Did you know that Autodesk offers a “light” version of Revit, called Revit LT? Revit LT can save you some of the upfront costs when adopting BIM technology, but what limitations are incurred along with that reduced price tag? In this post, we’ll share some of the key points to consider when looking at purchasing Revit LT vs Revit.
When trying to decide between Revit LT vs Revit, cost is typically the biggest factor. As of December 2018, the annual fee for a Revit LT 2019 license only $420 versus $2,250 for the full version of Revit 2019. That is a whopping $1,830 a year difference saved annually! Autodesk also offers monthly payments from Revit LT vs Revit, which are $55 and $280, respectively.
You Get What You Pay For
As with any product that offers an option with a lesser price tag, there are significant limitations in Revit LT vs Revit. Below, we’ve outlined some fundamental features that would be missing from your workflow when using Revit LT.
Minimal Collaboration
One of Revit’s greatest strengths is its ability to collaborate in a team environment, whether it’s your internal team or a 3rd party consultant. When faced with making a decision between Revit LT vs Revit, take note of the following collaboration features that are not available in Revit LT.
✕ Worksharing (multiuser environment)
✕ Copy/monitor
✕ Shared coordinates among projects
✕ Revit Server
Light Modeling Tools
Generating a 3D model in Revit is one of it’s primary functions and Revit LT isn’t nearly as powerful as the full version.
For example, shaped editing Floors and Roofs are one of the most basic modeling features in Revit and that tool is not available in Revit LT. Another major limitation of modeling in Revit LT is the inability to model MEP systems. So, if you’re an MEP engineering firm that is trying to decide between Revit LT vs Revit, it looks like you’re stuck with the full version of Revit.
Have a look at some of the main modeling tools that are not available to Revit LT users.
Architecture
✕ Shaped Edited Floors and Roofs
✕ Slanted Columns
✕ Conceptual massing, adaptive components
✕ In Product Rendering
✕ Ray trace
✕Solar studies
Engineering
✕ MEP Systems
✕ HVAC duct systems
✕ Mechanical Equipment
✕Electrical and lighting systems
✕ Piping and plumbing systems
✕ Structural loads and boundary conditions
✕ Heating and cooling loads
✕ Panel Schedules, Duct and Pipe Pressure loss reports
✕ Graphical Column Schedules
Construction
✕ Fabrication Parts
✕ Point clouds
✕ Advanced Steel Connections for Revit
✕ Reinforcement, Rebar modeling
✕ Parts
✕Assemblies
Limited Productivity Features
Along with the limitations on the data and modeling side of Revit, several features that enable increased productivity in the full version of Revit are stifled in Revit LT. For the seasoned Revit user, you undoubtedly have some power-user tricks up your sleeve that simply would not be at your disposal when using Revit LT.
Below are some of the key productivity tools that are not available in Revit LT.
✕ Network deployment
✕ 3rd Party API add-ins
✕ Dynamo for Revit
✕ Application programming interface (API) SDK
✕Macros
Conclusion
I hope this has helped shed some light on the key differences between Revit LT vs Revit. As you can see, the attractive price tag of Revit LT may get your attention, however its limited functionality simply will not work for firms that require some of Revit’s most prized fundamental features.