Best Free CAD Software (2D/3D CAD Programs) BabaCad. It also offers a Sketcher with constraint-solver, allowing you to sketch 2D shapes; a robot simulation to study robot movements, and a Path module dedicated to mechanical machining like milling (CAM), and can output, display, and adjust G code. The best home design software is a great start to designing your own dream home or make alterations to your current one. It’s a great way to visualise what your new home could look like inside and out, or how that modification you’d like to make would fit in with the rest of your property.
Let’s face it–there’s a lot to learn as you’re starting out in CNC. And, given that CNC is all about computer-controlled machine tools, a lot of that learning has to do with software. Anyone new to the field will have to get an understanding of the basic software suite that underpins all CNC work. There are a lot of different kinds of CNC Software which I like to call “Digital Tooling.” You don’t need to know about all of it, but if you’re curious we have a Complete Guide to CNC Software that breaks down exactly what it all does.
The Minimum Beginner’s CNC Software Suite
What you’re looking for is the minimum set of software to support the basic CADCAM Workflow:
To do that, you’ll want the following types of software:
- CAD Software: CAD is drawing on the computer, but with measurements applied to the drawings. Use it to create and revise your designs. CAD Software is how “blueprints” for parts are created in the CNC world.
- CAM Software: CAM takes a CAD drawing file in and with a lot of hints from you, uses the information to create g-code. G-Code is what your CNC machine is programmed with.
- Feeds and Speeds Calculator: While a lot of CAM packages have some notion of Feeds and Speeds, it’s really terrible. Poor Feeds and Speeds was one of the top complaints about CAM Software in our annual surveys. As a beginner, you’ll want all the help you can get to avoid breaking tools, and a Feeds and Speeds Calculator will make that easy for you.
- Controller Software: This is usually built into your CNC Machine, so we won’t talk about it much here.
We”ll go over each one and see what you should look for before purchasing the software and what some of the best choices for you to consider are. Before we do that, I want to touch on a couple of more general topics. First, I want to go over whether Free Software is right for you. Second, I want to talk about how Pros and Beginner/Hobbyists approach this software differently, and how that should affect how you’re choosing your software.
Free Software: Is it Right for You?
We offer a comprehensive guide to Free CNC Software, but before you go scurrying off in that direction, stop and ask yourself:
Is Free Software right for me?
The answer is not obvious, despite what your wallet may be telling you. The problem is that free software is seldom the best in anything but price. As I already mentioned, there’s a lot to learn to be making parts successfully and routinely via CNC. Do you really want to have to fight an uphill battle against non-intuitive and often buggy software just to save a couple of bucks? Take my word for it, you don’t. The free software that’s available is vastly inferior to the paid, and there are many paid packages that are not all that expensive anyway.
You only need to come up with three packages–CAD, CAM, and Feeds/Speeds Calculator. There are even deals available that bundle a couple of these together. Read on to check them out. They’ll save you loads of time and frustration in exchange for a few dollars. Getting off to a great start in CNC is worth it!
Pro vs Beginner/Hobbyist Software
In many pursuits, it’s tempting to want to start with the best. Get what the Pro’s use, how can you regret it?
The reason why that may not be the best approach is that Pros and Beginners need to solve different problems.
Consider: many shops run the market-leading software packages because they need to work with Customers and they need to be able to hire Talent that’s familiar with the software Day 1 without requiring a lot of expensive training to come up to speed.
Beginners and Hobbyists shouldn’t care less about either one of those issues.
Pros need the software that performs best for someone who is an expert in using the software. They want CAD that lets experts create precision drawings faster. They want CAM software that generates g-code that executes as fast as possible on their CNC machine, even if that means only experts can make the software do anything at all. While faster drawing and faster g-code may sound great, Beginners and Hobbyists often just want to get to making their parts as soon as possible. Who wants to invest hundreds of hours before you can do even something simple?
I’ve got a lot more to say in my article on how Pros vs Beginners choose software, but let’s keep it simple here:
You want software that’s easy to learn and affordable, even if it isn’t the ultimate in powerful.
If you can accept that and stick to it, you’ll be up and running your own CNC parts a lot faster.
CAD Software for Beginners and Hobbyists
Step one is to find some CAD software you can learn to love. This is the software you’ll be using more than any other of the 3 basic packages, and it will take the most time to master as well. The very first thing you need to know is that there is no one single best CAD package for everyone. There’s not even a best for Beginners.
That’s because different individuals will find different packages to be more or less intuitive (i.e. in tune with the way they think about drawing on computers) and therefore easier to learn. You’re going to need to invest 2 weeks or so trying out each package you put on your short list, and I advise you to try to put 3 packages on the list. If you’re building a CNC Machine, or waiting for one to arrive, spend that time wisely trying out CAD packages to find the right one for you.
I’ll tell you more about how to try them out once you’ve got your short list, but first, here are a few things to think about when putting together your short list of CAD packages to consider.
Market Share
As a Beginner/Hobbyist, you don’t want an obscure package that very few people are using. You want something that many are using so it’ll be around for a long time and so you can find people to help you with it. Good news: we have extensively surveyed CNC’ers about CAD and CAM and can tell you what the market shares are.
Integrated CADCAM Packages
Here’s another tempting possibility. Integration always sounds good, right? And most CAM packages have built-in CAD. So maybe we don’t need to worry about CAD. Maybe we just choose the right CAM and it will take care of the problem with its integrated CAD.
There are two things that I want you to take away about prospects for integration. First, it is far more important that you have a great CAD package than that you have an integrated CADCAM package. Most of the all-in-one packages with two exception (Fusion360 and Aspire) are riddled with compromise when we talk about CAM software that has built-in CAD function. For that reason, I highly recommend that if you want integration, you look for CAM that integrates with a successful CAD vendor’s package. It so happens that Fusion 360 is such a package, which is probably why it is the one exception.
Second, Integration is far more important to Professionals than Hobbyists and Beginners. Basically, take it if the CAD and CAM you choose are compatible and the right choices on their own, but don’t worry about integration otherwise.
Community
I’m a big believer that Community should absolutely be your first consideration when selecting your CAD software. As a Beginner or Hobbyist, you will need help learning the software. You’ll have questions. And, you don’t know what you don’t know. A thriving online community can help with all that.
Take your list of potential CAD software, and go looking for great online communities that support that software. I can tell you right now that all things Autodesk, including Fusion 360 have great online communities. Solidworks has a great online community. Rhino3D, which would otherwise be one of my favorites, uses a very old-fashioned (dating back almost pre-PC) approach to online community that’s not very user friendly. I’m not sure I can recommend it for that reason.
Be sure to visit YouTube as well, as having access to learning videos is extremely helpful. Here’s some data on Market Share and YouTube videos for various CAD packages to help you out:
Any package with hundreds of thousands to over a million available YouTube videos is going to be easy to find free online training for. And BTW, those are the top 6 packages by market share from our survey too.
Affordability
Most Beginners and Hobbyists can’t spend $4000 on a CAD package any more than they can by a brand new state-of-the-art VMC. They need something affordable, and that means hundreds of dollars, not thousands of dollars.
The good news is that the markets recognize this to a greater or lesser extent. In fact, you can get every one of the packages above in a price range that’s affordable for Beginners and Hobbyists. I don’t want to publish the scoop on all of it here because I’m afraid that would make the special deals go away, but if you want to sign up for the Freebie below, I can email the details to you:
2D vs 3D/Solid Modeling
In this day and age, why consider a pure 2D CAD system? All the reputable 3D systems can read and write DXF (the most popular 2D file format) and can create 2D models as well.
How to Evaluate and Choose Your CAD Software
OK, we’ve gotten this far and we have a few rules of thumb to use in getting to our short list. Now that you’re down to just 2 or 3 choices, it’s time to evaluate those choices. You need to invest some serious time to doing that. I recommend you spend 2 weeks on each package. That’s because it’ll take that long to get past the initial frustration and learning curve so you can begin to discover whether the package suits you or not.
In addition, I recommend you try to draw at least 3 or 4 of the same parts in each package you’re evaluating. That can help make the comparisons more Apples-to-Apples. Pick something simple to start with. Here’s the first part I ever drew in a CAD package:
It’s hard to tell, but it’s a backplate for a lathe chuck. It’s just complicated enough to be a real example, but there aren’t so many different features on the drawing that it takes forever to learn how to do. An even simpler part would be this 4 barrel carburetor spacer plate:
That one comes from my article “Secrets of Going From CAD, Image, DXF, or STL to GCode for CNC and 3D Printing“.
You should also draw something that requires multiple components. This is what the CAD world calls an “Assembly”, and it’s something you’ll wind up doing a lot. Here are some simple assemblies I’ve drawn:
YoYo’s can be awesome CNC projects!
More into tooling? Here’s a vise stop I made that’s been a great help around the shop…
If you can draw all of those in each CAD package you’re evaluating (or similar things you want to draw), you’ve done your homework.
Here’s a pictorial guide if you want a detailed and deep process for choosing your CAD software:
Step 1: Build Your Candidate List…
Step 2: Do your online research…
Step 3: Hands-on Testing. Draw 3 parts in each CAD package to see which one is best for you…
Now ask yourself, “Which one was the easiest to learn?” And also, “Which one feels more natural so that I’d like to keep right on using it?”
In all likelihood, one of the packages will stand out from the others. Your choice will probably not be the same as your buddy’s choice or the choice of the gang in the online Machinist’s Board talking about CAD. That’s fine. We all have different styles. The important thing is to choose the software that’s best for you!
CAM Software for Beginners and Hobbyists
Having gotten your CAD software chosen and more or less under control, the next step is CAM software. Recall that the role of CAM is to take in the CAD model and generate g-code from it that your CNC machine can run.
Every beginner hears that bit about the role of CAM software and they get the wrong impression about 90% of CAM programs. They think they’re just going to load the CAD into the CAM package, push a button, and out comes their g-code ready to go. What a disappointing it is to learn that things are a LOT harder than that! At least in most cases, I will mention an exception shortly.
BTW, for 3D Printing, their equivalent of CAM is “Slicing” software, and it really is a lot simpler than CAM. I guess that’s one reason a lot of folks recommend beginners start with 3D printing. But here’s the thing:
If you’re willing to choose the right simplified CAM software instead of insisting on the all-time most powerful CAM, you can greatly reduce your learning curve.
Ask yourself, “Do you want to greatly extend your learning curve or do you want to get started making parts now?”
The Beginner’s Secret Weapon: World’s Easiest CAM Software
If you’re willing to accept a less powerful CAM program for a little while, you can get started making parts almost immediately. And, you’ll come as close to the ideal of “Push a button and automatically convert a CAD model to G-Code” as is possible.
The less powerful CAM program you want in this case is MeshCAM. When I discovered how easy it is to get results with MeshCAM, I went straight to the developers and begged them to let me be a MeshCAM dealer. I wanted to be able to share this incredible find with others, especially beginners. Personally, I really think every beginner should start with MeshCAM and graduate to something more powerful when you’re ready. It will get you making real parts faster than anything else out there.
But what do you give up?
MeshCAM makes some compromises in order to make things simple. These compromises have the following consequences:
- MeshCAM’s G-Code programs are not the optimal production-speed programs other CAM can produce. BTW, they’re not horrendously slow either, their just not going to be in the top 10-20% of the speed demons. For many hobby machinists, this doesn’t matter at all. If you’re trying to run a CNC Business, you won’t be able to afford the inefficiency for very long.
- MeshCAM’s G-Code programs may be longer than other CAM software. This is part of the whole efficiency thing, but looked at in a slightly different way. Unless your CNC Machine is old and has very little memory, this just isn’t going to matter to you at all.
- You may give up some precision. A lot of beginners get wrapped up in precision too early. Give a competitive person a number they can measure and suddenly they have to beat it. For most CNC Work, MeshCAM will be fine. If you need to have accuracy to the last thousandth, let alone the last ten thousandth of an inch, MeshCAM doesn’t give you enough control to accomplish that easily. For most beginners and hobbyists, this won’t matter at all.
On the other hand, there are literally TONs of concepts and skills you won’t need with MeshCAM:
- You don’t need to understand when and how to use a zillion different toolpath types. Our Toolpath overview page literally has 22 different types listed, and the better CAM packages can do them all. The trouble is, that’s a lot to learn just to understand when to use each one let alone how to set each one up. MeshCAM limits that to just a few and helps you determine which ones to use.
- Telling the CAM where on the CAD drawing to put the toolpath. This is a complex and often frustrating process for beginners to master. Establishing coordinate systems, origins, and designating different features to your CAM software is a hassle. Yes, it gives you ultimate control over what happens, but there’s no middle ground for beginners. With MeshCAM, it takes the CAD drawing as a hole and figures out how to deal with it. You answer a bare minimum of questions to get it going.
- Tool Libraries, Style Sheets, and more. Fancy CAM has fancy power user features. In many cases, they make you use them whether or not you need them. MeshCAM has thrown away most of this in the interests of simplicity. That means you get g-code for simple jobs done a LOT faster.
MeshCAM has a free trial, so I seriously recommend you give it a try before you even look at the competition.
I Need the POWER!
Yeah, I get it. All the guys over on the Machinist’s Board have gotten you all wound up about how awesome the Acme Terminator Super Whiz Bang CAM software is. They learned it, they say it was easy, so why can’t you learn it too?
Of course the answer is you CAN learn it. It’s just a question of how long it will take. So let’s borrow as many pages as we can from our CAD evaluation. Look for:
- Community. Keep a special eye out for video
- Market Share & Lots of YouTube Videos: I’ll give you the list below. Watch a ton of those videos and see which ones are easier to follow. That may be because that CAM package is easier to follow!
- Affordability: You don’t need a $10,000 CAM package. You don’t even need a $1000 package in all likelihood.
- Plan to try 2 or 3 packages. Spend up to 2 weeks on each.
Okay, let’s have a look at market share. These charts are from our 2017 CAM Survey.
You could do worse than to take the top 5 off this chart as your starting point. I want to include what’s called the “Tiered” packages too. These are offered at multiple price ranges:
Cut to the chase with Bob’s Short List of CAM Packages
Let me cut to the chase. I’ve looked at most of these packages in great detail. I talk to LOTs of folks, and have done lots of these surveys. My takeaway is you want to consider the following:
- MeshCAM: Just because it really is the easiest by a wide margin.
- CamBam: Cheap and cheerful. This is what you get if you take conventional CAM, greatly simplify it, and leave out a lot of Power User Features. Think of it as a Mustang among Corvettes and Porsches. Not the ultimate but a pretty sweet ride. My only issue with it is I wonder whether it sits too close to MeshCAM without the simplicity and too far from the other two without the power. I kinda think it is, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t spend time with it and make up your own mind.
- Vectric/Aspire: This software is hugely popular with the CNC Router crowd because it does so many cool things for making fancy signs and artistic designs. I like it a whole lot, and if I wanted to do a bunch of artsy stuff, I would choose it over Fusion 360 for sure.
- Fusion 360: This is the current fave at the low end. If nothing else it marries a pretty high-powered CAM Package (HSM Works) with pretty good CAD at an incredibly low price. What’s not to like? Well, let me be honest. I use Fusion 360 more than any other CAM, but I hate how buggy it is and I think it’s User Interface is the worst of any of the packages I talk about here. It’s a fairly nasty uphill slog to become proficient, and if you don’t use it constantly, you will backslide and have to relearn things that should be obvious. But, once you are proficient, you will rock with it. Except when the bugs are biting.
Here are the stats on YouTube videos available for each:
In fairness to MeshCam, it’s so simple I can’t imagine what you would make over 2500 videos about. But you can clearly see that Fusion 360 and Vectric Aspire have a ton of videos available for you to learn from.
Personally, I recommend you evaluate all four packages. Get the free trials. But get them one at a time. And be sure to do the MeshCAM trial first. That way you’ll see how easy it can be. With that in mind, what you’re evaluating with the others is whether you think you can get proficient fast enough to be satisfied skipping MeshCAM and going to something else that’s more powerful. If you can, great! But if you can’t, no worries. MeshCAM has your back until you have enough experience to want to try something else again.
Feeds and Speeds Calculators
You’ve got CAD and CAM covered, you are ready to make parts, right?
Hang on there! Friends don’t let friends make parts with CAM software feeds and speeds. Simply put, CAM software does a lousy job of it, something our survey respondents have told us year after year. Plus, when we surveyed folks and asked them what was hard to learn about CNC, guess what they said?
Ouch!
Feeds and Speeds are by far the hardest thing to learn. Much harder than CAD or CAM. That’s why you need a good Feeds and Speeds Calculator. And boy have I got one for you.
The World’s First Feeds and Speeds Calculator Built for Beginners and Hobbyists
I won’t lie–our G-Wizard Feeds and Speeds Calculator is AWESOME for professional CNC’ers. That’s why thousands of the world’s best manufacturers use it.
But, at the same time, I have talked to literally thousands of CNC Beginners and helped them through all the common problems. And every time I discovered a case where lots of people were hitting the same problem, I tried to build the solution into G-Wizard Calculator. I wanted it to help beginners to help themselves before they got into trouble. That process continues to this day. Here are just some of the things G-Wizard does especially for Beginners:
- It is set up to deal with the limitations of lightweight CNC machines. It will adjust your Feeds and Speeds to what your machine can handle.
- It gives you lots of written Tips that professionals take for granted but beginners don’t get to learn unless they’re lucky enough to be mentored by professional CNC’ers.
- It has a powerful “Cheat Sheet” that lets you tailor your cuts as you wish. Do you want to go faster? Slower? Get better finish? Longer tool life? The Cheat Sheet is built in and will tailor Feeds and Speeds for your goals.
- Getting Started Tours and Glossary. We offer the best training in the business with guided tours, worked examples, and even a built-in glossary of terminology. This is all stuff many had to dig out bit by bit that G-Wizard gives you in easy to consume tidbits.
To learn more about exactly why G-Wizard is perfect for beginners and hobbyists, visit our G-Wizard page for Beginners & Hobbyists:
[ Tell Me More About G-Wizard for Beginners & Hobbyists ]
Secret Tip: How Manual Machinists Can Sidestep CADCAM
You’ve got pretty much the whole story of how a Beginner can get their CNC Software act together on the cheap and have the best solution for their needs. Just one or two more things I need to cover.
If you’re an accomplished Manual Machinist, this section is for you. If not, go ahead and skip it.
Manual Machinists can make parts without needing CAD or CAM software. You know that if you’re a Manual Machinist. But here’s the thing–you can do the same only even better on a CNC Machine!
That’s right, you can leverage your skills to be making parts right away. Yes, you will want to learn CADCAM too, but for now, you can be at least as productive as you are on a manual machine with a minimal learning curve.
MDI Makes Your CNC a Manual Machine With Power Feeds and DRO’s
The first thing to realize is you can run your CNC a lot like a manual machine using something called “MDI”. It stands for “Manual Data Input.” Basically, you type in a simple command and the machine executes it immediately. Those commands are g-code, but all you need is a simple subset consisting of just 10 g-codes. We give you everything you need to master it in our G-Code Course. Go ahead and check it out. You can be making chips on a CNC in a matter of hours.
A Manual Machinist who understand MDI can basically treat a CNC Machine as a manual machine that has DRO’s and Power Feed on every axis. You’ll quickly see it’s even better though. For example, the “DRO’s” are tied into the power feeds and you can set them to stop feeding at a precise coordinate. Also, you can move in any direction, not just X or Y. So you can cut diagonals. Plus, circles and arcs are easy–no need to set up a Rotab. It’s pretty sweet once you understand how easy it is to make chips this way.
Conversational Programming Takes You A Step Further Than MDI
Ever hear of “Conversational Programming?”
It’s the next step past MDI. Basically, you answer questions in a simple Wizard and it spits out g-code you can then run. The questions are simple and things any manual machinist could easily answer. For example. Suppose you’re want to turn a bunch of OD’s on a CNC Lathe. Here’s the Conversational Programming Wizard for it:
You can create a g-code program to cut a bunch of OD’s on a part really fast with Conversational Programming. Learn more about it here.
Smokin’ Special Deal!
Hey you stuck with us through a very thorough but long article–I appreciate it! I know this stuff is important, that’s why I work so hard to put these articles together. But I’d like to reward you with a Smokin’ Deal.
How about a copy of MeshCAM and a 1 year license for our G-Wizard Feeds and Speeds Calculator?
If you buy MeshCAM from the developers, it’s normally $250. And, if you buy the 1 year G-Wizard Calculator from us, it’s normally $79. Together, they’d wind up costing you a total of $329. I can let you have them both together for $259 so you save $70. Put another way, I am giving you GW Calculator for just $9 instead of $79.
Whoa! You don’t see those kinds of deals every day, but this one will get you started making parts fast.
If you’re interested, you can purchase the deal just by clicking here:
BTW, if you’re worried about GW Calculator only being 1 year, don’t. At the end of the year, when it expires, every single features keeps working. The only thing that changes is there will be a spindle power limit of 1 horsepower. That’s all many hobbyists need, and they’ve got that for life. If you want more, it’s super easy to renew too.
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In the old days, Macs used to be way behind PCs when it came to CAD software. Nowadays that’s all changed and there are some superb Computer Aided Design packages available for Mac users.
Of course, there are still a few major titles such as Solidworks which still isn’t available on Mac but from incredibly user friendly 2D CAD software like SmartDraw to industry leading professional 2D/3D CAD apps like AutoCAD & AutoCAD LTthe options are better than ever.
All of the following apps can handle 2D CAD design and the most powerful ones are suitable for 3D design and modelling too.
If you’re looking for something to redesign your home with, you might find our look at the best home design software for Mac useful too.
Here then is our list of the best CAD software on Mac in order of ranking.
1. SmartDraw (Easiest For 2D CAD)
If you’re looking for something powerful for 2D CAD design but amazingly easy to use and value for money, SmartDraw is the best 2D CAD software for Mac on the market.
SmartDraw is incredibly flexible because it can be used both as a powerful diagramming alternative to Microsoft Visio but also as a powerful but extremely user friendly CAD tool for 2D design.
What we really like about doing 2D CAD with SmartDraw is:
- 40,000+ Quick Start Templates: SmartDraw has more templates than any other CAD tool on Mac with everything from floor plans and office plans to electrical schematics, mechanical and architectural designs.
- CAD Automation: As you add elements, SmartDraw also automatically “snaps” everything together to help keep your designs organized, symmetrical and connected. It basically automates the often annoying fiddly aspects to CAD design and this we find incredibly time saving and stress reducing.
- 34,000 Symbols & Objects: We’ve never seen so many high quality vector symbols and objects in a 2D tool than you can drag and drop into designs.
- Value For Money: Compared to most 2D CAD software on this level, it’s not outrageously expensive plus you’re not only getting a CAD software, you’re getting an entire host of other diagramming tools.
You can get started now with SmartDraw for free to see exactly what it can do.
You can also check out our full SmartDraw review for Mac & PC for an in-depth look at everything it can do.
2. AutoCAD LT / AutoCAD (Best For 2D/3D CAD – 20% Off Until May 23rd)
AutoCAD is one of the CAD industry’s leading tools but it wasn’t until 2010 that Autodesk finally released AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT for Mac. You can download AutoCAD LT as a Mac desktop client and you can also use it online via the AutoCAD LT web app.
Th full version of AutoCAD does both 2D and 3D design but if you don’t need 3D modelling, AutoCAD LT is 75% cheaper than the full version of AutoCAD and excellent value for money for a CAD tool on this level.
For a limited period until May 23rd 2019, you can also get 20% off AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT.
Both AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT are incredibly professional tools that virtually invented the industry standard DWG file format.
Here’s a few of the reasons we like AutoCAD LT 2019 and AutoCAD so much:
- They’re both powerful & easy to learn: Many architects start life learning the ropes on AutoCAD products because it’s powerful but has an extremely intuitive interface that makes it easy to get to grips with.
- TouchBar support: AutoCAD is one of the only CAD drafting tools which supports the TouchBar on the latest Macs. We find this seriously speeds-up your workflow because you don’t have to use the TouchPad or mouse all the time. This shows that Autodesk take Mac users seriously and aren’t just pushing the Windows version onto macOS like many developers do.
- Superb web & mobile apps: The latest version of AutoCAD LT 2019 allows you to edit via a web browser and on your iPad or iPhone. The AutoCAD mobile and web apps are extremely close to the desktop version meaning you can edit projects anywhere.
- The 3D modelling features are amazing: AutoCAD produces probably some of the most stunning results on retina Macs you’ll see in any CAD software (although this is not available in AutoCAD LT).
- Value for money: AutoCAD LT costs 75% less than AutoCAD and you can always upgrade to AutoCAD later if you need 3D capabilities. With AutoCAD LT, you’re basically getting the same product as AutoCAD for a quarter of the cost only without the 3D features. You can see exactly how AutoCAD LT compares to AutoCAD here.
You can also get 10% off all 3 year subscriptions on AutoCAD products for a limited period. You can choose to pay month-to-month and cancel at any time.
Until May 23rd 2019, you can also get 20% off AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT.
Note that if you’re based in Europe, you have to use the Autodesk Europe store to buy AutoCAD software.
Those in the UK need to go direct to the Autodesk UK store.
When it comes to professional architecture, engineering and construction blueprints, AutoCAD LT & AutoCAD For Mac are industry leading tools.
3. TurboCAD Mac Deluxe
If you don’t want subscription based software and need an intermediate level CAD solution, TurboCAD Mac Deluxe is an affordable standalone desktop 2D and 3D CAD tool for Mac.
TurboCAD is already a major player on Windows providing strong competition for AutoCAD although it’s still not as well known on Mac.
TurboCAD uses the same engine as the highly respected Solidworks but has a more ViaCAD style interface.
TurboCAD Mac Deluxe is far more user-friendly than both Solidworks and ViaCAD however and is ideal for designing floor plans, diagrams, and illustrations.
One particularly nice feature is the ability to open 3D DWG (AutoCAD files) and even convert them into 2D with top and bottom side views.
TurboCAD Mac Deluxe is a good choice for those new to CAD as it has lots of online help and video tutorials to familiarize you with the interface.
One of the best things about TurboCAD Deluxe is the price.
At $129.99 for a standalone 2D/3D CAD software, it’s extremely good value for money compared to similar apps.
Although TurboCAD Deluxe is too lightweight for professonal use, there is also an advanced version of TurboCAD (see TurboCAD Mac Pro below) which gives even AutoCAD a run for its money.
4. TurboCAD Mac Pro
TurboCAD Mac Pro is a more powerful version of TurboCAD Mac Deluxe and provides a cost effective alternative to AutoCAD.
Compared to TurboCAD Mac Deluxe, the Pro version has a much better 64-bit user interface, integrated Redway drawing engine, Page Layout wizard, BOM and mating tools.
The Mac version of TurboCAD is also easier to use than the Windows version of TurboCAD as it allows you to customize the palette and interface pretty much any way you want.
You can design almost anything in TurboCAD Pro from something as simple as designing a bike to creating the blueprint for an entire building.
There’s also a TurboCAD Pro Powerpack for an extra $99 which adds support for things such as 3D printing, advanced design and BIM.
Although TurboCAD Pro doesn’t quite match-up to industry heavyweight AutoCAD, TurboCAD Mac Pro costs $499.99 which is considerably cheaper than an AutoCAD subscription.
Unlike AutoCAD, there’s no subscription either although bear in mind you will have to pay for major updates.
5. Fusion 360
Fusion 360 is made by Autodesk, the creators of AutoCAD and is the replacement for Autodesk Inventor.
Autodesk Fusion 360 isn’t quite as powerful as AutoCAD but is aimed at the product design focused “prosumer” CAD market.
The other big difference with AutoCAD is that Autodesk Fusion 360 is entirely Cloud based whereas AutoCAD also has a desktop client for Mac.
The interface of Fusion 360 is more Windows-like than AutoCAD but it’s still an amazing tool for 3D product design and CAM. The use of T-Splines and Sculpt environment in particular makes it easy to conceptualize and model and it’s easily one of the best 3D CAD tools for product designer on Mac out there.
If you’re looking for something focused on 3D product design but don’t need the advanced features of AutoCAD, Autodesk Fusion 360 is an impressive and cost effective alternative.
6. HighDesign
HighDesign is professional CAD application designed specifically for Mac that offers excellent value for money. From humble beginnings at a small Italian developer, HighDesign has even attracted the attention of NASA for its CAD needs.
Although HighDesign only supports 2D CAD, it can import and export AutoCAD files (including DXF/DWG) and TIFF files. HighDesign is easier for than most professional CAD applications and anyone that has used AutoCAD will recognize the interface straightaway.
HighDesign puts a special focus on architecture and allows both photogrammetry and image editing for drafting of building plans which is quite unusual for MAC CAD software. Other features in HighDesign 2017 include Associative Linear Dimensions, PNG alpha export, vector information, tool tips and quick object info.
HighDesign is overall an incredibly accomplished CAD product that often goes under the radar of professional designers because of it’s surprisingly low price. The Standard version is just $199.99 although Professionals will need either the Pro ($299.99) or Pro Plus ($449.99) versions for full functionality.
7. ARES Commander
The German based developer of ARES Commander Graebert has been in the CAD business for over 30 years although it was only in 2015 that it was finally released on Mac.
ARES Commander is a German based software that has recently been updated to become a truly multi-platform CAD solution which and is an ideal choice for those that need to work across Windows, Mac and mobile devices off site.
ARES Commander feels remarkably like AutoCAD with DWG as its native format although it’s not very intuitive to use at first.
At just $250 per year, ARES Commander is also extremely competitive considering it’s almost as powerful as apps such as AutoCAD but costs significantly less.
ARES Commander offers three versions for desktop, mobile and cloud which it calls “The Trinity of CAD” and one license is valid for all. ARES Commander is the desktop version for Mac and PC, ARES Touch is for mobile and ARES Kudo is the Cloud version. ARES Touch is now available for iPad and iPhone and is one of the most fully featured CAD applications you’ll find on iOS.
The well organized interface feels the same across all platforms with all the same functionality on Mac, Windows and mobile.
The demand for DWG CAD software on Mac remains strong despite the explosion in 3D, BIM and PLM CAD software but ARES remains a good choice for Microstation users as it’s one of the few that supports DGN. ARES Commander for Mac also allows you to import DGN (Microstation) files, essential for civil and landscape architects.
ARES Commander features a number of useful tools such as QuickModify which allows you to combine several commands into one. So for example, you can combine rotate, move, copy and cut into one command if that’s an action that you perform frequently. This is surprisingly useful and increases productivity by reducing the amount of mouse clicking you need to.
One other nice touch is Quick Input which automatically provides angles, dimensions, options and other useful data as you design to help you make sure your designs are accurate.
Thanks to the open API, you can also create custom functions and plugins for ARES Commander on Mac based on VSTA, C, Delphi and other languages.
If you’re looking for something similar to AutoCAD on Mac but with a cheaper subscription, ARES Commander is an excellent value for money professional level CAD software.
8. VectorWorks
VectorWorks for Mac is one of the most popular CAD packages out there and supports both 2D and 3D design. In particular, when it comes to BIM VectorWorks is hard to beat if that’s one of your main concerns.
For an industry level CAD application, it’s also surprisingly accessible because it’s been designed with both beginners and professionals in mind. Although VectorWorks is most commonly used for Architecture and especially Construction Engineers, it can be used for any CAD task.
The interface of Vectorworks uses a clean WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) format which makes designing easier to conceptualize and get to grips with.
Some of the highlights of VectorWorks include graphical scripting tools, intelligent objects and a superbly implemented virtual reality feature. Also ahead of the curve is VectorWorks Marionette which intelligently uses algorithms to shape design forms and customizations (although this costs extra).
If you’ve struggled to learn AutoCAD and want something powerful and innovative, Vectorworks is an amazing piece of CAD technology.
9. SolidThinking Evolve
SolidThinking Evolve for Mac is aimed at Professional Industrial Designers. It’s very much a mix of CAD and 3D modeling capabilities wrapped up in a very slick interface. SolidThinking Evolve features Geometry Simplification tools, smoothing options and concentrated mass parts.
Evolve allows organic surface modeling, parametric control and there’s a very handy ConstructionTree history feature. If your job involves a lot of CAD and 3D modeling, then SolidThinking Evolve is a great all round solution but it lacks some of the advanced functionality of top CAD software such as AutoCAD and VectorWorks.
10. Siemens NX
Siemens NX (formerly known as Unigraphics) is an industry leading 2D and 3D CAD and industrial design software for both Mac and PC. Siemens NX is used by professionals worldwide for professional industrial and aerospace industries.
Siemens NX is probably the leading PLM (Product Lifestyle Software) available for Mac and certainly the only true industrial class PLM software for Macs.
Siemens NX is one of the few CAD software packages that also includes 4th generation 4GD technology to enhance and facilitate design on industrial assemblies.
Another unique feature is synchronous technology for 2D which adds more intelligence to 2D data and enables users to edit multi CAD 2D files five times quicker.
It’s impossible to list all the features and functionality of Siemens NX here but it’s safe to say it’s squarely aimed at industrial designers with an industrial budget.
11. MacDraft Pro
MacDraft Pro is another powerful but user friendly CAD software designed specifically for Mac. MacDraft Pro is the professional version of MacDraft PE (see review below) with a more advanced multi-layered, scaled drawing environment.
It’s suitable for mechanical, architectural and engineering professionals and supports importing AutoCAD and DWG/DXF files.
You can drag and drop common image or CAD elements into your designs and it can even be used to design brochures, magazines and even flyers.
MacDraft Professional is extremely user friendly for a 2D CAD app and makes interior design, architectural drawing and illustration much easier than on AutoCAD.
In particular it has some very precise vector tools, smart units and has a fully-featured scaled environment. On the downside, it does lack some basic features such as trimming arcs or circles and of course, it’s 2D only.
However, if you want an easy to use 2D CAD desktop software for macOS, MacDraft Pro is one of the best out there.
12. MacDraft PE
MacDraft Personal Edition (PE) is a simpler version of MacDraft Pro with a more basic toolset and functionality. It’s a very good starting point for beginners to 2D CAD as it’s easy to learn.
It has a very limited library although you can purchase 2000 more from the developer website including architectural, electrical and graphic symbols.
Although it’s aimed at beginners, the interface can be a little tricky to navigate at first and adding basic elements such as windows and doors isn’t as clear and straightforward as it should be.
However, it doesn’t take long to get the hang of it and once you have, it’s surprisingly versatile.
Be aware that MacDraft PE can’t produce drawings of smaller than about 17 inches and only supports a maximum of 5 Layers unlike the Pro version which allows unlimited layers. It also does not support DWG and updates aren’t free like in the Pro version.
If you’re on a limited budget and want something to get started in 2D CAD software on Mac, MacDraft PE is an excellent stepping stone to the Pro version.
13. CorelCAD For Mac
CorelCAD for Mac is from the makers of the extremely successful CorelDRAW graphic design program CorelDRAW for Mac which no longer exists.
CorelCAD for Mac 2018 lives on however and it’s pretty good too for a professional standalone CAD software under $1000. CorelCAD for Mac is based on Corel’s own ARES engine and works for both 2D and 3D drawings.
It can import DWG files and is also suitable for 3D printing and exporting in STL and PDF format. CorelCAD uses a ribbon based interface which will be familiar to anyone that’s used Microsoft Office and is generally very easy to use and navigate around.
CorelCAD is perfect for Architects, Engineers and Construction (AEC) service providers that focus mainly on 2D designs but need to sometimes flesh-out things in 3D too.
Overall, CorelCAD for Mac is extremely good value for money with lots of powerful features.
14. ArchiCAD
ArchiCAD for Mac is another industry leading software for CAD and is unique for using the Maxon CINEMA 4D rendering engine for photo realistic rendering. The results of this are stunning and few programs can bring your CAD designs to life quite like ArchiCAD.
It was also one of the first packages to support BIM and includes BIMcloud integration for easy collaboration with other designers on projects, wherever they are in the World. The one downside of ArchiCAD is that it still requires Java on Mac which we don’t recommend for a variety of performance and security issues on Mac.
15. Graphite
Graphite for Mac, formerly known as Vellum, is a professional 3D and 2D CAD program. Graphite’s strength is high precision wireframe drafting although it is quite dated now.
However, if you’re mainly going to be doing wireframe drawings, Graphite specializes in this form of CAD. You can work with AutoCAD DWG files and it integrates with the developer Ashlar Vellum’s popular 3D modeling software Cobalt.
One of the main advantages users report with Graphite is speed – it has a very smooth and efficient workflow that makes producing complex designs very quick. This is a result of what the developer Ashlar-Vellum calls an “Organic Workflow” between its products for maximum speed and efficiency.
There are many glowing testimonials to Graphite but we’d advise using the free trial first before deciding whether to go for it.
16. iCadMac
iCadMac markets itself as a cheaper alternative to AutoCAD for Mac and is a user-friendly 2D and 3D app which writes and reads AutoDesk DWG files.
The developers of iCadMac are also responsible for progeCAD Professional on Windows. iCadMac can also convert PDF to DWG and exports plans in 3D to PDF.
The interface is also highly customizable so that you have fine control over the layout of your tools although apps such as AutoCAD for Mac have caught up in this area nowadays.
iCadMac also includes an iPad app that lets you design on the move. iCadMac doesn’t support BIM however and it’s backed by a much smaller team and infrastructure than the major CAD developers out there.
17. DeltaCAD
DeltaCAD for Mac isn’t aimed at professional CAD designers but it’s an excellent starting point for beginners.
It does support importing of AutoCAD files but there’s no support for BIM or the more advanced features professionals need in a CAD application.
One unusual feature however is that you can write your own custom macros in AppleScript to extend it’s functionality. For instance you can use macros to create objects or read in data although only those that have been using Mac for a long time will have any idea of how AppleScript works.
If you just want a cheap CAD program on Mac for doing house plans, newsletters, furniture Layouts etc, DeltaCAD is a decent choice.
18. CADintosh X
Similar to DeltaCAD, CADintosh X for Mac is a budget 2D CAD program for Mac users. At just over $30, it’s one of the cheapest CAD programs for Mac available and is suitable for technical and architectural drawings.
CADintosh X is very basic – there are 8 pens and 6 line types to choose from but it there’s no support for importing files from major CAD programs – it only imports DXF, HPGL, IGES and PDF.
19. AutoQ 3D
AutoQ 3D is another low-end CAD program for Mac with a user-friendly interface that’s suitable for beginners to CAD or someone who just wants to build a basic prototype.
The difference to other CAD programs in this price range is that it supports 3D as well. It’s also got the best interface of CAD apps at this level and comes with a free iPad and iPhone app.
AutoQ 3D allows you to see drawings from all angles with Preset Views, Snap shapes into place and for just under $30, you can’t go too far wrong for a 2D/3D CAD app in one.
20. BricsCAD For Mac
BricsCAD is a professional CAD package that combines powerful 3D modelling with advanced 2D design features. BricsCAD is one of the few CAD packages that runs on all Mac, Windows and Linux platforms.
It’s suitable for all types of industrial 2D and 3D design but it has specialized support for sheet metal design. BricsCAD uses what’s known as a Quad cursor which enables designers to make complex technical drawings, 3D models and intricate layouts very quickly. BricsCAD is also unique because it handles both 3D drawings and parametric assemblies but saves files in DWG format. In fact BricsCAD compares favorably with AutoCAD and it even provides a free book on how to switch from AutoCAD to BricsCAD.
There are three versions of BricsCAD – Classic ($750), Pro ($970) and BricsCAD Platinum ($1110) but prices for all are slightly higher if you want premium support. Classic only handles 2D but Pro adds 3D modelling and Platinum adds BIM support.
BricsCAD is an excellent AutoCAD for Mac alternative with many of the same features but without the subscription pricing model.
21. Rhino For Mac
Rhino For Mac is a specialized 3D CAD software designed specifically for Mac with a loyal following and arguably still one of the best programs for organic 3D design. Rhino features tools to do everything from creating, editing, and rendering to animating, translating NURBS curves and creating polygon meshes.
Rhino For Mac is pretty good value for money at $695 because some of the free form 3D modelling features cost a lot more in similar packages and yet it still remains powerful enough for professional needs.
In the beginning, there were many features missing from the Mac version of Rhino compared to Windows but nowadays the two products are almost exactly the same. Only Worksessions, Animation Tools and some Commands are missing from Rhino for Mac and the Grasshopper feature is still in progress.
If you just want a 3D CAD app on your Mac without breaking the bank, Rhino for Mac is an impressive tool.
22. PowerCADD
Finally, PowerCADD for Mac is for all those old school CAD designers that miss the days of pen and paper. PowerCADD is for 2D CAD only and creates CAD designs that look like they were done on paper.
PowerCADD is suitable for all types of CAD design from buildings to machinery, brochures and even maps. The functionality of PowerCADD can be extended too by something called “Externals” which are basically add-ons that can be activated simply by dragging them into a specific folder.
PowerCADD is a bit dated now and at $995 isn’t exactly cheap either but if you miss the aesthetics of pen on paper, it offers something a bit different.
Which Is The Best CAD Software For Mac?
SmartDraw is still our favorite 2D CAD tool for Mac users, simply because it makes CAD so easy, whatever your level.
For complex 2D and 3D CAD, the industry leading AutoCAD can’t be beat for features and ease of learning. Its DWG format is still the industry standard for CAD design. If you’re a beginner to CAD, the 2D only version AutoCAD LT is far cheaper and easier to use than AutoCAD making a good starting point.
Autodesk Fusion 360 is still the best for product designers and although it’s Cloud based, it works superbly on Mac.
If you don’t want to be locked into a monthly subscription model, TurboCAD Mac Pro for Mac is a good alternative to AutoCAD on Mac and will satisfy all but the most demanding of architects and engineers.
TurboCAD Mac Deluxe meanwhile is excellent value for intermediate users that need 2D and 3D CAD features.
Finally, for those that are just getting started in CAD design or want something desktop but easy to use, MacDraft PE is an excellent entry level Mac CAD package.
We’ve looked at a lot of different options in this article and if it’s all been too much to digest, here’s a useful summary of our top 5 picks.
Best CAD Software For Mac Compared
SmartDraw | AutoCAD LT | AutoCAD | TurboCAD Deluxe |
TurboCAD Pro |
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Works On Mac | |||||
Mac Desktop Client | |||||
2D CAD | |||||
3D CAD | |||||
Easy To Learn | |||||
DWG Support | |||||
DXF Support | |||||
Templates | 40,000+ | ||||
Works on iPad | |||||
Annotations | |||||
Import PDFs | |||||
Free Trial | |||||
Price | $5.95/$9.95/m | $50/m | $195/m | $129 | $499 |
Learn More |
Learn More |
Learn More |
Learn More |
Learn More |
Are There Any Free CAD Tools For Mac?
If you’re looking for something free to do basic mockups or get started in CAD, there are a few free or open source CAD applications for Mac worth trying.
Here’s a selection of the best ones.
SketchUp
SketchUp started life as a simple online design tool by Google until it was bought by Trimble Navigation and turned into a professional CAD tool for both Mac and PC.
SketchUp was Google’s idea of a free and basic user-friendly CAD application for all abilities and Trimble Navigation has maintained this ease of use but added more professional features.
SketchUp Pro is both a serious option for CAD professionals but also beginners that want to create impressive mock ups. It’s suitable for those in a range of professions from architecture, construction, engineering to interior design, light construction and landscape architecture.
The basic version of SketchUp is an ideal tool to give clients 3D mock-ups of their designs or for clients themselves to provide architects with an idea of their vision or plans.
If you want your client to sketch out their vision for you to develop for example, point they can download SketchUp free for personal use and create a basic outline that you can then develop further.
The professional version of SketchUp is for serious CAD designers but it still retains the general ease of use of the original Google product and still has Google Earth integration for geo-tagging designs.
SketchUp is free for Educational and Personal use but the Pro version costs $695.
FreeCAD
As the name suggest, FreeCAD is a free 3D modelling software for Mac which uses Parametric modelling to create designs. FreeCAD can read files in STEP, IGES, STL, SVG, DXF, OBJ, IFC and DAE format and is aimed mainly at those in mechanical engineering and product design fields.
FreeCAD features some of the tools found in major industry leading CAD applications such as SolidWorks but relies more on modules and scripts to design things like OpenSCAD. If you’re comfortable with scripting and modules, FreeCAD is another powerful yet free 3D design tool for Macs.
QCAD
QCAD is a free open source 2D Computer Aided Drafting application for Mac, Windows and Linux which allows you to create technical drawings for buildings, interiors, mechanical parts, schematics and diagrams. QCAD is a great starting point for novices in CAD design with a simplified, clear interface but plenty of features.
QCAD can import and open DWG and DXF files and also has a special add-on for Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM). There’s also a professional version of QCAD which costs less than $40 and adds extra features although it doesn’t support 3D CAD.
If you’re new to CAD and need something easy to get started with at zero cost, QCAD is an excellent beginners CAD package for Mac users.
Tips On Choosing The Right Package For You
In reality, there’s no such thing as the “best” CAD software for everyone. However, there’s definitely such a thing as the best CAD software for your needs.
Choosing the right CAD software for your specific needs however depends on whether you’re a professional designer, student or simply an amateur looking to do a little bit of home or landscape design.
Professional packages such as AutoCAD are complicated to learn and use as they whereas packages such as TurboCAD are somewhere in the middle, sometimes referred to as “prosumer” CAD software.
Online technical drafting software such as SmartDraw are aimed at those with minimal CAD experience and provide plenty of templates and automated functions to do the hard work for you.
Before you buy, here’s a few important questions and things to consider before deciding which one to choose.
- Are your CAD needs industry specific or general?
If you need CAD software for a specific industry, such as Architecture, then you need software designed specifically for the needs of 3D Architecture and all the components that go into buildings. If it’s mechanical CAD you’re going to be doing on your Mac then the needs are a bit different.
CAD software also covers many other fields including construction, engineering, commercial interiors, light construction, landscaping, interior design, urban planning, game design, film & stage, woodworking and much more.
You should make sure the CAD software you choose supports the specific industry you’re working in.
- Do you need 2D or 3D CAD software?
Again, this depends on what you want to use it for. If you only need to work in the Y and X axis i.e. draw floor plans, elevations and top/front/bottom angles of different objects, then 2D CAD software is all you need.
3D CAD software meanwhile allows you to work in the X,Y and Z axis and is essential for architects, product designers or those that need mechanical CAD software features. Basically, anyone that needs to manipulate a design from every possible angle.
3D software allows you to create both models and wire-frames but it’s more expensive than 2D software and can run into thousands of dollars on Mac.
Note that most professional 3D CAD software such as AutoCAD and ArchiCAD have now been updated to include support for 3D printers.
- Are you looking for paid or free software?
It should be no surprise that free CAD software on Mac is generally nowhere near as powerful as paid software although there are still some pretty decent packages now available which we’ve included in this article.
If you just need 2D design capabilities or don’t need to collaborate in a team with others, you can probably get away with using free CAD software if you’re not working in a professional environment.
3D designing is another matter however and there are few free 3D tools which are worth using. If you’re intending to use the software for professional work, it’s highly recommended to go for a paid CAD software as you may spend more time fighting with a free option or searching for features that are lacking than actually being productive.
Don’t be caught-out by CAD software that claims to be “free” but actually only offers a free version with limited functionality that requires you to upgrade to unlock features.
- Do you need BIM support?
BIM (Building Information Modeling) is the next step in Computer Aided Design and an increasingly important feature of CAD software for professionals.
BIM models are more intelligent than traditional CAD plans because they contain much more information. For instance, BIM models can calculate the knock-on effect that the smallest of changes to modeling plans can have.
In the long run, BIM can help cut down on the amount of errors or reworking that needs to be done to your CAD designs.
Most of the top industry leading packages such as AutoCAD and Vectorworks, include BIM capabilities as standard but cheaper packages usually don’t.
We’ve indicated which packages support BIM in these reviews.
- Do you need CAD or 3D design software?
We have focused here mainly on CAD software, although we have also featured some 3D design or animation software because the line can be often blurred.
The difference between the two types of software is subtle but the key difference is that CAD software is specifically for the needs of professional and industrial designers, with all the technical specs and needs they have.
In a nutshell, 3D design software is generally aimed at the more creative side of design – for example animation – whereas CAD programs focus on technical plans and designs.
- Does the developer offer support?
Make sure that the CAD app you choose offers extensive help, training and after sale support. CAD software is very complex and if you’ve never used it before, it can be very daunting to get to grips with.
In particular, the most common problem you will experience with CAD software on Mac that’s been ported from Windows is instability and it can send you insane trying to work out exactly what is causing glitches or bugs with the program.
The most reputable CAD software developers offer free customer support but some charge extra for it so check before buying.
- Other things you may want to consider
Other useful features you might want to check for in professional CAD software on a Mac include:
- A command line (which enables you to search for a tool or object in real-time), design setup wizards, templates and tutorial videos. Particularly if you need to create architecture designs, look for software with house wizards which take the basic information in your design and can whip-up a basic house design in minutes saving hours of work.
- A complete set of editing tools is also important i.e. the ability to use pointer markers, layer editors and color coordinate different elements in your designs. Most CAD software now includes a snap tool to make sure that your designs fit together neatly but it’s still always worth checking.
- If you need to import and export files, check what CAD file types it supports. Common formats are DWG, DXF (Drawing Exchange Format, important for things like CNC cutters, plasma cutters etc), DWF and DGN. If you’re going to be exporting for 3D printing, STL export is important and of course, it’s always handy to be able to export to common document formats such as PDF and image formats such as PNG and JPG.
- Support for your specific industry. In architectural CAD software for example, photo realistic rendering is a useful feature because it allows you and your client see what the final design will actually look like. Although there is CAD software on Mac for almost every conceivable need and area nowadays, there are certain industries such as pipeline, piping and valve architecture that require ISO prints for which there’s no specific software on Mac for yet.
- Support for graphics tablets. If you’re a professional architect or CAD designer and prefer to use a digital pen for sketching blueprints, make sure the software you select supports tablets. Check out our guide for which drawing tablets for Mac work best with macOS.
Once you’ve digested all of this, you’re much better prepared to choose the right drafting software on Mac for you.
How To Run Windows CAD Applications On Mac
If you really don’t want to go to the hassle of finding CAD software for your Mac or can’t find anything that measures up to CAD software you use on PC, you can always install Windows on your Mac.
A virtual environment like Parallels has the advantage of allowing you to run both macOS and Windows at the same time but if you use Boot Camp, you can only boot in either macOS or Windows at one time which can be annoying if you need to switch between your Mac and Windows CAD software regularly.
![Home Home](/uploads/1/2/4/7/124781582/143395742.jpg)
For an example, check out our guide on how to run SolidWorks on Mac which is only available on Windows.
However, we don’t recommend running Windows on your Mac in order to use CAD software. You will inevitably experience bugs running Windows CAD software on a Mac this way, especially graphic related issues such are the complexities and demands of CAD software.
It’s much better to use a Mac only CAD software solution like the ones covered here instead and the choice on Mac is enough so that using Windows really isn’t necessary for most people.
This also means that if you have any problems with the software, you will receive support from the developer. If you’re running Windows CAD software on a Mac however, the developer is unlikely to offer technical support as most don’t support problems running Windows on Mac.
New Mac CAD Releases In 2019
We hope this overview has shown that there’s no need to go back to PCs or Windows for your CAD needs.
Indeed, the future for Computer Aided Design on Mac in 2019 generally looks very good as more developers recognize the growing demand on Mac or move their software online.
A good example of the way the industry is moving is Onshape which was started by some members of the team behind the popular SolidWorks 3D CAD design software for Windows.
Although you can run SolidWorks on Mac using a virtual machine it’s not an ideal solution and doesn’t work as well as on PC. Onshape meanwhile claims to offer the functionality of Solidworks but in any web browser, running on any platform.
Onshape is the first serious attempt at a web-based 3D CAD software that enables teams to work on designs as the same time in real-time. It works extremely well on a Mac too which isn’t surprising as the majority of programmers that created it coded it on Mac.
The main problem with Cloud or online CAD software is that it often can’t meet the technical needs of graphic intensive CAD demands but Onshape allows you to create complex parts, assemblies, and detailed drawings comfortably within a web browser on a Mac. You can even use Onshape on your iPad or iPhone.
By current market standards, Onshape is priced quite competitively too. The basic version is free but professionals will need to upgrade to the Pro plan for $100 a month to unlock all the functionality.
In addition to developments such as Onshape, there are also signs that Apple is increasingly willing to move closer towards enterprise apps like CAD software such as the deal it reached with IBM.
This means Apple is likely to put more effort in supporting business oriented CAD software on Mac in future when it comes to components and software support.
So all in all, the future for CAD designers on Mac looks very bright indeed.
If you have any questions or problems with the software covered here, or need some advice on which CAD software is right for you on your Mac, let us know in the comments below.
If you’re interested in interior design and floor planning specifically, we also recommend you check out our guide to home design software on Mac.