FreeCAD
447 likes
A powerful open-source parametric 3D modeler ideal for mechanical engineering, supporting Python scripting, running on Windows, Linux, and Mac, with modular architecture allowing extensive adaptability and use with scientific computing libraries.
License model
- Free • Open Source
Application types
Country of Origin
Germany
EU
Platforms
- Mac
- Windows
- Linux
- BSD
- Snapcraft
- Flathub
- PortableApps.com
- Flatpak
Features
FreeCAD News & Activities
Highlights All activities
Recent News
- POX published news article about FreeCAD
FreeCAD 1.0 launches with enhanced UI/UX, built-in Assembly Workbench, and TNP fixesFreeCAD has officially launched version 1.0, marking a significant milestone for the free and open ...
- POX published news article about FreeCAD
FreeCAD's first release candidate for v1.0 is out more than 20 years after initial releaseFreeCAD, the open-source parametric 3D modeler, has announced the release of the first release cand...
Recent activities
What is FreeCAD?
FreeCAD information
Developed by
Juergen Riegel, Werner Mayer Licensing
Open Source and Free product.Written in
Rating
Average rating of 4.3Alternatives
111 alternatives listedSupported Languages
AlternativeTo Categories
Photos & Graphics, Web BrowsersGitHub repository
- 25,063 Stars
- 4,618 Forks
- 3162 Open Issues
- Updated Jun 19, 2025
Comments and Reviews
FreeCAD is Open Source, and very capable software. With it one can design complex models, including prints, etc. Steep learning curve aside, this is a solid program, and I enjoy the process of learning all its features.
TL;DR JUST GO AWAY ! I want to cry when I see a mess like that exists. Honestly. I have to switch back to X11 to get any 3D render while it's the only software that have a render issue like that. I got a lot of trouble with constraint. When it says it's fully OK, I already lost multiple hours. And when I finally finish my project, some of them just broke after reopening saying more 90% of constraints are not OK. Seriously ? Worst, if you are lucky and it's OK, just tweaking your table of measuring on which your constraint are based on, it sometime flipped the constraint with NO REASON !! That's an insult, more because there are no possibility to fix the right way. Also, if you were new into FreeCAD like me, you probably thought that your wire is closed because mathematically the vertices are at the same place. AND NO. You can restart for nothing because "that's discrete" (or a garbage software, no ?) I lost a ton of hours and multiple projects with a non-negligible amount of research on forums because this software is a total mess. I just tried OpenSCAD thinking it's harder but in only half an hour I finished my part reading doc included while on FreeCAD after 3 hours my part is still broke or ugly. I also learned SolidWorks at school, and I don't remember to have issues like FreeCAD create.
Edit: I would like to say that render issues are maybe caused by my GPU. Unfortunately, I'm now on AMD with drivers, and it's render as 0.3FPS. FreeCAD is the software I regret the most to have used in my whole life.
Complex Peace of software. If new to FreeCAD i recomended to do at least one or two tutorials specially if make use of Part Design AND Sketcher. Does not mean that there is no room for improvement that it there off course enough. But every Major version is a big step forward.
Another great thing is that it is (almost )fully customizable. You can create your own style-sheets or extensions. A lot of already exist. Some of them exist because they should have been core for a long time. But this is the core of FreeCAD: Open source. So everybody can do what he wants to improve. And working on the core is more difficult than a external Workbench. And because of that it is open source feel free to buy the developers a coffee!
Engineer the world
What intrigues me about FreeCad, aside from it being free, is that it is cross-platform between Linux and Windows, and even Autocad in allowing DWG import/export. Neither Autocad, nor Revit ,will run on Linux without a virtual machine. I keep running into Microsoft issues, and would like to be able to work remotely with the assurance that if my operating system went down, I could still work on Linux instead. FreeCad seems able to do it all. Most people who have had to use Cad systems that aren't Autocad probably don't want to try anything that is new after companies made them use other odd systems. FreeCad sounds like it is. In the past it stalled out on me.. probably due to my system. and I'm glad to give it another try in 2024.
totally not beginner friendly, where is all the creative tools? it looks like just a viewing software i can't do anything with it
The fact that it's free and open source is reason enough to use it. User-friendly.
I'm a hobbyist 3D designer and model maker I was using Fusion 360 on the free license for a year, and after watching the great "Fusion 360 or Die" series on Youtube I was pretty comfortable with it. Then after a year AutoDesk asked me to pay $495 per year to continue using it. So I switched over to FreeCAD 0.19 and within an evening of watching Flowwie's "FreeCAD 0.19 Basic Course" on Youtube I can do everything I was able to do in Fusion 360. Also, from what I've seen so far, FreeCAD is actually better designed and better organized than Fusion 360. I highly recommend you make the switch.