Best free IFC viewer / checking workflow for Archicad on macOS?

[Diego Rojas]

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for recommendations for a good free IFC viewer or checking workflow specifically for macOS, to use after exporting an IFC from Archicad and before issuing it to collaborators such as engineers, contractors or clients.

Ideally, I’d like something that allows us to quickly:

• Open and visually inspect the exported IFC model
• Navigate the model smoothly
• Check geometry, elements and basic IFC properties/information
• Confirm that the IFC export looks correct before issuing it
• Work reliably within the macOS ecosystem
• Ideally allow non-Archicad users to review the model as well

The idea is to introduce a simple QA/QC step between Archicad → IFC export → external issue, without having to open the file in another full BIM authoring package or rely on Windows-only software.

What are other Archicad + Mac users currently using for this?

Any free IFC viewers, web-based solutions or workflows you would recommend?

Thanks!

Operating system used: Mac Apple Silicon macOS Tahoe

[CosminF]

Hi,

To my knowledge, Trimble Connect has a free tier. It also can be browser-based and (at least the paid versions) can run clash detection and basic model interrogation.

[Stefan L_]

We use BIMcollab Zoom on Windows, comes in Mac flavour too.

[MarceloBIM]

On macOS I'd look at: BIMcollab Zoom (free, native Mac, fast navigation and property inspection; smart views and issue tracking are paid). Trimble Connect (browser, free tier, easy for clients and contractors, but the file goes to the cloud and the free tier is limited). Autodesk Viewer (browser, free, reads IFC and RVT, needs an Autodesk account and shared files expire after 30 days). ODA Open IFC Viewer (free desktop, runs on Mac, good property tree). BIMvision and usBIM.viewer+ are solid but Windows-only, useful if your consultants are on PC. Before issuing, run the file through the buildingSMART Validation Service. I built a web viewer for this myself, happy to share the link if useful.

[Laszlo Nagy · Accepted solution]

I just recently found https://www.ifclite.com/

I like it very much, it is fast, web-based, and it can display model information in many different ways.

Another thing it does better than several other IFC Viewers I tried is the display of IFC Groups, something I have been working with recently.

[Diego Rojas]

Thanks Laszlo! This is exactly what I was looking for.

I’ve just had a look at IFC Lite and it looks great — fast, web-based, and I really like the different ways you can display the model information.

The IFC Groups functionality is particularly useful, as that’s something I’ve been working with recently as well.

And thanks to everyone who took the time to share their feedback and point me in the right direction on this topic — very much appreciated!

[MarceloBIM]

You can try https://vistobim.com.ar/, it has a lot of potential