CAD software acts as an integrated graphical user interface (GUI) on a PC or system. With which engineers and architects can design, build, inspect, and manage engineering projects. Thus, you must know about the finest Drafting Software out there.
Are you looking for free drafting software? But you are confused to choose the best drafting software which satisfies your need? Then we are here to help, in this article, we sorted the top 10 free best drafting software which are available.
Check the below top 12 free best drafting software then you will get an idea of choosing your best for your designing needs. For a beginner, it is preferable to choose any one of these Drafting software to improve their skills in designing. And these Drafting software’s are proved in providing impressive results when compared to the commercial ones.
| Name | Level | Price (USD) | CAD Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 123D | Beginner | Free | 3D |
| FreeCAD | Beginner | Free | 2D/3D |
| LibreCAD | Beginner | Free | 2D |
| Sculptris | Beginner | Free | 3D |
| QCAD | Intermediate | Free | 2D |
| DraftSight | Intermediate | Free | 2D |
| TinkerCAD | Intermediate | Free | 3D |
| 3D slash | Intermediate | Free | 3D |
| NanoCAD Software | Professional | Free | 2D |
| Blender | Professional | Free | 2D/3D |
| Draft IT | Beginner | Free | 2D |
Top 13 Best Drafting Software
Find out about about the finest drafting software with our reviews in detail.
123D
AutoDesk created this 123D which is popularly known as AutoDesk 123D; it is a combination of CAD and 3D modelling tools. The AutoDesk 123D supports both 3D modelling and 3D printing and can also help you with 3D animation. If you are having a supported 3D printer and need a 3D print of your design, then this 123D is the best choice.
Related: – 10 Best Free 3D Modelling Software in 2023 (With Pros & Cons)
It is a beginner level drafting software and is available for free of cost. 123D software supports the following OS such as Windows, Mac, Linux. It is also time saver software because of its library of premade blocks, and objects.
Formats: 123x, step, x3d, STL, VRML
Type: 3D
- Firstly, it is Easy to use and has powerful tools.
- It lets users share and comment on creations.
- Not as much support for teachers as some of Autodesk’s other design apps.
See also: 4 Best Free Vector Software for Windows & Mac | Updated 2023
FreeCAD
FreeCAD is open source free best drafting software which is mainly used to design real life objects of any size. This software has parametric modelling capability which allows you to make changes for 3D design.
You can access other open source libraries such as Open CASCADE, Coin3D, Python (a scripting language) in this FreeCAD software and vice-versa. Also, this software offers modular architecture, sketcher, Robot simulator.
Modular architecture allows plug-ins to the core application. Sketcher allows you to sketch 2D shapes. The use of robot simulator is to study robot movements.
Type: 2D or 3D
OS: Windows, Mac, Linux
Formats: Step, VRM, iges, obj, stl, svg, dxf.
- One can make 3D drawing through this software.
- 3D drawings can be made at different angles of projection.
- Sometimes when we are updating modules, some modules are not updated.
- The learning curve of this software is quite difficult for the new users.
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LibreCAD
LibreCAD software can be used by both beginners and intermediate users. It is free Computer design software which is used to design 2D objects. Also, the interfaces and handle concepts of LibreCAD are similar to AutoCAD which gives an ease of experience for the user. Based on Qt4 libraries LibreCAD runs.
Type: 2D
OS: Windows, Mac, Linux
Formats: dwg, dxf
Price: Free
- It allows users to make measures, add text, put details on the design and print.
- Users can save their work in PDF format to make it easy to share.
- This is a free software and hence has multiple versions, one has to be aware of which version they are using for using a specific feature.
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Sculptris
It is also free CAD software, which mainly focuses on 3D sculpting and 3D modelling. Sculptris has features like ZBrush navigation and Standard-level navigation. You can also add plug-ins to extend features and productivity. Because of its sculpting features, you can create real-time 3D objects and can produce printable models very easily. Certainly deserves a spot in our list of free best drafting software.
OS: Windows, Mac
Price: Free
Type: 3D
Formats: obj, goz
- Good range of tools.
- Export and import of objects is easy.
- Compatible with graphics tablets.
- It is portable and occupies little space.
- Does not include examples or documentation.
- The graphical interface is not modifiable.
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QCAD
QCAD is 2D free CAD software which is recommended for intermediate to advanced users. It is geared towards technical drawing because of partly inspired by AutoCAD. Even beginners can learn this QCAD quickly because of its remarkable neat and clean user interface.
Not to mention, QCAD Library has more than 5000 CAD parts which are available as free add-ons.
Type: 2D
Price: Free
OS: Windows, Linux, and Mac
Formats: Pdf, svg, dwf, dxf, dwg
- Firstly, It is easy to use all drawing features.
- Importing Cad files and modifying them is also a very simple task.
- It is one of the best tools for 2D drawings.
- It can be a little unstable sometimes.
- Finally, Does not support 3D drawing.
DraftSight
DraftSight is a free CAD software. It is from Dassault Systems which is the publisher of CATIA and Solidworks. Anyone can learn the program quickly because of its clear user interface. Moreover, DraftSight has many necessary tools to develop 2D technical drawings. And, storage of designs are in layers and can export to PDF to use as construction sheets.
Type: 2D
OS: Windows, Mac, Linux
Formats: dxf, dwg
- Easy to Edit the drawing and Friendly to operate the commands.
- It supports DWG compatibility and the PDF printer.
- The customer support for free version is bad.
- The free software is limited to 2D. It is not 3D.
TinkerCAD
TinkerCAD is owned by Autodesk, and it is a free drafting program. Using TinkerCAD, you join complex objects and also join, subtract shapes. A beginner can also produce impressive results with basic techniques using the TinkerCAD software. Also, to grasp the basics in 3D modelling, this TinkerCAD is an intuitive approach for newbies. TinkerCAD supports 3D printing services, HTML5, and a geometry kernel.
Type: 3D
Price: Free
Formats: 123dx, 3ds, obj, svg
OS: Web Application
- Firstly, Designing 3D objects is very easy.
- Secondly, Any user can move from learn to design to print in no time.
- Supports 3D printing.
- Requires an internet connection to work.
3D slash
3D Slash has a solid block i.e. cuboid which can be further divided into smaller blocks of identical sizes. Using an array of tools user can create own 3D models. In addition, these tools include a hammer, trowel, chisel, pulpwood, and drill. You can remove individual Cubes using the hammer tool and to add cubes, the trowel is in use.
Using these free drafting programs, 3D designing will be easy for beginners. So with little understanding, the users can achieve impressive results using 3D slash software. Using a 3D printer, you can also print your models because this 3D slash software is in link with many online drafting program printing services and models.
Type: 3D
Price: Free
Formats: 3Dslash, obj, STL
OS: Windows, Mac, Linux
- Firstly, Minecraft-inspired design tools are familiar to some users, and easy to learn for others.
- It has great tutorials and examples.
- Designs are exclusively composed of cubes, which makes creating very complex designs a bit challenging.
NanoCAD Software
Similarly, the basic version of NanoCAD Software is available for free. Not to mention, NanoCAD supports parametric modelling. It easily adapts to the changes that are in the projects. Like AutoCAD, it also comes with a spreadsheet editor.
Type: 2D
Price: Free
Format: dwg, pdf, ifc, plt
OS: Windows
- The intuitive nature of the functions & layout within the application make it simple to create any plan sets.
- Trial version available before buying it.
- It is a powerful graphical engine that can easily handle huge IFC models.
- Not as much support for teachers as some of Autodesk’s other design apps.
Blender – Free Best Drafting Software
Blender is free best drafting software and professional open source. Using blender, you can create many applications. Such as animated films, visual effects, video games, arts, and 3D printed models. Also, it contains many tools and modifiers like creation of meshes in 3D printing.
All in All, it holds features like 3D modelling, UV unwrapping, skinning, texturing, video editing, and compositing. Also, Blender has sculpting capabilities which are similar to commercial ones like ZBrush or Mudbox. Moreover, Blender is not for beginners; it is suitable for professional users.
Type: 2D/3D
Price: Free
Format: stl, obj, 3ds, dae, svg, ply, vrml, x3d, lwo, x, fbx
OS: Mac, Unix, and Windows
- This software allows modeling in 3D.
- It also allows making animations and videos.
- It has a modular interface and in reality it is not very complicated to learn how to use the tools.
- The interface is not as refined as some payment programs.
- The learning curve for Blender is pretty high.
BlocksCAD
BlocksCAD is software Drafting Software that was developed to ease students into the craft of 3D modeling, but without the need to learn OpenSCAD. This means that, with this program anyone will be able to work with OpenSCAD. The commands help to denote objects, transformations etc. Elements are represented by multi-colour blocks that can be fixed together like LEGO-bricks. Once you feel that you are done with your work, you can render the 3D model to inspect it. The finished design can be saved in OpenSCAD or STL format.
Do not get this wrong, but it is still not a trivial matter to model with BlocksCAD. Here is an example for you. To create a vase, you have to create two cylinders of different diameters and then link them to one another with a subtract transformation. So, this free online CAD tool cannot read your mind. It still expects you to sensibly combine the code blocks.
[joomdev-wpc-pros-cons disable_title=”yes” title=”BlocksCAD Pros & Cons” button_text=”Get it now” disable_button=”yes” button_link=”” button_link_target=”_SELF” button_rel_attr=”dofollow”][joomdev-wpc-pros]- Firstly, It is available free of cost.
- It provides easy drag and drop options.
- Finally, This is a perfect tool to teach OpenSCAD to newbies.
- STL files that are imported do not export correctly to OpenSCAD files.
Trimble SketchUp
Trimble SketchUp is one of the best Drafting Software for a new user as well as for a professional user. One can use Trimple Sketchup for a wide range of drawing applications including civil, interior designing, mechanical drawings, architectural drawings etc. It is both available in paid and free versions.
Though the free version does not offer a lot of features but it can still be used for basic work. It also consist of ready-made libraries for easy access to common structures.
Type: 2D/3D
Price: Free for basic version
Format: dwg, dae, stl, 3ds, dem, ddf, obj
OS: Mac and Windows
- It consist of a wide range of options which can be used by a new user as well as a professional user.
- Secondly, It offers a very interactive user interface with grid view which makes it easy to use.
- Its cost for paid version is a bit at the higher end.
- The basic version can be accessed via web only.
Download Trimble SketchUp here
Draft IT
Draft IT is a perfect choice for someone who is just a beginner. It is the best choice for getting a grip over the basics and hence helps to master the basics before you could get to the advanced designs. The software does not support 3D designing due to its basic functionality. The software is available in two versions i.e. the free one and the paid one. There are some of the features which one can only get in the paid version such as layering. You may not want to use this software if you are considering some complex or detailed work.
- Firstly, Perfect for beginners.
- Secondly, Basic features are available free of cost.
- Only supports 2D designing.
- Free version does not offer advanced features.
Type: 2D
Price: Free
Format: DWG, DXF
OS: Windows
FAQ
What software do drafters use?
AutoCAD. Since 1982, they've been a pioneer in computer drafting technology. Their AutoCAD program is now the industry standard for 2D and 3D computer-aided design. This program will draw much of your attention as you learn about industry-standard computer software.
Is drafting and AutoCAD the same?
CAD (Computer-Aided Design) and drafting (CADD) employ computers to assist designers in design, development, and revision work instead of hand drafting.
Is AutoCAD free software?
Being a student, professor, or academic institution is the only option to get a full and unrestricted edition of AutoCAD for free. Those who qualify can apply for an educational license for AutoCAD and receive a year of free Autodesk software, including AutoCAD.
Conclusion
So, these were some of the best Drafting Software of 2023 that we have reviewed for you. Therefore, Do read about each one of them and choose the finest one now!
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Excellent reviews and article.thank you
DraftSight is no longer free. Free versions stop running the end of 2019 and the 2019 version is paid only.