18 March, 2008 by Tom Harrison in office productivity. One of your new selections under 'Text Styles' should be 'Effects'. When characters flow around a sharp curve or acute angle, Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10. Hit the 'Format' button, right next to 'Home'. You will learn to research.

Update 10/12/17: This post has been updated with several new alternatives identified over the past 10 months. The list now includes 13 AutoCAD alternatives over the original seven. Is a juggernaut in the drafting industry—and they know it. While they tend to produce sleek, full-featured products, they come at a high cost. In a market filled with terrible knockoffs, it can be tough to distill which products are worth your time—and which aren’t. Luckily, I’ve done the legwork to gather the top 13 AutoCAD alternatives for you.

I chose these alternatives using four criteria: • They read the same kinds of files that AutoCAD does • They integrate easily with AutoCAD itself • They’re intuitive to learn • T hey won’t break the bank By whittling down the options from our comprehensive list of products, I came up with 13 options that meet all four criteria. They are listed below in alphabetical order. (BricsCAD’s dashboard) If you’ve used AutoCAD before, BricsCAD’s interface will seem familiar.

It doesn’t have the ribbon, but is otherwise almost identical. The developer claims that it supports “hundreds” of third-party applications. BricsCAD integrates with the cloud, recognizes XREFS, has a robust rendering engine, and is largely customizable. The functionality is almost identical to AutoCAD; it has 2D drafting (ex: floor plans and technical drawings) and 3D modeling in.dwg format. The only major drawback to BrisCAD V15 Pro is that its document management tool is difficult, though not impossible, to learn. Used BricsCAD?!

Looking for a building design and architectural tool? Chief Architect is a solid choice. The software creates 3D models, construction drawings, CAD details, and elevations for residential home design projects. (Chief Architect’s dashboard) A niche tool in this segment, Chief Architect offers 3D visualization features, home interior designs, and smart architectural objects like doors, windows, stairs, and roof styles. There’s a steep learning curve, but what you get out of it is definitely worth the time you put in to learn the system.

Used Chief Architect?! (DesignCAD’s dashboard) Want a CAD program that won’t break the bank? DesignCAD is probably your best option.

At a, DesignCAD 3D Max v24—, made by the same people who make TurboCAD—, is a versatile tool that will fit (most) of your CAD needs. This CAD software is easy to learn and great for 3D and 2D architecture. It allows users to add texture and hatching and it can produce photorealistic models (for example: ). It has over 10,000 symbols to choose from and the navigation is easy. DesignCAD is customizable, and when help is needed, their phone and email help team, is available at no cost.

Where DesignCAD lacks is its compatibility. It’s compatible with DWG and DXF files, but does not support STL, DGN, or SKP files. That means that if you want to use your CAD program for 3D printing, you should look elsewhere.

Used DesignCAD?! (DraftSight’s dashboard) If you’re a student or individual looking for CAD software, this is your best option (because it’s free!). If you’re using it for a business, DraftSight offers two reasonable options: DraftSight Professional (for small and medium-sized businesses), and DraftSight Enterprise (). DraftSight is good for 2D modeling, but doesn’t run LISP routines and offers no express tools. That said, it can save and open DXF and DWG files, do batch printing, offers macro recording, and a huge design library. The free version of DraftSight doesn’t offer much—it’s good for quick calculations and drawings.

As you scale up, DraftSight begins to compete directly with AutoCAD. Used DraftSight?!

LibreCAD is an especially good option if (a) you’re a Linux user and (b) you want free CAD software that can read DWG files. If you’re a Windows of OS X user, it works perfectly fine on those systems as well.

(LibreCAD’s dashboard) In addition to reading DWG files (an option added in 2015), this open-source two-dimensional CAD program has the ability to export SVG files. And if you like open-source software with a large user community, this is the software for you.

The interface and handle concepts used by LibreCAD are the same as in AutoCAD, so it’s a seamless transition for those looking to abandon AutoCAD for a free and open source CAD option. Used LibreCAD? Windows Xp Service Pack 3 64 Bit Iso Free Download. ! A slightly pricier option,, Bentley’s Microstation PowerDraft is a popular software choice for architects and engineers. You can create traditional drawings as well as 2D and 3D hypermodels. The software supports various file formats including DWG, DGN, IFC, Esri, and SHP. Improve your drawings by including raster imagery, satellite pictures, and other templates using the software.

(PowerDraft’s dashboard) PowerDraft creates drawings, schedules, and reports directly from 3D and BIM models. While Microstation offers great 3D capabilities, AutoCAD beats it in 2D drafting. Microstation is also capable of handling large files. The two giants of the CAD industry are bound to have their die-hard fans and hard-hitting critics! Used Microstation PowerDraft?! NanoCAD is an entirely free AutoCAD alternative, –and its fully-featured version, nanoCAD Plus, is only $180. (nanoCAD’s dashboard) When comparing nanoCAD to AutoCAD, there are some notable differences.

NanoCAD doesn’t offer dynamic input, associative hatches, library objects with behavioral properties, or operations with solid 3D objects. However, it offers many features that AutoCAD doesn’t, including raster manipulations, an Excel-style table editor, and a linetype editor. Used nanoCAD?!

(ProgeCAD’s dashboard) ProgeCAD is for people who want AutoCAD but can’t afford it., ProgeCAD boasts over 11,000 2D symbols and an intuitive interface that’s relatively easy to learn. Want to make a new file using ProgeCAD? It automatically saves as a DWT file. CAD technicians can also save in DWG or DXF formats, and all three file types sync well with AutoCAD 2012. Some critics say that ProgeCAD is a direct AutoCAD knockoff. The program also struggles to read 3D geometry because it has to go through a proxy. Used ProgeCAD?!

(Sketchup’s dashboard) Formerly known as Google Sketchup, this is a great option for. Starting with a very basic version and moving up from there (), Sketchup is compatible with numerous file types (including DXF, DWG, FBX, OBJ, XSI, and VRML) and it can export images (including PDFs and HD animations). Sketchup is known for being easy to use—its website boasts, “If you want to be productive after just one day of training, you’ve come to the right place.” While Sketchup is a great package, it does lack some features. It doesn’t let you use NURBS surfaces, it only supports texture files that are, and there can be compatibility problems when importing images from other CAD programs. It also lacks wall tools. Used Sketchup?!

Solidworks 3D CAD software is a popular option for 3D sketchers who want CAD software with multiple features for detailed design work. The software has “intelligent design” tools that let you quickly produce detailed designs and check them for completeness. (Solidworks’ dashboard) Solidworks claims that their software will help designers quickly become proficient in 3D modeling, allowing them to more efficiently create designs and get them to market. Reviewers on Capterra praise the software for being intuitive and user-friendly, as well as the number of features it offers for those who want to design every single detail. Used Solidworks?! (TurboCAD’s dashboard) While a bit pricier than other AutoCAD alternatives at $1, 695, TurboCAD Pro Platinum is a full package with more features than AutoCAD 2014, including a smart dimension tool, 3D terrain modeling, and Ruby scripting.

TurboCAD stands apart from AutoCAD 2014 because it has more 3D modeling features—it excels at creating detailed and complicated images. Because this behemoth of a software has so many features, some users have noted that it can be difficult to learn.

Their support is decent—they have email and phone lines to call—but there isn’t much aid within the application itself. Used TurboCAD?! (Vectorworks’ dashboard) Are you a? Vectorworks directly competes with AutoCAD and is particularly popular among Apple users.

The program is straightforward to set up and use, and has OpenGL rendering. It is fully compatible with DWF/DXF/DWG files, and can easily exchange files with AutoCAD and Revit.

Vectorworks offers the complete package. This intuitive program allows users to move their BIM files around without re-rendering. Vectorworks 2014 and 2015 offer Sketch Mode for simple and conceptual drawings. Used Vectorworks?!

Want something evocative of AutoCAD at a lower price? ZWCAD has a similar interface and is customizable, with. (ZWCAD’s dashboard) ZWCAD 2017 is the most recent version and offers features such as file comparisone, super hatch, tool palettes, and object isolation. The software is compatible with AutoCAD and supports DWG, DXF, DWT, as well as DGN file formats.

The commands, linetypes, text styles, and hatch patterns are also similar to AutoCAD. The software has innovative features such as SmartVoice, SmartMouse, or SmartSelect that make working with the tool easier. The 3D functions are not as advanced as other CAD tools and the software currently only supports Microsoft Windows OS. What other great CAD options are out there? Is there a great CAD program that I missed? What do you use?

If you use AutoCAD, why do you prefer it? Let me know in the comments below! Love these AutoCAD alternatives? Let us know either way with a! Comment by John Doe on December 9, 2014 at 8:51 am A very usefull piece of research. 🙂 However, I’m a little surprised not to find VariCAD in your review. It’s a feature packed 3D CAD-Suite, complete with CNC control starting at only $750,- Right now they offer a 20% discount on the latest version including 1 year upgrade.

That’s $600,- for a real tool, not a toy. You may find the GUI a little 90’s. 😛 Comes in both Windows, MAC and Linux flavor, and should meet the other criterias in your round-up. Comment by Sander Scheiris on March 16, 2015 at 6:33 am Hi Rachel, I’m a bit disappointed you’ve chosen to highlight BricsCAD V12 in this comparison, a version form 2012. The current version, V15, does have the ribbon and a lot more. Here is a nice overview of what’s new in BricsCAD V15: BricsCAD V15 unifies advanced 2D design with the intelligence of 3D direct modeling for Windows, Linux, and Mac. Here is a short overview: – Familiar Interface: The powerful features that you know and love in a clean and consistent user experience.

– 2D Drafting: Create 2D technical drawings, floor plans, and other layouts quickly and accurately. – 3D Modeling: BricsCAD performs 3D direct modeling with assemblies in the standard.dwg format. And way more For a complete overview, please visit our web site We do have hundreds applications running on BricsCAD (today 390). A lot of these application used to run on AutoCAD. You can find the complete catalogue over here: I’m convinced that BricsCAD V15 is the best alternative out there.

Comment by Philip Hatfield on September 20, 2015 at 12:20 am 2 fold question: Do u know of any current CAD program similar to the old Claris Cad program? It was a very easy program to use, set up for quick access to draw graphic images. Had no command line box that gets in the way of ones creative thought process. Do u know the name of the company who purchased the rights to Claris CAD program?

If this acquisition is correct would you provide me with the name of that Company? Do you know if Claris’ line of programing was incorporate into their product or did they just bought out the competition? Comment by shane on October 5, 2015 at 9:53 am So software like Sketchup is listed and Vectorworks but no mention of Rhino or Medusa. I would have thought Rhino was the only true alternative to Autocad, to me Sketchup is more like Inventor or Revit. As a simple alternative you could even list Adobe Illustrator, or even some microvellum products, if in a production environment you normally find autocad, solidworks, solidedge, PTC, and in rare occasions Inventor. But as a general rule if you want autocad functions go to rhino as their are plenty of plugins for various other upgrades.

Or why not list blender, it’s a beast of a program that is happy to do 2d and 3d as well as game design and movie production. But if it’s not clear Rhino should be on the list, and at least Bobcad. Or even some of the cam programs like mastercam, and visualmill or even some of the delcam products, as these all have 2d and 3d cad incorporated. Comment by G. Rajagopal on December 8, 2015 at 7:30 am You have done a reasonably good job in narrowing down to the top 7 alternates to AutoCAD considering the fact that dozens of such low cost software are available today.

However, I see that your analysis seems to be more inclined towards the architectural segment, letting aside mainstream mechanical, HVAC, MEP, structural and the likes. Has anyone tried CADMATE 2016?

CADMATE 2016 is the latest and the best in the basket of alternatives. It is very fast, smooth, strong and 100% compatible with AutoCAD. What makes it a reliable and no-nonsense investment is it’s proximity to AutoCAD. Try it free for 30 days.

CADMATE 2016 supports.net APIs (in addition to other APIs), comes with a Barcode & QR Code recording feature and tons of new tools. With AutoCAD jumping to “subscription” mode, clearly the door is open for quality replacements.

The monopoly of the “big white elephant” has ended. I am sure all CAD companies will hope to offer products to fill the new market of the great Autocad escapees!

And in my opinion no other AutoCAD alternative has so much to offer as CADMATE 2016 has. Comment by Alex Carnes on January 30, 2016 at 10:14 am I’m using ActCAD. It’s produced by an Indian company and built around the very latest version of IntelliCAD. It’s not perfect but nor is AutoCAD, and the engineers are helpful and seem highly motivated to improve their product.

Very good 3D functionality, 2D drafting is pretty much as good as anything, excellent DWG file compatability, and offers x64 support unlike some other IntelliCAD builds. Oh and it’s very cheap! Not perfect but very very good and likely to get better. Give it a try! Comment by Rob S.

On February 3, 2016 at 10:07 am I absolutely HATE the ribbon menu system. If it has a ribbon, I just don’t want it. The classic structured pulldowns are fast and easy to navigate, and they take up so much less screen real estate.

Given how close Autodesk and Microsoft had become, it’s no surprise that the hideous ribbon found its way into Autocad. I know there are people who do like the ribbon, but I’m not one of them. That said, it’s tough to find a decent acad alternative out there.

I’ve been using acad since v9.0 and seen a lot of transition. Their changes when they went to v2000 really showed a change in company philosophy that caused some concern. They used to listen to the drafting people to get feedback on how to improve acad, but now it seems more like internal corporate managerial buzzword influence makes the decisions.

Nanocad looks to be a good shot as well as Progecad (as long as they keep their structured pulldown menu systems). Progecad also has a civil package, and if that’s decent to pick up as an alternative to acad, then that may be the choice. Most important these days for the small offices is NOT having that “subscription” model that Autodesk has moved to. You could actually see the transition to annual software version changes with the antivirus industry in the 90’s. Then regular software developers realized annual versioning could be a cash cow, and when that wasn’t enough, NOW they want to go the idiotic route of subscription based only. Stand alone licenses are the best way, and always have been.

People will upgrade if they feel like it, but if they’re automatically forced to upgrade against their will, this is never a good thing especially when the software developer has made drastic changes with the interface negatively affecting productivity. With the annual versioning of software, you often saw changes in the interfaces that made little sense, and they did this justify the annual update to make it look like they were busy. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! There were a lot of things that autocad really needed to have improved and innovated, but the menu system wasn’t one of them. OK my axe is plenty sharp now 😀. Comment by David Cook on April 23, 2016 at 5:13 pm Rachel, This listing and all the responses have been very helpful. Regardless of what app’s end up on this list, it would be incredible helpful to summarize the programs in a side-by-side comparison matrix.

Out immediate needs are to create panel drawings (engineering, not architecture). Today we don’t need 3D modeling, but it would be nice to know if there is an upgrade path. Our needs are import and export of AutoCAD file types plus any others. Thanks, David. Comment by Nigel Varley on May 25, 2016 at 2:38 am The article misses out on a huge array of AutoCAD alternatives, if you can call them that. If you are including SketchUp in the mix then you may as well include every CAD software on earth, and there are hundreds of different ones. I see no mention of RealCAD.

RealCAD is by far the best we create it 🙂. But seriously surely if you are looking at a true AutoCAD alternative you need to be comparing only CAD software that looks and feels like AutoCAD and uses DWG file format? BricsCAD is the best of these we feel. Comment by A.D. On August 12, 2016 at 3:24 am Hi Guys, Over the years I have tried many alternatives to AutoCAD.

(Including draftsight, intellicad, progecad, briscad, zwcad, and so on) While most of them look promising and identical to AutoCAD in look and feel, almost all of them suck big time when you deploy them on large projects involving BIG data. As I was just about to give up on them (the alternatives), I came across this gem of a kind CADMATE 2016. This is an awesome package. Almost identical to AutoCAD, same toolbars, keyboard shorcuts, works same way as AutoCAD to the last details. Handles BIG data as good as the Original. Try it yourself.

Comment by Nigel Varley on August 17, 2016 at 9:38 pm RealCAD is great for those who need an AutoCAD alternative that’s easier to use and works on either Mac or PC. It handles DWG, DXF and CAD format files and has brilliant support for those just embarking on using CAD software. IronCAD is also a great alternative not mentioned in any of the above, I guess because it is way ahead of old school products like AutoCAD. IronCAD would be my choice for any mechanical design need, and RealCAD for any 2D drafting.

Comment by Murali Krishna on September 4, 2016 at 11:23 am ActCAD 2017 is based on latest IntelliCAD 8.2a engine and is available in Classic, Standard and Professional Versions. ActCAD is a native DWG, DXF and DGN CAD software with both 2D and 3D capabilities along with Rendering. The interface is very similar to OtherCAD and shortcuts and aliases are also same. We use ACIS 3D technology from Spatial Systems which is the same technology used by AUTO-CAD. Hence there won’t be any loss of data during inter-operation. Please visit compete details.

Comment by Joe Dunfee on January 2, 2017 at 3:15 pm I have been a long-time user of BricsCAD. For a long time, it was the king of the DWG compatible alternatives. But, there seems to be a lot of competition now. There is one thing that I have not seen anywhere, except in GStarCAD, Dynamic Block creation. But, software is now so dependent upon the cloud, So, getting software from a country known for ignoring copyright laws does not garner a lot of confidence in being able to keep my data to myself. If China and the U.S. Ever break ties, I need to also consider that my software may stop working.

Does anyone know of any other alternative than GStarCAD, that is able to author Dynamic Blocks?

Three Ways to Put a Frame around Your Text in AutoCAD 28 Sep, 2015 If you’ve ever needed to put a frame around your AutoCAD text objects, then you’ll appreciate this quick tip from Autodesk Evangelist Lynn Allen who shows you three very different ways to accomplish that very goal — all with different advantages! Video Transcript Hello there, this is Lynn Allen. Thank you so much for joining me for another AutoCAD tip, courtesy of the fabulous Cadalyst magazine. I'm coming to you from Santiago, Chile, where it is really quite cold. So that would mean that it is chilly in Chile.

Oh yeah, I said it. Let's move along.

Today I'm going to be sharing with you three different ways to put a boundary around your text — three different ways of going about it. That's something that we end up having to do from time to time. The first way is probably the most logical. Maybe not the fastest or easiest, but by all means, there's nothing wrong with simply going into the Rectangle command and drawing a good old rectangle around your text. Of course, you can control the width, you can control the layer, so on and so forth. That's pretty basic. I'm going to undo that.

Not very exciting. Makes it a little tougher for you to control the exact distance the rectangle is from the text. Okay, let's take a look at an Express Tool that may not be very obvious because the name of the Express Tool is TCircle, which makes you think that it's only going to allow you to put a circle around objects. But in reality, it will let you do other things as well. It allows you to do rectangles, and it allows you to do slots around objects.

I'm going to go ahead and select this text over here. You'll see that it asks you for an offset factor. That's a little bit easier than using the Rectangle command. So I have complete control of the size of that rectangle that's going to go around my text. Here you'll see — enclose text with circles, slots, or rectangles. I'm in for rectangles, and I want the same distance all the way around it. There you'll see that I very quickly, very easily now have a boundary around my text.

That's number 2. The last one is only for those of you who have AutoCAD 2016. It's got kind of an interesting way of going about it. I'm going to select this mtext over here. I'm going to go into Properties, and you'll see if I slide this down, there is a new option inside of AutoCAD 2016, only in Properties. Don't ask me how to get to it any other way.

It allows you to say — you can see it showing up already — it allows me to say 'Yes.' It will put a frame around my text, as it likes to call it there — rectangle around my text. Do I have any control over exactly the size of the rectangle, how far off it is from the text — absolutely not. I have no idea how to control that. But it is a fast, speedy way to put text — excuse me, to put a boundary box around your text.

The trick there is you have to — you can't do it in the MText Editor, you can't do it as you are putting the text on the screen. You have to put the text on the screen and in your drawing file, and then go into Properties. So that is three different ways to put a bounding box or a frame or a rectangle — whatever you want to call it — around your text. Pick the one that's easiest for you to work with and does the job for you. I will see you back here in two more weeks. Comments Re: Three Ways to Put a Frame around Your Text in Auto.

By: Gilbone on: October 24, 2017 - 11:52am Control the size of the Text Frame by setting the Background Mask size. Re: Three Ways to Put a Frame around Your Text in Auto. By: rickwitt on: December 21, 2016 - 11:46am #1 Agreed. Rectangles have their uses, but are clumsy. #2 The Express Tool is nice but the capsule, box or circle is not grouped with the text and cannot be moved together. #3 The Properties solution works, and 'groups' the element and text together, BUT it only works with MTEXT, not TEXT.

Re: Three Ways to Put a Frame around Your Text in Auto. By: Kirin on: October 17, 2015 - 12:42pm There are two more ways as long as I know of. One is using MLeader with a frame on, then I take out the leader. You can change the text justification if you like.

When you revise the text, the frame automatically updates. One more way is making a frame block and make it into a dynamic block with stretch function. If you add non plot line(s) and/or insertion point as guideline to the dynamic block, it will make the block even better. Re: Three Ways to Put a Frame around Your Text in Auto. By: BAGlover on: September 30, 2015 - 3:31pm Lynn, You actually can control the distance between the frame and the text.

Select the text and open the Properties palette. Turn the Background Mask on and set the Border Offset Factor to 3.0. Then turn the Text Frame on in the Properties Palette. The distance between the text and the frame will be greater than the standard default.

You can turn the Background Mask off at this point and the spacing will remain set. Future text boxes will be created at the default spacing, but can easily be changed via Match Properties. You forgot to mention the best reason for using the Text Frame option. The Text frame automatically changes size with the text if the note gets larger/smaller, or if the text font size changes.

-Brian- Re: Three Ways to Put a Frame around Your Text in Auto. By: KarenSue on: September 28, 2015 - 11:47am Lynn, you have way too much fun, girl!! Awesome tip to share!

Video 11 Dec, 2017 You know you want it: With a click of a button you can convert PDF files to AutoCAD objects. No more tedious tracing on top of PDFs to recreate objects? It’s time to celebrate! >>Video 27 Nov, 2017 Don’t settle for a wimpy command line that is difficult to see — make it bold and clear! Join Lynn Allen as she shows you how to make your command line stand out so you won’t miss a thing that AutoCAD is telling you! >>Video 13 Nov, 2017 Sometimes the text commands prompt you for a height, and sometimes they don’t — what’s up with that?

Join Autodesk Evangelist Lynn Allen as she shows you how to control the AutoCAD text height with the Style command for maximum productivity! >>Video 23 Oct, 2017 Have you ever been asked to coordinate your AutoCAD drawings with a Navisworks file? Join Lynn Allen as she shows you how easy it is to bring a Navisworks file into AutoCAD and draw objects within the file (and avoid clashes!). >>Video 9 Oct, 2017 Join Lynn Allen as she addresses the number-one question she gets about her videos. She’ll also show you how docking palettes for easy access can save you lots of time!

>>Video 25 Sep, 2017 If you’ve ever grabbed the endpoint of an extension line rather than the intended object, or wished you could grab the individual objects in a crosshatch pattern, then this tip is for you! Join Lynn Allen as she shows you how to manage the object snap behavior as it relates to hatch patterns and. >>Video 11 Sep, 2017 So you think you know all there is to know about Undo?

Join Lynn Allen as she shows you how to have ultimate control over the Undo behavior in AutoCAD, so you can customize it for maximum productivity. >>Video 28 Aug, 2017 So you think you can Undo? There’s so much more to it than just using the simple U command.

Join Lynn Allen as she shows you a few of the many options in AutoCAD’s Undo command — and puts you on the road to instant productivity!