15 Best FREE CAD Software & Programs [Windows/Mac] 2023 - The first knowledge sharing application in Vietnam

CAD software refers to a type of software program used by engineers and designers to create 2D and 3D physical component models. These applications have an easy-to-use user interface, toolbars, and a large library of 3D models. Many tools also enable you to print on multiple pages.

Following is a handpicked list of Top Free CAD Software, with their popular features and website links. The list contains both open source (free) and commercial (paid) software.

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Best Free CAD Software Programs for Windows PC & Mac

Adobe Substance 3D is a bunch of smart, creative apps that include Painter, Designer, and Sample app. This bunch of apps provides access to thousands of customizable models, lights, and materials created by s world-class guest artists.

#1 Top Pick

Adobe Substance 3D

5.0

File Format: TIFF, IFF, JPEG, PNG, MOV, and AAC

Founded in: 1982

Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux

Free Trial: 30-Days Free Trial

Visit Adobe Substance

Features:

You can set up assets, materials, lights, and a camera for virtual photography.
Help you to build simple or complex models.
You can shape your model as you would in a real-world workshop.
Allows you to create Augmented Reality (AI) experiences using assets you’ve designed in your favorite apps.
Seamlessly integrates with Salesforce, servicenow, box, mastercard, Veeva, and make
Adobe Substance 3D required 16GB RAM
Provides Prims, stamps, and brush tools
Offers multiple file formats like TIFF, IFF, JPEG, PNG, MOV, and AAC
You can design 3D assets, models, and materials
Offers sculpting tools like Clay, Undo & Redo, Move, Rotate, Pinch, Zoom, and Resize
Provides 100GB free storage
Adobe Substance 3D was founded in 1982, developed by John Warnock and Charles Geschke
Provides Automatic UV Unwrapping, Effects, Physical size, Smart Materials and Masks, Subsurface Scattering, and more
Offers Noise Sculpting, 3D Modeling, 3D Printing, Drag and Drop, and VR options
It provides customer support via Chat and Email
Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Price: Plans start at $24.99 a month. 5% Discount on Yearly Payment.
Free Trial: 30-Days Free Trial

Visit Adobe >>

30-Days Free Trial

Planner 5D is another important 3D alternative tool that enables you to create realistic interior and exterior designs in 2D/ 3D modes.

Planner 5D

4.9

File Format: JPEG and PNG

Founded in: 2011

Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS

Free Trial: 3-Days Free Trial

Visit Planner 5D

Features:

It allows you to use the Snapshots feature to capture your design as a realistic image
Both 2D and 3D views as you design from various angles
The intuitive and user-focused interface which offers an easy design process without any tutorials or instructions
Apply custom colors, patterns, and materials to furniture
Be a part of a growing community. Upload and customize projects
planner5d required 2 GB RAM
Offers multiple file formats like JPEG and PNG
You can design materials and patterns
planner5d was founded in 2011, developed by Alexey Sheremetyev
Provides Automatic Room Generator, AI Plan Recognition, Automated Furniture Arrangement, Enterprise Solutions, and more
Offers 3D Modeling, 3D Printing, Drag and Drop, and VR options
It provides customer support via Chat, Contact Form, and Email
Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS
Price: Request a Quote from Sales
Free Trial: 3-Days Free Trial

Visit planner5d >>

3-Days Free Trial

AutoCAD is a computer-aided design (CAD) software that architects, engineers, and construction professionals rely on to create precise 2D and 3D drawings. You can edit and create drawings in AutoCAD on virtually any device.

AutoCAD

4.8

File Format: CAD, DWG, DWF, DXF, and DGN

Founded in: 1982

Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android

Free Trial: Life Time Free Basic Plan

Visit AutoCAD

Features:

Create, edit and view, drawings on virtually any device
Helps you to access any DWG file in AutoCAD with Autodesk’s cloud
Reduce eye strain with contrast improvement
Allows you to display all nearby measurements in a drawing
Create, edit, and view CAD drawings
Remove multiple objects with easy selection and object preview.
Seamlessly integrates with Airtable, asana, 360Sync, box, and Basecamp
AutoCAD required 8 GB RAM
Provides stamps and brush tools
Offers multiple file formats like CAD, DWG, DWF, DXF, and DGN
You can design models
Offers sculpting tools like Undo and Redo
AutoCAD was founded in 1982, developed by John Walker and Dan Drake
Provides Efficient workflows, Ensure fidelity & compatibility, Drawing History, Blocks palette, Collaboration, and more
Offers 3D Modeling, 3D Printing, Drag and Drop, 2D drafting, and VR options
It provides customer support via Chat, Phone, and Contact Form
Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android
Price: Plans start at $187.54 a month. 12% Discount on Yearly Payment.
Free Trial: Life Time Free Basic Plan

Visit AutoCAD >>

Life Time Free Basic Plan

#4) FreeCAD

FreeCAD is an open-source tool to design a real-life object of any size. It is one of the best free CAD programs which allows you to modify your design easily. It enables you to effortlessly create 3D design from 2D.

Features:

Runs as a command-line application
Parametric associative document objects
This CAD program has built-in Python console
Graphical creation of planar geometry.
Fully customizable/scriptable graphical user interface
FreeCAD required 8 GB RAM
Offers multiple file formats like STEP, IGES, OBJ, STL, DWG, DXF, SVG, SHP
You can design models
FreeCAD was founded in 2001, developed by Jürgen Riegel, Werner Mayer, and Yorik van Havre
Provides Multi-specialty ecosystem, A parametric constraints-based 2D sketcher, A wildly parametric environment, and more
Offers 3D Modeling, 3D Printing, Drag and Drop, 2D drafting, and VR options
It provides customer support via Email
Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Price: Request a Quote from Sales
Free Trial: Life Time Free Basic Plan

Link: https://www.freecadweb.org

#5) Open SCAD

Open SCAD is a tool for creating solid three-dimensional objects. It is free and available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. This free CAD software for PC enables you to quickly preview the parts of objects. You can use it to make a parametric design by changing the parameters of objects.

Features:

You can import and export the SVG, AMF, and 3MF files.
Offers easy to use GUI.
It provides CSG (Constructive solid geometry) geometry engine.
You can customize the software the way you want.
It can play sound notification on completing rendering.
Supports shortcuts.
Seamlessly integrates with GIT
Open SCAD required 8 GB RAM
Provides stamps tools
Offers multiple file formats like AMF, 3MF, SVG, STL, PRT, and OFF
You can design models
Open SCAD was founded in 2010, developed by Marius Kintel
Provides GUI interface, Preview models, CSG geometry engine, Customize, and Create parametric designs
Offers 3D Modeling, 3D Printing, Drag and Drop, and VR options
It provides customer support via Email
Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Price: Request a Quote from Sales
Free Trial: Life Time Free Basic Plan

Link: https://www.openscad.org/

#6) QCAD

QCAD is an open-source application designed for CAD in two dimensions. It enables you to create technical drawings like building plans, mechanical parts, interiors, and diagrams.

Features:

It allows you to input and output DXF (Drawing Interchange File) and DWG (Drawing) files.
This CAD program includes more than 40 construction tools.
QCAD offers a library with more than 4800 CAD parts.
It provides easy to use JavaScript interface.
This application enables you to print on multiple pages.
Support for TrueType fonts.
QCAD required 2 GB RAM
Provides brush tools
Offers multiple file formats like BMP, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, ICO, PPM, XBM, and more
You can design models
Offers sculpting tools like Move, Zoom, and Rotate
QCAD was founded in 1999, developed by RibbonSoft
Provides Layers, Blocks, 35 CAD fonts, Various Metrical & Imperial units, Object snaps, and Measuring tools
Offers 3D Modeling, 3D Printing, Drag and Drop, 2D drafting, and VR options
It provides customer support via Email, Phone, and Contact Form
Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Price: Request a Quote from Sales
Free Trial: Life Time Free Basic Plan

Link: https://www.qcad.org/en/

#7) LibreCAD

Liberated is a free CAD program for 2D design. It allows you to create a CAD project of a high standard. This tool includes a wide range of tools for drawing shapes like line and circle.

Features:

Developed by an experienced team and supported by a friendly community.
LibreCAD started as a project to build CAM capabilities.
This free CAD software for Mac is available in more than 30 languages.
You can use it for creating 2D drawings.
Seamlessly integrates with GitHub
LibreCAD required 8 GB RAM
Provides brush tools
Offers multiple file formats like SVG, BMP, CUR, GIF, ICNS, ICO, JPEG, JPG, PBM, and more
You can design models
Offers sculpting tools like Rotate, Zoom, Move, Undo, and Redo
LibreCAD was founded in 2010, developed by Jurgen Riegel, Werner Mayer, and Yorik van Havre
Provides drawing entities, advanced snapping system, custom toolbars & menus, highly customizable user interface, and more
Offers 3D Modeling, 3D Printing, Drag and Drop, 2D drafting, and VR options
It provides customer support via Email
Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Price: Plans start at $315 a Year
Free Trial: Life Time Free Basic Plan

Link: https://librecad.org/

#8) SketchUp Free

SketchUp Free is CAD software that enables you to make objects without any hassle. The tool comes with a 3D gallery that lets you search for models and share among other users. It is one of the best free 3D CAD software that lets you visualize your ideas.

Features:

It helps you to customize the 3D workspace.
You can collaborate with other people.
This free cad program offers easy management of layers.
Google SketchUp helps you to set lightning effects.
Supports numerous plugins.
Seamlessly integrates with SYNCHRO, Trezi, Trimble, and CAALA
SketchUp Free required 8 GB RAM
Provides stamps tools
Offers multiple file formats like JPEG, PNG, and TIFF
You can design models and materials
Offers sculpting tools like Undo, Zoom, Rotate, and Move
Provides 10 GB free storage
SketchUp Free was founded in 1999, developed by Brad Schell and Joe Esch
Provides Mobile model viewing, 3D Warehouse, Interoperability, Scan Essentials, Textures, Lighting effects, and more
Offers Noise Sculpting, 3D Modeling, 3D Printing, Drag and Drop, and VR options
It provides customer support via Contact Form
Supported Platforms: Windows, iOS, and Android
Price: Plans start at $119 a Year
Free Trial: 30-Days Free Trial

Link: https://www.sketchup.com/plans-and-pricing/sketchup-free

#9) NanoCAD

NanoCAD is an easy-to-use CAD application that helps you deliver a great user experience by providing high performance, a classic interface, and a native. This engineering design tool has been built to deliver design and project documentation for all industries.

Features:

NanoCAD implements an efficient and easy to learn, classic-style CAD user interface.
It uses the industry-standard DWG (*.dwg) file format natively.
The nanoCAD scripting engine helps you to automate everyday routine tasks.
It includes an extensive set of tools for creating and editing 2D/3D objects.
The tool also offers plot settings dialog that allows you to set multiple plot areas and create multi-page plots.
Reduce eye strain with contrast improvement
Allows you to display all nearby measurements in a drawing
Create, edit, and view CAD drawings
Remove multiple objects with easy selection and object preview.
NanoCAD required 4 GB RAM
Provides stamps tools
Offers multiple file formats like TIFF, BMP, JPG, JPEG, PNG, PCX, and GIF
You can design models
Offers sculpting tools like Redo, Zoom, Undo, and Rotate
Provides Enhanced External References, Batch Plot Tools, Relocating Base Points of Blocks, Enhanced Groups, Associative Design Elements, and more
Offers 3D Modeling, Drag and Drop, 2D drafting, and VR options
It provides customer support via Email and Phone
Supported Platforms: Windows
Price: Plans start at $315 a Year
Free Trial: 30-Days Free Trial

Link: https://nanocad.com/

#10) TinkerCAD

Tinkercad is a tool that offers a fast and easy way to draw a 3D design. It can be used by teachers, hobbyists, professional designers, and kids to make models. This free mechanical drawing software enables you to move, scale, and rotate objects with ease.

Features:

You can modify shapes and objects.
It enables you to align objects.
This tool allows you to rotate any shape.
You can import .svg and .stl file formats.
Tinkercad design can be exported in. stl, .vrml, .x3d, and .obj.
It provides many shortcuts for quickly performing any action.
TinkerCAD required 4 GB RAM
Provides stamps and brush tools
Offers multiple file formats like STL, OBJ, GLTF, USDZ , and SVG
You can design models and materials
Offers sculpting tools like Move and Rotate
TinkerCAD was founded in 2011, developed by Kai Backman and Mikko Mononen
Provides Beginner-Friendly, Circuits & Programming Simulators, Fully Online, Universal Keyboard Shortcuts, Unique Preset Shapes, and more
Offers 3D Modeling, 3D Printing, Drag and Drop, and VR options
It provides customer support via Email and Phone
Supported Platforms: Windows
Price: Request a Quote from Sales
Free Trial: 30-Days Free Trial

Link: https://www.tinkercad.com/

#11) DraftSight

DraftSight is a feature-rich 2D and 3D CAD solution. This tool is a strong competitor of SketchUp. This is an easy tool to create, format, and arrange layers to ensure your design is organized and conforms to layering standards.

Features:

You can make 2D design and documentation
Quickly modify move, rotate, copy, and scale entities with one command.
Import existing blocks from your libraries or create new blocks that can be used as repeated elements in your designs.
Helps you to increase your efficiency with features like PDF Underlay to reference your PDFs
DraftSight required 2 GB RAM
Provides stamps tools
Offers multiple file formats like DXF, PDF, BMP, PNG, JPG, DWG, And SAT
You can design models
Offers sculpting tools like Undo & Redo, Move, Rotate, and Zoom
DraftSight was founded in 2002, developed by Gräbert GmbH
Provides Create Custom Blocks, Application environments, Materials, Multiphysics, and Optimization
Offers 3D Modeling, 3D Printing, Drag and Drop, 2D drafting, and VR options
It provides customer support via Phone, and Contact Form
Supported Platforms: Windows and Linux
Price: Plans start at $315 a Year
Free Trial: 30-Days Free Trial

Link: https://www.3ds.com/products-services/draftsight-cad-software/

#12) SelfCAD

SelfCAD is an application that helps you to make a 3D sketch, sculpt, and model. It contains many artistic drawing tools. This tool enables you to share your work with your colleague.

Features:

You can import, export, convert, and edit the objects from images.
Supports 3D painting.
Share your design on social media networks.
You can design printable objects without any hassle.
SelfCAD required 16GB RAM
Provides stamps and brush tools
Offers multiple file formats like STL, MTL, PLY, DAE, and SVG
You can design assets, models, and materials
Offers sculpting tools like Undo & Redo, Move, Rotate, and Zoom
Provides 5 GB free storage
SelfCAD was founded in 2015, developed by Aaron Breuer
Provides Automatic shape,Screw, Nut, Spiral, and Image generators
Offers Noise Sculpting, 3D Modeling, 3D Printing, Drag and Drop, and VR options
It provides customer support via Email and Contact Form
Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Price: Plans start at $14.99 a month. 20% Discount on Yearly Payment.
Free Trial: 10-Days Free Trial

Link: https://www.selfcad.com/

#13) Blender

Blender is a 3D modeling software for developing visual effects, animated movies, games, and more. This tool allows beginners to import or export video in MPEG, QuickTime, and AVI file formats. It is one of the best free 3D CAD software that offers keyboard shortcuts for convenience.

Features:

It has a path tracer for realistic rendering.
You can create, transform, sculpt, and edit your models.
It offers a real-time preview of the 3D scene and tracked footage.
You can customize shortcuts.
This tool helps you to turn still characters into impressive animations.
You can export your design as an image.
It enables you to draw a polygon shape.
Blender required 8 GB RAM
Provides stamps and brush tools
Offers multiple file formats like STL, PNG, JPG, and JPEG
You can design models and materials
Offers sculpting tools like Clay, Undo & Redo, Move, Rotate, and Pinch
Blender was founded in 2002, developed by Ton Roosendaal
Provides Animation & Rigging, Cycles Render Engine, Simulation, Scripting, Video Editing, and VFX
Offers Noise Sculpting, 3D Modeling, 3D Printing, Drag and Drop, and VR options
It provides customer support via Email
Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Price: Request a Quote from Sales
Free Trial: Life Time Free Basic Plan

Link: https://www.blender.org/

#14) SolveSpace

SolveSpace is a 2D or 3D parametric tool that enables you to draw objects with revolves, extrudes, and Boolean operations. It allows you to export your drawing as PDF, SVG, and DXF (Drawing Interchange File).

Features:

You can import parts and drag them easily.
It allows you to analyze the traced path to the spreadsheet.
The tool allows you to draw a solid shaped model.
You can perform repeat (pattern), rotate, or translate operation.
This free drafting software enables you to export your drawing with an adjustable canvas size.
SolveSpace required 8 GB RAM
Offers multiple file formats like DXF, EPS, PDF, SVG, HPGL, and STL
You can design models, materials, and patterns
Offers sculpting tools like Undo & Redo, Move, Rotate, and Zoom
SolveSpace was founded in 2008, developed by Jonathan Westhues
Provides Sketch sections, Constraints & dimensions, and Parametric & associative assembly
Offers 3D Modeling, 3D Printing, Drag and Drop, and VR options
It provides customer support via Contact Form
Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Price: Request a Quote from Sales
Free Trial: Life Time Free Basic Plan

Link: https://solvespace.com/index.pl

#15) LeoCAD

LeoCAD is an application that helps you to create new models without any hassle. It enables you to share and download from the internet.

Features:

It is open source so anyone can edit the features with ease.
This free AutoCAD program has a library of 10,000 different parts.
Anyone can build a model using advanced techniques.
It offers a friendly graphical user interface.Offers multiple file formats like LDR and MPD
You can design models and materials
Offers sculpting tools like Zoom, Move, Rotate, Undo, and Redo
LeoCAD was founded in 1997, developed by Leonardo Zide
Provides Easy to Use, LDraw Compatible, Cross Platform, Open Source, and Compatible with LDrawStandard and related tools
Offers 3D Modeling, Drag and Drop, and VR options
It provides customer support via Email
Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac, and Linux
Price: Request a Quote from Sales
Free Trial: Life Time Free Basic Plan

Link: https://www.leocad.org/

#16) MicroStation

MicroStation offers advanced parametric 3D modeling capabilities. It allows infrastructure to deliver data-driven, BIM-ready models.

Features:

Design with true 3D parametric modeling
It helps you to ensure the proper application of organizational and project-specific standards and content.
Create precise drawings using a comprehensive set of drafting tools.
You can view and work with design information from others in real time.
Confidently work in the right context for each project with the required settings and standards automatically applied.
Seamlessly integrates with ProjectWise
MicroStation required 1 GB RAM
Provides stamps and brush tools
Offers multiple file formats like DOC, XLS, PPT, MPG, WMV, MP4, and MOV
You can design assets, models, materials, and patterns
Offers sculpting tools like Undo & Redo, Zoom, Rotate, and Pinch
MicroStation was founded in 1985, developed by Bentley Systems
Provides 2D Drawing, 3D Design, 3D Imaging, Activity Dashboard, Animation, Annotations, and Automatic Formatting
Offers 3D Modeling, 3D Printing, Drag and Drop, and VR options
It provides customer support via Email and Chat
Supported Platforms: Windows
Price: Request a Quote from Sales
Free Trial: 14-Days Free Trial

Link: https://www.bentley.com/en/products/brands/microstation

FAQs

CAD (Computer-aided Design) software is a computer program used by engineers and designers to create 2D and 3D physical component models. It helps to create, modify and analyze 3D objects. This application provides an easy-to-use user interface, tools, and a large library of 3D models. CAD software enables you to print 3D objects on multiple pages.

Below are some of the best free CAD software:

Adobe Substance 3D
planner5d
AutoCAD
FreeCAD
Open SCAD
QCAD

CAD software enables designing to use a large number of tools that help to perform engineering analysis of any proposed system. They offer good accuracy and enable you to reduce errors drastically.

CAD is useful in many ways:

it allows for the easier development of products.
It also provides good modeling and even offers a basis for making a virtual network.
In engineering, CAD is very important and used to design and develop products that are used by customers.

CAD and CAM both include the implementation of knowledge of mechanical engineer with the help of software. The most crucial relationship is CAD design generated in CAD tools.

No, CAD is not difficult to learn. Design-oriented people can easily learn any CAD tools. They just need to become comfortable with UI and commands.

Here are the reasons of using CAD:

Provides higher-quality designs.
It enables you to reuse and change the design with ease.
Improve accuracy.
Easily share the final design with other people.

Here are the products that are made using CAD:

Technical drawings
Blueprints
Floor plans
Building plans
Architectural designs

It depends on some factors like difficulty to learn specific software, your experience level, software usage in the industry, popularity amongst the community, learning curve, etc. For example, if you are a beginner, then you should always start with software that is easy to learn and has a faster learning curve. On the other hand, if you want to get a good job out of it, then you should learn CAD software that is popular and widely used in the industry. However, you should consider some popular CAD software like ZBrushCore, FreeCAD, BlocksCAD, TinkerCAD, Blender, Fusion 360, Clara.io, etc. to begin with.