SOLIDWORKS AlternativesOnly Open Source apps categorised as 3D Modelers

The best open source 3D Modeler alternative to SOLIDWORKS is FreeCAD. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to SOLIDWORKS and 12 are open source 3D Modelers so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source 3D Modeler alternatives to SOLIDWORKS are LibreCAD, OpenSCAD, Dune 3D and SolveSpace.

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SOLIDWORKS alternatives are mainly 3D Modelers, but if you're looking for CAD Software or 3D Printing Tools you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Open Source, Free, Mac, Linux, Computer-Aided Design, Mac + Free and Android. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to SOLIDWORKS.
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Alternatives list

  1. FreeCAD icon

    FreeCAD

     472 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.

    113 FreeCAD alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flatpak
    FreeCAD screenshot 1
     
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    3
    Comments about FreeCAD as an Alternative to SOLIDWORKS
    Guest
    Positive
    8

    AS far as I have tried, FreeCAD is the only FOSS alternative to Solidworks/Catia/PTC that has a funtional workflow. It is the best of a poor bunch.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Guest
    Positive
    5

    It's free for both personal and commercial use

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    jrmz
    Negative
    1

    Unfortunately not usable, after several years of using freecad, I quickly saw its limits. It is not a parametric software, indeed the topological naming problem makes this software fundamentally broken. The realthunder fork fixes some of these problems. fork or not, some advanced actions are still impossible and the different workbench are too isolated, some objects created with a workbench can't be modified by another one.

    Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

    FreeCAD icon
    FreeCAD icon
    • FreeCAD is Free and Open SourceSOLIDWORKS is Paid and Proprietary
  2. LibreCAD icon

    LibreCAD

     170 likes

    LibreCAD is an open source 2D CAD application for Windows, Apple and Linux. It is based on Qt, which is a leading cross-platform application and UI development framework.

    109 LibreCAD alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flathub
    On Mac
     
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    1
    Comments about LibreCAD as an Alternative to SOLIDWORKS
    Seth
    Negative
    0

    2D application, not 3D like Solidworks

    LibreCAD icon
    LibreCAD icon
    • LibreCAD is Free and Open SourceSOLIDWORKS is Paid and Proprietary
    • LibreCAD is Customizable and LightweightSOLIDWORKS is not according to our users
  4. OpenSCAD icon

    OpenSCAD

     83 likes

    OpenSCAD is a software for creating solid 3D CAD objects. It is free software and available for Linux/UNIX, MS Windows and MacOS.

    50 OpenSCAD alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
    • Snapcraft
    • BSD
    • Docker
    • Homebrew
    OpenSCAD screenshot 1
     
  5. Dune 3D icon

    Dune 3D

     16 likes

    Dune 3D operates as a parametric 3D Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software. It provides users with the capability to sketch and constrain both in 2D and 3D dimensions. Furthermore, it allows for the addition of chamfers and fillets to designs.

    58 Dune 3D alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    Dune 3D screenshot 1
     
  6. SolveSpace icon

    SolveSpace

     32 likes

    SolveSpace is a parametric 3D CAD program with extrude, revolve, union and difference functions. Save/Export as DXF, PDF, SVG, STL, STEP. Mesh generation expected by most 3d printers. Constraint solver point tracing for motion analysis.

    71 SolveSpace alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    SolveSpace screenshot 1
     
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    1
    Comments about SolveSpace as an Alternative to SOLIDWORKS
    sgtdre
    Positive
    2

    It shows that it can open .step files and I have a few GrabCad files that I want to check out and see it I can at least save to other file formats, ;ie .dwg

    SolveSpace icon
    SolveSpace icon
    • SolveSpace is Free and Open SourceSOLIDWORKS is Paid and Proprietary
    • SolveSpace is LightweightSOLIDWORKS is not according to our users
  7. BRL-CAD icon

    BRL-CAD

     57 likes

    BRL-CAD is a powerful cross-platform open source solid modeling system that includes interactive geometry editing, high-performance ray-tracing for rendering and geometric analysis, image and signal-processing tools, a system performance analysis benchmark suite, libraries for...

    74 BRL-CAD alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    PA-63 Extractor
     
  9. CAD Sketcher icon

    CAD Sketcher

     8 likes

    CAD Sketcher is a free and open-source project looking to enhance precision workflows in Blender by bringing CAD like tools, features and usability to Blender.

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Blender
    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    CAD Sketcher screenshot 1
     
  11. SALOME icon

    SALOME

     8 likes

    SALOME can be used as standalone application for generation of CAD models, their preparation for numerical calculations and post-processing of the calculation results. SALOME can also be used as a platform for integration of the external third-party numerical codes to produce a...

    28 SALOME alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    SALOME screenshot 1
     
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    1
    Comments about SALOME as an Alternative to SOLIDWORKS
    Guest
    Positive
    0

    Salome can solve some problems as SolidWork's COSMOS can. Also UI concept of Salome is very similar

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    SALOME icon
    SALOME icon
    • SALOME is Free and Open SourceSOLIDWORKS is Paid and Proprietary
  12. CaDoodle icon

    CaDoodle

     6 likes

    CaDoodle is a local drag-and-drop CAD application for Linux (Arm,x86), WIndows (X86), and Mac (Arm,x86) and ChromeOS. Users models are stored locally, and the application runs entirely locally. CaDoodle has a drag and drop interface that is cross-trainable with TinkerCAD.

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Chrome OS
    A model with a lot of example objects and the timeline open.
     
  13. JSketcher icon

    JSketcher

     5 likes

    Parametric 2D and 3D CAD modeler running client side in the web browser.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Self-Hosted
    Model made in JSketcher
     
  14. MakerSCAD icon

    MakerSCAD

     6 likes

    MakerSCAD is a web-based parametric 3D design software with a block-based programming language to create objects for 3D printing, animations, games and websites.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Chrome OS
    MakerSCAD screenshot 1
     
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