12 Best CAD software in 2023

Intro

From architects to civil engineers, from manufacturers to car designers – each of them requires professional CAD software. In the modern market, numerous CAD tools solve different problems. With so many drafting programs, it can be difficult to decide on the best one.  In this review, we will look at the main and popular computer-aided design software that may be useful to you. To make the choice easier for you, we have divided the CAD drafting systems into levels, platforms, prices, and by ratings. Here you will also find several software options with free temporary access. We’ve told you more about it in the article “Best Free CAD software”. Information is relevant for 2023.

Best CAD programs in 2023

What is CAD software?

CAD stands for computer-aided design. A CAD – computer-aided design and drafting system is a complex set of tools developed to automate design. This is a voluminous concept that combines varieties of software in terms of complexity, type, and functionality. Thanks to CAD technology, automated processes have replaced manual drafting. If you are an architect, designer, engineer, or draftsman, you have probably heard of or are familiar with CAD drafting software such as AutoCAD, Fusion 360, and others. Such popular CAD systems often turn out to be versatile and capable of performing several tasks.

CAD design software in details

1. Shapr3D

Price: $25 per month; Free for students, teachers, and faculty members; Free Basic version
Level: For professionals, beginners, and amateurs
Platform: Windows, macOS, iPad
Last version: 2023
Use: Industrial design, engineering, product design, manufacturing

4.7

Rating by Applet3D

Capterra

4.6

GetApp

4.6

G2

4.9

Shapr3D is an intuitive 3D modeling and computer-aided design software. Users can prepare technical 2D drawings of models and immediately start creating prototypes. The program’s workspaces allow you to naturally sketch 2D shapes with mathematical precision. Intelligent grids automatically adjust to the active drawing plane, and fixed guides guarantee the proportionality of sketches. With this CAD program, you can easily and quickly create 3D models for design, 3D printing, and much more. It is also a great tool for prototyping, creating visualizations, animations, and interactive presentations.

The main advantage of Shapr3D is that it is compatible with almost all major CAD software. You can export your work to STL, STEP, or IGES files. In addition, Shapr3D allows you to showcase models virtually inserted into the environment using the built-in augmented reality tool. There is a free limited version of the Shapr3D CAD designing program as well as free access for students and teachers. You can start with it and get acquainted with the latest version of the program on the official website and choose for yourself a product that will meet your requirements. For beginners, on the official website of the CAD software, there are video tutorials that will help to better master the CAD tool.

Pros:

• Instant creation of a 3D model and prototype
• Export models for further manufacturing
• Ability to work on any device with the synchronization function 
• Compatible with major CAD programs
• Production, drawing, gluing, etc.
• Intuitive design
• Video tutorials
• Visualization of sketches
• Prototyping
• Stand-alone functionality.

Cons:

• Limited free version.

2. AutoCAD

Price: $5,595 every 3 years; $1,865 annually; $235 monthly; Free 30-day trial
Level: For professionals
Platform: Windows, macOS
Last version: 2023
Use: Engineering, construction, architecture, etc.

4.6

Rating by Applet3D

Capterra

4.6

Software Advice

4.65

GetApp

4.7

G2

4.4

AutoCAD is a basic CAD program developed and supplied by Autodesk. Autodesk AutoCAD software is the most widely used CAD solution in the world, allowing you to design in both 2D and 3D environments. With the AutoCAD design system, you can build 3D models, create and format drawings, and much more. As the AutoCAD program is a platform CAD, this system does not have a clear focus on a specific project area. This CAD computer program can be used to carry out construction, machine-building projects, work with surveys, electrics, and much more.

With this CAD system, you have everything you need to design your 3D drawing and 3D models. Although, AutoCAD drafting software is not as intuitive as some products designed specifically for creating 3D drawings. This CAD tool can be used for almost any type of drawing. Besides, Autodesk develops some versions of AutoCAD drawing software (AutoCAD Mechanical, AutoCAD Electrical) which are intended for experts in the corresponding direction. AutoCAD programs also include ProSteel AutoCAD, AutoCAD LT, and Web. AutoCAD also offers many tutorials.

Pros:

• Extensive customization and adaptation options
• Creating applications tools in built-in languages and using APIs
• The abundance of third-party programs
• Sends feedback directly to a DWG file
• Automates block counting
• 3D navigation and rendering in a CAD system
• 2D drafting, annotations, and drawings
• External links and block palettes
• 3D models can be easily converted into STL files for 3D printing.

Cons:

• High price
• There is no function for reading drawings made in other graphic editors
• Build history is not supported
• There is no 3D parametrization
• Installation technical requirements are quite high.

3. Revit

Price: $8,025 every 3 years; $2,675 annually; $335 monthly; Free 30-day trial
Level: For professionals 
Platform: Windows
Last version: 2023
Use: Architecture, construction, engineering

4.6

Rating by Applet3D

Capterra

4.6

Software Advice

4.60

GetApp

4.6

G2

4.5

Revit is another Autodesk CAD software for architectural and construction design. This CAD application is based on Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology. One of the oldest computer programs on the market and one of the most popular CAD system software. 

With the wide functionality of designers’ opportunities at different stages of work, different specialists can work simultaneously. The generated Revit models coordinate information perfectly, ensuring quality control and efficiency. Automated execution of various routine tasks. This engineering CAD software has a set of tools for creating 3D building models.

Among the features of Revit is also high-end rendering. There is a lot of discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of rendering programs like Revit. As a professional 3D modeling and visualization company, we always research the market for the top solutions of the year and choose only the best. Entrust your project to the industry leaders. Get value from our 3D rendering services!

Pros:

• Huge market demand
• Full connection with all Autodesk products
• Supports a cross-industry design process in a collaborative environment
• Engineering systems design is available 
• Effective demonstration of projects
• A large base of ready-made objects 
• Convenient configuration of library elements.

Cons:

• Complex program with a lot of commands and options
• Windows only, therefore, cannot be installed on Mac
• For full-fledged work, you need to create and customize many options for your tasks, which takes a lot of time
• A powerful processor is required
• Large file weight.

4. Fusion 360

Price: $1,635 every 3 years; $382 annually; $49 monthly; Free 30-day trial for professional users; Free for students and educators
Level: For professionals and amateurs
Platform: Windows, macOS; applications for Android, iOS; may be used online
Last version: 2022
Use: Design, engineering, electronics, manufacturing

4.5

Rating by Applet3D

Capterra

4.5

Software Advice

4.53

GetApp

4.5

G2

4.5

CAD Fusion 360 is focused on solving a wide range of problems, from simple modeling to complex calculations. Fusion 360 is a cloud-based CAD platform that provides an affordable, high-performance alternative to other similar software products. Besides, it can be downloaded as a free commercial trial for 30 days, or as a personal use subscription with limited functionality. Fusion 360 is easy to use CAD and drafting program, which has all the features that popular CAD packages contain. Fusion 360 can be used for design, rendering, animation, modeling, manufacturing, and drafting.

This computer-aided drafting software has a very large knowledge base that fully covers all the features of the software. These tutorials can be accessed through both Fusion 360 and the Autodesk website. There is also an official Autodesk Fusion 360 YouTube channel with many free tutorials. The CAD drafting program is updated frequently and new features appear every few months. 

We’ve told you more about the CAD software that can be used online in our other blog post. If this is exactly what you are looking for, you will find what you need there!

Pros:

• Advanced user interface
• Combination of different modeling methods
• Advanced assembly tools
• Ability to work online and offline
• Affordable acquisition and maintenance costs
• Calculations, optimization, visualization of models
• Embedded CAM system
• Possibilities of direct output of models for 3D printing.

Cons:

• This drafting design software can be especially confusing for those not used to 3D modeling or CAD tools
• The user interface can be a bit difficult at first
• Lots of unlabeled buttons that take time to get used to.

5. SOLIDWORKS

Price: From $1,295 per year; Free trial
Level: For professionals
Platform: Windows
Last version: 2022 (next release is expected in September 2023)
Use: Planning, modeling, design, and building of mechanical, electrical software elements

4.5

Rating by Applet3D

Capterra

4.6

GetApp

4.6

G2

4.3

CAD product package for automating the design work of an industrial enterprise. The developer is Dassault Systemes. SOLIDWORKS 2022 is effective in design, documentation, data management, and verification. CAD drafting software provides the development of products of any degree of complexity and purpose.

SOLIDWORKS allows you to model individual parts, assemble them, perform various calculations, prepare design documentation, and create photorealistic renderings of finished products. The computer-aided design program offers numerous tutorials and software tutorials for users of all levels.

Pros:

• Convenient user interface
• Many add-ons for special tasks
• Orientation to both design and technological preparation of production
• Libraries of standard elements
• Integration with SOLIDWORKS PDM.

Cons:

• Not a high-specification design tool
• Does not allow the rendering of other programs such as CATIA
• Program files are incompatible with many drafting applications
• No 3D sketch.

6. Rhinoceros

Price: €995 per license
Level: For professionals and amateurs
Platform: Windows, macOS
Last version: 2020
Use: Versatile 3D modeling

4.5

Rating by Applet3D

Capterra

4.6

GetApp

4.6

G2

4.4

It is a commercial 3D computer graphics and CAD software. The CAD design program for the development, analysis, documentation, rendering, and animation of 3D models in the fields of computer-assisted design (CAD), computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), rapid prototyping, 3D printing, architecture, industrial design and product design. This CAD modeling software offers a wide range of tools for modeling, rendering, editing, 3D capture, drafting, and analysis.

The CAD platform offers great flexibility in creating complex 3D models. Rhino allows you to create, edit, analyze curves, surfaces, and solids, and fully work with NURBS objects. This computer-aided design (CAD) software effectively works with objects of any complexity and size. You can create and edit any combination of curves, surfaces, and geometric bodies, and then export the created models to any format.

Pros:

• You can add dimensions to a viewpoint
• Import files from various sources including SketchUp, STL, AutoCAD, etc.
• Displays 3D model control points
• Workflow documentation
• API refinement.

Cons:

• The application is not very good at drafting
• The learning curve is time-consuming and very steep
• Too many commands for simple rough work
• Difficult to learn.

7. Siemens NX

Price: From $250 per month; Free for students
Level: For professionals and amateurs
Platform: Windows, macOS, Unix
Last version: 2022
Use: Medical, product design and engineering, automotive, PLM

4.5

Rating by Applet3D

Capterra

4.7

G2

4.3

NX from Siemens is a flexible and powerful integrated solution that helps you bring new products to market faster and more efficiently. The CAD tool is used to develop complex products that include elements with complex shapes. NX is a well-known CAD/CAM/CAE system, which includes many modules for modeling, engineering calculations, design, programming, and production preparation.

NX supports all stages of product development, from concept and design to manufacturing. This set of tools allows you to harmonize work across disciplines, ensure data integrity, preserve design intent, and streamline your entire workflow.

Pros:

• Complete Simulation Solution
• Multiple operating systems support 
• Simultaneous work of numerous users within the same project
• Advanced industrial design tools
• Simple drafting software
• Extensive modeling tools.

Cons:

• The user interface must be optimized according to the design requirements
• If your Teamcenter is connected to a server, you cannot access it remotely.

8. Inventor

Price: $6,900 every 3 years; $2,300 annually; $290 monthly; Free trial for students and educators
Level: For professionals
Platform: Windows
Last version: 2023
Use: Product design, toolmaking, mechanical design, product modeling

4.5

Rating by Applet3D

Capterra

4.5

Software Advice

4.53

GetApp

4.5

G2

4.4

It is a professional 3D CAD software by Autodesk. This basic drafting software offers a professional complex for the 3D design of industrial products and documentation. For efficient product development management, engineering data management, and project collaboration, Autodesk Inventor can be integrated with Autodesk Vault PLM and similar systems from other vendors. This CAD engineering software has extensive libraries of standard and frequently used items.

This CAD designing program offers advanced 3D modeling tools, including free-form and direct editing technology. You can integrate with Autodesk programs – AutoCAD, 3ds Max, Alias, Revit, Navisworks, and others, which allows you to use Inventor to solve problems in various areas, including design, architectural design, etc. The drafting and design software has two varieties: Autodesk Inventor and Autodesk Inventor Professional. The former allows users to create detailed drawings, assemblies, and CAD models. The professional version adds modeling and tooling capabilities.

Pros:

• 2D/3D modeling
• Creation of products from sheet material and obtaining their development
• Dynamic modeling
• Development of electrical and piping systems
• Visualization of products
• Automatic receipt and updating of design documentation (registration according to ESKD).

Cons:

• Drawing saved in DWG format will take up more disk space
• Confusion with opening drawings with AutoCAD
• Lack of smoothness in the process of transferring data between programs
• To take full advantage of drafting CAD, a powerful PC is required.

9. CATIA

Price: $4,500 per year; $60 per year for students
Level: For professionals and amateurs
Platform: Windows, Unix
Last version: 2022
Use: Automotive, aerospace, product design, engineering, assembly design

4.5

Rating by Applet3D

Capterra

4.6

Software Advice

4.58

GetApp

4.6

G2

4.2

CATIA is a computer-assisted design (CAD) system from the French company Dassault Systèmes. CATIA is a great CAD program because its abbreviation even stands for Computer-Aided Three-Dimensional Interactive Application. The software can be used for CAD, CAE, and CAM, making it very useful for architects, designers, mechanical engineers, and other industry professionals. But most often, CATIA is used in the aviation industry. Once models are created, CATIA allows developers to assemble details and view model interactions in realistic simulations and high quality.

This computer-aided drafting software allows you to develop 3D models of complex products, associative drawings of parts and assembly units, supports work with large assemblies, associative links between a 3D model and its projections on drawings, and includes surface modeling tools, and digital layout (DMU) tools.

Pros:

• Orientation to working with models of complex shapes
• Deep integration with settlement and technological systems
• Opportunities for the collaboration of thousands of users on a single project
• Excellent design system for bent sheet metal parts
• Facilitates preparation for the stage of rapid prototyping
• Conversion to STL is supported
• Well-implemented functions for working with surfaces.

Cons:

• It takes a long time to learn, it’s hard to get used to, especially after AutoCAD
• Quite a complex and unusual interface
• The blueprint module is weak
• Requires significant PC resources
• The system is complex, not for beginners
• Requires more modeling steps than other computer-aided design CAD programs.

10. ArchiCAD

Price: $2250 per year or $280 per month; Free 30-day trial license; Free educational version for students
Level: For professionals and amateurs
Platform: Windows, macOS
Last version: 2022
Use: 2D and 3D modeling, architectural rendering, technical drawing

4.5

Rating by Applet3D

Capterra

4.5

Software Advice

4.47

GetApp

4.5

Many people forget about a program like ArchiCAD due to its purpose only being for architectural design, but it still deserves attention in this list of the best drafting software in 2023. ArchiCAD is a basic CAD software that provides the user with a powerful 3D modeling environment and implements modern technology for working with objects. This drafting program for Windows is designed specifically for architects: the programming toolkit allows you to build drawings and models from familiar objects (walls, columns, ceilings, etc.), and the program has an intuitive interface. As drafting software, ArchiCAD allows you to significantly reduce design time while improving the quality of project documentation.

As a leader in the class of such affordable CAD software, ArchiCAD focuses on ease of use, ease of learning to work with the package, on the most complete and advanced libraries of materials and elements. Most often, CAD programs provide only one type of the above information, and only ArchiCAD allows you to integrate data in a single file that is understandable to both the professional builder and the buyer. Such drafting applications have everything you need to help you easily and without problems bring your ideas to life!

Pros:

• A library with numerous architectural elements to build
• Classic 2D drafting full-fledged toolkit 
• The ability to network, work on one project for several specialists
• 3D visualization of the created project
• Unlimited scaling of both individual objects and the project as a whole
• Simultaneous access to all data
• Constructing both flat drawings and creating a 3D model.

Cons:

• Limitations in the free version
• Limited possibilities for creating objects with complex, non-standard geometry
• The insufficient number of parametric GDL objects that are included in the program by default
• Some extensions never update properly.

11. Creo

Price: From $2,780 per license; Free 30-day trial
Level: For professionals and amateurs
Platform: Windows
Last version: 2022
Use: 3D modeling, engineering, product design, virtual reality, automotive

4.3

Rating by Applet3D

Capterra

4.4

GetApp

4.4

G2

4.1

2D and 3D parametric design system for complex products from PTC. PTC Creo CAD is widely used in a wide variety of design areas. Creo integrates many features such as thermal, structural motion, parametric and freeform surfacing, and direct modeling. This CAD engineering software provides a free 30-day trial. Ideal for: 3D modeling and product design and engineering, automotive, and virtual reality. The data can be presented in the form of visualizations or 2D drawings.

With such computer drafting programs, you can create complex models with a huge amount of detail. PTC Creo makes it easy to create a 3D model from 2D drawings. Both are updated automatically, changes made in 3D appear in 2D and vice versa. The PTC Creo Flexible Modeling Extension (FMX), included with PTC Creo Parametric – is a powerful set of direct modeling tools that allows you to quickly make changes to parametric and non-Creo models. This easy drafting software includes core sheet metal design capabilities that save you time and control every step of the way. And all this can be done quickly, as the tool is easy to use.

Pros:

• History-based modeling
• Direct modeling tools
• Working with complex surfaces
• Pretty simple drafting program
• Scalability.

Cons:

• The user interface of the CAD design program is made in the old style
• It confuses the database connection
• The file size of the generated model is large.

12. MicroStation

Price: $1,995 per license; Free 14-day trial
Level: For professionals
Platform: Windows 
Last version: 2023
Use: Architecture and engineering design, drafting

4.2

Rating by Applet3D

Capterra

4.3

GetApp

4.3

G2

4.0

CAD platform containing all the necessary basic design tools. Used by architects and engineers to visualize, model, create drawings, and document designs. This draft program has a set of standard styles that are always visible; there is no need to set the scale for the line style, and a built-in system for editing and creating styles. The drafting app offers extensive opportunities for collaboration on the project, multiple models support in one project, and the ability to connect an unlimited number of other project files.

MicroStation enables project team collaboration, including work on designs and models created using BIM applications. As a result, you can create complex universal BIM models and produce project documentation. Since the project team works in a universal modeling application, all participants will be able to easily communicate, share results and maintain data integrity. A computer-aided design tool is based on a single integrated modeling platform.

Pros:

• Native support for DGN and DWG files
• A robust 3D modeling toolkit
• Ability to visualize and analyze data on models
• Great drafting software for PC
• BIM workflows.

Cons:

• Difficulty learning how to use the software
• The user interface is not very intuitive and user-friendly
• Pipe profiles are difficult to draw and do not update automatically.

Conclusion

Currently, there is a variety of modern computer-aided design CAD programs on the market, which differ from each other both in functionality and cost. Choosing the right CAD system among the many CAD programs is not an easy task. When making a decision, it is necessary to focus on the needs of the enterprise, the tasks that users face, the cost of acquiring and maintaining the system, and many other factors. In this article, we have given you a list of the best CAD drafting software in 2023 and told you about their features, pros, and cons.