Best CAD Software
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What is CAD Software?
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software is software used by engineers, architects, and designers to create precise 2D and 3D models. It enables users to design, visualize, and simulate their projects with high accuracy, facilitating efficient prototyping and problem-solving. CAD software supports a variety of industries, including manufacturing, construction, and product design, by offering features like parametric modeling, rendering, and automated drafting. Its intuitive interfaces and integration with other engineering tools make it a cornerstone of modern design workflows. By streamlining the design process, CAD software helps reduce development time, improve collaboration, and bring innovative ideas to life. Compare and read user reviews of the best CAD software currently available using the table below. This list is updated regularly.
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1
ActCAD Software
Jytra Technology Solutions
ActCAD is a native dwg/dxf cad software suitable for professional 2D drafting and 3D modeling projects. ActCAD is trusted by over 30000 users in over 103 countries for more than 10 years. The interface, commands, icons, dialogs, shortcuts etc. are very much similar to other popular cad software tools available in market. Flexible license types available even for single license. There is no learning for existing cad users while saving 80% of the costs. ActCAD offers free email technical support without any limitations. ActCAD can be fully customized and programs can be developed using our free API toolkit. It supports popular programming languages like , lisp dcl, .net, C++ etc. Apart from all regular commands, ActCAD offers many productive tools like pdf to cad converter, Block libraries, Image to Cad converter, handling point sets between Cad and Excel and many more. ActCAD is suitable for any high end professional projects in the domains of Architecture, Civil, Mechanical,AutomotiveStarting Price: $249.00/one-time/user -
2
CMS IntelliCAD
CAD-MANUFACTURING SOLUTIONS INC
CMS IntelliCAD® is the intelligent, powerful and affordable full-featured CAD Software and is fully programmable with hundreds of third party solutions. CMS IntelliCAD also offers a full suite of 2D and 3D AutoCAD® compatible drawing tools! It is the smartest choice for engineers, architects and consultants, or anyone who communicates using CAD drawings. It is designed to give you the best unrivaled compatibility and a true CAD Software alternative to Autodesk® AutoCAD® software and is fully programmable with hundreds of third party solutions. CMS IntelliCAD also offers DWG file extension native support! And now also with Microstation DGN file support.Starting Price: $149.95/one-time/user -
3
AutoCAD
Autodesk
CAD software to design anything—with time-saving toolsets, web, and mobile apps. AutoCAD® is computer-aided design (CAD) software that architects, engineers, and construction professionals rely on to create precise 2D and 3D drawings. Draft, annotate, and design 2D geometry and 3D models with solids, surfaces, and mesh objects. Automate tasks such as comparing drawings, adding blocks, creating schedules, and more. Customize with add-on apps and APIs. AutoCAD includes industry-specific features and intelligent objects for architecture, mechanical engineering, electrical design, and more. Automate floor plans, sections, and elevations. Draw piping, ducting, and circuiting quickly with parts libraries. Auto-generate annotations, layers, schedules, lists, and tables. Use a rules-driven workflow to accurately enforce industry standards.Starting Price: $1,268 per user per year -
4
4MCAD
4M
4MCAD is a 2D drafting and 3D modelling CAD software. It is a reliable and low-cost AutoCAD like software platform. More specifically, it is powered by IntelliCAD and ODA, providing 2D/3D CAD Complete Design, Raster Image support, Rendering, BIM/IFC import, AEC objects modelling, VBA support, PDF 2 DWG conversion, rich block libraries and a lot of other advanced key features.Starting Price: $60 per user -
5
BricsCAD
Bricsys
BricsCAD the first all-in-one CAD design solution in .dwg that answers all your needs; 2D drafting, 3D modeling, mechanical design, and BIM. The BricsCAD® family of products brings a cost-effective, multi-platform CAD solution to Windows, macOS, and Linux. BricsCAD is available as a permanent/perpetual license, for networked or stand-alone computers. You can also add All-In Maintenance for ease of keeping up-to-date. • BricsCAD® is available on a rental (a.k.a. “Subscription”) plan if you wish. • Familiarity for other CAD users and full LISP support can help reduce a new BricsCAD® users’ learning curve to a day or less. • Advanced multi-threading takes advantage of today’s high-performance processor chips • Innovative machine learning tools increase drawing accuracy while saving time • The small install footprint and high performance of BricsCAD® point to our constant focus on quality and modern software design.Starting Price: $330/user/year -
6
ARES Commander
Graebert
2D & 3D CAD software to create & modify technical drawings in DWG format with choice between Perpetual, Network or Annual licenses. Experience the agility of the n°1 alternative to AutoCAD. Cost-effective, ARES Commander offers a full replacement and an easy switch, at a fraction of the cost. With Graebert's ARES CAD software you will enjoy a 3-in-1 license, including ARES Commander (for Windows, macOS and Linux computers) + ARES Kudo (Cloud) + ARES Touch (iOS + Android). These 3 products work in synergy to synchronize the work across users and devices. Create and modify DWG drawings locally, with files stored on your computer, or in sync with Google Drive, Box, OneDrive, Dropbox, Onshape, Trimble Connect. Alternatively, you can also store files in a private Cloud server (via WebDAV). Some our advanced CAD features include the support for Dynamic blocks, PDF to DWG conversion, Drawing comparison, IFC & Revit import, 3D solid modeling, satellite images and street maps.Starting Price: $350.00/year -
7
Solid Edge
Siemens
Solid Edge is a portfolio of affordable, easy to deploy, maintain, and use software tools that advance all aspects of the product development process – mechanical and electrical design, simulation, manufacturing, technical documentation, data management, and cloud-based collaboration. Developed on Siemens industry leading technologies, Solid Edge provides the most innovative and comprehensive approach to product development for the mainstream market.Starting Price: $75/month/user -
8
Canvas
Occipital
The new power tool for home improvement. Fast, easy, mobile 3D scanning for home service pros and DIY warriors. Powered by the world’s first mobile depth sensor, the Structure Sensor, Canvas makes capturing a 3D model of a room delightfully easy. Simply tap scan, walk around the room, and watch as a scale-accurate model is built in real-time, right on your iPad. No more busting out the measuring tape and converting scribbles into floor plans later – Canvas captures tens of thousands of measurements all at once, and then pieces it together into an interactive 3D model. Your 3D model is saved on your iPad, so you can go back and revisit any space, at any time. Whether you just need to refresh your memory of a given viewpoint or capture a forgotten measurement, you're never more than a few taps away. Save hours with professional-grade CAD output. With our Scan To CAD service, we’ll convert your scan into an editable, professional-grade, CAD file.Starting Price: $10 -
9
Alibre Design
Alibre
Alibre Design is a 3D modeling, analysis, manufacturing documentation, rendering, and publishing platform. It is used in every industry to take products from idea to revision to production. It can help your business to design everything from consumer products to wind turbines. An efficient and customizable user interface that lets you work like you want with helpful hints. A fast and precise sketching environment that captures design intent and makes changes easy. Robust and fully parametric 3D modeling tools and easy workflows speed up part creation. A dedicated sheet metal environment with tools just for sheet good design and easy flat pattern creation. A dedicated sheet metal environment with tools just for sheet good design and easy flat pattern creation. An automatically generated bill of materials that supports design data, physical properties, and dimensions. -
10
Creo Parametric
PTC
Creo Parametric has the core 3D modeling software strengths you’d expect from the industry leader, along with breakthrough capabilities in additive manufacturing, model based definition (MBD) , generative design, augmented reality, and smart connected design. Streamlined workflows and an intuitive user interface complete the picture. PTC’s developers created Creo Parametric as a sound foundation software that allows users the ability to expand deeper functionality with each component. As your products become more complex in its engineering, Creo offers expanded capabilities to meet your requirements. Every product isn’t made equal and your 3D CAD solution shouldn’t be either. Creo Parametric provides the broadest range of powerful yet flexible CAD 3D modeling software capabilities to accelerate the design of parts and assemblies. -
11
Autodesk Fusion 360
Autodesk
Fusion 360 unifies design, engineering, electronics, and manufacturing into a single software platform. Get integrated CAD, CAM, CAE & PCB on a single development platform. Also includes EAGLE Premium, HSMWorks, Team Participant, and access to consumptive services, such as generative design, cloud simulation, and cloud rendering. Engineer products with a comprehensive set of modeling tools. Ensure form, fit, and function of your products with various analysis methods. Create and edit sketches with sketch constraints, dimensions, and a powerful suite of sketch tools. Edit or repair imported geometry from non-native file formats. Make design changes without worrying about time-based features. Create and edit complex parametric surfaces for repairing, patching or designing geometry. Create history-based features, including extrude, revolve, loft, sweep, etc., that update with design changes.Starting Price: $495 per year -
12
Revizto
Revizto
Revizto unifies BIM intelligence and makes it immediately accessible and actionable for the entire project team. With Revizto’s advanced Issue Tracker predefined workflows project team members can identify and manage model-based issues in the 3D space and 2D sheets, including addressing clash groups. Revizto provides unified access to a project’s data both for 2D and 3D workflows, so anyone can use it depending on project requirements.Starting Price: $600.00/year/user -
13
VisualARQ
ASUNI
VisualARQ is a Flexible BIM solution powered by McNeel’s Rhinoceros 3D. VisualARQ enhances Rhino by adding powerful associative object styling and dynamic documentation tools which adapt to fit the professional’s workflow. VisualARQ allows you to with parametric architectural objects, produce 2D drawings from the 3D model, generate dynamic BIM objects driven by Grasshopper, automate many modeling tasks through the VisualARQ components built for Grasshopper, add custom data to geometry and list in schedules and finally deliver BIM models and collaborate with other tools through the IFC import/export capabilities.Starting Price: $95-795 one-time payment -
14
ArCADia BIM
ArCADiasoft
ArCADia is attractively priced, specialized software for the construction industry (ArCADia BIM system) – our programs support the work of construction and installation engineers (AEC) as well as architects and contractors. It allows for the creation of an almost complete digital model of the building with all the installations (water, sewage, electricity, gas, etc) as well as its surroundings. The programs offer collision analysis, calculations, merging of documents, .dwg, IFC, in program libraries and rendering, Support BIM technology, object-oriented architectural design. Ready-made architectural elements: multilayer walls, stairs, bases, columns, chimneys, windows and doors. Comparing and merging documents. Automatic floor entry, support for Teriva ceiling design. Drawing of flat and spatial technical documentation and its writing to the native DWG format characteristic of most CAD applications.Starting Price: $1060/one-time -
15
CADTALK
CADTALK Software
CAD/PDM/PLM engineering bill of material (eBOM) transformation to ERP manufacturing bill of material (mBOM), routing, items, and more. Reduce the engineering to manufacturing hand-off by 80% converting 20 bills and 40 items in less than 30 seconds. Improve costing, material planning, and scheduling.Starting Price: Call for Pricing -
16
Enscape
Enscape
Enscape™ is a real-time rendering and virtual reality plugin for Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, Archicad, and Vectorworks. It plugs directly into your modeling software, giving you an integrated visualization and design workflow. As an intuitive design tool, it requires no prior specialized knowledge to use. You can design, document, and visualize simultaneously from one model. It is the easiest and fastest way to turn your building models into immersive 3D experiences. Bring your designs to life and give your clients a design experience like never before. Used by 85 of the top 100 architecture firms worldwide, Enscape empowers your design workflow.Starting Price: $39.90 per month -
17
Modo
Foundry
3D modeling and rendering platform designed to help businesses create 3D drawings and configure UV mapping and texturing workflows. Modo’s powerful and flexible 3D modeling, animation, texturing and rendering toolset empowers artists to explore and develop ideas without jumping through technical hoops. Modo® is your starting point for creative exploration. With fast direct modeling, flexible procedural modeling, the award-winning MeshFusion Boolean toolset and built-in sculpting tools all working together, Modo’s modeling moxie is unmatched. Free yourself from creativity-killing constraints, with Modo’s intuitive, artist-friendly toolset. From roughing out volumes to creating highly detailed forms, Modo lets you focus on creation, not construction. Build your own kit of specialized tools by combining different operations, with Modo’s flexible tool assembly system. With Modo, every job you do becomes easier, as you continually develop new efficiencies.Starting Price: $65 per month -
18
uMake
uMake
Create beautiful designs, photos, presentations, or 3D models, using a library of content and easy-to-use tools in uMake app for iPhone and iPad. Designing in 3D is now easier than ever. Drag and drop from the content library, or draw precisely using the precision tool. Everything you need is within reach. Create 3D text in seconds, or drag & drop shapes and objects from our vast content library. Already got something? It's a cinch to import file types like SketchUp or OBJ. Rather draw it yourself? Use the freestyle tool to sketch and doodle rapidly in 3D. Let your ideas flow! When precision matters, uMake puts you in control. Draw perfect lines, arcs, and angles, and specify exact dimensions. Push and pull extrusions or cutouts. Chamfer and fillet corners, and loft or revolve curves to create complex 3D surfaces. With intuitive inputs and powerful features, it's easy to model the shapes you envision.Starting Price: $7.99 per month -
19
JSCAD
JSCAD
JSCAD is an open-source set of modular, browser, and command line tools for creating parametric 2D and 3D designs with Javascript code. It provides a quick, precise and reproducible method for generating 3D models, and is especially useful for 3D printing applications. There are different 'flavors' of JSCAD that you can use based on your needs. JSCAD is a solids modeling system. It is fundamentally unitless, however, when you export files, typically 1 unit in JSCAD corresponds to 1 millimeter in your model file. Modeling in JSCAD is often a case of building the shape you want out of primitives, but there are often many different options to get the same shape. Check out the examples on the JSCAD app's info menu to learn about the different capabilities. Booleans are one of the most important tools in the solid modeling toolkit. Many of the shapes that you will need to create on your journey can be created by joining, subtracting and intersecting simple shapes.Starting Price: Free -
20
Toggle3D
nextech AR
Choose your project template, import your CAD file, and create 3D visualizations directly from your browser. No experience is required in 3D design. No app downloads, create directly in your browser. Start instantly by uploading a CAD file or 3D model. Use pre-made templates to make 3D visualization easy and fast. Start with our 3D Configurator template today. Stay tuned for more coming soon. Browse through over one thousand high-quality PBR materials and edit them in real time to make your model come to life. Toggle3D is your ultimate design studio for 3D. Whether you are here to create and texture 3D models, build product configurators for eCommerce, or to prototype design, Toggle is a tool anyone can use to turn 2D into 3D with no relevant 3D design experience required. Start by signing up to our free or pro plans and jump straight into the platform. To start creating, make sure you have a CAD or 3D model ready.Starting Price: $29 per month -
21
HydroMan
Paro Software
We aim to be the #1 of design software solutions in the world of hydraulics. We create hydraulic design software products and services that are easy to use, efficient, and of the highest quality, leaving 100% of our customers satisfied with the design of their hydraulic system. HydroMan is a complete 3D hydraulic manifold design software package for the rapid design of complex hydraulic manifolds, and is equally effective for simpler designs. HydroMan is well-organized, efficient and extremely easy to use. With HydroMan, you can quickly and easily produce an error-free manifold design. HydroMan is intended for the 3D design of your hydraulic manifold. It is a dedicated, stand-alone software solution with all the tools to help you to draw a flawless hydraulic manifold, however complex or simple the manifold. Design your hydraulic manifold in no time. You do not need training or extensive knowledge of CAD-type software to use HydroMan.Starting Price: $325 per user, per month -
22
Shapr3D
Shapr3D
Shapr3D is an intuitive, cross-platform 3D modeling app for iPadOS and macOS that is compatible with all major desktop CAD software. You can import projects and export work directly to your rendering, manufacturing, drafting, or splicing tools. Shapr3D’s tech stack and software combine the industrial power of desktop CAD tools and intuitive user experience. Shapr3D users get battle-tested Siemens™ geometric Parasolid™ modeling kernel and D-Cubed™ sketch engine. CAD-compatibility with hi-res X_T, STEP, STL, OBJ, 2D DXF, 2D DWG, USDZ export support. SLDPRT, SLDASM, STL, STEP, IGES, X_T, 2D DWG, 2D DXF, JPG, PNG import support. Offline functionality and local storage with all officially supported Macs running on Big Sur (11.0) or later. A modeling experience designed for fluid mouse and keyboard input. Get tangible results with 2D Drawings: prepare your models’ technical drawings, and start prototyping right away.Starting Price: $25/month/user -
23
OpenSCAD
OpenSCAD
It is free software and available for Linux/UNIX, Windows and Mac OS X. Unlike most free software for creating 3D models (such as Blender) it does not focus on the artistic aspects of 3D modelling but instead on the CAD aspects. Thus it might be the application you are looking for when you are planning to create 3D models of machine parts but pretty sure is not what you are looking for when you are more interested in creating computer-animated movies. OpenSCAD is not an interactive modeller. Instead it is something like a 3D-compiler that reads in a script file that describes the object and renders the 3D model from this script file. This gives you (the designer) full control over the modelling process and enables you to easily change any step in the modelling process or make designs that are defined by configurable parameters. -
24
3D Analyzer Software
3D Analyzer Software
3D Analyzer Software is a complete software solution based in AutoCAD, specifically designed for the flat panel industry. 3D Analyzer Software uses A.I to eliminate the manual process of calculating CNC machining operations, cutting lists and all other manufacturing data. -
25
Simpleware
Synopsys
Unlock the power of Simpleware software to seamlessly process 3D & 4D image data from MRI, CT, and micro-CT. Dive into your data with advanced visualization, detailed analysis, and accurate quantification. Create precise models ready for design, simulation, and 3D printing workflows. The Simpleware W-2024.12 release advances Simpleware software's further adoption of AI-assisted segmentation tools and streamlined design features to accelerate all your 3D image processing and analysis workflows. Our industry-leading 3D image processing and model generation platform allows you to create products and workflows from 3D & 4D image data and integrate seamlessly with design and simulation tools. Intuitive interface with quick-and-easy access to all tools and features. Comprehensive analysis of even the most complex 3D image data. Generate design and simulation-ready models of the highest quality. -
26
Creo
PTC
Imagine, design, create, and innovate your products better with Creo, 3D CAD/CAM/CAE software, and solutions for product design and development. Now, more than ever, product design and manufacturing teams are expected to create products more efficiently and cost effectively, without sacrificing innovation or quality. Fortunately, Creo delivers the most scalable range of 3D CAD product development packages and tools in today’s market. Creo 7.0 has breakthrough innovations in the areas of generative design, real-time simulation, multibody design, additive manufacturing, and others! Take your products from concept to digital prototype efficiently, precisely, and intuitively with Creo—on the cutting edge of CAD for more than 30 years. With Creo 7.0, PTC amply demonstrates its skill at adding compelling new features to an already robust tool-set using smart partnerships to extend its capabilities even further. -
27
Ansys BladeModeler
ANSYS
Ansys BladeModeler software is a specialized, easy-to-use tool for the rapid 3D design of rotating machinery components. Ansys BladeModeler is used to design axial, mixed-flow and radial blade components in applications such as pumps, compressors, fans, blowers, turbines, expanders, turbochargers, inducers and more. Ansys BladeModeler is integrated with Ansys DesignModeler to deliver complete 3D geometry modeling capabilities and allow any number of geometric features, such as hub metal, blade fillets, and cut-offs and trims to be added. Blade designs can be combined with other non-bladed components, like housings, blade roots or complex 3D tip regions. These non-bladed components can be created directly or imported using CAD connections to all major CAD vendors without limits on the designs that can assembled and assessed. You can choose the level of geometric detail for your analysis. -
28
Tinkercad
Autodesk
Tinkercad is a free, easy-to-use app for 3D design, electronics, and coding. It's used by teachers, kids, hobbyists, and designers to imagine, design, and make anything! Tinkercad lesson plans are ready for use online or in the classroom. Discover curriculum developed in partnership with teachers to align with standards including ISTE, Common Core, and NGSS. Tinkercad is free, nothing to download, and so easy to start it's ridiculous. -
29
XR Suite
Light&Shadows
In an industrial and technological development context, virtual and augmented reality offer innovative and powerful possibilities from CAD design to marketing support, including training and recruiting. The XR Suite can help you to accelerate your decision-making process, providing you not only with analysis tools but also giving you the opportunity to create and recreate scenarios to validate your ideas and insights within your industrial process for today and the future. The XR Suite was made to place the user at the center of your operations and to use the full potential of the digital twin of your equipment. A plug-in for Unity allows you to visualize, modify and interact with your 3D/CAD Data and/or PointCloud, and easily develop and deploy advanced 3D applications in virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR). Includes a tool for conception or studies of workstations (existing or virtual twins) or work activities ergonomics. -
30
CAESES
FRIENDSHIP SYSTEMS AG
CAESES® foundation is a powerful and flexible parametric 3D modeler. The main purpose: Robust variable geometry with fewer parameters. Create a clean and robust parametric geometry that is ideal for automated meshing and analysis. Integrate, launch and control your simulation runs. Let it be your flexible GUI for process automation incl. 3D post-processing. CAESES® offers integrated methods for automated design explorations and shape optimization. Optimize imported geometries by using the shape deformation and morphing techniques of CAESES. CAESES® is a command-driven platform that can be fully scripted and customized. Includes batch mode capabilities. Accelerate your shape optimization process by mapping the results of an adjoint flow analysis to the geometry parameters. Get your flexible CAESES model in just a few days! Customized to your needs and easy to use. No CAESES expertise required.