C4B and Ladybug Tools at a glance
| Aspect | C4B | Ladybug Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Web app, in the browser | Plugins for Grasshopper (Rhino), open source; paid Pollination plugins and cloud |
| Price | Free plan; paid plans from €59/month (cancellation takes effect after 12 billing cycles) or €599/year, with a 7-day free trial | Free plugins; requires Rhino (a commercial licence is sold separately) |
| Choosing the location | Search an address or click the map; no weather file needed | Import an EPW file, or download one with the EPWmap and Download Weather components |
| Weather data | Nearest weather station file (Climate.OneBuilding.Org, usually TMYx) plus, in projects, site-specific reanalysis (ERA5 / ERA5-Land, CERRA, NORA3) at the exact coordinates | EPW weather files |
| Future climate | SSP1-1.9 to SSP5-8.5, any year from 2025 to 2100, in projects on paid plans | No future-climate morphing component in the primer index; use a future EPW from another tool |
| Outdoor comfort | UTCI outdoor comfort, including on the Free plan | UTCI, PET, PMV and adaptive comfort components |
| Energy analysis | Preliminary hourly energy balance; orientation and aspect-ratio optimization in projects on paid plans | Detailed energy and daylight simulation through Honeybee |
| Outputs | Interactive charts; written readings on most charts in projects and a PDF report on paid plans; EPW downloads on Technical and Enterprise | Rhino and Grasshopper graphics, data and simulation files |
Where Ladybug Tools is strong
- Free and open source, with an active user forum, tutorials and example files; its website reports more than 500,000 downloads.
- Parametric, geometry-linked analyses such as radiation, sun hours and UTCI maps on your own model.
- Connects to validated engines for detailed daylight and energy simulation through Honeybee.
Where C4B takes a different approach
- Runs in a browser, with no Rhino licence, plugin install or visual scripting.
- Starts from an address or map point; C4B finds the station file and, in projects, compiles site-specific weather data from reanalysis.
- Delivers a finished set of analyses (with written readings and a PDF report in projects on paid plans), rather than components to assemble your own workflow.
- Includes future climate scenarios and Köppen-Geiger climate zone projections to 2100.
Ladybug Tools may suit you better if
- You work in Rhino and Grasshopper and want analyses linked to your geometry.
- You need detailed energy or daylight simulation.
- You want full control to build custom parametric workflows.
C4B may suit you better if
- You want the site climate brief before any geometry exists.
- Not everyone on the team uses Rhino or scripts.
- You need site-specific data, future climate and a readable report without assembling them yourself.
See your site's climate before design begins
Pin any location and get climate, comfort and preliminary energy insight your whole team can read. Start with a 7-day free trial, or book a 30-minute demo.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need Rhino or Grasshopper to use C4B?
No. C4B runs in a web browser. You search for an address or click on a map.
Is C4B a replacement for Ladybug Tools?
Not for geometry-based or detailed simulation work. C4B covers the early site-climate analysis; Ladybug Tools and Honeybee go deeper into design-specific studies. A quick C4B site brief can come before that modelling.
Can I use C4B weather files in Ladybug?
EPW downloads are available on C4B's Technical and Enterprise plans, and EPW is the format Ladybug imports.
Sources
Information about Ladybug Tools comes from its official website and documentation, checked on 18 September 2026. Products change, so check the official site for the latest details. Ladybug Tools belongs to Ladybug Tools LLC; C4B is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.
Other comparisons
C4B vs CBE Clima Tool
Both run in the browser. Clima is free and analyses EPW files; C4B works from any address and adds future climate, energy and PDF reports.
C4B vs Climate Consultant
Climate Consultant is a free desktop app for EPW files; C4B runs online from any address and adds comfort, future climate and energy.
C4B vs Forma Site Design
Forma Site Design analyses massing models in the Autodesk cloud; C4B profiles a site's climate from an address, before any model exists.
C4B vs Meteonorm
Meteonorm supplies climate data files for many simulation tools; C4B turns a site's climate into design analyses and a report.
C4B vs DesignBuilder Climate Analytics
Climate Analytics prepares weather files for energy modelling; C4B turns site climate into early design analyses and a report.
C4B vs ClimateStudio
ClimateStudio is a Rhino simulation plugin for Windows; C4B is a browser-based site climate analysis for any computer.
C4B vs Andrew Marsh's web apps
Free, single-purpose EPW visualisations compared with C4B's integrated analysis from an address.
C4B vs Weather Spark
Quick climate averages for any place compared with climate analyses built for building design.