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They are not like-for-like products. Allplan Architecture was an architectural BIM authoring tool; current ALLPLAN is an active design-to-build platform. Tekla BIMsight was a model-review and coordination application, and it has been discontinued. For new architectural production, evaluate a current ALLPLAN edition. For BIMsight-style model viewing and coordination, look at Trimble Connect instead.
Two different jobs in a BIM workflow
“Allplan Architecture” is a historical or product-specific name, so its exact features depend on the version and market. Current ALLPLAN is presented as a broader platform for architecture, engineering, construction, infrastructure, fabrication, and site planning. Its role can include creating and documenting models, producing drawings and quantities, visualization, and coordinating design and construction work.
Tekla BIMsight served a different purpose. It was a review and coordination tool for viewing and working with project models, including IFC-based information; it was not a full architectural authoring environment. Typical review tasks included navigating 3D models, measuring, using clip planes, adding markups, and coordinating models. A viewer or coordinator can help a team review a building model, but it does not replace the software used to create and maintain the architectural source model or generate its construction documents.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →That distinction matters more than a feature checklist: ALLPLAN is relevant when you need to produce a project; BIMsight’s modern successor path is relevant when you need to review or coordinate models.
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Tekla BIMsight’s status
Tekla BIMsight is end-of-life software. Trimble’s end-of-life information identifies version 1.10 as the last version and January 31, 2020 as the final support and online-services date. Existing installations may still be usable offline, but BIMsight is no longer maintained or supported, and Trimble no longer offers it as a current download. That makes it a poor choice for a new production standard, especially where support, compatibility, or ongoing collaboration matters. See Trimble’s end-of-life notice and its BIMsight status and replacement page.
Trimble directs users to Trimble Connect for Windows as the successor path, describing it as offering BIMsight’s core functionality with additional capabilities. Do not assume it is an exact clone or that every old project element transfers. In particular, Trimble’s guidance for importing native .tbp files says ToDos, views, and clash checks are not exported. Review the migration guidance before relying on a converted project.
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What current ALLPLAN offers
ALLPLAN’s current package names are Basic, Concept, Professional, and Ultimate. The capabilities vary by edition; the historical Allplan Architecture name should not be treated as interchangeable with any one current package. ALLPLAN’s product overview positions the platform across workflows from concept through detailed design, construction planning, and delivery. Its 2026 edition comparison lists capabilities such as 2D drafting, 3D modeling, clash detection, visualization, cloud collaboration, teamworking, and drawing distribution, with other information-modeling, quantity, reinforcement, road, precast, parametric, and construction functions depending on edition.
- Basic: an entry-level option for drawings and simpler 3D work; industry-specific functionality is more limited than in higher packages.
- Concept: aimed at building modeling, visualization, evaluation, and documentation.
- Professional: adds broader architectural and engineering design and detailing workflows, with building, road, and civil-structure capabilities.
- Ultimate: the broadest multidisciplinary design-to-build package, including advanced detailing and construction-oriented capabilities.
For an architectural practice, Concept may be a sensible starting point if the primary need is building modeling and documentation. Professional or Ultimate may be more relevant when the practice also needs deeper engineering, detailing, or multidisciplinary construction workflows. Compare the current feature list against actual deliverables, not just package names.
Use-case comparison
| Need | Current ALLPLAN | Tekla BIMsight |
|---|---|---|
| Create an architectural BIM model | Designed for authoring and developing building models, with capabilities that vary by edition. | Not a full architectural authoring tool. |
| Produce drawings and project documentation | Supports drafting and documentation workflows; available scope depends on package. | Not its purpose. |
| Review multiple models | Offers model and collaboration capabilities, depending on edition and connected services. | Historically a core review and coordination use. |
| Coordinate or inspect clashes | Clash detection appears in the 2026 edition comparison; check the relevant package and workflow. | Had coordination and review functions, but is discontinued. |
| Collaborate on a current project | Cloud collaboration and teamworking are part of the current ALLPLAN offering, with edition and service differences. | Unsupported; evaluate Trimble Connect instead for a current Trimble-related workflow. |
| Maintain a long-term supported deployment | Active product family; confirm version, region, licensing, and system requirements before purchase. | Not suitable as a new standard because it is unsupported and unavailable for current download. |
Choosing between ALLPLAN editions
The official U.S. shop showed the following starting prices on August 18, 2026. These are “from” prices, exclude VAT or other taxes, and may vary by region, billing term, user count, and sales arrangement. Confirm the live price and included services before buying.
| Edition | U.S. starting price observed | Typical fit |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $140/month | Drawing-focused work and simpler 3D needs. |
| Concept | $241/month | Architectural building modeling, visualization, evaluation, and documentation. |
| Professional | $299/month | Firms needing broader architecture and engineering design or detailing workflows. |
| Ultimate | $404/month | Multidisciplinary teams seeking the broadest design-to-build feature set. |
These prices are not meaningfully comparable with BIMsight’s historical reputation as free software: BIMsight is no longer a supported product you can newly deploy through Trimble. Trimble describes its replacement path as free, but current Connect plan limits and commercial terms should be checked directly rather than inferred from BIMsight-era information. See the ALLPLAN U.S. shop for current purchasing information.
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Interoperability: test the exchange, not just the file opening
In a multi-discipline construction project, being able to open a model is only the first check. Before standardizing on an authoring or coordination workflow, confirm that it meets the project’s exchange requirements:
- Which IFC versions and model exchanges are required, and which application will create each deliverable?
- Do object properties, classifications, quantities, and relationships remain usable after import and export?
- Are DWG or PDF drawings required, and who owns revisions to those documents?
- Does the team need BCF or another issue-exchange process, and can participants preserve issue context across their tools?
- Are you reviewing a federated model, editing the source BIM, or producing construction documentation? These are separate jobs.
Do not assume that properties, views, issues, or clash checks survive every round trip. For legacy BIMsight projects, Trimble specifically documents the loss of ToDos, views, and clash checks during .tbp import to Connect. Confirm all other information critical to your project with a representative test.
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Practical workflows
For an architectural team using ALLPLAN
- Set up project and office standards, including naming, templates, and required exchange formats.
- Establish site and context information, then author the architectural model in the edition appropriate to the work.
- Add building components and the information needed for design coordination and delivery.
- Generate plans, sections, elevations, schedules, quantities, and visualizations as required by the project.
- Coordinate with structural, MEP, civil, and fabrication teams using agreed model exchanges and review procedures.
- Use relevant cloud collaboration and model-review services, then issue controlled drawings and model deliverables.
The exact sequence and available tools depend on edition, local content, project requirements, and connected services.
For model review using Trimble Connect
Use Trimble Connect when the requirement is primarily to view, share, coordinate, or review models rather than author an architectural building model. If you are moving a BIMsight archive, preserve the originals, test a representative project, and compare model geometry, placements, properties, views, markups, ToDos, and clash records against the source. Because documented migration losses include ToDos, views, and clash checks, keep an offline archival workstation if project, legal, or operational needs require access to the original environment. Do not rely on an unsupported BIMsight installation for live collaboration or future compatibility.
Which should you choose?
- You are an architect or architectural practice creating project deliverables: evaluate current ALLPLAN, starting with the package whose modeling and documentation scope matches your work.
- You coordinate or review federated models: evaluate Trimble Connect or another current coordination environment; BIMsight itself is not a viable new deployment.
- You have a BIMsight project archive: preserve the source files, test migration on a representative project, and account for documented losses before adopting a converted project as the sole record.
- You need structural detailing or fabrication software: investigate Tekla Structures separately. It is a distinct current product, not another name for Tekla BIMsight; see Trimble’s product ecosystem.
For a substantial ALLPLAN rollout, also budget time for implementation: office standards, templates, IFC exchange tests, content libraries, training, and archive planning can be as important as the license choice.
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