Trimble Nova
by Trimble
Last verified 8 Sept 2026
CAD and CAE for MEP engineers: 3D building services models, clash checks and integrated calculations.
- MEP Design
- Buildings
- Subscription
- Win
- Niche
Executive summary
What Trimble Nova is, who it suits and how it sits in the market.
- Best for
- MEP Design
- Industry
- Buildings
- Vendor
- Trimble
- Platform
- Windows
- Deployment
- Desktop
- Pricing
- Subscription
- Market presence
- ★☆☆☆☆ Niche
- Learning curve
- Moderate
- OpenBIM support
- Limited
Derived from the tracked capability dataset and index attention, never from vendor marketing.
Is Trimble Nova right for your work?
Plain-language fit, based on tracked capabilities and where the product is actually used.
Excellent for
- Building design
- Model-based documentation
- Design coordination
- MEP design
- Air-gapped sites
Less suitable for
- Clash detection at portfolio scale
- Fabrication-level steel detailing
- Civil and infrastructure models (IFC4.3)
- Mac-only practices
Industries using Trimble Nova
Sectors where this product is a tracked fit.
- Buildings
Project types
Where the product is commonly applied, by project suitability rather than individual claims.
- Commercial buildings
- Residential developments
- Healthcare facilities
- Education campuses
- Mixed-use schemes
Market position
Adoption context that is hard to find anywhere else, based on attention across the index.
- Adoption level
- Low
- Ecosystem size
- Focused
- Index rank
- #84 of 88
- Rank in BIM Authoring
- #25 of 27
- Architects
- BIM managers
- Structural engineers
- MEP engineers
Strengths and limitations
Traded off against each other, so the page is not a brochure.
Strengths
- Air-gap capableCore workflows run on isolated networks.
Limitations
- Subscription costRecurring per-seat licensing for every user.
- Windows onlyNo native macOS or browser option is tracked.
- Limited native OpenBIMNo full IFC4 export is tracked, so exchange may need converters.
- Closed integration surfaceNo public API is tracked for custom automation.
Alternatives to Trimble Nova
Ranked by shared category, standards support, platform overlap and editorial comparisons — never by paid placement.
RevitAutodeskMulti-discipline BIM authoring for architecture, structure and MEP with a large plugin ecosystem.
Why consider itsame BIM Authoring category, real-time collaborationBuilding DesignWinSubscription- ArchicadGraphisoft
Architectural BIM authoring with strong native IFC and OpenBIM workflows.
Why consider itsame BIM Authoring category, adds IFC4.3 exchange, runs on macOSArchitectural DesignWinMacSubscription - DDS-CADData Design System (Trimble)
BIM-based MEP design for electrical, HVAC and plumbing with integrated calculation and documentation.
Why consider itsame BIM Authoring categoryMEP DesignWinSubscription - CYPECAD MEPCYPE Ingenieros
Design of building services - HVAC, electrical, plumbing and fire safety - coordinated with the structural model.
Why consider itsame BIM Authoring categoryMEP DesignWinPaid - BonsaiIfcOpenShell community
Native IFC authoring inside Blender. Formerly BlenderBIM.
Why consider itsame BIM Authoring category, adds IFC4.3 exchange, open sourceOpen-source BIM AuthoringWinMacLinuxOpen source 
Civil 3DAutodeskCivil infrastructure design and documentation for roads, earthworks and drainage.
Why consider itsame BIM Authoring categoryRoads & UtilitiesWinSubscription
Deployment and technology
Where it runs and how it is licensed, before the deeper technical detail.
- Win
- Mac
- Linux
- Web
- Deployment
- Desktop
- Licensing
- Proprietary
- Commercial model
- Subscription
- Mobile
- Desktop only
- Cloud
- Not tracked
- Local processing
- Available
- Offline
- Available
- Self-hosted
- Not tracked
Pricing & licensing
Model and licensing facts tracked by the index. No price figures are reproduced.
- Commercial model
- Subscription
- Licence
- Proprietary
- Free tier
- Not tracked
- Free trial
- Free trial tracked
- Perpetual option
- Not tracked
- Price figures
- Not published here
Trimble publishes current pricing for Trimble Nova. Figures are not reproduced on BIM Market Index because they vary by region, seat type and contract length, and change frequently.
Pricing on the official Trimble Nova siteBIM and OpenBIM capability
Capability badges rather than an abstract score. Partial support is marked as limited.
- IFC 2x3
- IFC4 Limited
- BCF Limited
Tracked exchange: IFC 2x3. Support is tracked per product, not certified here.
Full interoperability detailIFC & OpenBIM
Trimble Nova tracks IFC 2x3 exchange. Standards support is tracked at product level, not certified on this page.
- IFC 2x3
- SupportedSupported
- IFC4
- PartialPartial
- IFC4.3
- Not supportedNot tracked
- BCF
- PartialPartial
- IDS
- Not supportedNot tracked
- bSDD
- Not supportedNot tracked
- COBie
- Not supportedNot tracked
- MVD
- Not supportedNot tracked
Exchange with IFC 2x3 workflows still common in public-sector and legacy projects.
Round-trip design and reference models with IFC4-capable applications.
Exchange infrastructure entities such as alignments, roads and rail beyond building models.
Move viewpoints and issues between this product and coordination tools.
Check models against an Information Delivery Specification.
Link model objects to buildingSMART Data Dictionary classifications.
Hand over asset and maintenance data to owners and operators.
Deliver models against a defined model view definition.
What that means in practice
Limitations & evidence
- Exporter settings, product version and the receiving application can still restrict a specific exchange, even where a format is supported.
- Supporting an IFC file format is not the same as IFC certification. No certification is claimed here unless a source is linked.
- Tracked as partial: IFC4 and BCF. Treat these as workflow-dependent rather than guaranteed.
AI and automation
How much of the work can be generated or scripted, and what it plugs into.
AI features
No AI features are tracked for this product.
Automation and integrations
No scripting or API surface is tracked.
Software ecosystem
Products commonly considered alongside Trimble Nova.
Capabilities
Only capabilities tracked by the index are listed. Partial support is not shown as full support.
Core application
- BIM Authoring · MEP design — supported
- Native BIM modelling for architecture and engineering.
Collaboration, data & deployment
Where project data lives and how teams work on it.
- Local processing — supported
- Model data processed on your own machine.
- Offline operation — supported
- Working without an internet connection.
- Air-gap capable — supported
- Running in environments fully isolated from the internet.
Platforms & evaluation
Where the product runs and how it can be evaluated.
- Windows — supported
- Runs natively on Windows desktops.
- Free trial — supported
- Evaluating the product before buying.
Quick facts
- Latest version
- 2026Verified
- Last updated
- 8 Sept 2026Verified
- Platforms
- WinVendor reported
- Pricing
- SubscriptionVendor reported
- Deployment
- DesktopVendor reported
- Licence
- ProprietaryVendor reported
- Free trial
- SupportedSupportedVerified· 30 Aug 2026
- Developer
- TrimbleVendor reported
Data & privacy
- Cloud
- Not supportedNot supportedVerified· 12 Sept 2026
- Local processing
- SupportedSupportedVerified· 26 Sept 2026
- Offline
- SupportedSupportedVerified· 14 Sept 2026
- No account required
- Not supportedNot supportedVerified· 23 Sept 2026
- Self-hosted
- Not supportedNot supportedVendor reported· 21 Aug 2026
- Open source
- Not supportedNot supportedVerified· 14 Sept 2026
- Real-time collaboration
- Not supportedNot supportedVerified· 10 Sept 2026
- Data residency
- Local onlyVerified
Cloud Infrastructure & Data Residency
Public infrastructure and security disclosures for Trimble Nova.
Vendor research pending. Missing information does not imply insecurity or lack of support.
Vendor statements are not independent certification. Organisation-level credentials and hosting-provider credentials do not automatically certify this product. Residency may apply to only specific services or data types.
- Cloud hosting provider
Information not publicly disclosed by vendor.
- Primary server provider
Information not publicly disclosed by vendor.
- Data centre / server locations
Information not publicly disclosed by vendor.
- Available data residency options
Information not publicly disclosed by vendor.
- Customer hosting-region selection
Information not publicly disclosed by vendor.
- ISO 27001 certification
Information not publicly disclosed by vendor.
- SOC 2 compliance
Information not publicly disclosed by vendor.
- GDPR compliance
Information not publicly disclosed by vendor.
- Encryption at rest
Information not publicly disclosed by vendor.
- Encryption in transit
Information not publicly disclosed by vendor.
- Single Sign-On (SSO)
Information not publicly disclosed by vendor.
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Information not publicly disclosed by vendor.
- Customer-managed encryption keys
Information not publicly disclosed by vendor.
- Air-gapped deployment
Information not publicly disclosed by vendor.
- On-premise deployment
Information not publicly disclosed by vendor.
- Government, defence / sovereign cloud
Information not publicly disclosed by vendor.
Trust centre, security & infrastructure documentation
Information not publicly disclosed by vendor.
Last editorial review: Not yet reviewed · Last automated source check: Not yet checked
Cybersecurity & Compliance
Security information not disclosed for this product. Absence of information here does not imply a lack of security — it means no reliable public evidence has been reviewed yet.
Release history
Sources
Where the capability claims on this page came from, with the date each was accessed.
- Trimble Nova — official product documentationtrimble.comVendor documentationAccessed 8 Sept 2026
Partial support is community reported until the vendor documentation confirms it. See the data methodology for how records are verified.
Trimble Nova — frequently asked questions
Answers use only the information tracked on this page.
What is Trimble Nova?
Trimble Nova is a MEP design product from Trimble, listed by BIM Market Index under BIM Authoring. CAD and CAE for MEP engineers: 3D building services models, clash checks and integrated calculations.
What is Trimble Nova used for?
Its tracked focus is MEP design within BIM Authoring. The category covers native BIM modelling for architecture and engineering. Typical fit: design teams producing BIM models; model-based documentation. It is delivered as desktop and licensed as Proprietary.
Does Trimble Nova support IFC?
Trimble Nova tracks support for IFC 2x3, with IFC4 only partially supported. Exchange still depends on version and exporter settings.
Is Trimble Nova OpenBIM compatible?
It supports open-standard exchange, but compatibility is a workflow question rather than a badge. Trimble Nova tracks IFC 2x3; IFC certification is not claimed on this page, and export quality can differ from import quality.
What platforms does Trimble Nova run on?
Trimble Nova runs on Windows, delivered as desktop.
How much does Trimble Nova cost?
The tracked commercial model is subscription with Proprietary licensing. Trimble publishes current pricing for Trimble Nova. Figures are not reproduced on BIM Market Index because they vary by region, seat type and contract length, and change frequently.
Is there a free version or trial of Trimble Nova?
No free tier is tracked for Trimble Nova. A free trial is also tracked.
Can Trimble Nova be automated or integrated with other software?
No public API or scripting interface is tracked for Trimble Nova. Integration would rely on file exchange or third-party tools.
Can Trimble Nova be used offline or without the cloud?
Local processing is tracked. Offline operation is tracked. It is listed as air-gap capable, meaning core workflows can run fully isolated from the internet.
What are the alternatives to Trimble Nova?
The closest tracked alternatives are Revit, Archicad and DDS-CAD. BIM Market Index ranks them by shared category, standards support and platform overlap rather than by paid placement.
Frequently compared with Trimble Nova
Head-to-head comparisons built on the same neutral market data.
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