Independent comparison · Checked August 2026

Which CAD software should you learn?

CAD Archivium's sheets are drawn to be software-neutral — build any of them in whichever program you use. This page is the part that helps you pick one: what actually differs between CAD programs, sixteen of the major ones compared at a glance, and a full write-up of each on its own page.

SolidWorks SolidWorks for Makers (Maker Edition) Autodesk Fusion Autodesk Inventor AutoCAD BricsCAD Onshape FreeCAD Solid Edge Alibre Design Shapr3D Rhinoceros (Rhino) Plasticity PTC Creo CATIA (3DEXPERIENCE CATIA) Siemens Designcenter (formerly NX)

Browse the archive

How CAD programs actually differ

Before comparing programs by name, it helps to know what actually varies between them — the same handful of design decisions explain almost every difference in the table below.

Parametric vs. direct modelling

Most of the programs on this page are parametric: every shape is a tree of features — sketches, extrudes, fillets — driven by dimensions, so changing one number rebuilds the model correctly. That is the discipline this archive's exercises are built to train. A smaller group works differently: Solid Edge blends that parametric history with synchronous, direct editing that lets you grab a face and move it with no tree at all; BricsCAD goes a step further and models directly by default, with constraints and dimensions available only as an optional layer, never a mandatory one; and Plasticity has no feature history whatsoever — it builds shapes by combining solids with Boolean operations and simply keeps the result. None of these approaches is "better"; they trade rebuildability for editing speed in different amounts.

Solid modelling vs. NURBS surfacing vs. Boolean sculpting

Solid modellers such as SolidWorks, Fusion and Inventor represent a part as an exact, closed volume built from features — the right approach for dimensioned mechanical parts, which is what every sheet in this archive assumes. Rhino instead works with NURBS surfaces and curves, still mathematically exact but organised around freeform shape rather than dimensioned features, which is why it wins at organic and complex surfacing where a feature tree struggles. Plasticity sits between the two: exact solid geometry like a mechanical modeller, but built with the fast, Boolean-first workflow of a sculpting tool rather than a dimensioned sketch.

Local software vs. cloud-native

SolidWorks, Inventor, AutoCAD, BricsCAD, FreeCAD, Rhino, Plasticity and Alibre Design install locally and keep your files on your own disk. Onshape is the opposite extreme: nothing installs, every document lives and computes on Onshape's servers, and several people can edit the same part at once. Fusion and Shapr3D sit in between — a real local app that syncs its files and version history to the cloud automatically, working offline when needed but assuming a connection eventually.

Perpetual licence vs. subscription vs. free

Rhino, Plasticity and Alibre Design are bought once and kept forever, with no mandatory recurring fee. SolidWorks, Inventor, AutoCAD, Creo, CATIA, Designcenter and Shapr3D's Pro tier are sold as subscriptions, usually per seat per year. BricsCAD sells both — a subscription by default, with perpetual licences also available. Fusion's Personal Use plan, Onshape's free plan, FreeCAD and Shapr3D's Basic plan cost nothing outright, each with a different condition attached — a revenue cap, a document that has to stay public, or a feature ceiling. None of these models is a proxy for quality: it is worth deciding which trade-off you can live with before comparing feature lists.

The kernel underneath

Several of these programs are not as different under the hood as their interfaces suggest. SolidWorks, Solid Edge, NX/Designcenter, Onshape, Shapr3D and Plasticity all build their solids on Siemens' Parasolid geometry kernel; Fusion, Inventor and AutoCAD share Autodesk's own ShapeManager kernel; BricsCAD builds its own 3D engine on the ACIS kernel, the other major licensable kernel in the industry besides Parasolid; CATIA, Creo, Rhino and FreeCAD each use a kernel of their own. That is one reason files move more cleanly between some pairs of programs than others, and it is why a company already standardised on one Parasolid-based tool often finds a second one easier to adopt.

2D drafting vs. 3D modelling

AutoCAD predates the parametric 3D tools on this page and is still the default answer for pure 2D drafting across architecture, civil and electrical work, thanks to the DWG format nearly every CAD program can open. The other programs here are 3D-first: they can produce 2D drawings from a 3D model, but that model is the real deliverable. Knowing which discipline you are aiming for — drafting or modelling — narrows this list considerably before price ever comes into it.

The quick answer

Sixteen programs, one line each. Click any of them for the full write-up.

Software	Best for	Entry price
SolidWorks	Product design, mechanical engineering and manufacturing documentation — the program most machine-shop and product-design job listings name directly.	Sold through resellers, annual seat licence — free trial available
SolidWorks for Makers (Maker Edition)	3D printing, woodworking, CNC and DIY projects — for anyone earning under roughly $2,000 a year from what they design.	$48/year or $15/month (checked August 2026 — confirm on the vendor page)
Autodesk Fusion	Makers and small teams who want modelling, CNC toolpaths and basic simulation without switching programs.	Free for qualifying personal use; paid tiers for commercial and extended features
Autodesk Inventor	Mechanical design and large assemblies at companies already standardised on Autodesk software.	Subscription, sold with a free trial
AutoCAD	2D technical drawing across architecture, civil, electrical and mechanical disciplines.	Subscription, sold with a free trial
BricsCAD	AutoCAD users and DWG-heavy 2D drafting shops who want the same file format and command set at a fraction of the subscription cost, plus a genuine 3D modelling option without a mandatory feature tree.	Subscription from around €330/year (Lite) to around €1,176/year (Ultimate); perpetual licences also available — free for students (checked August 2026 — confirm on the vendor page)
Onshape	Working across multiple computers or platforms, and real-time collaboration on the same document.	Free for public, non-commercial documents; paid plans for private work
FreeCAD	Students and hobbyists who want real parametric modelling at zero cost, indefinitely.	Free, no account or revenue limit
Solid Edge	Sheet-metal design, and editing imported geometry without rebuilding a full feature history.	Free Community and Student editions; paid subscription for the full package
Alibre Design	Hobbyists, small shops and freelancers who want a real parametric feature-tree CAD package with a one-time price instead of an annual seat licence.	Perpetual licence: Atom3D $195, Design Pro $950, Design Expert $1,839 — optional annual maintenance plan; a pure annual subscription is also sold, from $95/year (checked August 2026 — confirm on the vendor page)
Shapr3D	Sketching and modelling directly with a finger or an Apple Pencil on an iPad, with the option to move to Mac or Windows for the same file.	Free (Basic, 2 projects); Pro $299/year billed annually; free for verified students and educators (checked August 2026 — confirm on the vendor page)
Rhinoceros (Rhino)	Industrial design, jewellery, marine and architectural forms — organic and complex surfaces that a feature-tree solid modeller handles awkwardly.	One-time purchase, $995 (educational pricing available); no subscription (checked August 2026 — confirm on the vendor page)
Plasticity	Concept and product designers who want to iterate on shapes quickly with keyboard-driven booleans rather than a full feature-tree workflow.	One-time purchase: Indie $149, Studio $299; 30-day free trial (checked August 2026 — confirm on the vendor page)
PTC Creo	Advanced generative design, injection-mould tooling, and industries with heavy simulation requirements.	Free education editions; enterprise licensing for professional use
CATIA (3DEXPERIENCE CATIA)	Class-A surfacing, systems engineering, and projects with thousands of interdependent parts.	Enterprise licensing, quoted per project
Siemens Designcenter (formerly NX)	Aerospace and automotive companies that need CAD, machining and simulation tightly integrated in one system.	Enterprise licensing; trial available

Prices and free-tier terms change without notice. Each entry links straight to the vendor's own page — check there before you buy.

SolidWorks

The professional standard for mechanical design

Best forProduct design, mechanical engineering and manufacturing documentation — the program most machine-shop and product-design job listings name directly.

The parametric feature-tree modeller most manufacturing and product-design employers standardise on — powerful, Windows-only, and priced for a seat licence rather than an individual.

Sold through resellers, annual seat licence — free trial available

Full review → Start a free trial

SolidWorks for Makers (Maker Edition)

The same modelling engine, priced for hobbyists

Best for3D printing, woodworking, CNC and DIY projects — for anyone earning under roughly $2,000 a year from what they design.

The full SolidWorks modelling engine sold in two lighter packages for individuals rather than companies, capped at roughly $2,000/year in revenue from what you make.

$48/year or $15/month (checked August 2026 — confirm on the vendor page)

Full review → Buy the desktop edition (3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS)

Autodesk Fusion

CAD, CAM and simulation in one subscription

Best forMakers and small teams who want modelling, CNC toolpaths and basic simulation without switching programs.

A cloud-connected parametric modeller that keeps CAD, CAM and simulation in one file format and one subscription — the strongest all-in-one option if you also manufacture what you design.

Free for qualifying personal use; paid tiers for commercial and extended features

Full review → Get Fusion for personal use

Autodesk Inventor

Autodesk's answer to SolidWorks

Best forMechanical design and large assemblies at companies already standardised on Autodesk software.

Autodesk's parametric mechanical design package, closer to SolidWorks than Fusion in workflow, chosen mainly for its native DWG support and its place inside the Autodesk product line.

Subscription, sold with a free trial

Full review → Start a free trial

AutoCAD

The reference program for 2D drafting

Best for2D technical drawing across architecture, civil, electrical and mechanical disciplines.

The reference program for 2D drafting across architecture, civil, electrical and mechanical disciplines, and the closest thing CAD has to a universal 2D file format in DWG.

Subscription, sold with a free trial

Full review → Start a free trial

BricsCAD

The AutoCAD alternative that also does parametric 3D

Best forAutoCAD users and DWG-heavy 2D drafting shops who want the same file format and command set at a fraction of the subscription cost, plus a genuine 3D modelling option without a mandatory feature tree.

A DWG-native CAD platform built to feel like AutoCAD — same commands, LISP routines and menus — priced well below it, with a hybrid direct-and-parametric 3D modeller that makes constraints optional instead of mandatory.

Subscription from around €330/year (Lite) to around €1,176/year (Ultimate); perpetual licences also available — free for students (checked August 2026 — confirm on the vendor page)

Full review → Start a free trial

Onshape

CAD that runs entirely in a browser

Best forWorking across multiple computers or platforms, and real-time collaboration on the same document.

A fully cloud-native modeller with nothing to install and real-time multi-user editing — the only tool on this list built from scratch to run identically on any device.

Free for public, non-commercial documents; paid plans for private work

Full review → Start Onshape Free

FreeCAD

Free, open-source, and improving fast

Best forStudents and hobbyists who want real parametric modelling at zero cost, indefinitely.

Open-source parametric CAD with no price tag, no revenue cap and no account requirement — the only genuinely free option here with no strings attached.

Free, no account or revenue limit

Full review → Download FreeCAD

Solid Edge

Parametric and direct modelling in one package

Best forSheet-metal design, and editing imported geometry without rebuilding a full feature history.

Parametric and direct modelling in the same package, with more free entry points — Community, Student and a standalone 2D tool — than most vendors on this list offer.

Free Community and Student editions; paid subscription for the full package

Full review → Try Solid Edge free

Alibre Design

A budget-priced perpetual alternative to SolidWorks

Best forHobbyists, small shops and freelancers who want a real parametric feature-tree CAD package with a one-time price instead of an annual seat licence.

A Windows parametric modeller built around the same feature-tree, dimension-driven workflow as SolidWorks, sold as a one-time perpetual licence from around $195 instead of a yearly subscription.

Perpetual licence: Atom3D $195, Design Pro $950, Design Expert $1,839 — optional annual maintenance plan; a pure annual subscription is also sold, from $95/year (checked August 2026 — confirm on the vendor page)

Full review → See pricing and buy

Shapr3D

Professional CAD built for a touchscreen

Best forSketching and modelling directly with a finger or an Apple Pencil on an iPad, with the option to move to Mac or Windows for the same file.

A touch-first CAD app for iPad, Mac and Windows built on the same Parasolid kernel and D-Cubed constraint solver as SolidWorks and NX — a real CAD engine with a touch interface, not a simplified toy.

Free (Basic, 2 projects); Pro $299/year billed annually; free for verified students and educators (checked August 2026 — confirm on the vendor page)

Full review → Try Shapr3D free

Rhinoceros (Rhino)

Freeform NURBS surfacing, sold once, not rented

Best forIndustrial design, jewellery, marine and architectural forms — organic and complex surfaces that a feature-tree solid modeller handles awkwardly.

A NURBS-based surface and solid modeller built for freeform shapes rather than dimension-driven mechanical parts, sold as a one-time perpetual licence with no subscription.

One-time purchase, $995 (educational pricing available); no subscription (checked August 2026 — confirm on the vendor page)

Full review → Buy Rhino

Plasticity

Fast, boolean-driven hard-surface modelling

Best forConcept and product designers who want to iterate on shapes quickly with keyboard-driven booleans rather than a full feature-tree workflow.

A NURBS modeller built around fast, keyboard-driven boolean operations for concept and hard-surface design — a one-time purchase aimed at speed of iteration rather than engineering documentation.

One-time purchase: Indie $149, Studio $299; 30-day free trial (checked August 2026 — confirm on the vendor page)

Full review → Try Plasticity free

PTC Creo

Deep simulation and mould/tooling design

Best forAdvanced generative design, injection-mould tooling, and industries with heavy simulation requirements.

PTC's parametric modeller with generative design, real-time simulation and dedicated mould/tooling depth beyond what SolidWorks or Inventor offer out of the box.

Free education editions; enterprise licensing for professional use

Full review → Start a Creo trial

CATIA (3DEXPERIENCE CATIA)

Complex surfacing at aerospace and automotive scale

Best forClass-A surfacing, systems engineering, and projects with thousands of interdependent parts.

Dassault's platform for aerospace- and automotive-scale product development — thousands of interdependent parts and disciplines kept consistent in one system, not something you install to practise on casually.

Enterprise licensing, quoted per project

Full review → CATIA on 3ds.com

Siemens Designcenter (formerly NX)

Integrated CAD, CAM and CAE for large-scale manufacturing

Best forAerospace and automotive companies that need CAD, machining and simulation tightly integrated in one system.

Siemens' integrated CAD/CAM/CAE platform for large-scale aerospace and automotive manufacturing, renamed from NX in June 2026 — same software, same job listings, new name.

Enterprise licensing; trial available

Full review → Start a Designcenter trial

How to choose

Matched to the situation rather than to a brand name.

If you want to draw mostly in 2D (architecture, civil, schematics): AutoCAD, or Solid Edge's free standalone 2D drafting tool if budget is the constraint.
If you already know AutoCAD and want to spend less without changing file formats: BricsCAD — near-identical DWG workflow, lower subscription, and it also runs on Mac and Linux.
If you are learning on a hobbyist budget and want real SolidWorks skills: SOLIDWORKS for Makers — it is the same modelling engine job listings name, priced for individuals.
If you want to model and manufacture your own designs (3D printing, CNC): Autodesk Fusion — CAD, CAM and simulation in the same file, with a capable free personal-use plan.
If your budget is zero and staying zero: FreeCAD — full parametric modelling, no account, no revenue cap, no time limit.
If you move between computers a lot, or want to design with someone else in real time: Onshape — nothing to install, live collaboration, a genuinely capable free plan for public documents.
If you want a cheap perpetual licence instead of a SolidWorks-style subscription: Alibre Design — the same feature-tree workflow, bought once instead of rented every year.
If you want to sketch and model away from a desk, on a tablet: Shapr3D — the same Parasolid kernel as SolidWorks, built touch-first for iPad, Mac and Windows.
If you need freeform, organic surfacing rather than dimensioned mechanical parts: Rhino for full surfacing depth and a perpetual licence, or Plasticity if speed of iteration matters more than surfacing control.
If you are targeting a specific employer's tool of choice: Match the software to the job listings you are actually reading — Inventor and AutoCAD travel together, as do SolidWorks and Fusion for smaller shops.
If your future field is automotive, aerospace or heavy industry: Creo, CATIA and Designcenter (formerly NX) are worth knowing by name even before you can install them — start with Creo's free education edition, which is the most accessible of the three.

Common questions

What's the actual difference between SolidWorks and Autodesk Fusion?

Both are parametric, feature-based modellers, and skills transfer reasonably well between them. The practical differences are where the files live (SolidWorks installs locally with local files; Fusion is cloud-connected with automatic version history) and what is bundled: Fusion folds in CAM toolpaths and generative design as standard, while SolidWorks leans harder into large assemblies, sheet metal and enterprise-grade drafting. Job listings in heavy manufacturing lean SolidWorks; product-design and maker-adjacent roles use both.

How much does the SOLIDWORKS Maker Edition cost, and who qualifies?

As of August 2026 it is $48 a year or $15 a month for either the desktop (3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS) or browser-based (xDesign) version, aimed at hobbyists and makers earning under roughly $2,000 USD a year from their designs. Confirm the current price and eligibility on solidworks.com before buying, since vendor pricing changes without notice.

Is Autodesk Fusion really free?

The Personal Use plan is free for individuals earning under $1,000 USD a year from non-commercial projects, on a three-year renewable term. It trims some CAM, PCB and import/export features compared with a paid seat, but the core modelling tools are the same ones used commercially.

What's the difference between BricsCAD and AutoCAD?

Both are DWG-native, and BricsCAD is built to run AutoCAD's commands, LISP routines and menus with minimal relearning — that is literally how it markets itself. The differences are price (BricsCAD undercuts an AutoCAD subscription), platform (BricsCAD also runs on Mac and Linux, AutoCAD is Windows-only for CAD work), and 3D: BricsCAD includes a hybrid direct-and-parametric 3D modeller, where AutoCAD's 3D tools are not parametric at all.

What is the best free CAD software for a complete beginner?

FreeCAD if you want to keep it free indefinitely with no strings attached. Onshape Free if you would rather work in a browser and do not mind your documents being public. Fusion's Personal Use plan if you also want CNC or 3D-printing toolpaths in the same program. All three can build every sheet in this archive.

What's the difference between Rhino and Plasticity?

Both build exact NURBS-based solids rather than a dimensioned feature tree, but Rhino is the older, broader surfacing tool, with a steeper learning curve and its own scripting ecosystem (Grasshopper). Plasticity is newer, faster to learn, and built specifically around quick Boolean iteration rather than deep surfacing control. Rhino suits finished, presentation-ready freeform models; Plasticity suits iterating on a concept shape quickly.

Can I really do professional CAD on an iPad?

Yes — Shapr3D runs the same Parasolid geometry kernel and D-Cubed constraint solver used inside SolidWorks and NX/Designcenter, just with a touch-first interface instead of a mouse and dialog boxes. It is not a simplified toy: files move to and from SolidWorks format, and the same account also works on Mac and Windows.

Is there a cheaper alternative to SolidWorks that isn't free?

Alibre Design is the closest match: a Windows parametric feature-tree CAD package sold as a one-time purchase from around $195 rather than an annual seat licence, aimed at hobbyists and small shops rather than enterprise teams.

Do I need to buy any CAD software to use CAD Archivium's exercises?

No. The sheets are PDF drawings, not model files, so they work with any CAD program — including free ones — and even with a printer and a pencil, since the 2D sheets are drawn to be reproducible by hand.

Is AutoCAD good for 3D modelling?

It has 3D tools, but they are not parametric the way SolidWorks, Fusion or Inventor are: there is no feature tree that remembers design intent, so an early dimension change does not cleanly propagate through the model. Treat AutoCAD as the strongest choice specifically for 2D drafting, and pair it with a parametric tool for this archive's 3D and assembly exercises.

What happened to Siemens NX?

It was renamed Designcenter in June 2026. The product itself — integrated CAD, CAM and CAE for large-scale manufacturing — did not change, only the name, so job listings and older course material may still refer to it as NX.

Which CAD software should I learn first for a mechanical engineering career?

Read the job listings for the specific roles you want rather than guessing: SolidWorks and Inventor are named most often in manufacturing and product design, AutoCAD in anything with a strong 2D-drafting component, and Creo, CATIA or Designcenter in automotive, aerospace and heavy industry. If nothing points you anywhere specific yet, SolidWorks or Fusion are the most broadly useful starting points because the skills transfer well to the others.

Now put it to work

Pick a sheet, open whichever program you chose above, and build the part. The exercises do not care which one you use.

Browse the archive

About: CAD Archivium has no commercial relationship with any vendor listed on this page: no affiliate links, no sponsorship, no referral fees. The links go straight to each company's official site. Product names and icons are trademarks of their respective owners, shown here only to identify each program — their appearance is not an endorsement of CAD Archivium.