What Is the Difference Between Revit and AutoCAD?
If you are in the AEC sector, you probably have heard of or used Revit® and AutoCAD® or their alternatives. Both tools are used in planning and designing programs but with differing capabilities.
Another similarity is that the two tools are made by one company, Autodesk®, which specializes in AEC software. This guide looks at their capabilities by highlighting the differences between the two, so keep reading to learn more if you are planning on investing in one.
What is AutoCAD?
CAD is the acronym for computer-aided design. AutoCAD is the software designed by Autodesk for the AEC industry. It is primarily used for creating and modifying a project’s 2D and 3D models.
It’s more of a digital version of a drafting table since it helps create geometric representations of the project without going into its details, such as its physical properties. Its main difference from paper plans is that you can turn the design around on a computer screen to view it from all angles.
What is Revit?
Revit is much more powerful and has more capabilities than AutoCAD. It is a Building Information Modeling (BIM) software with 3D modeling capabilities allowing its users to create models that are accurate and realistic.
What you see on a Revit model is what you get as it covers all aspects of a project, from dimensions, materials, landscapes, etc. A deeper look into the difference between the two will help you understand this much better.
The Differences between AutoCAD and Revit
As mentioned earlier, AutoCAD is drafting tools limited to creating geometric models. The only information it provides is about dimensions, shapes, elevations, etc. With Revit, you do more than create geometric models. It’s more like placing 3D components atop each other to create a complete 3D model of the entire project. Each of these components contains real-time metadata such as types of material, volumes, etc.
The second main difference is that in AutoCAD, you have to draw each element separately like you would on a paper and then merge the elements if you so wish or leave each on its file. With Revit, you work on a single model. You start with the basic model and have Revit fill out the details for you. Also, every change in one aspect reflects across the entire project. As such, you may not need to redraw as you would need to with CAD software.
The Learning Curve
The more complex a system is, the longer the learning curve will be. However, you may need to get formal training to use the two tools effectively.
The learning curve for AutoCAD is short for two main reasons. First, it doesn’t have as many features, so you can go through everything in a relatively short time. Secondly, it has been the industry standard since 1982. As such, there is a vast sea of resources on how to use it effectively, and you only need to leverage that to master it. Revit’s advanced capabilities mean that there is a lot to learn, which translates to a steeper learning curve.
Still, investing time and money to learn Revit can be a huge advantage to you in the long run. Your choice of tool is dependent on the nature of your business. Revit can do almost everything AutoCAD can do, but not the other way around. So, unless you have financial limitations, Revit is the better choice for the two of them.
