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CAD · head to head

Lumion vs MicroSurvey CAD

Lumion logo

Lumion

CAD

Architectural visualization made easy

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
MicroSurvey CAD logo

MicroSurvey CAD

CAD

Survey drafting and COGO on an IntelliCAD engine, sold outright rather than by subscription

From
$2945/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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; MicroSurvey CAD dWG compatibility is file-level, not feature-level, so Civil 3D corridors, pipe networks and other object-enabled entities do not arrive intact and collaboration with engineering consultants remains awkward
  • They diverge on capability: Lumion covers Real-time rendering, MicroSurvey CAD covers Coordinate geometry.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Lumion and MicroSurvey CAD actually diverge.

Attributes where Lumion and MicroSurvey CAD differ
AttributeLumionMicroSurvey CAD
Starting price$29/month$2945/one-time
Pricing modelsubscriptionOne-time purchase
Founded1998Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Windows), user rating (Not yet rated), category (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 Lumion

  • Real-time rendering
  • Content library
  • Effects
  • Video animation
  • VR export
  • LiveSync
  • Revit
  • SketchUp

Only in MicroSurvey CAD

  • Coordinate geometry
  • Traverse adjustment
  • Field data reduction
  • IntelliCAD drafting
  • Legal descriptions
  • Surface and contours
  • Point cloud viewing

What people use each for

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

Lumion

  • Architectural visualizationnot MicroSurvey CAD
  • Client presentationsnot MicroSurvey CAD

MicroSurvey CAD

  • A boundary surveying practice that wants to reduce field data, adjust the traverse and write the legal description in one packagenot Lumion
  • A firm that refuses to pay an AutoCAD subscription but must deliver DWG files clients can opennot Lumion
  • A survey office standardised on Leica total stations that wants instrument data flowing in without a translation stepnot Lumion
  • A two-person practice with irregular workload that wants to own its software outright rather than lose access if it stops payingnot Lumion

Where each one falls short

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

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

MicroSurvey CAD

  • DWG compatibility is file-level, not feature-level, so Civil 3D corridors, pipe networks and other object-enabled entities do not arrive intact and collaboration with engineering consultants remains awkward
  • Only one price is listed publicly, for the floating network licence, and the differences between the Standard, Premium and Ultimate editions are resolved through a reseller conversation rather than a published comparison
  • It is Windows only and the installed base is concentrated in North America, so support, training material and experienced staff are much harder to find elsewhere
  • IntelliCAD lags AutoCAD on newer drawing format features and on third party plug-in availability, so a firm depending on a specific AutoCAD add-in will not find an equivalent
  • MicroSurvey now sits inside Hexagon alongside Leica Geosystems, which means the product competes for investment with a much larger portfolio, and buyers of a perpetual licence should ask about the release cadence commitment before assuming years of updates

Pricing, plan by plan

Lumion

$29/month
  • Standard$1499/month
    • Core features
  • Pro$2999/month
    • Full features
    • More content

MicroSurvey CAD

$2945/one-time
  • MicroSurvey CAD, floating network licence$2945/one-time
    • Perpetual licence, shared use with no USB dongle
    • Includes one year of maintenance and support
    • Standard, Premium and Ultimate editions differ in included modules
  • Edition upgrades and add-ons$undefined/one-time
    • Premium and Ultimate edition pricing quoted by MicroSurvey or a reseller
    • Point cloud and scanning modules priced separately
    • Reseller pricing varies by region

Which should you pick?

Choose Lumion if

  • You need real-time rendering.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want content library.
Lumion review

Choose MicroSurvey CAD if

  • You need coordinate geometry.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want traverse adjustment.
MicroSurvey CAD review

Questions people ask

Is Lumion or MicroSurvey CAD better?
Neither clearly leads. Lumion starts at $29/month and MicroSurvey CAD at $2945/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Lumion or MicroSurvey CAD?
Lumion starts at $29/month and MicroSurvey CAD at $2945/one-time.
Does Lumion or MicroSurvey CAD run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Lumion best used for?
Lumion is most often used for architectural visualization, client presentations. Of those, architectural visualization and client presentations are not what MicroSurvey CAD is typically brought in for.
What can Lumion do that MicroSurvey CAD cannot?
Lumion covers Real-time rendering, Content library, Effects, Video animation. MicroSurvey CAD covers Coordinate geometry, Traverse adjustment, Field data reduction, IntelliCAD drafting.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lumion: Where can I find Lumion pricing information?

Specific pricing details are not published on Lumion's public website. Interested customers need to visit the full Lumion website or contact the sales team directly for quotes.

Source
MicroSurvey CAD: Do I need AutoCAD to run it?

No. It is built on the IntelliCAD engine and reads and writes DWG natively without an Autodesk licence.

Lumion: Does Lumion offer a free trial?

A free trial is available for Lumion, though the specific trial duration and included features are not detailed on the main website.

Source
MicroSurvey CAD: Is it a perpetual licence or a subscription?

Perpetual. The listed 2,945 US dollar licence includes one year of maintenance and support, after which maintenance is optional.

Lumion: What is Lumion's licensing model?

Lumion is a commercial software product for architects and 3D rendering professionals. Licensing details and purchase options require contacting the sales team directly.

Source
MicroSurvey CAD: Who owns MicroSurvey?

Hexagon, the same group that owns Leica Geosystems.

MicroSurvey CAD: Will Civil 3D drawings open correctly?

The geometry will. Civil 3D object data such as corridors and pipe networks will not come through as editable objects.

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