CAD Software Download: Free and Open-Source Options

2D CAD focuses on technical drawings, plans and schematics, where accuracy and standard line types matter. 3D CAD builds solid or surface models you can rotate, measure and export for manufacturing or 3D printing. Many workflows use both: a 2D drawing derived from a 3D model.

• 2D CAD: floor plans, electrical diagrams, mechanical drawings.
• 3D parametric CAD: editable models driven by dimensions and constraints.
• 3D direct modelling: push-pull geometry without a feature history.

FreeCAD is the standout free parametric 3D modeller and keeps improving with each release. LibreCAD and QCAD handle 2D drafting well, and both read and write the common DXF format. For beginners and hobbyists these free tools cover an enormous amount of ground without any subscription cost.

According to the official FreeCAD download page, the current stable release at the time of writing is FreeCAD 1.1.4, offered for 64-bit Windows 10 or later (installer or portable), macOS 12 Monterey or later on Apple Silicon and Intel, and Linux as AppImage builds for x86_64 and aarch64.

Industry standards like AutoCAD, Fusion 360 and SolidWorks offer advanced simulation, collaboration and manufacturing features. Several provide free trials, and Fusion has a free tier for personal, non-commercial use. If you work in a regulated industry or a team, a commercial package may be required for compatibility and support.

DXF and DWG dominate 2D exchange, while STEP and IGES are the neutral standards for 3D models. STL is used for 3D printing. Before choosing a tool, confirm it can import and export the formats your colleagues, clients or printer require.

CAD installers are large, so download only from the vendor sites listed below to avoid corrupted or repackaged files. Verify any published checksums, decline bundled extras, and make sure your graphics drivers are up to date for smooth 3D performance.

CAD and general 3D modelling tools overlap, but they solve different problems. CAD software is built around exact dimensions and constraints: change one measurement and the rest of the part updates. That makes it the right choice for mechanical parts, enclosures, floor plans and anything that must fit together in the real world. Mesh-based 3D tools such as Blender are built for organic shapes, characters, visual effects and rendering, where how something looks matters more than a tolerance of a tenth of a millimetre.

Many makers use both: a CAD tool for the functional part and Blender for a product render or an artistic model. If that sounds like you, see our 3D modeling software guide and the official-source Blender download guide.

Begin with a small, real object you can measure, such as a shelf bracket or a phone stand. Set your units first (millimetres or inches), sketch a 2D profile, constrain it fully, then extrude it into 3D. Fully constrained sketches are the habit that separates clean CAD models from ones that break when you edit them. Save versions as you go and export a neutral format such as STEP alongside the native file so the design stays usable if you change tools later.

Before installing, check that your PC meets the vendor's requirements; our guide on reading system requirements explains each line, and 32-bit vs 64-bit software covers why current CAD releases are 64-bit only.