer is a building design and BIM application used to create and manage 3D building models and associated documentation. It targets architects, building designers, and multidisciplinary AEC teams that need coordinated architectural and building systems modeling. The product emphasizes model-based workflows with support for producing drawings and schedules from the model and for exchanging data with other AEC tools through common formats.
BIM-centric building modeling
The product supports creating intelligent building models rather than only drafting geometry. Users can generate drawings and documentation from the model, which helps maintain consistency across plans, sections, and schedules. This aligns with BIM workflows commonly used for coordinated design and downstream project delivery.
Interoperability via industry formats
OpenBuildings Designer supports exchanging data using common AEC formats (for example, IFC) to collaborate across mixed-tool project teams. This can reduce rework when coordinating with consultants and stakeholders using different authoring or review tools. It is relevant for organizations that must meet open-standard deliverable requirements.
Documentation and deliverables tools
The application includes capabilities for producing construction documentation from the BIM model, including drawing production and model-based reporting. This helps teams keep deliverables connected to model changes rather than maintaining separate, manually updated CAD files. It can be useful for firms standardizing templates and deliverable outputs across projects.
Complexity and learning curve
BIM authoring tools typically require significant onboarding, and OpenBuildings Designer is no exception. Teams may need training to establish modeling standards, libraries, and documentation workflows. This can slow adoption for smaller firms or for users primarily accustomed to 2D CAD.
Ecosystem dependence for workflows
Some advanced coordination, analysis, or construction-phase workflows may rely on additional tools and connectors in the broader Bentley ecosystem. Organizations using a heterogeneous toolchain may need to validate end-to-end interoperability and handoff quality for each project. This can add administrative overhead compared with single-vendor standardized stacks.
Resource and deployment considerations
BIM modeling at building scale can be demanding on workstation resources, especially for large models and detailed documentation sets. Firms may need to plan for hardware specifications, storage, and model management practices to maintain performance. IT teams may also need to manage licensing and version alignment across project participants.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| 12-month Virtuoso Subscription (Practitioner license) | $3,543.00 per 12-month license (USD) | Sold via Bentley eStore as a Virtuoso (12-month) subscription; eStore listing shows "Special Price USD 3,543.00" and notes the purchase includes Keys (training/consulting credits); taxes not included; billed annually. |
| Perpetual license (with SELECT maintenance) | Contact provider for quote | One-time purchase plus annual SELECT maintenance; official Bentley product pages state this option exists but do not list public prices—contact Bentley for a quote. |
| Cloud Services Subscription (CSS) / Pay-as-you-go | Contact provider / varies | Bentley documents reference a CSS / pay-as-you-go licensing model for some products; official pages note pricing varies by region and usage and advise contacting Bentley or the eStore. |
Seller details
Bentley Systems, Incorporated
Exton, Pennsylvania, USA
1984
Public
https://www.bentley.com/
https://x.com/bentleysystems
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bentley-systems/
