3D & CAD · head to head
Alibre Design vs Lumion
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Alibre Design perpetual licences do not include updates; maintenance is a separate yearly plan starting at $50 per year for CAD support and updates; Lumion enterprise tier is priced by quote only, labelled Let's talk in the vendor's own pricing data, alongside otherwise self-serve tiers with published dollar and pound figures
- They diverge on capability: Alibre Design covers Parametric modeling, Lumion covers Real-time rendering.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Alibre Design and Lumion actually diverge.
| Attribute | Alibre Design | Lumion |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | one-time | subscription |
| Founded | 1997 | 1998 |
Identical on both: starting price ($29/month), free tier (No), platforms (Windows), user rating (Not yet rated), category (3D & CAD).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Alibre Design
- Parametric modeling
- Assemblies
- Sheet metal
- 2D drawings
- BOM
- Rendering
- CAM software
- PDM
Only in Lumion
- Real-time rendering
- Content library
- Effects
- Video animation
- VR export
- LiveSync
- Revit
- SketchUp
Both cover
- Windows support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Alibre Design
- Parametric 3D solid modelling for mechanical partsnot Lumion
- Producing 2D manufacturing drawings from 3D modelsnot Lumion
- Designing parts for 3D printing and small shop machiningnot Lumion
Lumion
- Architectural visualizationnot Alibre Design
- Client presentationsnot Alibre Design
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Alibre Design
- Perpetual licences do not include updates; maintenance is a separate yearly plan starting at $50 per year for CAD support and updates
- Sheet metal, PDM data management and rendering are Design Expert only at $1,999
- Scripting is excluded from the $199 Atom3D edition
- CAM capability is sold as separate EZ-Mill, EZ-Turn and EZ-EDM products costing up to $2,999
- A dedicated account manager is excluded from Atom3D
Lumion
- Enterprise tier is priced by quote only, labelled Let's talk in the vendor's own pricing data, alongside otherwise self-serve tiers with published dollar and pound figures
Pricing, plan by plan
Alibre Design
$29/month- Atom3D$199/month
- Basic modeling
- Design$999/month
- Professional CAD
- Expert$1999/month
- Full features
Lumion
$29/month- Standard$1499/month
- Core features
- Pro$2999/month
- Full features
- More content
Which should you pick?
Choose Alibre Design if
- You need parametric modeling.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want assemblies.
Choose Lumion if
- You need real-time rendering.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want content library.
Questions people ask
- Is Alibre Design or Lumion better?
- Neither clearly leads. Alibre Design starts at $29/month and Lumion at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Alibre Design or Lumion?
- Alibre Design starts at $29/month and Lumion at $29/month.
- Does Alibre Design or Lumion run on more platforms?
- Both run on Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is Alibre Design best used for?
- Alibre Design is most often used for parametric 3d solid modelling for mechanical parts, producing 2d manufacturing drawings from 3d models, designing parts for 3d printing and small shop machining. Of those, parametric 3d solid modelling for mechanical parts and producing 2d manufacturing drawings from 3d models are not what Lumion is typically brought in for.
- What can Alibre Design do that Lumion cannot?
- Alibre Design covers Parametric modeling, Assemblies, Sheet metal, 2D drawings. Lumion covers Real-time rendering, Content library, Effects, Video animation. Both handle Windows support.