Best Civil Engineering Design Software

How Many Civil Engineering Design Software Products Does G2 Track?

Total Products under this Category: 135

Category Stats (Oct 2026)

  • Average Rating: 4.41/5 The average rating of products in this category, based on all submitted ratings
  • Top Trending Product: GstarCAD (+1.96%) - Among all products in this category, GstarCAD recorded the largest rating increase compared to last month

Last updated: October 07, 2026

How Does G2 Rank Civil Engineering Design Software Products?

Why You Can Trust G2's Software Rankings:

  • 30 Analysts and Data Experts
  • 2,400+ Authentic Reviews
  • 135+ Products
  • Unbiased Rankings

G2's software rankings are built on verified user reviews, rigorous moderation, and a consistent research methodology maintained by a team of analysts and data experts. Each product is measured using the same transparent criteria, with no paid placement or vendor influence. While reviews reflect real user experiences, which can be subjective, they offer valuable insight into how software performs in the hands of professionals. Together, these inputs power the G2 Score, a standardized way to compare tools within every category.

G2 Grid® for Civil Engineering Design Software

G2 Grid® for Civil Engineering Design Software plotting products by satisfaction and market presence

Highlighted products: Civil 3D, MicroStation, GeoHECRAS, ZWCAD, GeoHECHMS, GeoSTORM, OpenRoads Designer, and Tekla Tedds.

Underlying data: [Grid® JSON](https://www.g2.com/categories/civil-engineering-design/grids.json?focus%5B%5D=civil-3d&focus%5B%5D=microstation&focus%5B%5D=geohecras&focus%5B%5D=zwcad&focus%5B%5D=geohechms&focus%5B%5D=geostorm&focus%5B%5D=openroads-designer&focus%5B%5D=tekla-tedds)

Civil 3D

Autodesk® Civil 3D® is civil infrastructure design and documentation software that helps civil engineers design, analyze, and document transportation, land development, and water infrastructure projects in a 3D model-based environment. Civil 3D provides integrated tools for working with the data and design elements used throughout civil engineering projects. Engineers and designers can create and manage surfaces, alignments, profiles, corridors, grading, pipe networks, and other infrastructure design elements while maintaining relationships between objects as designs change. Key Civil 3D capabilities include: • Civil infrastructure design: Create and modify 3D models for road and highway, rail, site development, grading, and other civil engineering projects. • Design automation: Automate repetitive tasks and extend workflows using tools such as Dynamo for Civil 3D. • Drainage design and analysis: Design drainage networks and analyze system performance as part of civil infrastructure workflows. • Documentation: Produce plans, profiles, sections, quantities, and other documentation based on the civil design model. • Collaboration and coordination: Connect project teams and help coordinate civil design information across multidisciplinary workflows. Civil 3D is used by civil engineers, designers, and infrastructure project teams working on projects ranging from site development and transportation networks to water infrastructure. Its model-based environment connects design and documentation so that changes to civil design elements can be reflected across related project information. Civil 3D also works with other Autodesk solutions and workflows used by architecture, engineering, construction, and operations teams, helping civil infrastructure information contribute to broader project coordination and delivery.

Average Rating: 4.4/5.0

Total Reviews: 370

How Do G2 Users Rate Civil 3D?

  • Quality of Support: 7.4/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
  • Hydraulic engineering: 7.8/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)
  • Editing : 8.7/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
  • Sequence: 7.9/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)

Who Is the Company Behind Civil 3D?

  • Seller: Autodesk
  • Company Website:
  • Year Founded: 1982
  • HQ Location: San Francisco
  • Twitter: @autodesk
    273,215 Twitter followers
  • LinkedIn® Page: www.linkedin.com
    15,757 employees on LinkedIn®

Who Uses This Product?

  • Who Uses This: Civil Engineer, Project Manager
  • Top Industries: Civil Engineering, Construction
  • Company Size: 44% Medium, 30% Small

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About Civil 3D?

AI-generated summary from verified user reviews

Pros
  • Users praise the exceptional design capabilities of Civil 3D, finding it indispensable for construction document production.
  • Users appreciate the customizable tools in Civil 3D, which enhance design accuracy and efficiency in civil engineering projects.
  • Users value the customizable designs and tools in Civil 3D, enhancing accuracy and efficiency in engineering projects.
  • Users appreciate the road design and feature line modelling functions in Civil 3D for their effectiveness and precision.
  • Users value the precision of geolocation mapping in Civil 3D, ensuring accurate site positioning for construction projects.
Cons
  • Users face performance issues with large file sizes, leading to slow workflows and freezing on lower-end computers.
  • Users report that the app stability of Civil 3D is problematic, as it crashes frequently with multiple grading tools.
  • Users often face data loss issues with Civil 3D, especially when working on large projects and multiple files.
  • Users face export issues with Civil 3D, often needing manual copy/paste for data analysis in external software.
  • Users find the high hardware requirements for Civil 3D challenging, affecting performance and stability during projects.

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Civil 3D?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About Civil 3D?

MicroStation

MicroStation is a specialized computer-aided design (CAD) software solution tailored specifically for infrastructure design. It is designed to assist architects and engineers in transforming their creative visions into tangible projects, enabling them to present their designs effectively to clients and deliver high-quality results to the community. By providing a comprehensive suite of tools that are integrated into the platform, MicroStation allows users to work efficiently and flexibly, streamlining the design process without the need for additional add-ons. Targeted primarily at professionals in architecture and engineering, MicroStation serves a diverse range of industries, including transportation, utilities, and urban planning. Its capabilities cater to users who require robust design and documentation tools to handle complex infrastructure projects. As project demands grow in complexity and scale, MicroStation equips users with the necessary resources to manage these challenges effectively, ensuring timely and budget-conscious delivery of designs. One of the key features of MicroStation is its ability to facilitate the design, documentation, and visualization of infrastructure models in both 2D and 3D formats. This versatility allows users to create detailed and accurate representations of their projects, enhancing communication with stakeholders and clients. The software supports collaborative workflows, enabling seamless interaction among team members and external parties, which is essential for successful project execution. MicroStation also emphasizes risk minimization and automation acceleration. By providing advanced tools for modeling and analysis, users can identify potential issues early in the design process, reducing the likelihood of costly revisions later on. The software’s automation features streamline repetitive tasks, allowing professionals to focus on more strategic aspects of their projects. This efficiency not only helps in meeting deadlines but also enhances the overall quality of the work produced. WHAT'S NEW IN MICROSTATION 2026: Python Assistant (tech Preview) - An AI assistant to create Python scripts more easily. Python scripting and automation are now accessible to a broader range of users. Bentley Copilot (Tech preview) - Accelerate help, learning, and onboarding with an AI-powered assistant. Instant guidance that bridges AutoCAD-to-MicroStation differences and turns questions into productivity gains. 3D Geospatial Context Dialog (Tech preview) - Access curated global datasets in MicroStation for immersive, real-world context for infrastructure designs. Provides efficient streaming and open-standard interoperability. Configurations Wizard - Guided workflows and best-practice templates enable fast, error-free configurations set up for consistent standards—accessible to everyone, regardless of technical expertise. Component Center 2.0 - Component management with a modern library offering deeper integration, smarter governance, and iTwin-ready workflows. Ensure consistency, compliance, and collaboration across projects. Updated Space Mouse integration - Experience smoother, faster 3D navigation—modern modes, SmartUI customization, and certified compatibility for complex models.

Average Rating: 4.0/5.0

Total Reviews: 407

How Do G2 Users Rate MicroStation?

  • Quality of Support: 7.7/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
  • Hydraulic engineering: 7.2/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)
  • Editing : 8.6/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
  • Sequence: 7.6/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)

Who Is the Company Behind MicroStation?

  • Seller: Bentley Systems
  • Year Founded: 1984
  • HQ Location: Exton, PA
  • Twitter: @BentleySystems
    17,564 Twitter followers
  • LinkedIn® Page: www.linkedin.com
    5,656 employees on LinkedIn®
  • Ownership: NASDAQ: BSY

Who Uses This Product?

  • Who Uses This: Project Engineer, Transportation Engineer
  • Top Industries: Civil Engineering, Architecture & Planning
  • Company Size: 33% Large, 33% Small

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About MicroStation?

AI-generated summary from verified user reviews

Pros
  • Users value the ease of use in MicroStation, appreciating its customizable interface and beginner-friendly features.
  • Users appreciate the effective 3D modeling capabilities of MicroStation, enhancing their architectural and engineering design processes.
  • Users value the detailed engineering drawings in MicroStation, enhancing efficiency and collaboration in design projects.
  • Users value the efficiency of MicroStation, appreciating its ease of use and quick access to features.
  • Users appreciate the advanced 3D modeling capabilities of MicroStation, enhancing their architectural design and visualization process.
Cons
  • Users struggle with a steep learning curve in MicroStation, particularly new users transitioning from other software.
  • Users report a steep learning curve with MicroStation, particularly challenging for beginners transitioning from AutoCAD.
  • Users face challenges with difficult configuration in MicroStation, impacting productivity and learning for new users.
  • Users often experience slow performance with MicroStation, particularly when handling large files or complex settings.
  • Users face frequent software freezing issues, especially when utilizing certain features, causing frustration and loss of unsaved work.

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of MicroStation?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About MicroStation?

GeoHECRAS

GeoHECRAS is an advanced hydraulic modeling software that simplifies HEC-RAS modeling as it accelerates river and floodplain analysis by reducing repetitive GIS and CAD processing. Tasks like merging DEMs, generating elevation profiles, or building HEC-RAS floodplain surfaces are completed in half the time. The software integrates LiDAR surveying data, NLCD Land Cover data, and FEMA Flood maps directly into AutoCAD, MicroStation, or ArcGIS workflows. GeoHECRAS is used for river modeling, 1D and 2D hydraulic modeling, dam breach analysis, and HEC-RAS bridge modeling, along with complex floodplain encroachment studies—all with built-in reporting and reduced external GIS dependency.

Average Rating: 4.7/5.0

Total Reviews: 357

How Do G2 Users Rate GeoHECRAS?

  • Quality of Support: 9.7/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
  • Hydraulic engineering: 8.8/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)
  • Editing : 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
  • Sequence: 7.5/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)

Who Is the Company Behind GeoHECRAS?

  • Seller: CivilGEO, Inc.
  • Company Website:
  • Year Founded: 2010
  • HQ Location: Madison, WI 53717-2174
  • LinkedIn® Page: www.linkedin.com
    32 employees on LinkedIn®

Who Uses This Product?

  • Who Uses This: Project Engineer, Civil Engineer
  • Top Industries: Civil Engineering, Environmental Services
  • Company Size: 55% Small, 31% Medium

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of GeoHECRAS?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About GeoHECRAS?

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ZWCAD

ZWCAD is a fast, powerful, and compatible 2D CAD solution for architects, designers, and engineers in the AEC and manufacturing industries. Its unparalleled compatibility and compelling price make it the best alternative to expensive subscription-based CAD solutions. Its lightning-fast performance, innovative features, and a complete set of tools enable professionals to bring their creative visions to life effortlessly.

Average Rating: 4.6/5.0

Total Reviews: 352

How Do G2 Users Rate ZWCAD?

  • Quality of Support: 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
  • Hydraulic engineering: 7.6/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)
  • Editing : 9.4/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
  • Sequence: 8.4/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)

Who Is the Company Behind ZWCAD?

  • Seller: ZWSOFT
  • Company Website:
  • Year Founded: 1998
  • HQ Location: Guangzhou, Guangdong
  • Twitter: @ZWSOFT
    1,609 Twitter followers
  • LinkedIn® Page: www.linkedin.com
    366 employees on LinkedIn®

Who Uses This Product?

  • Who Uses This: Engineer, Designer
  • Top Industries: Architecture & Planning, Civil Engineering
  • Company Size: 67% Small, 26% Medium

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About ZWCAD?

AI-generated summary from verified user reviews

Pros
  • Users find ZWCAD incredibly easy to use, appreciating its familiar interface and smooth transition from AutoCAD.
  • Users value the efficiency of ZWCAD, enjoying faster performance and reduced time on design tasks.
  • Users appreciate the tool efficiency of ZWCAD, benefiting from fast performance and customizable shortcuts.
  • Users praise ZWCAD's powerful performance, noting its speed and efficiency with large drawings at an affordable price.
  • Users commend ZWCAD for its easy learning curve, facilitating a seamless transition for those familiar with AutoCAD.
Cons
  • Users experience slow performance with ZWCAD, facing lag and delays, especially during initial launches and with large files.
  • Users experience software freezing issues, often requiring restarts and encountering glitches with multiple files open.
  • Users report facing update issues that hinder performance and compatibility, particularly with file loading and graphics enhancements.
  • Users find that ZWCAD lacks essential features like key commands and proper parametric functions compared to competitors.
  • Users feel that ZWCAD's 3D modeling capabilities need improvement, lacking advanced features for complex projects compared to competitors.

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of ZWCAD?

GeoHECHMS

GeoHECHMS speeds up watershed modeling by automating subbasin delineation, Curve Numbers, and Time of Concentration calculations. As an advanced data wrapper to industry-standard HEC-HMS, it simplifies workflows and accelerates common hydrologic preprocessing tasks needed for HEC-HMS modeling. Engineers use its AutoCAD-compatible interface to pull land use and soil data, compute TR 55/TR-20 parameters and simplify pre- and post-development scenarios for seamless detention/retention pond design. The software supports multiple rainfall distributions and routing methods, such as Muskingum, Kinematic Wave, Modified Puls, and Snyder Unit Hydrograph. Both US and metric (SI) units are supported, making GeoHECHMS a powerful solution for accurate watershed modeling and hydrologic analysis.

Average Rating: 4.7/5.0

Total Reviews: 127

How Do G2 Users Rate GeoHECHMS?

  • Quality of Support: 9.7/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
  • Hydraulic engineering: 8.0/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)
  • Editing : 8.2/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
  • Sequence: 7.5/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)

Who Is the Company Behind GeoHECHMS?

  • Seller: CivilGEO, Inc.
  • Company Website:
  • Year Founded: 2010
  • HQ Location: Madison, WI 53717-2174
  • LinkedIn® Page: www.linkedin.com
    32 employees on LinkedIn®

Who Uses This Product?

  • Who Uses This: Civil Engineer, Project Engineer
  • Top Industries: Civil Engineering, Consulting
  • Company Size: 55% Small, 29% Medium

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of GeoHECHMS?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About GeoHECHMS?

GeoSTORM

GeoSTORM is a Civil 3D-integrated stormwater modeling software that streamlines catchment area delineation, runoff calculations, and flow routing. It supports multiple hydrology methods, such as EPA SWMM, SCS TR-55/TR-20, Rational, Modified Rational, and DeKalb Rational, enabling flexible hydrologic analysis. Capabilities include interactive detention/retention pond design and roadway catch basin optimization using major U.S. and Canadian foundry catalogs, which helps engineers move from concept to deliverable efficiently. Additional features include cloud-based mapping, 2D/3D model visualization, and in-depth automated report generation. GeoSTORM is engineered for both urban and rural stormwater drainage systems, supports scenario comparisons, and accelerates design review and iteration, making stormwater workflows faster and easier to maintain.

Average Rating: 4.6/5.0

Total Reviews: 47

How Do G2 Users Rate GeoSTORM?

  • Quality of Support: 9.6/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
  • Hydraulic engineering: 8.6/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)
  • Editing : 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
  • Sequence: 7.1/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)

Who Is the Company Behind GeoSTORM?

  • Seller: CivilGEO, Inc.
  • Company Website:
  • Year Founded: 2010
  • HQ Location: Madison, WI 53717-2174
  • LinkedIn® Page: www.linkedin.com
    32 employees on LinkedIn®

Who Uses This Product?

  • Who Uses This: Civil Engineer, Project Engineer
  • Top Industries: Civil Engineering
  • Company Size: 82% Small, 16% Medium

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of GeoSTORM?

OpenRoads Designer

OpenRoads Designer CONNECT Edition, the successor to Bentley’s industry leading civil engineering brands InRoads, GEOPAK, MX, and PowerCivil, is a truly innovative design application, built to address the demands of today’s evolving infrastructure industry. By blending traditional engineering workflows for plan, profile, and cross-sections with 3D parametric modeling, OpenRoads Designer enables the model-centric creation of all your design deliverables. This application supports all aspects of a detailed roadway design including survey, geotechnical, drainage, subsurface utilities, corridor modeling, analysis, and quantification. It is a comprehensive, multi-discipline 3D modeling application that advances the delivery of roadway projects from conceptual design through construction. OpenRoads Designer provides the latest technology and tools you need to efficiently design, model, and produce project deliverables in a dynamic, interactive, and parametrically enabled environment.

Average Rating: 4.1/5.0

Total Reviews: 128

How Do G2 Users Rate OpenRoads Designer?

  • Quality of Support: 7.6/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
  • Hydraulic engineering: 7.7/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)
  • Editing : 8.1/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
  • Sequence: 7.9/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)

Who Is the Company Behind OpenRoads Designer?

  • Seller: Bentley Systems
  • Year Founded: 1984
  • HQ Location: Exton, PA
  • Twitter: @BentleySystems
    17,564 Twitter followers
  • LinkedIn® Page: www.linkedin.com
    5,656 employees on LinkedIn®
  • Ownership: NASDAQ: BSY

Who Uses This Product?

  • Who Uses This: Civil Engineer, Transportation Engineer
  • Top Industries: Civil Engineering, Construction
  • Company Size: 42% Large, 35% Medium

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of OpenRoads Designer?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About OpenRoads Designer?

Tekla Tedds

Tekla Tedds is powerful software developed to meet the needs of the structural engineering workflow and designed to help you automate your repetitive multimaterial structural calculations. Choose from one or more of our regularly updated calculation libraries or write your own, and create professional documentation every time.

Average Rating: 4.3/5.0

Total Reviews: 37

How Do G2 Users Rate Tekla Tedds?

  • Quality of Support: 8.2/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
  • Hydraulic engineering: 8.5/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)
  • Editing : 8.0/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
  • Sequence: 8.1/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)

Who Is the Company Behind Tekla Tedds?

  • Seller: Trimble
  • Year Founded: 1978
  • HQ Location: Sunnyvale, CA
  • Twitter: @TrimbleCorpNews
    12,061 Twitter followers
  • LinkedIn® Page: www.linkedin.com
    18,122 employees on LinkedIn®
  • Ownership: NASDAQ

Who Uses This Product?

  • Top Industries: Civil Engineering, Construction
  • Company Size: 51% Small, 32% Medium

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Tekla Tedds?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About Tekla Tedds?

ActCAD BIM

ActCAD is a native dwg/dxf cad software suitable for professional 2D drafting and 3D modeling projects. ActCAD is trusted by over 30000 users in over 103 countries for more than 10 years. The interface, commands, icons, dialogs, shortcuts etc. are very much similar to other popular cad software tools available in market. Flexible license types available even for single license. There is no learning for existing cad users while saving 80% of the costs. ActCAD offers free email technical support without any limitations. ActCAD can be fully customized and programs can be developed using our free API toolkit. It supports popular programming languages like , lisp dcl, .net, C++ etc. Apart from all regular commands, ActCAD offers many productive tools like pdf to cad converter, Block libraries, Image to Cad converter, handling point sets between Cad and Excel and many more. ActCAD is suitable for any high end professional projects in the domains of Architecture, Civil, Mechanical, Automotive.

Average Rating: 4.5/5.0

Total Reviews: 48

How Do G2 Users Rate ActCAD BIM?

  • Quality of Support: 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
  • Hydraulic engineering: 8.6/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)
  • Editing : 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
  • Sequence: 8.0/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)

Who Is the Company Behind ActCAD BIM?

  • Seller: ACTCAD
  • Year Founded: 2010
  • HQ Location: Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh
  • Twitter: @actcadsoftware
    383 Twitter followers
  • LinkedIn® Page: www.linkedin.com
    14 employees on LinkedIn®

Who Uses This Product?

  • Top Industries: Architecture & Planning, Civil Engineering
  • Company Size: 80% Small, 18% Medium

What Do G2 Reviewers Say About ActCAD BIM?

AI-generated summary from verified user reviews

Pros
  • Users value the affordability of ActCAD BIM, finding it provides great functionality without breaking the bank.
  • Users value the efficiency of ActCAD BIM, finding it enhances their workflow significantly at a great price.
  • Users value the excellent functionality of ActCAD BIM, finding it a cost-effective solution for their CAD needs.
  • Users value the powerful performance of ActCAD BIM, providing excellent functionality for both beginners and professionals.
  • Users value the affordable pricing of ActCAD BIM, highlighting its excellent functionality for all experience levels.
Cons
  • Users find the difficult learning curve for ActCAD's advanced features challenging, impacting their overall experience and usability.
  • Users find ActCAD to be expensive, especially given its steep learning curve and limited features compared to alternatives.
  • Users struggle with the insufficient training resources in ActCAD BIM, leading to a challenging learning experience.
  • Users find a steep learning curve with ActCAD BIM's advanced features and lack of comprehensive documentation.
  • Users note the limited features of ActCAD BIM, affecting usability and overall user experience.

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of ActCAD BIM?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About ActCAD BIM?

Autodesk InfraWorks

Autodesk InfraWorks preliminary engineering and design software improves your infrastructure project outcomes throughout the asset lifecycle. Make decisions in the context of the real world, not the CAD world. Combine and connect data to better create, view, analyze, share, and manage information anywhere, on any device using the power of the cloud.

Average Rating: 4.2/5.0

Total Reviews: 36

How Do G2 Users Rate Autodesk InfraWorks?

  • Quality of Support: 6.8/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
  • Hydraulic engineering: 6.7/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)
  • Editing : 6.7/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
  • Sequence: 6.7/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)

Who Is the Company Behind Autodesk InfraWorks?

  • Seller: Autodesk
  • Year Founded: 1982
  • HQ Location: San Francisco
  • Twitter: @autodesk
    273,215 Twitter followers
  • LinkedIn® Page: www.linkedin.com
    15,757 employees on LinkedIn®
  • Ownership: NASDAQ:ADSK

Who Uses This Product?

  • Top Industries: Civil Engineering, Construction
  • Company Size: 43% Medium, 33% Small

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Autodesk InfraWorks?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About Autodesk InfraWorks?

ArcGIS CityEngine

Esri CityEngine is 3D modeling software for quickly creating large urban environments. The environments you choose to create can be based on real-world data or can be completely conceptual. CityEngine saves you time by using rules to automatically create the urban environment based on your input. You can import 3D models you've created in other software to create context around them and export your entire environment into visualization tools, game engines and VR experiences.

Average Rating: 4.2/5.0

Total Reviews: 20

How Do G2 Users Rate ArcGIS CityEngine?

  • Quality of Support: 8.4/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
  • Hydraulic engineering: 9.4/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)
  • Editing : 8.6/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
  • Sequence: 8.6/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)

Who Is the Company Behind ArcGIS CityEngine?

  • Seller: Esri
  • Year Founded: 1969
  • HQ Location: Redlands, CA
  • Twitter: @Esri
    188,738 Twitter followers
  • LinkedIn® Page: www.linkedin.com
    7,396 employees on LinkedIn®

Who Uses This Product?

  • Company Size: 168% Medium, 64% Large

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of ArcGIS CityEngine?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About ArcGIS CityEngine?

Carlson Civil

Carlson Civil provides the most robust automation and ease-of-use of any civil design solution available today, and it does dynamic updating without a single custom object. What might take days with other civil software takes just hours, or even minutes, with the powerful, intuitive Carlson Civil: • Road NETwork. Build all roads, intersections and cul-de-sacs in 2D and 3D with a single click of the “PROCESS” button. • Site NETwork. Elevate your estimating accuracy with this intuitive layer-based surface generator for easy cut/fill and material quantities calculations. • Lot NETwork. Quickly define an entire subdivision of lots based on an outer boundary, interior ROWs or Centerlines, and a simple set of user-defined “rules,” then pick “PROCESS” and the lots appear, defined and labeled.

Average Rating: 4.3/5.0

Total Reviews: 22

How Do G2 Users Rate Carlson Civil?

  • Quality of Support: 8.6/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
  • Hydraulic engineering: 9.3/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)
  • Editing : 9.7/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
  • Sequence: 9.3/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)

Who Is the Company Behind Carlson Civil?

  • Seller: Carlson Software
  • Year Founded: 1983
  • HQ Location: Maysville, US
  • Twitter: @CarlsonSoftware
    2,347 Twitter followers
  • LinkedIn® Page: www.linkedin.com
    142 employees on LinkedIn®

Who Uses This Product?

  • Top Industries: Civil Engineering, Construction
  • Company Size: 41% Medium, 36% Small

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Carlson Civil?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About Carlson Civil?

OpenFlows WorkSuite

Utilities and engineering firms around the world trust OpenFlows WaterCAD as a reliable decision-support capability for their infrastructure. Design new water systems and manage existing water networks effectively to reduce disruption risks and energy use. OpenFlows WaterCAD’s ease-of-use helps you successfully plan, design, and operate water distribution systems.

Average Rating: 4.1/5.0

Total Reviews: 43

How Do G2 Users Rate OpenFlows WorkSuite?

  • Quality of Support: 7.9/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
  • Hydraulic engineering: 8.6/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)
  • Editing : 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
  • Sequence: 8.4/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)

Who Is the Company Behind OpenFlows WorkSuite?

  • Seller: Bentley Systems
  • Year Founded: 1984
  • HQ Location: Exton, PA
  • Twitter: @BentleySystems
    17,564 Twitter followers
  • LinkedIn® Page: www.linkedin.com
    5,656 employees on LinkedIn®
  • Ownership: NASDAQ: BSY

Who Uses This Product?

  • Top Industries: Civil Engineering, Construction
  • Company Size: 50% Small, 34% Medium

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of OpenFlows WorkSuite?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About OpenFlows WorkSuite?

Civil Designer

⸻ Civil Designer is a top civil infrastructure design software providing an integrated, all-in-one suite for the planning, design, and analysis of complex civil engineering projects. The software combines bulk earthworks, roads and highways, surface drainage, wastewater systems, and pressurised water network design into a single, unified application. By consolidating multiple disciplines into one platform, Civil Designer helps engineering teams streamline workflows, reduce errors, and improve overall project efficiency. Civil Designer is built around a model-based civil design approach, enabling engineers to create intelligent 3D models from the earliest stages of a project. This allows for early clash detection between infrastructure elements, helping teams identify and resolve potential conflicts before construction begins. As a result, design rework is reduced, coordination between disciplines is improved, and project risks are minimised. Often evaluated as a strong alternative to Autodesk Civil 3D and Bentley OpenRoads, Civil Designer offers powerful functionality while maintaining flexibility and ease of use. Its comprehensive toolset makes it suitable for a wide range of infrastructure projects, including transportation corridors, land development, municipal services, and utility networks. The software supports Open BIM workflows, ensuring effective collaboration and data exchange across multidisciplinary teams. With advanced compatibility for IFC, LandXML, and 3D DWG formats, Civil Designer enables accurate interoperability throughout the project lifecycle. These open standards help future-proof designs and support informed decision-making. By delivering integrated infrastructure design tools within a single application, Civil Designer empowers civil engineers to produce higher-quality designs faster, making it a reliable and scalable solution for modern civil infrastructure projects. If you'd like to learn more about why engineering teams choose Civil Designer: https://www.civildesigner.com/why/

Average Rating: 4.8/5.0

Total Reviews: 18

How Do G2 Users Rate Civil Designer?

  • Quality of Support: 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
  • Hydraulic engineering: 8.5/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)
  • Editing : 8.8/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
  • Sequence: 8.3/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)

Who Is the Company Behind Civil Designer?

Who Uses This Product?

  • Top Industries: Civil Engineering
  • Company Size: 56% Small, 39% Medium

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Civil Designer?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About Civil Designer?

Calcs.com

Easy to use cloud structural design and analysis software for timber, steel, wood, concrete, masonry, and more.

Average Rating: 4.6/5.0

Total Reviews: 10

How Do G2 Users Rate Calcs.com?

  • Quality of Support: 8.7/10 (Category avg: 8.6/10)
  • Hydraulic engineering: 2.9/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)
  • Editing : 3.7/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10)
  • Sequence: 4.7/10 (Category avg: 7.8/10)

Who Is the Company Behind Calcs.com?

  • Seller: ClearCalcs
  • Year Founded: 2016
  • HQ Location: Hawthorn, Australia
  • LinkedIn® Page: www.linkedin.com
    43 employees on LinkedIn®

Who Uses This Product?

  • Top Industries: Civil Engineering
  • Company Size: 90% Small, 20% Medium

What Are Recent G2 Reviews of Calcs.com?

What Are G2 Users Discussing About Calcs.com?

Daniel Rivera
DR
Researched and written by Daniel Rivera
Updated March 5, 2025

Civil Engineering Design Topics

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Learn More About Civil Engineering Design Software

Civil engineering design software overview

Civil engineering design software revolutionizes infrastructure development, offering advanced tools for planning, modeling, and optimizing projects. These solutions empower engineers to create efficient, safe, and sustainable structures, from structural analysis to transportation and environmental design. Civil engineers use software for designing, constructing, and maintaining infrastructures such as roads, culverts, buildings, airports, railways, etc. The tool helps engineers draft technical drawings and view and analyze the designs to identify areas of improvement. Engineering document management software can also assist with the documentation process. 

These tools help calculate costs associated with the construction and maintenance of infrastructure over a given period. These solutions can be used for creating simple and complex technical drawings. 

Who uses civil engineering design software?

The following personas most commonly use civil engineering software:

  • Civil engineers: Civil engineering design software is most commonly used by those in the field of civil engineering itself. A civil engineer designs and maintains the construction of major public works projects, ranging from buildings to highways to airports. This software is helpful at every step of the construction process, from design to completion. Some civil engineers focus on a more niche function, such as transportation, structural, or geotechnical engineering.
  • Construction managers: This tool aids in construction management by providing detailed information related to the project. The software offers functionalities to help them efficiently manage the entire construction lifecycle. Features such as cost estimation, budgeting, resource allocation, and progress monitoring allow them to coordinate better and control their projects.
  • Land surveyors: In a construction project, responsibilities overlap between civil engineers and land surveyors. Both work together on construction projects to ensure the project reaches completion. Civil engineering design and landscape design software help surveyors examine a 3D landscape by collecting geological data, such as the distance between a series of points. The engineers then use this data to create blueprints for the project.

Benefits of civil engineering design software 

Civil engineering software provides several benefits to users, such as:

  • Effective collaboration: Whether a project is small or large, users can leverage civil engineering design software to communicate better. 3D models stored on a cloud platform make them easily and simultaneously accessible to different stakeholders. This makes it easy for them to view infrastructure plans, survey observations, and work on modifications while maintaining a steady flow of communication. Since every team member views the same 3D design plan and the latest project data, they can work together as a well-integrated team.
  • Fast calculations: An important aspect of civil engineering is that calculations must be exact so the constructed structures are safe and stable. With this software, such calculations can be made much more quickly. Structures often have to go through some variation of a redesign. Civil engineering design platforms allow engineers to accomplish that while maintaining high accuracy of the calculations quickly. Some tools have formulas built in to include safety standards.
  • High productivity: The tool increases overall productivity by reducing the chances of errors in the design and construction process. It helps engineers estimate the materials required for production and their cost. 3D visualizations of the design make it easy to examine the various components and identify areas of improvement prior to production.

Challenges with civil engineering design software

Civil engineering design software provides many benefits to users. However, it does come with its own set of challenges, such as:

  • Learning curve: Civil engineering is a complicated field; therefore, various software functionalities can often be challenging to master. The learning curve may be tough for those new to this field. 
  • Storage: Those working with this software often create designs that need to be saved as large files. This means that civil engineering design platforms may take up a large portion of the memory on a user’s computer.
  • Cost: The cost of this software is often high, making it too expensive for small businesses and individual users. 

Civil engineering design software features 

The following are some core features within civil engineering platforms that can help users:

  • 3D modeling: The software helps with civil engineering design and construction documentation. Depending on the type of infrastructure project an engineer is working on, 3D models of structures can be created. In transportation engineering projects, these tools help produce digital models of transportation scenarios and aid in planning transportation systems. For geotechnical engineering projects, the tool helps in viewing and evaluating underground data and incorporating that data to create more realistic 3D representations of management systems. Hydraulic engineering projects would require the functionality to model and analyze drainage systems, stormwater, and sewer networks. Likewise, the tool is useful in various other engineering projects as it enables the project members to visualize the outcome in a real-world context.
  • Design modification: This feature allows users to change the design easily. Various options are available to edit and adjust variables to meet client specifications. The software feature assists users in modifying the initial draft, and they do not need to start the work from scratch. Engineers can create replicas, rotate, resize, and crop the design to simplify the process.
  • Photorealistic rendering: This feature takes a 3D model and places it into a fully realized 3D environment to provide users with visualizations of the final product.
  • Design automation: It refers to the process of using engineering data for the automation of time-consuming, repetitive tasks such as modeling, designing, and analyzing structures. It makes the design process more efficient and reduces the chances of errors.

Civil engineering design software pricing

The pricing varies based on several factors, such as features, capabilities, license models, the size of the organization, and more. Additionally, each software may offer different subscription plans depending on varying levels of functionality. 

Some general considerations are:

  • Trial periods: Several software providers offer free trial periods, allowing users to explore the software's features before making a purchase decision.
  • Subscription models: Users have access to subscription models where users pay a recurring fee (monthly or annually) for access to certain features. Different subscription models may offer different features.
  • License types: Brands offer different types of licenses, such as single-user licenses or multi-user licenses. The pricing structure may vary based on the number of users.
  • Student discounts: Some software vendors offer discounted pricing for educational institutions or students, making it more accessible for academic purposes.
  • Customization: Software that allows customization or integration with other tools may have additional costs associated with these features.

Due to the dynamic nature of the software market, it's advisable to check with the specific vendors for the most up-to-date pricing information. Be sure to consider the project's specific needs and the technical support the software vendor provides when evaluating pricing options.

How to choose the best civil engineering design software

Requirements gathering (RFI/RFP) for civil engineering design software

If a company is just starting and looking to purchase its first civil engineering design software or needs to update a legacy system—wherever a business is in its buying process, G2 can help select the best solution.

Users should think about the pain points and jot them down, and these should be used to help create a criteria checklist. The checklist is a detailed guide that includes necessary and nice-to-have features, budget, number of users, integrations, security requirements, cloud or on-premise solutions, etc.

Additionally, the buyer must determine the project scale—the larger the project, the more users will need to use this software. This would drive the number of licenses they are likely to buy. Depending on the deployment scope, it might be helpful to produce a request for information (RFI), a one-page list with a few bullet points describing what is needed from the tool.

Compare civil engineering design software products

Create a long list

Vendor evaluations are important during the software buying process, from meeting the project functionality needs to implementation. It helps prepare a consistent list of questions regarding specific requirements and concerns to ask each vendor. Buyers should start by creating a long list containing different civil engineering design tools keeping in mind the following considerations:

  • Type of application: Depending on the project's purpose, the organization can determine specific features the software should have to suit functional requirements. There are different infrastructure projects for which a civil engineering design tool may be used, such as structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, transportation engineering, hydraulic engineering, environmental engineering, and more. For instance, hydraulic engineering projects would require software that helps create hydraulic schematics and design hydraulic systems. The organization may look for solutions that help simulate the hydrologic processes of watershed systems. Transportation simulation and analysis software will be ideal for transportation engineering, providing engineers with insights to build secure and efficient transportation systems.
  • User-friendly interface: The user interface should be intuitive to allow engineers to easily create and modify the 3D design. A user-friendly interface helps in the effective analysis of different structures. It also facilitates communication across teams. Some solutions offer many built-in templates to help the engineer quickly start designing a model.
  • Deployment: The tool may be cloud-based or an on-premises solution. If the organization opts for a cloud-based platform, it can be used anywhere and anytime. Engineers in different locations can share their work using cloud technology with contractors and receive real-time feedback. Some vendors may offer the capability to scale the solution from on-premises to the cloud.

Create a short list

From the long list of vendors, narrowing the list of contenders is pragmatic. Buyers must read user reviews, view ratings on the G2 GridⓇ for the Civil Engineering Design software category, read useability ratings, and shorten the list of vendors in the G2 “My List” down to a handful.

Conduct demos

Demos allow buyers to see how a civil engineering design platform works. While pre-recorded demonstrations and slide decks are available online, it is lucrative to request the vendor for a live demo of the software to dive deep into their technical capabilities. 

Selection of civil engineering design software

Choose a selection team

Creating a team that will collaborate throughout the entire process, from identifying problem areas to deploying the tool, is essential. The selection team should consist of members with the right interests, skills, and time to contribute to this process. The software selection team should consist of three to five people who fill the required roles. This may include the civil engineering project manager, project planners, and senior civil engineers on the team.

They should compare data, facts, and analyses noted during the process, such as the availability of advanced capabilities suited to a particular civil engineering discipline, usability, and security features to optimize the software selection process.

Negotiation

It is important to discuss their pricing structure, subscription fees, and licensing costs with the vendor. For instance, the vendor may discount multi-year contracts or give discounts to recommend the tool to other users.

Final decision

Selecting a vendor with a product offering aligned with the company’s project requirements will accelerate growth. Before going all in, it is recommended to roll out a test run or pilot program to test adoption with a small sample size of users. If the tool is well used and received, the buyer can be confident that the selection is correct. If not, it might be time to evaluate other offerings.