Synaps is free for everyone until July 1. Try it free

Architectural practice
without the compromise.

Synaps as an alternative to Autodesk Revit

At a glance

Best alongside Revit

Revit is model-first: every plan, section, and schedule is a view of one parametric database. That is exactly why coordination is its strength, and why documentation can feel like feeding the model. Synaps takes the documentation half, drafting, sheet sets, and weekly PDF issues, and leaves coordination in Revit.

  • Synaps for drafting, sheet sets, and library governance
  • Revit for federated BIM, clash detection, and FM handover
  • Most studios run them side by side after a two-week pilot

Side by side

Synaps vs Revit

Feature-by-feature comparison of Synaps and Autodesk Revit.

Feature Synaps Revit
Primary surface 2D drafting + sheet index Federated 3D BIM model
Linked views Plans, sections, details stay live across edits Native, but coupled to the full model
Sheet sets First-class, drag-reorder, auto-numbering Sheet manager inside the model
PDF issue export Tuned for issued sets out of the box Requires print-set discipline
Office libraries Publish / edit / view roles Family templates + shared parameters
Multi-discipline coordination Not the goal Core strength
Clash detection No Yes (Revit + Navisworks)
Facility data / IFC handover Not the goal Yes
Learning curve 2–5 days for an editor 2–4 weeks plus office standards
Pricing model Per editor, monthly Per seat, annual
Solution Architecture Studio Run the whole job from sketch through DD in one project: draft the plan set, review it live with the team, and pull a hero plan straight into the fee proposal. You pay per active editor, not per seat. Explore solution → From the blog Why we're not trying to replace Revit The recent a16z article “Every building you’ve ever been in was designed by software built in 1997” resonated deeply with us as a team building in AEC. Read article →

Honest tradeoffs

When to switch from Revit, and when not to

Switch to Synaps when

  • Documentation eats more partner hours than coordination does
  • Re-exporting after a plan change takes an afternoon, not minutes
  • Library governance lives in someone's head, not a system
  • You issue weekly 2D sets but treat the model as supporting cast

Stay on Revit when

  • The federated model is the contract deliverable
  • Clash and multi-discipline coordination is the job
  • You owe FM handover or IFC compliance to the client
  • No one in the office can own a documentation pilot for two weeks

Migration path

Pilot Synaps next to Revit

A two-week pilot on a live job. If documentation does not get faster, stop, even if the comparison reads in our favour.

  1. Week 1

    Migrate one office library slice. Pick one live sheet set to own in Synaps.

  2. Week 2

    Move internal review to Synaps. Revit stays the federated archive.

  3. Week 3–4

    Issue one PDF set from Synaps. Measure plan-edit-to-re-export hours.

Book a demo Open Synaps Studio

Fast is more →

Revit questions we hear

Can we keep Revit and use Synaps for drafting?

Yes, the most common mixed stack. Revit stays coordination and archive; Synaps owns drafting, libraries, and the weekly issued set.

Does Synaps import Revit (.rvt) files?

Synaps reads IFC and DWG exports from Revit for geometry and view setup. The federated model is not imported wholesale, pilots usually start with one sheet set and grow.

Do we lose multi-discipline coordination by switching documentation?

Only if coordination was happening in 2D sheet sets, which it usually is not. Federated coordination stays where it belongs: in your BIM tool.

How does pricing compare to Revit?

Synaps is per-editor monthly without the seat lock-in or annual commitment. Studios commonly pilot with two editors and a studio lead.

More comparisons

Compare Synaps with another tool

Synaps vs AutoCAD CAD speed with project memory. Synaps vs SketchUp For when concept becomes drawing set. Synaps vs ArchiCAD Mid-market BIM, plus drafting at studio pace. Synaps vs Vectorworks BIM + 2D, documentation at studio pace. Synaps vs BricsCAD CAD-native speed, project structure.
Introducing Vecy-1 Our proprietary SOTA floor plan generation model achieves best-in-class benchmark performance in geometric validity, coherence, and spatial reasoning.
Made for the studio Built for the everyday architecture practice The drafting tool a working studio runs on