Guide
IFC or Revit? Choosing Scan to BIM deliverables
Most clients ask for Revit because that is what their designers use. But the format you archive, share and hand over matters for years. Here is how to choose, and why the answer is usually both.
The short answer
Ask for Revit if your team will design in Revit, and IFC for every project as the open, long-term record. Add USD for digital twins and simulation, STEP for mechanical CAD, and GLB for lightweight viewing.
Revit (.rvt)
A native Revit model has full parametric behaviour: wall types, families, hosted elements and views. It is the most productive format for teams that work in Revit. The drawbacks: it is proprietary, files open only in the same or a newer Revit version, and other tools read it imperfectly.
IFC
Industry Foundation Classes is the open BIM standard maintained by buildingSMART. In 2024 IFC 4.3 was published as ISO 16739-1:2024, adding infrastructure such as rail, roads, bridges and ports. IFC is read by Revit, ArchiCAD, Tekla, Vectorworks, Solibri, Navisworks and many free viewers, and is the natural format for archives, facilities systems and public clients.
The limitation: IFC carries geometry and properties, but not Revit's editing behaviour. A wall imported from IFC is a wall, but may not be as convenient to edit as one modeled natively. Revit exports IFC through Autodesk's open-source IFC exporter, and export settings determine how well properties survive.
Side by side
| Revit RVT | IFC | |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | Autodesk, proprietary | buildingSMART, open ISO standard |
| Editing | Full parametric editing | Geometry and properties; limited editing |
| Software | Revit (same or newer version) | Most BIM, FM and viewing tools |
| Long-term archive | Version-dependent | Designed for it |
| Best for | Design teams in Revit | Exchange, handover, records, open BIM |
Other formats worth asking for
- USD: the format of digital twins and robot simulation, now with a 1.0 core specification. See from Scan to BIM to SimReady.
- STEP: for equipment and parts that will be handled in mechanical CAD.
- GLB: a compact 3D file for web viewers and presentations.
- Registered point cloud (E57): always keep it with the model. See point cloud file formats.
Tips
- State the Revit version in the specification (see how to write a Scan to BIM specification).
- State the IFC schema (IFC4 or IFC 4.3) and the property sets you need.
- Check the IFC in an independent viewer as part of QA (see how to check a Scan to BIM model).
Moving Atoms delivers Revit, IFC, STEP, USD and GLB from the same model, with every object separated. Our LiDAR samples include IFC and Revit downloads.
Have a scan? Send it to us and get separated, editable Revit and IFC objects back within 48 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Should I get my Scan to BIM model in IFC or Revit?
Usually both: Revit for teams that design in Revit, and IFC as the open record for exchange, facilities management and archiving.
Is IFC an ISO standard?
Yes. IFC 4.3 was published as ISO 16739-1:2024.
Can Revit open IFC files?
Yes. Revit can open and link IFC files, though imported elements are not as editable as native Revit elements.
Sources
- buildingSMART, Industry Foundation Classes (IFC)
- buildingSMART, IFC 4.3 formally approved and published as an ISO standard
- Autodesk, open-source IFC exporter and importer for Revit
- Linux Foundation, Alliance for OpenUSD announces Core Specification 1.0
- buildingSMART, Information Delivery Specification (IDS)