Open Source CAD Software for Mac, Linux and Windows, AutoCAD Alternatives

AutoDesk AutoCAD is the most used computer aided design (CAD) software in the market, not only AutoCAD is most popular CAD software in the building construction, it is by far the most expensive and rich in features. In short, it is the most powerful CAD software in the market, to an extend it is over-powerful, how many times do we actually use all of the features in AutoCAD?

Archimedes – Windows, Linux, Mac and Java

Archimedes is a computer aided design (CAD) software focusing on the architectural industry users. Unlike AutoCAD, Archimedes is relatively new software and may not be mature enough for experience user. However, the software has all the needed tools for beginners like students.

It already has many of the most common and advance drawing features you will find in a commercial CAD solution. However, the only drawback is it’s interoperability with other CAD software. Visit the Archimedes official website and download the free software.

QCad Community Edition – Linux and Unix

QCad Community Edition is an open source edition of RibbonSoft’s CAD system. Unlike AutoCAD, QCad is a 2D CAD application with the aims at providing a free simple CAD tool for everyone minus the price tag. QCad may not be the ideal solution for heavy user because it lacks many features that can be found in other free alternative CAD software, this is probably intentionally done to protect the QCad Professional Edition that is jammed packed with features. Visit RibbonSoft’s QCad website. Look for the QCad Community Edition!

BRL-CAD – Windows, Mac, Linux and Unix

BRL-CAD is an open source cad systems based around constructive solid geometry (csg) modeling. This is perhaps the most powerful AutoCAD alternative. BRL-CAD offers parallel ray-tracing, path-tracing, image and signal processing tools.

What amazed me is the ability to distribute the ray-tracing process over a vast network of computers, this can only be found in the original version of most CAD software, another reason for those using pirated edition to switch over to the open source camp! BRL-CAD official website!

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