Open Web Viewer and Open IFC Viewer
Both are free and both show IFC models. Open IFC Viewer comes from the Open Design Alliance (ODA) and has been around since 2020.
This page puts side by side what each maker states in public. Every statement about Open IFC Viewer has a source with a date.
As of
Side by side
| Feature | Open Web Viewer | Open IFC Viewer |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Browser on Windows, macOS, Linux, tablets and phones | Desktop app for Windows, macOS (x64 and arm64) and Linux1 |
| Install | None. Open the page, drop the file. | Download and install1 |
| Account | None | Download after signing in with an ODA account or signing up by email with name, company, job title and country12 |
| Formats | IFC 2x3, IFC 4, IFC 4.3 (.ifc) and Revit projects (.rvt, beta) | IFC 2x3, IFC 4, IFC 4x2 (bridge) and IFC 4x3 (rail), plus IFCZIP, ifcXML and HDF5. RVT is not listed.13 |
| IDS | Check IDS 1.0, also for RVT (beta). Results in the model, as BCF, HTML and XLSX. | IDS checking as part of model validation13 |
| BCF | Read and write 2.1 and 3.0, create topics with markup | BCF manager for 2.1 and 3.0, export clashes as BCF13 |
| Mobile | In the browser on phones and tablets | iOS and Android are on the roadmap1 |
| Price | Free | Free, no licence fees1 |
Where Open IFC Viewer does more
It is a full desktop tool. Some of what it offers, Open Web Viewer doesn't have:
- Clash detection13
- Editing property and quantity sets3
- Export to PDF, HDF5 and ifcXML3
- COBie sheets, Gantt-style scheduling, digital signatures and an MCP server for AI agents3
Where Open Web Viewer is different
It runs in the browser. Type the address and a model is open in seconds. On a borrowed laptop too, or on a phone on site.
It opens Revit files. IDS checks and BCF topics work there too, elements are matched by their IfcGUID.
It wants no account. The file is read in the browser, and the page's Content Security Policy blocks connections to other servers.
Which one for what
If you're hunting clashes or need to change psets, use Open IFC Viewer.
If you want a quick look, an IDS check or a pass through the topics without installing anything, you're in the right place. For RVT anyway.
Sources
openifcviewer.com, https://openifcviewer.com/, retrieved 10 Oct 2026
openifcviewer.com/signup, https://openifcviewer.com/signup, retrieved 10 Oct 2026
openifcviewer.com/documentation, https://openifcviewer.com/documentation, retrieved 10 Oct 2026
Open Design Alliance, blog: “ODA Releases Open IFC Viewer”, 15 June 2020, https://www.opendesign.com/blog/2020/june/oda-releases-open-ifc-viewer, retrieved 10 Oct 2026
Open IFC Viewer and ODA are names used by the Open Design Alliance. Revit is a trademark of Autodesk, Inc. build informed is not affiliated with either.