The behavior of daylight inside built settings, though complex, is well understood; and over past years, designers and researchers investigated different tools and methodologies to predict daylighting performance inside buildings. This research presents a comprehensive review on the gradual evolution of light transport algorithms that drove the progress of simulation tools, focusing on the used procedures and algorithms. It draws a broad timeline diagram of light transport algorithms, built upon the literature survey to reveal the knowledge gaps and highlight the future perspectives. Also, this review offers a detailed description of 50 commonly used simulation tools, in terms of the used light transport algorithm, analysis types, accuracy, computation, integration with other programs and licensing. This should help young practitioners of different backgrounds to comprehend these topics, providing a better implementation and integration of current tools as well.