Tool profile
Speckle: cost, fit and limits
Speckle is an open data platform made by AEC Systems Ltd that moves design and BIM model data between authoring tools such as Revit, Rhino and Archicad, and adds an AI layer called Speckle Intelligence for querying models.
What to know first
Speckle has a free Explore plan and Custom Plans that show the word Paid. Explore covers one project and up to three users; Custom Plans lift those limits and add CDE integrations, Speckle Automate and SSO. Billing for the paid tier follows usage, meaning projects, syncs and versions, and students and educators use it free of charge, as of November 2026.
Speckle at a glance
| Maker | AEC Systems Ltd (trading as Speckle), United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | Free |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI BIM Software in 2026, rank 12 of 12 |
| Website | speckle.systems |
Who Speckle is best for
Computational design teams
Connectors for Rhino and Grasshopper let designers push parametric geometry into a shared model and receive it in Revit or Archicad without exporting files by hand.
Firms checking model quality
Explore includes configurable model data quality and compliance checks, and Custom Plans add standardized model validation, which suits coordinators who review incoming models.
Students and educators
The vendor says Speckle is free for students and educators, so a studio course can practice with live model exchange before any paid plan is considered.
Speckle plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Explore | Free | 1 project, up to 3 users, all file importers and connectors, 1 project dashboard, model data quality checks, intro Speckle Intelligence, 30-day version history. |
| Custom Plans | Paid (no figure shown) | Unlimited projects and users, CDE integrations, unlimited Speckle Intelligence dashboards, Speckle Automate, full version history, SSO, custom data regions, priority support. |
Checked November 2026.
What Speckle does
- Connectors and importers
- Revit, Rhino, Grasshopper, Tekla, Archicad, Navisworks, SketchUp and IFC are named on the homepage, and all importers and connectors are included on the free plan.
- Speckle Intelligence
- The vendor calls this its native AI layer, and the homepage says it queries the model instead of a PDF. Explore has intro access and Custom Plans have unlimited dashboards.
- Model quality checks
- Configurable data quality and compliance checks run on Explore, while Custom Plans add standardized model validation for projects that must meet a fixed delivery spec.
- Speckle Automate
- Automate sits on Custom Plans and lets a team run checks and processes when a new model version arrives, instead of a person opening each file.
- CDE integrations
- Custom Plans list Forma and ProjectWise integrations, so model data can sit alongside the common data environment that a project already uses for documents and approvals.
How Speckle handles your data
The privacy page says Speckle is hosted by DigitalOcean in its UK datacenter unless agreed otherwise, and Custom Plans offer custom data regions. Account data is kept while the account is active, database backups are deleted after 7 days, log messages after 10 days and critical logs after 30 days, and website visitor data after 5 years. The page does not mention AI or machine learning training. A separate security page exists but was not opened, so certifications were not checked.
Where Speckle falls short in practice
- Free plan is small. Explore allows one project, three users and 30 days of version history. A practice with several live jobs hits the project limit almost at once and must move to a paid plan.
- Cost follows syncs. Pricing is based on projects, syncs and versions. A sync happens when a new version is created or a productive receive occurs, so busy teams cannot predict the bill from seats alone.
- Not an authoring tool. Speckle moves and checks model data but does not replace Revit or Archicad for drawing. A firm adopting it still keeps its design software licenses.
Works with
Alternatives to Speckle
Speckle: common questions
Is Speckle free to use?
The Explore plan is free and includes one project, up to three users, all connectors and a 30-day version history. Custom Plans show the word Paid without a figure, and the vendor says students and educators use Speckle free. Larger teams should ask for a usage quote.
What counts as a sync in Speckle billing?
A sync occurs when a new model version is created or a productive receive happens. Viewing a model, filtering it or adding issues does not count. Because billing follows projects, syncs and versions, estimate how often your team publishes before you commit.
Which design tools does Speckle connect to?
The pages we read name Revit, Rhino, Grasshopper, Tekla, Archicad, Navisworks, SketchUp and IFC, and Custom Plans add Forma and ProjectWise. Check the connector version against your installed release, since the pages give no version table, and ask the vendor which releases are supported today.
Where is my model data stored on Speckle?
The privacy page says Speckle is hosted by DigitalOcean in its UK datacenter unless agreed otherwise. Explore uses the UK region by default, while custom data regions come with Custom Plans. Ask which regions are available if you work under residency rules.
What is Speckle Intelligence?
Speckle Intelligence is the vendor's native AI layer, described on the homepage as AI that queries the model, not a PDF. Explore has intro access and Custom Plans have unlimited dashboards. The pages we read give no model names or training terms.