A sketching and 3D modeling app, Shapr3D is very useful during early conceptual phases especially that it allows users to switch easily between 2D and 3D design. Basic tools help to change views and implement different actions.

ArchiSnapper is a field-reporting app that allows users to efficiently draft a report during and after site visits. Offering many options, users can take pictures, draft, and comment, and the app, available on phone or tablet, organizes data and generates seamlessly the report.

Very efficient for architects, these Autodesk apps allow you to open your AutoCAD and Revit files on your mobile. Autodesk has developed the Autodesk A360 app so that users can view and upload 2D and 3D drawings regardless of what software they used to create them. They can also navigate large-scale models, review, and markup the designs, measure dimensions and areas, and track the project status anytime, anywhere.

Possessing a unique technology that integrates 2D and 3D building project navigation, this app allows architects to use the ArchiCAD program to access their files on their mobile, as well as making measurement adjustments on site. In fact, with its Hyper-model feature, navigation is easy and access is instant.

Polycam is an example of the newer generation of architecture apps for the iPad Pro (as well as for iPhone 12 Pro) since these two devices are the only ones so far that are equipped with a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging, a remote measuring method that uses pulsed laser to deliver highly accurate distance measurements).

Polycam allows for quick and accurate 3D scans of rooms and other spaces, and all of that with an addition of real-life imagery, too. Both planning and renovation branches of architecture should benefit significantly from the addition of such a quick method of 3D scanning since LiDAR allows for much more accuracy and precision than ever before.

Additionally, Polycam can work in many other ways with these 3D scans, including export into different formats, importing into full-fledged CAD software, generating 2D drawings and floor plans, and so on.

DroneDeploy is another contender on the list of the best architecture apps for iPad (and iPhone, too), and this one also caters to a specific audience. If the previous example was more about newer versions of Apple devices, then this app is, as the name suggests, made for people and companies that use drones.

Aerial site intelligence has become quite prominent in the last few years. The app market was forced to keep pace, too – this includes DroneDeploy, which allows for intelligent mapping, drone flight automatization, and transforming all of the drone images into a comprehensive map of the construction site, with dimensions, borders, and so on.

Sun Seeker is one more example of an app with a specific purpose in mind – and this time it is all about the sun’s position and the amount of sunlight for the structure at any given moment. Even though this app has many other use cases, it is extremely popular for architects and highly praised for its usefulness.

The feature set offers sun position visualization for any time of the day or the year. This app can show both a 2D compass and an AR visualization of an actual sunlight path, with the ability to switch to sunrise or sunset in an instant.

SketchUp is an example of 3D CAD software that has been on the market for a while, and right now, it is a result of over 20 years worth of software changing and evolving. Its intuitive design tools are particularly well-known and widely used by landscape designers, architects, interior designers, etc.

It offers both 3D and 2D modeling capabilities, including floor plans, elevations, and other features, as well as a massive library of 3D models that can be used to populate rooms and scenes. The addition of VR and AR into the software allowed for an accessible and in-depth 3D tour of each model, and its ability to work on the web will enable it to secure its place on our list of best architecture apps for PC and many other devices.

Morpholio Trace is a handy application for both designers and architects since it makes early design stages far easier by utilizing AR technology to allow for sketching and commenting on the actual photo or object in real life. It combines the intelligence and precision of CAD software with the speed and beauty of sketching as a process.

Revizto is an ICP (Integrated Collaboration Platform) for contractors, building owners, engineers, and architects that allows for streamlined communication throughout the entire lifecycle to reduce misunderstandings and errors that appear inside of a project. Revizto offers an extensive toolkit for both iPad and Mac users so that you can navigate the Revizto project, collaborate in real-time and track issues within the project, and so on.

Some of the features that Revizto provides are offline mode, the ability to combine 3D and 2D models, add photos, and more. There’s also an issue tracker, a virtual ruler, a clash manager, camera sharing capabilities, and more.