We looked at over a dozen architecture software options for this review. We were careful to balance our attention between game-changing platforms and industry mainstays to cover the needs of multiple users. We also wanted to go beyond basic design software and include platforms that were embracing rising trends like collaborative project management and photorealistic walkthroughs.

It was important for us to choose software that was the best for specific tasks (CAD drawing vs. 3D modeling, for example). We also wanted to cover software at the top of architectural trends like BIM and other collaborative models.

For these reasons, we considered things like cost and ease-of-use but gave them relatively less weighting. If we felt that a platform was a recognized leader in a particular category, expensive software with steep learning curves were still included. Nonetheless, we also wanted to include at least one option (SketchUp) that allowed students to learn the basic functions of architecture software for a relatively reasonable price.