Compare the Top CAD Software as of October 2025

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.

  • 1
    CMS IntelliCAD

    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.
    Leader badge
    Starting Price: $149.95/one-time/user
  • 2
    BricsCAD

    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
  • 3
    Alibre Design
    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.
  • 4
    VisualARQ
    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
  • 5
    ArCADia BIM

    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
  • 6
    Enscape

    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
  • 7
    Modo

    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
  • 8
    HydroMan

    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
  • 9
    Tinkercad

    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.
  • 10
    XR Suite

    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.
  • 11
    CAESES

    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.
  • Previous
  • You're on page 1
  • Next