BimRv SDK by Open Design Alliance
Pricing. You can try it free before you buy. Paid plans start at $3,000 a year. See full pricing · Updated October 14, 2026
BimRv SDK by Open Design Alliance is a developer kit that reads and writes Revit RVT and RFA files without launching Revit, so another application can use the model geometry, families, and views.
Software firms use BimRv when a product has to open a Revit model and Revit itself is not installed on that machine. The SDK reads RVT and RFA files from version 2011 upward, including walls, roofs, floors, families, materials, and the parametric links between elements. Writing is narrower: a full save is offered only to the latest RVT and RFA version.
The same kit can create simple elements, such as text, views, basic walls, and imported DirectShape geometry, and it can publish a model to 2D or 3D PDF. Exchange also names DWF, DAE, and SVG. A web path, Open Cloud, shows the model in a WebGL browser. None of that replaces Revit as the authoring application.
Production use is not a single download price. ODA's membership page says extensions such as BimRv are sold only with Sustaining or Founding membership: Sustaining is US$7,500 the first year and US$4,500 to renew, and the BimRv line is an extra US$6,250 for Sustaining or US$12,500 for Founding. Commercial membership, at US$3,000 in year one, cannot buy extensions.
A 60-day trial is free, needs no credit card, and is not limited to existing members. The product page says the trial is the way to test the SDK before a membership. Redistribution on Sustaining and Founding is unlimited. Commercial redistribution, for the core package only, is capped at 100 copies.
Specifications
Pricing
Platforms
Used for
Used by
Tasks
Pros and cons
Pros
- Reads Revit files from 2011 up without Revit installed
- Membership and BimRv extension prices are now published
- 60-day trial needs no credit card
- Sustaining and Founding allow unlimited redistribution and web use
Cons
- Commercial membership cannot buy the BimRv extension
- Write support is the latest RVT and RFA version only
- The extension price has no printed renewal line
- The core platform list is broader than a confirmed BimRv build matrix
Key features
Read Revit files: RVT and RFA from 2011 upward, including families, materials, and parametric relationships
Write latest only: Full save and incremental save target the latest RVT and RFA version
Create elements: Text, views, basic walls, openings, and DirectShape geometry
Publish: 2D and 3D PDF, plus DWF, DAE, and SVG export named on the product page
View without Revit: Desktop visualization, and Open Cloud for a WebGL browser
Sustaining plus BimRv: Lowest production path on the price table. Commercial membership cannot buy this extension
60-day trial: Free, no credit card, open to a new registration
Founding adds source: Founding membership includes source code. Sustaining does not
Pricing
60-day evaluation
60-day trial
Free
Free. No credit card. Open to a new registration, not only existing members.
Commercial membership, renewal
per year
$2,250.00
Pricing is described on the vendor site. Does not include BimRv.
Commercial membership, first year
per year
$3,000.00
Pricing is described on the vendor site. Does not include BimRv. Extensions are not available at this level. Renewal is US$2,250.
Sustaining membership, renewal
per year
$4,500.00
Pricing is described on the vendor site. Membership renewal only. BimRv extension is separate.
BimRv extension, Sustaining
per year
$6,250.00
Pricing is described on the vendor site. Listed once for Sustaining. No separate renewal figure is printed. Requires Sustaining or the extension cannot be purchased.
Sustaining membership, first year
per year
$7,500.00
Pricing is described on the vendor site. Required base for BimRv. Renewal is US$4,500. Add the BimRv extension on top.
BimRv extension, Founding
per year
$12,500.00
Pricing is described on the vendor site. Listed once for Founding. No separate renewal figure is printed.
Founding membership, renewal
per year
$18,000.00
Pricing is described on the vendor site. Membership renewal only. BimRv extension is separate.
Founding membership, first year
per year
$37,500.00
Pricing is described on the vendor site. Includes source code. Renewal is US$18,000. Add the BimRv extension on top.
Prices come from each vendor’s public listings and can change. Double-check the current price on the vendor site before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the ODA BimRv SDK cost?
BimRv is not sold by itself. On the ODA membership page, Sustaining is US$7,500 the first year and US$4,500 to renew, with the BimRv extension listed at US$6,250, while Founding is US$37,500 the first year and US$18,000 to renew, with BimRv listed at US$12,500. A first-year Sustaining plus BimRv total on those figures is US$13,750. The extension table does not show a separate renewal price, so confirm whether the US$6,250 repeats.
Can I buy BimRv with the cheaper Commercial membership?
No. Commercial membership is US$3,000 the first year and US$2,250 to renew, and the comparison table says extension purchases are not available at that level. Web and SaaS use are also marked No for Commercial, and redistribution is limited to 100 copies. BimRv requires Sustaining or Founding, which include unlimited redistribution and web or SaaS use.
Is there a free BimRv trial?
Yes. The product page offers 60 days free and says no credit card is required. ODA's BimRv FAQ says the trial archives are free for anyone who registers, not only for existing members. Existing members request a trial through their account administrator. The trial is for evaluation. Production redistribution uses a paid membership.
Does BimRv run without Revit, and on which systems?
The product page says you work with Revit data without the Revit application installed. It describes desktop visualization and a browser viewer through Open Cloud. The membership page lists Windows, Linux, Android, macOS, and iOS for the core SDK package. That platform list is for the core set. Confirm the BimRv build for your target OS before you plan a Mac or Linux product.
Which Revit versions can BimRv read and write?
Read support is Autodesk Revit files from version 2011 and higher. Write support is the latest RVT and RFA version only, including a full save that ODA describes as compatible with Revit and an optional incremental save. The December 2025 roadmap item on the product page names production support for the 2026 file format. Older files can be read. They are not the write target.
How does BimRv compare with using Revit itself?
Revit is the authoring application. BimRv is a developer library for other software that needs to read or write those files when Revit is not running. It exposes geometry, families, and views, and it can publish PDF. It does not include Revit's design tools, and creating elements is limited to the simple types listed on the product page, such as basic walls and DirectShape geometry.
Who is the BimRv SDK for?
It is for software companies building an application around Revit files, not for an architect who wants to model a building. Sustaining fits a team that needs the extension, unlimited redistribution, and web use without source code. Founding adds source-code access at a much higher membership fee. A 60-day trial is the way to test the library first.
Tutorials and learning
Sources
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