OpenStudio
Free, open-source EnergyPlus front-end from NREL with a SketchUp plugin, a Measures library for parametric analysis, and Radiance daylighting support.
4.4 /5 composite score
C1 5/5 reflects the free license, C2 4/5 reflects CLI plus Python, Ruby, C++, and C# bindings, and C4 5/5 reflects OSM, IDF, gbXML, IFC, and epJSON workflows. Integrations include EnergyPlus, Revit, Radiance, URBANopt, and Rhino/Grasshopper via Honeybee; firm-size fit is solo to small-team.
Worth it
Rubric Scorecard
| Criterion | Score | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Value for the price | 5/5 | Free, free tier Source → |
| Agent Friendliness | 4/5 | CLI, API: https://openstudio-sdk-documentation.s3.amazonaws.com/index.html |
| Ease of adoption | 4/5 | -- |
| Portability & lock-in | 5/5 | 5 file formats |
| Interoperability | 4/5 | 5 integrations |
Pricing
ModelFree
Free tieryes
How we verified this: we checked OpenStudio against its live site and an independent source — en.wikipedia.org. Nothing on this page is listed from memory. See how we grade. Verified 2026-06-30.
Evidence
File formats
| Format | Direction | Support |
|---|---|---|
| OSM | unknown | unknown |
| IDF | unknown | unknown |
| gbXML | unknown | unknown |
| IFC | unknown | unknown |
| epJSON | unknown | unknown |
Integrations
EnergyPlus Revit Radiance URBANopt Rhino/Grasshopper via Honeybee
Sources
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