Arkio
Spatial design, review and collaboration application for VR, mixed reality, desktop and mobile devices, letting AEC teams experience projects at human scale.
Arkio is a spatial design, review and collaboration application built by Arkio ehf., an Iceland-based company, for virtual reality, mixed reality, desktop and mobile devices -- letting AEC teams step inside a project at human scale, rather than only viewing it on a flat screen, to review massing, spatial relationships and design intent earlier and more intuitively than a traditional 2D or desktop-3D review process allows.
The platform runs across a genuinely broad range of platforms from one shared model -- Windows and macOS desktop, Meta Quest for VR, and iOS/Android for mobile and mixed/augmented reality -- meaning a design team isn't limited to VR headset users alone; a client or consultant without VR hardware can still join the same session and review the same model from a desktop or phone.
Arkio's real-time collaboration is built around hosted meetings where multiple people occupy the same spatial model simultaneously, moving, sketching and modeling together rather than passing files back and forth -- the Pro plan supports meetings of up to 6 people and Enterprise supports up to 24, with presentation mode and the ability to promote meeting viewers to editors on the fly.
Import and export support spans Revit, Rhino, SketchUp and Archicad (with Navisworks import also supported), plus sections, layers and BIM metadata on the Pro tier and above -- letting a design already underway in a firm's primary BIM or CAD tool come into Arkio for a spatial review session and then flow design changes back into that same authoring tool afterward.
The company has also built AI renders directly into the platform (bundled with monthly AI-credit allowances on paid tiers) and geolocated sun studies for site-specific daylight analysis, extending Arkio's role beyond pure spatial review into early design decision-support as well.
Pricing runs from a free Starter tier (all modeling tools, 1:1 meetings, basic OBJ/GLB import-export) through Pro at $35/month per user billed annually (or $45/month billed monthly) up to Enterprise at $85/month per floating license, annual billing only -- a structure that lets an individual or small team start free and scale toward firm-wide floating licenses as adoption grows.
Editor’s takeBIM•STACK editor's take: Arkio's genuine differentiator is running the same collaborative spatial-design session across VR, mixed reality, desktop and mobile from one shared model -- named users including KPF, Sweco, IMEG and American Structurepoint suggest real adoption well beyond a novelty VR demo. The free Starter tier and 14-day Pro trial make it low-risk to test firsthand; firms should note that BIM authoring still happens in Revit, Rhino, SketchUp or Archicad, with Arkio serving the spatial-review and collaboration layer on top rather than replacing that authoring tool.
Arkio's core spatial-modeling and navigation tools are designed to be approachable without a CAD background -- moving, placing and sketching objects in 3D space at human scale is generally intuitive within a first session, especially in VR where scale and proportion are immediately visible rather than something to mentally translate from a 2D plan.
Teams importing existing Revit, Rhino, SketchUp or Archicad models generally have the shortest ramp-up, since their existing geometry (and BIM metadata on Pro+) carries directly into Arkio rather than requiring rebuilding; the main new skill is running an effective real-time collaborative review session rather than learning a new modeling paradigm from scratch.
Firms new to VR-based workflows should expect a short adjustment period for staff unfamiliar with headset navigation and controls, though Arkio's desktop and mobile modes let a firm start collaborative reviews immediately while VR-specific comfort builds gradually across the team.
- AEC teams wanting to review design at human scaleVR and mixed reality let stakeholders experience spatial relationships that are harder to judge on a flat screen.
- Firms running client and consultant design reviews across mixed hardwareOne shared model works across VR, MR, desktop and mobile so no participant needs matching hardware.
- Teams wanting real-time collaborative design, not just viewingMultiple people can move, sketch and model together in the same session rather than passing files back and forth.
- You need full BIM authoring, not spatial reviewRevit, Archicad or Vectorworks handle detailed design and documentation directly.
- You need production-quality static renders for marketing3ds Max, D5 Render or Enscape are built for that final-image-quality rendering use case.
- You need BIM issue-tracking and clash coordination specificallyRevizto or BIMcollab focus on that structured coordination workflow rather than spatial design review.
What is Arkio used for?
Spatial design, review and collaboration in VR, mixed reality, desktop and mobile, letting AEC teams experience and edit a project together at human scale.
How much does Arkio cost?
Free (Starter); $35/mo per user billed annually for Pro ($45/mo billed monthly); $85/mo per floating license for Enterprise (annual billing only).
Does Arkio work without a VR headset?
Yes -- it runs on Windows, macOS, Meta Quest, iOS and Android, so participants can join from desktop or mobile without VR hardware.
Does Arkio integrate with Revit, Rhino or SketchUp?
Yes -- it supports import and export with Revit, Rhino and SketchUp, plus Archicad import/export and Navisworks import.
Who uses Arkio?
Named users include KPF, Sweco, IMEG and American Structurepoint, among firms using it for design review and collaboration.
Who makes Arkio?
Arkio ehf., a company based in Iceland.
