Does BIMvision validate the COBie it exports?

No. The COBie Exporter writes the spreadsheet from the model; it does not check the result for missing required fields or score its readiness. cobiereport produces the same kind of workbook and adds that gap report.

Can I use cobiereport without installing anything?

Yes. It runs entirely in the browser. You drop the IFC into a tab and the parsing happens locally in a Web Worker, so there is no desktop app and the file is never uploaded.

cobiereport vs BIMvision COBie Exporter

Both turn an IFC into a COBie spreadsheet. The split is desktop plugin versus browser tab, and whether you get a quality verdict with the data or just the data.

cobiereport: browser · €0–29
BIMvision: desktop · ~€45

What BIMvision COBie Exporter is

BIMvision is a free Windows desktop IFC viewer. It is extended with paid plugins, and the COBie Exporter is one of them: a one-time purchase (around €45 at the time of writing) that writes a COBie spreadsheet out of an opened model.

It is a capable, well-known viewer with a broad plugin ecosystem, and the export keeps the IFC GUIDs so rows trace back to objects in the model. What it does not do is tell you whether the COBie it just produced is any good.

Side by side

DimensioncobiereportBIMvision

Where it runs

cobiereport · Any browser, any OS. Nothing to install.

BIMvision · Windows desktop install, viewer plus the COBie plugin.

Quality feedback

cobiereport · Gap report PDF: readiness score, every missing required field, worst offenders ranked.

BIMvision · Exports the spreadsheet. No validation or readiness signal.

Cost

cobiereport · Free for 3 reports a month, €29/mo for unlimited.

BIMvision · Free viewer; the COBie plugin is a one-time fee (~€45). Some features are separate paid plugins.

Where the model goes

cobiereport · Parsed in a Web Worker on your machine. The file never uploads.

BIMvision · Local desktop, so it also never leaves your machine.

Also gives you

cobiereport · A draft workbook plus the gap report, in one drop.

BIMvision · Full interactive 3D model viewing and a plugin ecosystem (clash, reports).

When BIMvision is the better call

You want to inspect the model in 3D, not just process it. BIMvision is a real viewer first.
You only ever need the spreadsheet and prefer a one-time fee to a subscription.
You are already living in the BIMvision plugin ecosystem for clashes and reports.

Common questions

Does BIMvision validate the COBie it exports?: No. The COBie Exporter writes the spreadsheet from the model; it does not check the result for missing required fields or score its readiness. cobiereport produces the same kind of workbook and adds that gap report.
Can I use cobiereport without installing anything?: Yes. It runs entirely in the browser. You drop the IFC into a tab and the parsing happens locally in a Web Worker, so there is no desktop app and the file is never uploaded.

Other comparisons

Stop comparing. Drop the IFC.

Three free reports a month, no card required. See the workbook and the gaps for your own model in seconds.

Draft my COBie workbook