Best Software for 2025 is now live!

Compare Civil 3D and OpenRoads Designer

Save
    Log in to your account
    to save comparisons,
    products and more.
At a Glance
Civil 3D
Civil 3D
Star Rating
(302)4.4 out of 5
Market Segments
Mid-Market (45.6% of reviews)
Information
Entry-Level Pricing
$275 per Month
Browse all 4 pricing plans
OpenRoads Designer
OpenRoads Designer
Star Rating
(136)4.1 out of 5
Market Segments
Enterprise (42.3% of reviews)
Information
Entry-Level Pricing
$6,057.00 1 practitioner Per Year
Browse all 2 pricing plans
AI Generated Summary
AI-generated. Powered by real user reviews.
  • Users report that Civil 3D excels in "Drawing" capabilities with a score of 9.2, making it a preferred choice for detailed design work, while OpenRoads Designer, with a score of 8.5, is noted for its solid performance but lacks the same level of precision in this area.
  • Reviewers mention that Civil 3D's "Dynamic Updating" feature, rated at 8.8, allows for real-time changes that enhance workflow efficiency, whereas OpenRoads Designer, with a score of 8.7, offers similar functionality but is perceived as slightly less responsive.
  • G2 users highlight that Civil 3D's "File Import/Export" functionality scores an impressive 9.1, facilitating seamless integration with other software, while OpenRoads Designer, although strong at 8.4, is sometimes reported to have compatibility issues with certain file types.
  • Users on G2 indicate that Civil 3D's "Earthwork" capabilities, rated at 9.1, provide comprehensive tools for grading and excavation, whereas OpenRoads Designer, with a score of 8.9, is effective but may require additional steps for similar tasks.
  • Reviewers say that Civil 3D's "Collaborate" feature, scoring 7.6, is less robust compared to OpenRoads Designer's 8.4, which is praised for its multi-user capabilities and ease of collaboration on projects.
  • Users report that while both products have strong support ratings, Civil 3D's overall ease of use is rated at 7.4, which is higher than OpenRoads Designer's 6.8, indicating that Civil 3D may be more user-friendly for new users.
Featured Products
Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
Civil 3D
Civil 3D Subscription (Monthly)
$275
per Month
Browse all 4 pricing plans
OpenRoads Designer
OpenRoads Designer Virtuoso Subscription
$6,057.00
1 practitioner Per Year
Browse all 2 pricing plans
Free Trial
Civil 3D
Free Trial is available
OpenRoads Designer
Free Trial is available
Ratings
Meets Requirements
8.6
248
8.3
110
Ease of Use
7.4
248
6.8
110
Ease of Setup
6.4
66
6.1
26
Ease of Admin
6.4
58
7.3
23
Quality of Support
7.4
216
7.4
96
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
7.5
57
8.0
30
Product Direction (% positive)
8.2
247
7.6
108
Features by Category
Building Design and Building Information Modeling (BIM)Hide 18 FeaturesShow 18 Features
8.8
308
Not enough data
Design
8.6
39
Not enough data
8.2
35
Not enough data
9.2
38
Not enough data
8.8
38
Not enough data
Feature Not Available
Not enough data
8.8
15
Not enough data
Collaboration
8.4
35
Not enough data
9.1
39
Not enough data
8.9
38
Not enough data
Feature Not Available
Not enough data
Construction
Feature Not Available
Not enough data
Feature Not Available
Not enough data
Feature Not Available
Not enough data
8.9
16
Not enough data
9.1
15
Not enough data
Generative AI
Feature Not Available
Not enough data
Feature Not Available
Not enough data
Feature Not Available
Not enough data
Civil Engineering DesignHide 17 FeaturesShow 17 Features
8.2
961
8.2
298
Plan
8.4
106
7.4
30
Feature Not Available
Feature Not Available
8.3
111
7.9
30
7.6
102
8.4
29
Design
8.5
95
8.7
29
7.4
81
7.7
28
9.1
115
8.5
28
8.8
115
8.0
29
Construction
Feature Not Available
Feature Not Available
Feature Not Available
Feature Not Available
Feature Not Available
Feature Not Available
8.4
35
8.8
16
8.4
33
8.9
17
Engineering
7.9
54
7.6
18
7.8
55
7.6
19
8.2
59
8.8
25
Feature Not Available
Feature Not Available
Categories
Categories
Shared Categories
Civil 3D
Civil 3D
OpenRoads Designer
OpenRoads Designer
Civil 3D and OpenRoads Designer are categorized as Civil Engineering Design
Unique Categories
OpenRoads Designer
OpenRoads Designer has no unique categories
Reviews
Reviewers' Company Size
Civil 3D
Civil 3D
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
28.8%
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
45.6%
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
25.6%
OpenRoads Designer
OpenRoads Designer
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
23.6%
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
34.1%
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
42.3%
Reviewers' Industry
Civil 3D
Civil 3D
Civil Engineering
63.8%
Construction
5.9%
Government Administration
4.2%
Utilities
3.8%
Architecture & Planning
3.5%
Other
18.8%
OpenRoads Designer
OpenRoads Designer
Civil Engineering
74.0%
Transportation/Trucking/Railroad
6.5%
Design
6.5%
Construction
5.7%
Architecture & Planning
4.1%
Other
3.3%
Most Helpful Reviews
Civil 3D
Civil 3D
Most Helpful Favorable Review
GB
Gary B.
Verified User in Civil Engineering

The program is very intuitive meaning buttons and ocmmands make sense. There are usually multiple ways to do a task and when I can't figure out something, usually a quick search online will net an an easy to apply answer. The problem is generally a lack...

Most Helpful Critical Review
Trey G.
TG
Trey G.
Verified User in Civil Engineering

Not enough characters, not much I like about the software. The surfaces are cumbersome and are difficult to use, especially when doing earthwork. No tool to use dview twist easier. No reason to use UCS if in Civil/Survey business except for very special...

OpenRoads Designer
OpenRoads Designer
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Peter D.
PD
Peter D.
Verified User in Civil Engineering

Using Inroads to help us design roadways can quickly let the designer / engineer model their design against the existing features. It helps streamline the process of when and if retaining walls are needed and how long they need to be. Where drainage...

Most Helpful Critical Review
Brad C.
BC
Brad C.
Verified User in Civil Engineering

I dislike the complexity of the interface. Unless you have been using the software for quite some time it is hard to pick it up and know what you are doing. Even to shift a pad design 1 foot it takes an act of God, and quite some time. Inroads must be...

Alternatives
Civil 3D
Civil 3D Alternatives
MicroStation
MicroStation
Add MicroStation
SketchUp
SketchUp
Add SketchUp
Archicad
Archicad
Add Archicad
AutoTURN
AutoTURN
Add AutoTURN
OpenRoads Designer
OpenRoads Designer Alternatives
Autodesk InfraWorks 360
InfraWorks 360
Add Autodesk InfraWorks 360
AutoTURN
AutoTURN
Add AutoTURN
GeoHECRAS
GeoHECRAS
Add GeoHECRAS
RoadEng Civil Engineer
RoadEng
Add RoadEng Civil Engineer
Discussions
Civil 3D
Civil 3D Discussions
Is Civil 3d free for students?
2 comments
carlos l.
CL
Civil 3d ofrece un año gratuito a los estudiantes que se puede refrendar presentando la documentaciòn que acredite que sigues estudiando.Read more
Is Civil 3d a BIM?
2 comments
Rayda Inabel P.
RP
It can work with BIMRead more
Filter the tiles of LiDAR
1 comment
R. David B.
RB
Hey Dennis, If you want to filter your LIDAR tiles you can create your lidar surface. Once you create your surface you can highlight the surface in...Read more
OpenRoads Designer
OpenRoads Designer Discussions
Which software is used for highway design?
1 comment
Don L.
DL
The most commonly used highway design software is developed by Bentley and Autodesk. Bentley’s OpenRoads Designer is a comprehensive and fully functioned...Read more
What is OpenRoads designer?
1 comment
Don L.
DL
OpenRoads Designer is a civil design application used for all types and sizes of civil projects around the world. It can be used for tasks such as...Read more
What is OpenRoads?
1 comment
Don L.
DL
OpenRoads Designer is a civil design application used for all types and sizes of civil projects around the world. It can be used for tasks such as...Read more