BIM Authoring

A free, open-source parametric 3D modeler whose built-in BIM workbench provides architectural elements (walls, windows, structure) and clean IFC export.

Worth it solo if budget is the constraint and you do residential/small work -- free and open, but expect rougher edges and community-only support versus paid tools.

A full desktop BIM authoring platform from Graphisoft built specifically for architects to model buildings and produce coordinated drawings and documentation.

Solo-friendly if you can absorb the ~$2,400/yr cost -- the most architect-centric serious BIM tool and a genuine Revit alternative for a firm of one.

A DWG-native BIM tool (from Bricsys, now under Octave) that adds rule-based BIM modeling and auto-classification on top of a familiar AutoCAD-like drafting environment.

Solo-friendly and notably cheaper -- worth it for a one-person firm doing DWG-heavy or residential work, but not yet for complex multidisciplinary projects.

A combined CAD-and-BIM design platform from Vectorworks (Nemetschek Group) aimed at architects who want flexible modeling plus documentation in one tool.

Solo-friendly -- a cheaper, more design-fluid alternative to Revit, well-suited to a firm of one, but budget for the separate Service Select upgrade plan.

Autodesk's stripped-down, single-user version of Revit for 3D architectural BIM modeling and documentation without the multidisciplinary and worksharing features of full Revit.

Worth it solo if your collaborators demand native Revit files -- the cheapest entry to the dominant ecosystem, but you are locked into Autodesk's subscription and feature gating.

Suite of AI design tools for Revit and SketchUp -- AI rendering (Veras), auto-documentation (Glyph), generative design (Morphis), and file interoperability (Helix); now part of the Chaos ecosystem.

Solid Revit documentation accelerator -- Glyph automates drawing sheet generation and annotation tasks that consume disproportionate time for a solo architect; zero value outside Revit.

A professional BIM authoring platform from Allplan (Nemetschek Group) for architectural modeling, detailing, and construction documentation.

Overkill for most firms of one -- powerful for detailing-heavy work, but pricing leans toward quote-on-request and the learning curve is steep for a solo budget.

A browser-based, AI-assisted design platform that takes architects from concept and massing through BIM-ready models with export to Revit and Rhino.

Solo-friendly for concept and schematic design -- a cheap, fast browser tool with a free tier, but pair it with a mature authoring tool for production documentation.

A browser-based, multiplayer BIM platform for early-stage architectural design, combining massing, metrics, boards/presentation, and real-time collaboration.

Solo-friendly for client-facing concept design and real-time collaboration, but too early-stage-only to be your sole BIM authoring tool -- treat it as a front-end, not the whole stack.