cobiereport vs the Revit COBie export
If you author in Revit, its COBie Extension pulls data straight from the live model. If you were handed an IFC, cobiereport can draft a workbook from the exported data.
Last reviewed
- cobiereport
- browser · €0–29
- Revit
- Revit only · paid
What the Revit COBie export is
The COBie Extension for Revit is a free Autodesk add-in (part of the BIM Interoperability Tools). It maps Revit parameters to the COBie schema through a Setup → Modify → Export workflow and writes the worksheets to Excel.
The extension is free, but only for licensed Revit users, and Revit is a paid subscription that runs to several thousand US dollars a year. It works on native Revit models, not on an IFC handed to you by a sub.
Side by side
What you need
cobiereport · An IFC file and a browser. No authoring tool.
Revit · A paid Revit subscription and a native Revit model.
Works on a handed-over IFC
cobiereport · The parser supports IFC2X3, IFC4 and IFC4X3; output depends on the exported data.
Revit · No. The extension reads the Revit model, not an arbitrary IFC.
Effort to a first draft
cobiereport · One drop. Map is automatic; review the gaps after.
Revit · Multi-step parameter setup and zone mapping before export.
Quality feedback
cobiereport · Gap report with a completeness score and missing counts for selected fields.
Revit · Exports the worksheets; quality is on you to check.
Cost
cobiereport · Free for 3 workbook exports a month, €29/mo for unlimited workbook exports.
Revit · Extension is free; Revit subscription is several thousand USD/yr.
When Revit is the better call
- You are already authoring the building in Revit, where the extension reads the live model with far richer parameter mapping than re-deriving from an exported IFC.
- You re-export repeatedly as the model matures and want COBie to track those changes directly.
- Your data lives in Revit parameters that never made it into any IFC export.
Common questions
- Can I export COBie without Revit?
- Yes. The Revit COBie Extension needs a Revit licence and a native Revit model. cobiereport maps IFC data in the browser, so you do not need Revit, or any authoring tool, to produce a COBie draft.
- My model is an IFC, not a Revit file. Does the Revit extension help?
- Not directly. The extension reads Revit models. If what you have is an IFC export, drop it into cobiereport instead and you get the workbook and a gap report in one step.
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