Free SOLIDWORKS Alternatives

The best free alternative to SOLIDWORKS is FreeCAD, which is also Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 50 alternatives to SOLIDWORKS and many of them is free so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting free alternatives to SOLIDWORKS are SketchUp, Onshape, LibreCAD and Autodesk Fusion 360.

SOLIDWORKS alternatives are mainly CAD Software but may also be 3D Modelers or Interior Design Apps. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of SOLIDWORKS.

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SOLIDWORKS

Paid • Proprietary
CAD Software
Windows

SOLIDWORKS is a leading 3D CAD software for design, analysis and product data management. SOLIDWORKS solutions can help...

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FreeCAD
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
CAD Software
3D Modeler
Interior Design App
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
BSD
PortableApps.com
102 alternatives to FreeCAD
FreeCAD is a general purpose parametric 3D CAD modeler. The development is completely Open Source (LGPL License). FreeCAD is aimed directly at mechanical engineering and product design but also fits in a wider range of uses around engineering, such as architecture or other...
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FreeCAD Features
1. Parametric ModelingFreeCAD can change the shape of model geometry as soon as the dimension value is modified.
2. Procedural ModelingFreeCAD can create or modify 3D models and textures based on a sequence of rules.
3. PortableFreeCAD can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Drawing 2D
FEM
Windows XP Compatibility
DWG support
Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM)
3d Drawing
Parametric
Bim
Portable Linux
FreeCAD vs SOLIDWORKS
Most users think FreeCAD is a great alternative to SOLIDWORKS.
jrmz
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.

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Negative comment• ago

0

Guest
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.
Positive comment• ago

8

Guest
It's free for both personal and commercial use
Positive comment• ago

5
SketchUp
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
3D Modeler
Interior Design App
Mac
Windows
Online
166 alternatives to SketchUp
SketchUp (formerly Google Sketchup) is a 3D modeling computer program for a wide range of drawing applications such as architectural, interior design, civil and mechanical engineering, film, and video game design—and available in a freeware version, SketchUp Make, and a paid...
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SketchUp Features
3d sketching
Built-in 3D model viewer
Pencil
3d Drawing
Cabinet design
Image to 3D
Mechanical Design
Browser-based
SketchUp vs SOLIDWORKS
Some users think SketchUp is a great alternative to SOLIDWORKS, some don't.
Guest
It doesn't have the same tools, short-cuts and general software.
Negative comment• ago

1
Onshape
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free Personal • Proprietary
CAD Software
Online
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
iPad
33 alternatives to Onshape
Onshape is a professional CAD system – Parts, Assemblies, Drawings – with version control and collaboration built in. Each Onshape plan (Free, Education, Professional, and Enterprise) gives you all of the CAD and data management functionality with no time limit.
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Onshape Features
1. Parametric ModelingOnshape can change the shape of model geometry as soon as the dimension value is modified.
2. Real time collaborationMultiple users can work together in Onshape simultaneously.
3. Cloud SyncSync your data (notes, documents, bookmarks, etc.) across your different devices and to the cloud.
Web-Based
Parametric
Drawing Board
Cloud based
3D Renderer
Rendering
Mechanical Simulation
Customizable
Onshape vs SOLIDWORKS
Most users think Onshape is a great alternative to SOLIDWORKS.
Guest
It's just like Solidworks, near same terminology, icons, placement, etc. Not to mention it's free (for the most basic version) and on the cloud.
Positive comment• ago

-2

Guest
It's free (fully functional) , multiplatform (even on mobiles)
Positive comment• ago

-8

thantik
Fully cross platform parametric cad solution which runs in the browser. Includes any OS which can run a modern browser, including BSD, Linux, OS X, Android, and more. Not open source. Not free. But some of us need a professional-level solution regardless of those ideals.
Positive comment• ago

-2
LibreCAD
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
CAD Software
3D Modeler
Interior Design App
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
PortableApps.com
111 alternatives to LibreCAD
LibreCAD (originally QCad then CADuntu) 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.
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LibreCAD Features
1. PortableLibreCAD can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
2. LightweightLibreCAD consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
3. Support for LayersLibreCAD supports the organization of elements through a hierarchical order that can be manipulated/viewed independently.
Bim
Construction layers
Customizable
Isometric view
Export to SVG
Export to PDF
QT Based
LibreCAD vs SOLIDWORKS
Some users think LibreCAD is a great alternative to SOLIDWORKS, some don't.
Seth
2D application, not 3D like Solidworks
Negative comment• ago

0

Guest
It is only for 2D, not 3D
Negative comment• ago

0
Autodesk Fusion 360
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free Personal • Proprietary
CAD Software
3D Modeler
Mac
Windows
25 alternatives to Autodesk Fusion 360
Integrated CAD, CAM, and CAE featuring collaborative editing and cloud-based computation. Free license available for students and hobbyists.
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Autodesk Fusion 360 Features
1. Parametric ModelingAutodesk Fusion 360 can change the shape of model geometry as soon as the dimension value is modified.
2. Real time collaborationMultiple users can work together in Autodesk Fusion 360 simultaneously.
3. Cloud SyncSync your data (notes, documents, bookmarks, etc.) across your different devices and to the cloud.
4. 3D SculptingAutodesk Fusion 360 offers tools to push, pull, smooth, grab or pinch to manipulate a 3D model.
Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM)
3D design
CAE
Surface Modelling
Autodesk Fusion 360 vs SOLIDWORKS
Most users think Autodesk Fusion 360 is a great alternative to SOLIDWORKS.
Guest
Easy, great support, many tutorials, mobile showroom app, ezports to every format possible, CAD and CAM (very powerfull)
Positive comment• ago

0
OpenSCAD
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
CAD Software
3D Modeler
Mac
Windows
Linux
41 alternatives to OpenSCAD
OpenSCAD is a software for creating solid 3D CAD objects. It is free software and available for Linux/UNIX, MS Windows and MacOS.
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OpenSCAD Features
1. Procedural ModelingOpenSCAD can create or modify 3D models and textures based on a sequence of rules.
2. Parametric ModelingOpenSCAD can change the shape of model geometry as soon as the dimension value is modified.
Text Based Format
BRL-CAD
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
CAD Software
3D Modeler
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
71 alternatives to BRL-CAD
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...
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BRL-CAD Features
Image Processing
Benchmark analytics
Ray Tracing
SolveSpace
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
CAD Software
Mac
Windows
Linux
68 alternatives to SolveSpace
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.
Suggest and vote on features
SolveSpace Features
1. PortableSolveSpace can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
2. Parametric ModelingSolveSpace can change the shape of model geometry as soon as the dimension value is modified.
User friendly
3D design
Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM)
SolveSpace vs SOLIDWORKS
Most users think SolveSpace is a great alternative to SOLIDWORKS.
sgtdre
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
Positive comment• ago

2
Shapr3D
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Proprietary
3D Modeler
CAD Software
3D Printing Tool
iPad
Windows
Mac
47 alternatives to Shapr3D
Shapr3D is a revolutionary 3D modeling software created exclusively for your iPad Pro and your Apple Pencil.
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Shapr3D Features
1. Augmented RealityShapr3D makes use of augmented reality to interact with one or more of its services.
2. LightweightShapr3D consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
Mechanical Design
Apple Pencil support
Android Sync
Sketching
Shapr3D vs SOLIDWORKS
pros, cons and recent comments
attila-kozma
Super smooth, easy to understand, great program. Learning curve is awsome
Positive comment• ago

0
pCon.planner
Is this a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Proprietary
Interior Design App
CAD Software
Windows
82 alternatives to pCon.planner
The professional furnishing 2D-/3D-tool for everybody: The pCon.planner is a cost-free application allowing you to comfortably and professionally create complex furnishing concepts and to visualize them in a photo-realistic quality. File Formats: dwg, dxf, 3ds, skp, ... Language.
Suggest and vote on features
pCon.planner Features
1. WYSIWYG SupportpCon.planner integrates a WYSIWYG editor to edit the look and content of a document, page, or file.
2. Support for LayerspCon.planner supports the organization of elements through a hierarchical order that can be manipulated/viewed independently.