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.

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    MATLAB

    MATLAB

    The MathWorks

    MATLAB® combines a desktop environment tuned for iterative analysis and design processes with a programming language that expresses matrix and array mathematics directly. It includes the Live Editor for creating scripts that combine code, output, and formatted text in an executable notebook. MATLAB toolboxes are professionally developed, rigorously tested, and fully documented. MATLAB apps let you see how different algorithms work with your data. Iterate until you’ve got the results you want, then automatically generate a MATLAB program to reproduce or automate your work. Scale your analyses to run on clusters, GPUs, and clouds with only minor code changes. There’s no need to rewrite your code or learn big data programming and out-of-memory techniques. Automatically convert MATLAB algorithms to C/C++, HDL, and CUDA code to run on your embedded processor or FPGA/ASIC. MATLAB works with Simulink to support Model-Based Design.
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    Altair Compose

    Altair Compose

    Altair Engineering

    Analyzing data, developing algorithms, or creating models - Altair Compose is designed to bring your ideas forward. Altair Compose is an environment for doing math calculations, manipulating, and visualizing data, programming, and debugging scripts useful for repeated computations and process automation. Altair Compose allows users to perform a wide variety of math operations including linear algebra and matrix manipulations, statistics, differential equations, signal processing, control systems, polynomial fitting, and optimization. The broad set of native CAE and test result readers accelerates system understanding and works with Altair Activate® to support model-based development, for multi-domain and system of systems simulations. Altair Embed® completes the model-based design portfolio with automated code generation, allowing for the testing and verification of embedded systems.
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    SmartDraw

    SmartDraw

    SmartDraw

    SmartDraw is a data-driven diagramming and collaboration solution that can replace Lucidchart, Visio, or Miro at your enterprise. Get all the features you need at a more affordable price: - Sophisticated diagramming that lets your team make flowcharts, organizational charts, floor plans, CAD drawings, project charts, network diagrams, UML diagrams, AWS, Azure, and more - Whiteboarding and real-time collaboration - Powerful integrations that allow you to generate diagrams from data automatically - Migrate your existing Visio and Lucidchart files in bulk SmartDraw will save files directly to OneDrive, SharePoint, or Google Drive, giving you full control of your data. Minimize risk, simplify compliance, and increase data security. SmartDraw also works hand in glove with your existing IT infrastructure without disruption. You can provision users, save files, and set permissions entirely inside the Microsoft or Google enterprise stack.
    Starting Price: $10.95 per user per month
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