Wrightsoft alternative: when Right-Suite Universal fits, and when to switch
Wrightsoft RSU is a strong Manual J package. Doing commercial work? Compare its ASHRAE add-ons with HVAKR's browser-based Std 183 loads and 62.1.
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What Wrightsoft does well
Wrightsoft has been in residential HVAC design software for a long time and is now part of MiTek. For residential contractors it covers a lot in one license:[1][2]
- Residential loads and ducts. Right-J for ACCA Manual J and Right-D for ACCA Manual D. ACCA's approved software page lists "Wrightsoft Right-J8" for full residential load calculation and "Wrightsoft Right-D" for residential duct design.[3]
- The rest of the residential job. Right-Draw for plans, Right-Proposal for proposals, Right-Radiant and Right-Loop for radiant and geothermal, high-velocity duct design, and duct balancing and commissioning, in the same Residential Package.
- Energy-code links. Wrightsoft lists data links to RESCheck, COMCheck, REM/Rate, EnergyPro, and Florida's EnergyGauge.
- A browser option for quick residential loads. Right-J Mobile ($150 a year) runs ACCA Manual J whole-house block loads in a browser, and those projects open in the Windows RSU for room-by-room work.[4]
If you design houses and your building department wants an ACCA-listed Manual J, Wrightsoft is a sound choice. Keep it.
How Wrightsoft handles commercial work
Wrightsoft sells commercial capability two ways:[5]
- As add-ons to the Residential Package. Right-CommLoad ($250 a year) is Wrightsoft's ASHRAE load calculator. It supports RTS and CLTD methods, runs 24-hour by 12-month loads for unlimited zones, and calculates outdoor air "using ASHRAE 62 methods."[6] Right-N ($250 a year) is Wrightsoft's version of ACCA Manual N, 5th Edition, the light commercial method.[7] COMM Tools ($500 a year) bundles Right-CommLoad, Right-N, and Right-CommDuct for commercial duct sizing.[8] None of these add-ons runs without a current Residential Package.
- As a Commercial-Only Package ($900 a year per user): Right-Draw, Right-N, Right-CommLoad, Right-CommDuct, Right-2 Line, and Right-Proposal, with no residential capability. Wrightsoft notes it won't run on the same computer as a Residential Package.[9]
Wrightsoft's product pages don't say which edition of ASHRAE 62 Right-CommLoad's ventilation tables follow, or whether it publishes a Standard 183 compliance statement. That's a credible setup for a residential contractor who picks up light commercial jobs. It's a different fit for a mechanical engineering team whose main work is commercial.
Where RSU runs out for commercial engineering teams
- Windows only. Wrightsoft says RSU requires Windows 10 or newer and that Mac users need an emulator such as Parallels. Its cloud tools are limited to residential whole-house block loads.[5]
- Commercial is bolted on. The commercial modules are add-ons or a separate package that can't share a computer with the residential one. If commercial work is most of your hours, you're paying for a residential suite to unlock it, or running two installs on two machines.
- Team review. The store lists per-user annual subscriptions. Wrightsoft's product pages don't describe several engineers editing one project at the same time.
- Takeoff. RSU lets you draw in Right-Draw or trace over plans and CAD files; the Right-CAD add-on ($250 a year) opens, edits, and saves CAD files.[10] Wrightsoft's product pages don't describe automatic space detection from a PDF floor plan.
HVAKR vs Wrightsoft
| Wrightsoft RSU Residential | RSU Residential + COMM Tools | RSU Commercial-Only | HVAKR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Built for | Residential design and permitting | Residential shops that also do light commercial | Commercial-only users | Commercial mechanical design teams |
| Load method (per vendor) | ACCA Manual J (Right-J) | Manual J, plus ASHRAE RTS or CLTD (Right-CommLoad) and ACCA Manual N 5th Ed. (Right-N) | ASHRAE RTS or CLTD; ACCA Manual N | ASHRAE RTS under ANSI/ASHRAE/ACCA 183; 24 hours for a design day in each month (288 points) |
| On ACCA's approved software page | Yes (Right-J8, Right-D) | Yes for residential modules | Not listed (ACCA's page has no Manual N category) | No (commercial tool) |
| Outdoor air | Not described on the package page | "ASHRAE 62 methods" in Right-CommLoad | "ASHRAE 62 methods" in Right-CommLoad | ASHRAE 62.1 Ventilation Rate Procedure by space type (2022 or 2025 edition, 62.1-2022 rate library), Ez, occupancy diversity, multiple-zone Ev |
| Ducts | Right-D (Manual D), high-velocity | Adds Right-CommDuct (ASHRAE) | Right-CommDuct (ASHRAE) | Duct layout and sizing against velocity and friction-rate limits per duct type |
| Platform | Windows 10+; browser tools for residential block loads | Windows 10+ | Windows 10+ | Browser; macOS app |
| Starting input | Right-Draw; trace over plans; Right-CAD add-on for CAD files | Same | Right-Draw | PDF or DXF sheets; HVAKR AI proposes spaces, engineer reviews |
| Several engineers in one project at once | Not described by Wrightsoft | Not described by Wrightsoft | Not described by Wrightsoft | Yes, live sync |
| Published price (Oct 28, 2026) | $900/user/yr (US) | $900 + $500/user/yr | $900/user/yr | Per-seat plans with a free trial; see pricing |
As of .
Sources for the table: Wrightsoft home, Residential Package, Commercial-Only Package, store, Right-CommLoad; ACCA approved software; HVAKR docs and pricing. All checked Oct 28, 2026.
Stay with Wrightsoft if
- You design homes, replacements, and additions, and your jurisdiction or utility program wants an ACCA-listed Manual J and Manual D.
- You sell from the design: proposals, parts takeoff, and in-home presentation are part of the job.
- You do radiant, geothermal, or high-velocity residential systems. RSU covers those in one package.
- Your commercial work is occasional light commercial that Manual N handles, and one Windows seat is enough.
Look at HVAKR if
- Most of your work is commercial: offices, schools, retail, labs, healthcare, multifamily common areas.
- You need ASHRAE 62.1 outdoor air by space type, rolled up to zones and systems, in the same project as your loads and duct sizing.
- Your team reviews each other's work and wants one live project in a browser instead of passing files between Windows machines.
- You start from the architect's PDF set and want HVAKR AI to propose spaces you then check, instead of redrawing the building.
- You want your firm's wall types, space types, and schedules saved as templates for the next job.
What changes when you move commercial work from Wrightsoft to HVAKR
Expect different numbers on the same building. Check the inputs before you call it an error.
- Method. HVAKR uses the ASHRAE Radiant Time Series method and searches 24 hours for a design day in each month, 288 points, for the peak.[11] If you were using Right-N, you were on ACCA Manual N, which has its own procedure and tables.[12]
- Design conditions. HVAKR uses ASHRAE (2025 by default for new projects, or 2021) or CIBSE weather data. Cooling defaults to the 0.4% monthly design condition and heating to the 99.6% annual condition, and you can change both percentiles.[13]
- Heating. HVAKR's heating load is steady-state with no solar credit.[14]
- Ventilation. HVAKR calculates outdoor air from each space type's ASHRAE 62.1 rates and occupancy, applies Ez, then applies the system's outside-air method (sum of spaces, or multiple-zone Vot = Vou / Ev).[15]
- Setpoints live on the space type. HVAKR ships no default indoor setpoints; a missing setpoint zeros the related loads, so set them first.[14]
Switching in practice
- Pick one recent commercial job and run it in parallel: same plans, same assemblies, same design conditions.
- Upload the PDF set to HVAKR. HVAKR reads sheet numbers, scales, and levels where it can, then HVAKR AI proposes spaces on each level for you to include or exclude.[16]
- Rebuild your RSU wall, roof, window, and door selections as HVAKR envelope types with U-values, SHGC, and surface absorptance. There's no RSU file import; HVAKR imports PDF and DXF drawings.
- Assign ASHRAE 62.1 space types and indoor conditions.
- Compare component loads (glass solar, walls, roof, people, lighting, ventilation), not only totals. Then save the project as a template.
Mechanical Engineers On Tap
HVAKR is more than software. Every plan includes support from mechanical engineers who design HVAC for a living, so when a hard load-calc or system-selection question comes up, you get an answer from someone who has solved it before. Where other tools offer software support, HVAKR offers engineering support.
Talk to a real engineer
Stuck on a load calculation, a system selection, or a tricky space? Our mechanical engineers help with the actual engineering, not just which button to press.
Answers in hours, not days
Fast, human product support and onboarding that gets your whole team productive in a day.
Expertise included
Mechanical engineering help comes with your subscription: no consulting contract and no extra fee.
Frequently asked questions
Is Wrightsoft good software?
For residential work, yes. Wrightsoft Right-Suite Universal covers ACCA Manual J loads, Manual D ducts, drawing, proposals, radiant, and geothermal in one Windows package, and ACCA's approved software page lists Wrightsoft Right-J8 and Right-D.
Can Wrightsoft do commercial load calculations?
Yes, with extra modules. Right-CommLoad adds ASHRAE RTS or CLTD commercial loads and Right-N adds ACCA Manual N, each as a $250-per-year add-on to the Residential Package, or as part of the $900-per-year Commercial-Only Package (prices as of October 28, 2026).
How much does Wrightsoft cost?
On October 28, 2026, Wrightsoft listed the RSU Residential Package at $900 per user per year in the US ($925 Canada, $1,125 combined), the Commercial-Only Package at $900 per user per year, and the COMM Tools add-on at $500 per user per year. All prices are annual subscriptions in USD.
Does Wrightsoft run on a Mac?
Not natively. Wrightsoft says Right-Suite Universal requires Windows 10 or newer and that Mac users need a Windows emulator such as Parallels. Its browser-based tools are limited to residential whole-house block loads.
What is the best Wrightsoft alternative?
It depends on the work. For residential Manual J, other tools on ACCA's approved software list, such as Elite RHVAC and Cool Calc, are the like-for-like alternatives. For commercial loads, look at Carrier HAP, Trane TRACE, Elite Chvac, or HVAKR, which use ASHRAE commercial load methods.
Does HVAKR do Manual J?
No. HVAKR doesn't do residential Manual J. It is built for commercial load calculations under ANSI/ASHRAE/ACCA Standard 183. If your permit requires an ACCA-listed Manual J, use a listed tool such as Wrightsoft.
Can I import Wrightsoft projects into HVAKR?
No. HVAKR imports PDF and DXF floor plans, not Wrightsoft project files. Upload the plans, HVAKR AI proposes the spaces, you review them, and you rebuild your assemblies as HVAKR envelope types.
Sources
- Wrightsoft home page (packages chart, MiTek branding): wrightsoft.com (checked )
- Wrightsoft RSU Residential Package (modules, prices): wrightsoft.com (checked )
- Wrightsoft RSU Commercial-Only Package: wrightsoft.com (checked )
- Wrightsoft store (Windows 10 requirement, Parallels note, cloud tools limited to residential block loads, add-on rules): wrightsoft.com (checked )
- Right-CommLoad add-on (RTS/CLTD, 24-hour by 12-month, ASHRAE 62): wrightsoft.com (checked )
- Right-N add-on (Manual N 5th Edition): wrightsoft.com (checked )
- COMM Tools add-on: wrightsoft.com (checked )
- Right-CAD add-on (opens, edits, saves CAD files): wrightsoft.com (checked )
- Right-J Mobile: wrightsoft.com (checked )
- ACCA approved software: acca.org; ACCA Manual N: acca.org (checked )
- HVAKR docs: load calculations, cooling loads, ventilation, weather, AI space takeoff, real-time collaboration; ASHRAE 183 compliance; pricing (checked )