Softwr

Construction · head to head

CMiC vs Houdini

CMiC logo

CMiC

Construction

Cloud-based construction management software

From
$300/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Houdini logo

Houdini

CAD

Procedural 3D animation and VFX

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Houdini has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CMiC no specific pricing disclosed on website; Houdini houdini Indie at $299 per year requires annual gross revenue under $100K USD
  • They diverge on capability: CMiC covers Project management, Houdini covers Procedural modeling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CMiC and Houdini actually diverge.

Attributes where CMiC and Houdini differ
AttributeCMiCHoudini
Starting price$300/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWindows, MacOS, Linux
CategoryConstructionCAD
Founded19851987

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 CMiC

  • Project management
  • Accounting
  • Document management
  • Job costing
  • Field operations
  • QuickBooks
  • Sage
  • Microsoft 365

Only in Houdini

  • Procedural modeling
  • VFX
  • Simulations
  • Particle systems
  • Pyro FX
  • Ocean tools
  • Rigging
  • Rendering

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CMiC

  • Insurance and risk managementnot Houdini
  • Professional liability coveragenot Houdini
  • Construction industry insurancenot Houdini

Houdini

  • Procedural 3D modelling and environment generationnot CMiC
  • Visual effects simulation for pyro, fluids, cloth and rigid bodiesnot CMiC
  • Building reusable procedural assets for a studio pipelinenot CMiC

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CMiC

  • No specific pricing disclosed on website
  • Website directs users to /pricing page for quotes only
  • Custom quoting model used for all customers
  • No tiered plans or standard pricing published

Houdini

  • Houdini Indie at $299 per year requires annual gross revenue under $100K USD
  • Houdini Indie cannot be used in the same pipeline as commercial versions of Houdini
  • Houdini Indie and Apprentice save to their own .hipnc file format, which commercial Houdini pipelines do not share
  • The free Apprentice edition is non commercial, caps render resolution at 1920x1080 and watermarks output images
  • Houdini Indie ships with only 2 render tokens
  • Full DOP level simulation node access requires Houdini FX at $4,495 per workstation; Core at $1,995 exposes only SOP level pre built simulation assets
  • Extra render tokens cost $195

Pricing, plan by plan

CMiC

$300/month
  • Core$300/month
    • Project management
    • Accounting
    • Document management
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Mobile field app
    • Advanced analytics
    • API access

Houdini

Free
  • ApprenticeFree
    • Learning version
    • Non-commercial
  • Indie$269/month
    • Revenue limit $100K
  • Core$1995/month
    • Full commercial
  • FX$4495/month
    • Full + simulations

Which should you pick?

Choose CMiC if

  • You need project management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want accounting.
CMiC review

Choose Houdini if

  • You need procedural modeling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want vfx.
Houdini review

Questions people ask

Is CMiC or Houdini better?
Neither clearly leads. CMiC starts at $300/month and Houdini at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CMiC or Houdini?
Houdini has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $300/month for CMiC and Free for Houdini.
Does CMiC or Houdini run on more platforms?
CMiC runs on Web, Ios, Android. Houdini runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
Can I use Houdini for free?
Yes. Houdini has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CMiC starts at $300/month.
What is CMiC best used for?
CMiC is most often used for insurance and risk management, professional liability coverage, construction industry insurance. Of those, insurance and risk management and professional liability coverage are not what Houdini is typically brought in for.
What can CMiC do that Houdini cannot?
CMiC covers Project management, Accounting, Document management, Job costing. Houdini covers Procedural modeling, VFX, Simulations, Particle systems.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CMiC: How much does CMiC cost?

CMiC does not publish fixed pricing on its website. The company uses a custom quote model. Interested parties must visit the /pricing page or contact CMiC directly to request a quote for their specific needs.

Source
Houdini: How much does SideFX Houdini cost?

SideFX Houdini pricing is not published on their website. Specific prices for commercial, educational, and non-commercial licenses must be obtained by adding items to your cart or contacting SideFX sales directly.

Source
CMiC: What is CMiC's pricing model?

CMiC uses a custom enterprise pricing model rather than published tiered plans. All pricing is determined on a case-by-case basis through their sales team.

Source
Houdini: What license types does Houdini offer?

Houdini offers Commercial licenses (Houdini Indie for under $100K USD annual revenue, Houdini Core, Houdini FX, Houdini Engine), Non-Commercial licenses (Houdini Apprentice free, Houdini Education for Students and Schools), Rental options, and Annual Upgrade Plans. Volume-based discounts are available for Houdini Engine.

Source
Houdini: Is Houdini available for free?

Yes. Houdini Apprentice is available free for non-commercial use. Houdini Education licenses are also available for students and schools at no cost.

Source
Houdini: Are volume discounts available for Houdini?

Yes. Volume-based discounts are available for Houdini Engine licenses. Rental and Annual Upgrade Plan pricing have been adjusted as of Houdini 21.

Source
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