Direct comparison · EN steel detailing

FrameAI vs Tekla Structures —
EN steel detailing, honestly compared

FrameAI runs autonomous EN 1993-1-8 connection design, EN 1993-1-1 member buckling, EN 1992-1-1 RC checks, and DSTV NC1 fabrication export — browser-native. Tekla Structures is the industry-standard 3D BIM tool for steel and concrete. They serve different workflows; here's the honest breakdown.

Try the free EN calculators → See pricing
30s
FrameAI: first calc
~4 mo
Tekla: avg learning curve
$0
FrameAI free tier

Feature comparison — EN steel detailing

Feature FrameAI Tekla Structures
EN 1993-1-1 steel member design Buckling, section class, utilisation ratio ✓ Yes — autonomous ✗ Requires Tekla Structural Designer (separate product)
EN 1993-1-8 connection design (component method) Endplate, fin plate, baseplate, splice ✓ Yes — built-in ✓ Via Tekla Tedds or Tekla Structural Designer (separate products)
EN 1992-1-1 RC beam/column design ✓ Yes ✓ Via Tekla Structural Designer
EN 1998-1 seismic design DCM, DCH q-factors, response spectra ✓ Yes ✗ Requires Tekla Structural Designer
3D BIM model authoring Parametric steel/concrete modeling, full geometry ✗ No — PDF-to-model pipeline, not an interactive BIM editor ✓ Yes — industry standard
PDF drawing intake (AI extraction) GPT-4o parses structural PDFs — members, connections, loads ✓ Yes — GPT-4o ✗ No — manual model authoring required
Shop drawing export GA drawings, part marks, reports ✓ DXF, PDF, DSTV NC1 ✓ Yes — automated GA drawings
DSTV NC1 fabrication export 7th edition NC1 for CNC drill/saw lines ✓ Yes — built-in ✓ Supported
Autonomous re-run on spec change Change section size or loads → full recalculation ✓ Yes — automatic ✗ No — manual update required
Eurocode National Annex coverage 9 NAs: NL/NEN, DE/DIN, BE, FR, IT, PT, RO, SI, HR ✓ 9 NAs on all calcs ✓ Full suite of EU NAs via Tedds/Structural Designer
Connection design library Predefined EN 1993-1-8 components ✓ Component method (endplate, fin plate, baseplate, splice) ✓ Broad component library + Tekla Tedds for all connection types
File interoperability IFC, DXF, DSTV, SAF ✓ IFC 4.0, DXF R12, DSTV NC1, SAF v2.x ✓ IFC, DWG, DXF, DSTV, and broader BIM ecosystem integration
Pricing transparency Public price list vs quote-only ✓ Public — see pricing ✗ Quote-based only — no public price list
Setup time / learning curve ~30s — browser, no install Desktop app — avg ~4 months to proficiency
Cloud / desktop deployment ✓ Fully cloud — browser-native, any OS ✗ Desktop only (Windows)
Multi-user licensing Per-user plans — free tier has unlimited calculator access Per-seat subscription + Tekla Model Sharing
Free tier availability ✓ 13 public calculators, no account needed ✗ No free tier
Customer support In-app chat + email + public docs Customer Care Program + reseller network

Honest assessment — where each tool wins

Where Tekla Structures wins
3D BIM modeling depth and ecosystem maturity
  • Industry-standard parametric 3D model with full constructible geometry, clash detection, and downstream fabrication integration
  • Hundreds of predefined connection components: castings, hollow-section joints, plate profiles, custom cross-sections
  • Decades of use by steel fabricators and detailers — strong ecosystem of templates and established shop-floor workflows
  • Tekla Warehouse, Trimble Connect, Tekla PowerFab integration — mature BIM coordination across disciplines
  • Handles complex spatial joints and irregular geometry outside the scope of prescriptive EN 1993-1-8 component method
Where FrameAI wins
Speed, automation, and access for everyday EN work
  • Autonomous calculation + drawing generation from PDF intake — drop a structural PDF, get EN 1993 checks, DXF, IFC, and DSTV NC1
  • No manual re-entry: spec changes trigger full recalculation across all EN 1993/1992/1998 checks automatically
  • Transparent public pricing — no sales call, no quote, no procurement process (see pricing)
  • 13 free public calculators covering EN 1993-1-1, EN 1993-1-8, EN 1992-1-1, EN 1998-1 — no login, no credit card
  • Cloud-native, zero install — works in any browser, any device, any OS. Spec engineers can run checks from site on a tablet

Pricing

Traditional BIM
Tekla Structures
Quote-based
No public price list. Public reseller data suggests $250+/month per seat,
or $25k–$40k/yr for a 10-user team. Requires Windows desktop install,
IT approval, and significant training investment.
FrameAI
Free → Pro → Enterprise Core
Free tier: 13 public calculators + 1 PDF/month.
Pro: 50 PDFs/month + full Eurocode reports + DXF + DSTV NC1.
Enterprise Core: all disciplines + API access.
No install. No training. No procurement process.
See all plans →

Tekla pricing based on public reseller data as of June 2026. Contact Trimble/Tekla directly for current quotes. FrameAI pricing is as listed on /pricing.

Frequently asked questions

Does FrameAI replace Tekla Structures?
No, and we won't pretend it does. Tekla Structures is the industry-standard full 3D BIM authoring tool for steel and concrete — parametric modeling, clash detection, constructible geometry. FrameAI is a cloud-native calculation and PDF-intake tool: it takes a structural PDF drawing set, runs EN 1993/1992/1998 calculations automatically, and exports fabrication files. They address different problems. Many engineers use both: Tekla for BIM authoring, FrameAI for automated Eurocode verification and faster drawing-to-calculation turnaround.
Can I use FrameAI alongside Tekla?
Yes. FrameAI accepts IFC 4 imports from Tekla, so you can model in Tekla and import into FrameAI for autonomous Eurocode checks. You can also drop a structural PDF drawing set directly into FrameAI — GPT-4o extracts members, connections, and load data automatically. FrameAI's DSTV NC1 and DXF exports are compatible with downstream fabrication workflows from Tekla.
Does Tekla support Eurocode calculations directly?
Tekla Structures itself does not include structural calculation capabilities — it is a BIM and detailing tool. Eurocode calculations require Tekla Structural Designer (separate product) or third-party FEA software. FrameAI includes EN 1993-1-1, EN 1993-1-8, EN 1992-1-1, EN 1994-1-1, and EN 1998-1 as built-in cloud calculators, with 9 National Annexes (NL, DE, BE, FR, IT, PT, RO, SI, HR) — no separate product needed.
How does pricing compare — FrameAI vs Tekla?
FrameAI is transparent: Free tier from $0/yr (13 public calculators, 1 PDF/month), Pro from $164/yr (50 PDFs/month + full reports + DXF + DSTV NC1), Enterprise Core from $769/yr. Tekla Structures is quote-based only — no public price list. Public reseller data suggests typical costs of $250+/month per seat, or $25k–$40k/yr for a 10-user team, plus installation, training, and IT overhead.
Does FrameAI export to Tekla-compatible formats?
Yes. FrameAI exports IFC 4.0, DXF R12, DSTV NC1 (7th edition), and SAF v2.x — all formats that Tekla Structures can import. You can run your Eurocode checks in FrameAI and bring results into your Tekla BIM model. FrameAI also accepts IFC imports, so bidirectional data exchange is supported.

Try the free EN calculators — no credit card.

13 public calculators covering EN 1993-1-1, EN 1993-1-8, EN 1992-1-1, EN 1998-1. Results in the browser in 30 seconds.

Open free calculators → View Pricing →
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