An impressive feat.Īnother small function that we loved was the right-click history menu.

They have somehow managed to get the program translated into over thirty languages. But, also, widely usable to a broad audience. It’s a small detail, but it’s strong evidence of the mentality behind the program. One of the things you’ll notice right after installation is the ability to change units of measurement and languages. Anyone who has used a similar CAD program can attest to the value of being able to create and organize different layers in their drawings. One of the main reasons we would recommend this program for that type of application is its emphasis on layers. It’s a great pick for someone who is looking to generate geometry for a CNC router, laser cutter, waterjet or any other CNC application that doesn’t require a 3D model. LibreCAD is a good choice if you’re looking for a powerful CAD program that is exclusively 2D. No pop-up tooltips in the drawing menus which can make it difficult to know which tool you’re picking. It’s GPLv2, so it’s free to hack and copy. Price: LibreCad is completely free and open source.They’re even working on a printed version. In addition, the makers of FreeCAD have put together a CAD manual under the creative commons 4.0 license that is free to be used, downloaded, copied and modified. Not only is there an active forum and a well-curated wiki, which is great, but there is also a large selection of Youtube training videos. Workbenches are an effective way to reduce those options to the ones that matter most to your purposes.Īnother aspect of FreeCAD that we were pleased to discover in our research was a wealth of user support. One of the biggest hurdles to overcome when learning any new CAD software is the often overwhelming amount of tool options presented to you. It adds a level of nimbleness to the program that we promise you will be grateful for. That way, the user can be assured that the tools they need will be available. Workbenches are where the program takes its tools and organizes them by the tasks that they are related to.

One of the excellent features that you’ll find in FreeCAD is their utilization of workbenches. It’s the closest thing you’re going to find to a free version of AutoCAD. If you’re already familiar with AutoCAD or you’re certain that it’s the type of program that you’re looking for then you need look no further than FreeCad. FreeCAD’s mission statement is to provide an always free, open source replacement to AutoCAD.

The UI, even with workbenches, is somewhat cluttered. DXF files are not natively supported so a plug-in is required.

Free autocad software