Softwr

Construction · head to head

e-Builder vs Houdini

e-Builder logo

e-Builder

Construction

Construction project management and accounting software

From
$400/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: e-Builder product was rebranded to Trimble Unity Construct and no pricing figures are published on the current product page, only a compare plans link; Houdini houdini Indie at $299 per year requires annual gross revenue under $100K USD
  • They diverge on capability: e-Builder covers Project management, Houdini covers Procedural modeling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which e-Builder and Houdini actually diverge.

Attributes where e-Builder and Houdini differ
Attributee-BuilderHoudini
Starting price$400/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWindows, MacOS, Linux
CategoryConstructionCAD
Founded20021987

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 e-Builder

  • Project management
  • Document control
  • Accounting
  • RFI management
  • Collaboration
  • 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.

e-Builder

  • Project managementnot Houdini
  • Document controlnot Houdini
  • Financial managementnot Houdini
  • Collaborationnot Houdini

Houdini

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

Where each one falls short

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

e-Builder

  • Product was rebranded to Trimble Unity Construct and no pricing figures are published on the current product page, only a compare plans link

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

e-Builder

$400/month
  • Professional$400/month
    • Project management
    • Document control
    • Accounting
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Advanced reporting
    • Custom workflows
    • 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 e-Builder if

  • You need project management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want document control.
e-Builder 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 e-Builder or Houdini better?
Neither clearly leads. e-Builder starts at $400/month and Houdini at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, e-Builder or Houdini?
Houdini has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $400/month for e-Builder and Free for Houdini.
Does e-Builder or Houdini run on more platforms?
e-Builder 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. e-Builder starts at $400/month.
What is e-Builder best used for?
e-Builder is most often used for project management, document control, financial management, collaboration. Of those, project management and document control are not what Houdini is typically brought in for.
What can e-Builder do that Houdini cannot?
e-Builder covers Project management, Document control, Accounting, RFI management. Houdini covers Procedural modeling, VFX, Simulations, Particle systems.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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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