Every architecture and design team eventually asks the same question. Should you draft the building first, or how it looks first? ArchiCAD and 3Ds Max address two different issues within the same project. ArchiCAD generates the drawings and schedules that the architecture team should provide. 3Ds Max generates the renderings and animations that would be used in presenting the designs, but without any information related to BIM. Pricing, platform support, and collaboration features also differ significantly between the two, and independent breakdowns confirm the same split.

Table of Contents

What Is ArchiCAD?

The software developed by Graphisoft is known as Building Information Modeling, ArchiCAD. It was designed in such a way that it can provide architects the possibility to go from the sketch drawings to construction drawings without going into other software applications. Graphisoft itself is a subsidiary of Nemetschek Group that operates from Budapest since 1982. It works on the basis of BIM, which implies that walls, doors, and roof have the characteristics of building objects. Archicad became subscription-only in the year 2026. ArchiCAD Studio costs at least $201 a month, which amounts to $2,414 annually. ArchiCAD Collaborate is priced at a minimum of $237 per month, which equates to an annual fee of $2,840. The Collaborate version provides two features that are not found in Studio, namely MEP Designer and BIMcloud.

Read more: ArchiCAD Software Guide

What Is 3Ds Max?

3Ds Max is best suited for those projects which end up producing visual products like rendering, animation or game/film elements. 3Ds Max always enters the process after the creation of CAD/BIM model in programs such as ArchiCAD or Revit. Pricing runs around $245/month, or roughly $1,945/year, on Autodesk’s standard subscription, with multi-year options available. 3Ds Max has no native BIM logic. It works with polygons, splines, and materials instead of parametric building elements. It utilizes MAXScript and a vast array of plugins like V-Ray and Corona rendering engines to enhance the quality of output. It works only with the Windows operating system and not with macOS, as ArchiCAD does.

Difference Between ArchiCAD and 3Ds Max

ArchiCAD vs 3Ds Max – the main difference is in their purposes: one program is used to document buildings, while the other helps to visualize them. It is all explained in the table below.

Category	ArchiCAD	3Ds Max
Developer	Graphisoft (Nemetschek Group)	Autodesk
Primary Use	BIM, architectural design & documentation	3D modeling, animation & rendering
Starting Price	$201/month ($2,414/year)	~$245/month (~$1,945/year)
Licensing	Subscription only	Subscription only
Platform Support	Windows, macOS	Windows only
Core Strength	Parametric BIM, automated documentation	Photorealistic rendering, animation
Collaboration	Real-time teamwork via BIMcloud	Limited native collaboration; plugin-dependent
Learning Curve	Moderate, architecture-focused	Steep, broader creative scope
User Rating	4.4/5 (279 reviews, Software Advice)	4.6/5 (113 reviews, Software Advice)

Data sourced from Software Advice’s ArchiCAD vs 3ds Max comparison and each vendor’s official pricing pages.

When Should You Choose ArchiCAD?

ArchiCAD is the ideal BIM software for those situations when the importance of documents and coordination is at par with design itself. It becomes an obvious option once floor plans, schedules and drawings get signed and become deliverables which the client, contractors and approval agencies rely upon. Not a concept development tool anymore, but a tool that proves its usefulness once it is required to be accurate and consistent in all the drawings through the evolution of the design process. Ideal for those individuals and firms that require all stakeholders – architects, engineers, contractors and clients, to work on one single, coordinated model. Floor plan design, section drawing, schedule creation or drawings which need to be accurate and consistent all along.

Designing floor plans, sections, schedules, or drawings that must remain correct and consistent throughout the entire evolution of the design process, from early massing to final construction documentation.
Collaborating closely with MEP engineers or structural engineers through real-time collaboration in BIMcloud, so changes made by one discipline are immediately visible to the others.
Providing reliable backing for the use of OpenBIM (IFC, BCF) to ensure that each discipline, irrespective of the software they use, works with the same data set without losing any data.
Creating fully signed off drawings and well-coordinated models as opposed to creating a walkthrough for the sake of presenting to an audience.
Running a fully parametric model where every single drawing, schedule, and section must update automatically as the design shifts and evolves, saving time and reducing costly manual errors.

Read more: Revit vs ArchiCAD

When Should You Choose 3Ds Max?

3Ds Max is useful when dealing with projects where the end result is visual rather than technical, such as renders, animations, or game/film assets. 3Ds Max comes in at the point when there’s already a complete model created with CAD or BIM software (ArchiCAD/Revit), which needs to be visualized, improved, and made visually stunning for presentations. Instead of being used instead of the technical modeling process, 3Ds Max uses that as a base and works exclusively on its appearance and feel.

Creating marketing renders or photorealistic images for architectural and product presentations that will make an impression on the clients and stakeholders.
Making game environments and assets that should look nice and at the same time function well in real time.

Working on film shots and VFX shots that call for careful cinematographic lighting, realistic materials, and precise camera work.
Producing fly-through animations and walkthroughs that BIM software simply does not provide on its own, giving clients a dynamic sense of space.
Taking the model imported from ArchiCAD and giving it additional rendering touches during this second stage, refining materials, lighting, and atmosphere.

How to Learn ArchiCAD and 3Ds Max

All the tutorials that are available online use ArchiCAD and 3Ds Max as two completely independent tutorials that don’t depend on each other. However, when the tutorial is built especially for the intermediate stage, it gives knowledge that cannot be found in separate tutorials at all.

In terms of learning process, the ArchiCAD and 3Ds Max software should be learned as one process, modeling and documentation come first, then visualization.
The BuildAmbit courses are based on real-life practices taken right from the projects.
The learning is closely linked to the tasks you’d actually be given on a construction site or in a studio, ranging from creating BIM documentation to producing polished 3D presentation renderings.

Read more: BIM Modeler Interview Questions for Architects

Conclusion

ArchiCAD vs 3Ds Max is not a case of one being better than the other but of choosing the right software according to the stage of your project. ArchiCAD is the tool for modeling, documentation, and coordination of designs. 3Ds Max is the tool for rendering, animation, and visualization. Most studios use both programs concurrently, applying them where they excel, and not as alternatives.

For structured, practical training in tools like ArchiCAD and 3Ds Max alongside the rest of a BIM and visualization workflow, BuildAmbit’s courses, powered by RSP Design India, are built around real project studios rather than software tutorials in isolation.

FAQs

Which is better for civil engineers: 3Ds Max or ArchiCAD?

ArchiCAD is the better fit for civil engineers. It handles building models, structural coordination, and construction documentation directly, which is what most civil engineering work depends on. 3Ds Max only enters the picture afterward, for visualizing the design once the engineering is finished.

What is the workflow and output of both?

The workflow for ArchiCAD is based on a 3D building model. Output includes coordinated 2D drawings, schedules, and BIM. The workflow for 3Ds Max begins with importing or creating a mesh. Output includes images, animations, or game assets.

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