Rhino review

Rhino suits a different design problem than the BIM tools above: complex geometry. Architects use it for facades, roofs and forms that parametric building objects handle poorly, and fabricators use it to take those shapes to production. Rhino 9 improves drafting, generating floor plans, elevations and sections from the model and updating them when it changes, with section styles, complex linetypes, non-rectangular details and layouts saved to DWG. Direct modeling tools push or pull many faces at once, inset adjacent faces for window reveals and change a roof pitch while neighboring faces stay connected. Grasshopper, the built-in visual programming environment, lets designers build generative forms without code. Pricing is the other draw: a commercial license is $995 one-time, with no maintenance fees, and it runs on Windows and Mac. Rhino is not a BIM program, so teams usually pair it with Revit, Archicad or a documentation add-on.

Who it is for

Architects and fabricators working on complex geometry, facades and computational design who prefer owning a license.

Price

$995 one-time for a commercial Rhino 9 license; upgrades $595, on promotion at $395 until March 1, 2027.

Rhino 9 - Single Concurrent User US$ 995
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 10, 2026.

Key features

• Floor plans, elevations and sections generated from the model and updated when it changes
• Section styles, complex linetypes and saving layouts to DWG
• Grasshopper visual programming for generative forms
• Push-pull and inset tools for facade and window reveal detail
• Over 1,500 apps and resources on food4Rhino

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: Perpetual license with no maintenance fees
• Strength: Runs on Windows and Mac
• Strength: Grasshopper is the standard for computational design workflows
• Weakness: Not a BIM authoring tool, so schedules and documentation need add-ons or another program
• Weakness: Freeform modeling takes time to learn
• Weakness: Building objects such as walls and doors are basic compared with Revit or Archicad

Key facts

• Price: $995 one-time, single concurrent user
• Platform: Windows and Mac
• Evaluation: 90-day trial license, all features
• License: Perpetual; floats through LAN Zoo or Cloud Zoo

Where it ranks

Rhino is No. 6 in our Best Construction Design Software verdict.