Guide · Free IFC takeoff tools

Best free IFC quantity takeoff tools (2026)

Honest guidePublished by ifcreport.app — one of the tools listed

“Free IFC takeoff” hides a catch worth naming up front: most tools that are free to view an IFC paywall the part where you actually get quantities out. So this list separates the tools that genuinely produce a takeoff for free from the ones that only let you look. We publish this guide, and ifcreport.app is on it — where a free competitor beats us on a specific axis, we say so.

What to check before you trust a number

Three questions sort the field: Does the free tier actually export a takeoff, or only view the model? Where is the file processed — locally in your browser/desktop, or uploaded to a vendor cloud (which matters under NDA)? And what format do you get — a readable PDF, or spreadsheet data you can pivot? Every tool below is rated against those.

1. ifcreport.app

Free: 3 full reports / month · browser · no upload

Full disclosure: this is our tool, so weigh the rest of the list accordingly. ifcreport.app parses the IFC locally in the browser and produces a structured takeoff PDF — element schedule, storey breakdown, quantity columns — with no template setup. It is opinionated on purpose: there is no query builder and, today, no Excel export.

Pros
  • +Zero configuration — drop a file, get a report
  • +Files never leave the browser
  • +Branded PDF on Pro
Cons
  • −PDF only — no Excel/CSV export yet
  • −Free tier is capped at 3 reports a month

Best for — Handing a non-modeller a finished, readable PDF without any setup. Try it →

2. QTOpro (qto.app)

Free: 3 read-only templates, files ≤25 MB, exports capped at 100 rows · browser · no upload

The tool most similar to ifcreport.app: browser-based, local processing, paid tier around $19/month. The difference is that QTOpro is a configurable bill-of-quantities workbench — you build sheets, columns, filters and filename-mapping rules, and export to PDF, CSV, JSON or XLSX. On export breadth it beats us.

Pros
  • +Configurable sheets and extraction templates
  • +Exports PDF, CSV, JSON and XLSX
  • +Local in-browser processing
Cons
  • −Free tier caps exports at 100 rows per file
  • −Requires setup before the first useful result

Best for — Quantities you want as flexible, manipulable spreadsheet data. Full comparison →

3. Sortdesk

Free account: quantity takeoffs + Excel/CSV export · web · local files

A web-based IFC viewer that, on a free account, genuinely produces quantity take-offs and exports them to Excel or CSV — processing local files in the browser unless you opt into cloud sync. On the specific axis of "free and actually exports quantities," Sortdesk is more generous than we are.

Pros
  • +Free tier exports quantities to Excel/CSV
  • +3D viewer included
  • +Local file processing by default
Cons
  • −Cloud sync is opt-in but exists — read the data settings
  • −Broader viewer scope, less focused on a clean report

Best for — A free option when you need a quantity spreadsheet and a viewer in one.

4. IfcOpenShell + Bonsai (formerly BlenderBIM)

Free and open source (LGPL/GPL) · Windows, Mac, Linux · local

The open-source route. Bonsai is a Blender add-on with a Quantity Take-off panel that computes IFC4 base quantities; IfcOpenShell is the Python toolkit underneath it for scripted, repeatable takeoff. Fully free with no tier at all — the cost is learning curve.

Pros
  • +Genuinely free forever, no caps
  • +Scriptable for repeatable/automated takeoff
  • +Cross-platform, fully local
Cons
  • −Needs Blender familiarity and often Python
  • −Real gotchas: unit inconsistencies, missing base quantities

Best for — Technical users who want automation or zero licensing cost.

5. BIMvision

Free Windows viewer; takeoff via paid plugins (~€130–€150 one-time)

A well-built, long-running free Windows IFC viewer. The base viewer is free for commercial use, but quantity reporting lives in paid plugins — Advanced Reports (€150 one-time, VAT excl.) and Takeoff Reports (€130) — which export to Excel.

Pros
  • +Mature, free 3D viewer
  • +One-time plugin cost, not a subscription
  • +Excel export via plugin
Cons
  • −Windows only
  • −Takeoff is not free — it is a paid plugin
  • −Desktop install required

Best for — Windows desktop users who want a viewer plus occasional paid reports. Full comparison →

6. usBIM.viewer+ (ACCA)

Free Windows viewer + IFC editor — but no takeoff

A free, buildingSMART-certified IFC viewer that can also edit and convert IFC files. Worth knowing for openBIM work, but quantity takeoff is not part of it — ACCA puts 5D takeoff in the separate, paid PriMus IFC product.

Pros
  • +Free IFC viewing and editing
  • +openBIM / buildingSMART certified
Cons
  • −No quantity takeoff in the free viewer
  • −Takeoff requires paid PriMus IFC

Best for — Free IFC viewing and editing — not takeoff on its own.

7. Solibri Anywhere

Free viewer — being retired through 2026 · desktop

Solibri Anywhere was the free desktop viewer for the Solibri model-checking platform. Heads up: it is being discontinued through 2026, and quantity-takeoff authoring (Information Takeoff) has always required a paid Solibri tier. Don’t build a workflow on the free viewer right now.

Pros
  • +Backed by a serious model-checking platform
Cons
  • −Free viewer is being retired in 2026
  • −Takeoff authoring is paid (tiers up to ~€2,772/yr)
  • −Desktop only

Best for — Teams already invested in the paid Solibri ecosystem.

One more worth knowing: Autodesk Viewer

Free and web-based, and it opens IFC — but it uploadsyour model to Autodesk's cloud and only lets you view, measure and mark up. There is no quantity schedule to export. Convenient for a quick look; not a takeoff tool, and not one for NDA-bound files.

Try a free takeoff →How IFC takeoff works

Free IFC takeoff — questions

What is the best free IFC quantity takeoff tool?
There is no single winner — it depends on the output you need. For a finished PDF report with no setup, ifcreport.app. For free quantities exported to a spreadsheet, Sortdesk. For zero-cost, scriptable takeoff with no caps, IfcOpenShell with the Bonsai Blender add-on. Tools like BIMvision and Solibri are free to view but paywall the actual takeoff.
Can I do an IFC takeoff for free without Revit?
Yes. ifcreport.app, QTOpro and Sortdesk all run in the browser with no Revit, ArchiCAD or Allplan licence, and IfcOpenShell/Bonsai is a free desktop route. None of them require a BIM authoring tool — they read quantities from the IFC file directly.
Do these free tools upload my IFC file to a server?
Not all of them. ifcreport.app, QTOpro and the desktop tools (BIMvision, Bonsai, usBIM.viewer+, Solibri) process files locally. Sortdesk processes local files in the browser unless you opt into cloud sync. Autodesk Viewer, by contrast, uploads your model to Autodesk’s cloud — fine for viewing, worth knowing for NDA-bound work.
Which free IFC tools actually export quantities, not just view the model?
ifcreport.app (PDF), QTOpro (PDF/CSV/JSON/XLSX, with free-tier row caps), Sortdesk (Excel/CSV on a free account) and IfcOpenShell/Bonsai (scripted or via the takeoff panel). Pure viewers like usBIM.viewer+, the free Solibri viewer and Autodesk Viewer do not produce a takeoff on their own.