SDS2
Pricing is tailored to your team. Reach out to the vendor for a quote. See full pricing · Updated October 3, 2026
SDS2 is Windows steel-detailing software from Allplan that designs connections in a 3D model and produces shop and erection drawings, sold as Basic, Drafting, Modeling, and Ultimate.
A fabricator does not need another general modeler. They need connections that match the framing, and drawings the shop can cut from. SDS2, now part of Allplan in the Nemetschek Group, is built for that handoff.
The lineup is four editions. Basic covers review, markup, crane placement, reports, and MRP or CNC links, without building the model or the sheets. Drafting adds shop and erection drawings and still has no 3D model input, while Modeling adds the 3D model, automated connections, takeoff, and load planning without those sheets. Ultimate is the set of all three.
Every edition on the comparison grid can add Bimplus by Allplan. Modeling and Ultimate are the editions that import reference drawings and models. The grid does not name IFC as a format. SDS2 runs on Windows.
There is no public price, and both subscription and perpetual licenses are still sold. A 2025 note on the SDS2 blog says perpetual licenses remain for sale, and that support and maintenance fees rise from 2026 as the company shifts toward subscription. Existing SDS200 subscriptions move to named-user Ultimate, and existing SDS200 perpetual licenses move to a floating Ultimate license.
Specifications
Pricing
Platforms
Used for
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Tasks
Pros and cons
Pros
- Ultimate is the only edition that both designs connections in 3D and creates shop and erection drawings.
- The comparison page spells out what Drafting and Modeling each leave out.
- Perpetual licenses are still offered, alongside subscription.
Cons
- SDS2 does not publish a price. Every edition is a quote.
- From 2026, the vendor says support and maintenance fees on perpetual licenses go up. No new fee is printed.
- Drafting cannot build the 3D model. Modeling cannot create the shop drawings. Buying the wrong edition means a second quote.
Key features
SDS2 Basic: 3D review and markup, design calculations, crane placement, model colorization, reports, MRP/CNC integration, and Bimplus. No 3D model input, no automated connections, no shop or erection drawing creation.
SDS2 Drafting: Shop drawing creation and erection drawing creation on top of the Basic review tools. Still no 3D model input and no automated connection design.
SDS2 Modeling: 3D model input, automated connection design, quantity takeoff, load and delivery planning, and import of reference drawings and models. No shop or erection sheet creation. Former Load Planning licenses land here.
SDS2 Ultimate: Everything in Basic, Drafting, and Modeling. Former SDS200 licenses move here.
Licensing: No list price. Subscription and perpetual are both sold. SDS200 subscriptions become named-user Ultimate. SDS200 perpetual licenses become floating Ultimate. The support FAQ says the edition change does not rewrite the current subscription period.
Bimplus: Listed as an add-on on every edition.
Pricing
SDS2 Basic (quote)
Contact sales
No public price. Review, markup, reports, MRP/CNC, and Bimplus. No 3D model input and no shop drawings. sds2.com/package-comparison as of 2026-10-01. Confirm with SDS2.
SDS2 Drafting (quote)
Contact sales
No public price. Adds shop and erection drawings. No 3D model input. Confirm on the vendor site.
SDS2 Modeling (quote)
Contact sales
No public price. 3D input, automated connections, takeoff, and load planning. Does not create shop or erection drawings. Confirm on the vendor site.
SDS2 Ultimate (quote)
Contact sales
No public price. Includes Basic, Drafting, and Modeling. Subscription or perpetual. SDS200 subscriptions become named-user Ultimate. SDS200 perpetual licenses become floating Ultimate. Confirm on the vendor site.
Frequently asked questions
How much does SDS2 cost?
SDS2 does not publish a price for any edition. Basic, Drafting, Modeling, and Ultimate are quotes, and both subscription and perpetual licenses are still sold. A 2025 note on the SDS2 blog says perpetual licenses remain available, and that support and maintenance fees increase from 2026 as the company moves toward subscription. The blog does not print the new fee. Ask SDS2 for a sales order.
What is the difference between SDS2 Drafting, Modeling, and Ultimate?
Drafting creates shop and erection drawings and does not include 3D model input or automated connection design. Modeling does the 3D model, the connections, quantity takeoff, and load planning, and it does not create those drawings. Ultimate includes both. Basic is the review seat: markup, calculations, crane placement, reports, and MRP or CNC links, without modeling or sheet creation.
Is an SDS2 license named-user or floating?
The support FAQ says the edition change does not change how licensing works, then describes the SDS200 transition. An SDS200 subscription becomes a named-user Ultimate license, replacing the old weight-limited model. An SDS200 perpetual license becomes a floating Ultimate license. Your current subscription period stays as it is. New buyers should confirm named-user versus floating on the quote, because the public pages do not print a rate card.
Does SDS2 run on Mac, and does it open IFC?
SDS2 is a Windows application. The package comparison does not list a Mac or browser edition. Modeling and Ultimate can import reference drawings and models. That grid does not name IFC, RVT, or DWG as the file types, so treat the exact formats as something to confirm with SDS2 before you promise an exchange.
Does SDS2 include Bimplus?
Bimplus by Allplan is listed as an add-on on Basic, Drafting, Modeling, and Ultimate. It is not described as a free extra on the comparison page. The same grid gives MRP and CNC integration to every edition, including Basic.
Who is SDS2 for?
The edition blurbs speak to reviewers, 2D detailers, modeling teams, and detailers who need fabrication-ready drawings in one product. Load Planning customers are folded into Modeling and gain model review, site planning, and fabrication-management links. There is no public free trial on the comparison page or the editions FAQ.
Tutorials and learning
Sources
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