Nov 22, 2017 Operating System: Windows, Mac; Price: $995 (Windows), $695 (Mac) Interested? Try out the free trial! A 3D graphics and CAD software, Rhino offers SolidWorks users a different spin on modeling. Based on the NURBS model, Rhino is a free form surface modeler. EDrawings Viewer is the only CAD viewer for Mac which delivers a premier 3D viewing experience for non CAD professionals. EDrawings Viewer enables anyone to quickly and easily view, print and review native eDrawings and SOLIDWORKS files in addition to AutoCAD DWG and DXF files. EDrawings is an email-enabled communication tool that dramatically eases the sharing of product design information. There’s plenty of excellent CAD software avialable for Mac nowadays but unfortunately SolidWorks for Mac does not exist. However the good news is there are ways to install the PC version of SolidWorks 2016, 2017 & 2018 on macOS. If you use a virtual machine such as Parallels, you can switch between macOS and Solidworks at anytime seamlessly. Alternatively, you can install SolidWorks using. DraftSight ® is a feature-rich 2D and 3D CAD solution for architects, engineers and construction service providers, as well as professional CAD users, designers, educators and hobbyists. More options, choices and tools to suit your specific needs and preferences.
What is better FreeCAD or SolidWorks Premium? Reviewing products for the top CAD Software does not always have to be hard. On our review platform, it is possible to match FreeCAD and SolidWorks Premium and promptly evaluate their varying features. We allow you to examine their functions, supported devices, customer support, pricing rates, terms, and more.
You can even review their overall score (8.0 for FreeCAD vs. 9.4 for SolidWorks Premium) and overall customer satisfaction level (100% for FreeCAD vs. 95% for SolidWorks Premium). Devote time to examine your best choices and see which one is best for your company. You should also assess the vendor’s background; can you count on them and will they still be on the market a few years from now?
Our team put a lot of effort to review all popular CAD Software products offered on the market, but among them these three caught our special attention: Autodesk AutoCAD, ANSYS DesignModeler, CorelCAD.
Free
Monthly payment
One-time payment
Annual Subscription
Quote-based
- Geometry kernel
- Full parametric model
- Modular architecture
- Standard formats
- Sketcher
- Robot simulation
- Rendering
- Architecture
- Path mode
Contact the vendor for their custom enterprise pricing details and other product information.
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A customizable, open-source (LGPL v2 license) parametric 3D modeler designed primarily for product design and mechanical engineering.
Comparision
Score
ARCHICAD Alternatives9.2
ZWCAD Alternatives8.9
cofaso eSchematic Alternatives8.0
Alibre Design Alternatives6.7
Actify SpinFire Ultimate Alternatives6.5
Free
Monthly payment
One-time payment
Annual Subscription
Quote-based
- 3D Solid Modeling
- Large Assembly Design
- Sheet Metal Design
- Weldments
- Plastic and Cast Part Design
- Mold Design
- Electrical Cable Harness and Conduit Design
- Piping and Tubing Design
- CAD Import/Export
- Conceptual Design
- Direct Model Editing
- Advanced Surface Design
- CAD Productivity Tools – SOLIDWORKS Utilities
- Automatic Drawing View Creation and Update
- CAD Dimensioning, Tolerancing, and Annotations
- Bill of Materials (BOM)
- CAD Standards Checking (Design Checker) and Drawing Comparison
- Revision Control
- CAD Search
- Advanced Surface Flattening
- Routing of Rectangular and Other Sections
Contact the vendor for their enterprise pricing packages and other details.
SolidWorks Premium integrates with the following business systems and applications:
- 3DQuickForm
- 3DQuickMold
- 3DQuickPress
- 3DQuickStrip
- AeroHydro
- Agni Link
- BatchProcess
- BuiltWorks
- Camnetics
- Centare Group
- CAMWorks
- CFD-CADalyzer
- CheckMate Programming
- CompareWorks
- Conversion Engine
- COSMOSFloWorks
- COSMOSMotion
- COSMOSWorks
- DesignDataManager
- DriveWorks
- DezignWorks
- Dynamic Designer
- eDesignSync
- elecworks for SolidWorks
- FloEFD
- GeometryWorks3D
- Glovius
- GrafiCalc
- hyperMILL
- Inoxtools
- InspectionXpert
- JetBox
- Logopress
- Master SolidWorks Surfacing And Complex Shape Modeling
- Maxwell Render
- MITCalc
- MSC.visualNastran Desktop 2001
- OptisWorks
- PARTshare
- PAS CMM
- Plot Service for PTC Windchill
- Power SubD-NURBS modo
- Power Surfacing
- PowerTools
- QuadriSpace
- Radeon ProRender
- RuleStream
- Sheet Metal Guy
- ShipWorks
- SimMechanics
- SMARTEAM
- SoftOrient
- SoftFit Solver
- SolidProfessor
- SolidWorks/GibbsCAM
- SolidWorks Education Edition
- SolidWorksModel
- SPI –
- SplitWorks
- SurfaceWorks
- TreeWorks
- VisualXPORT for SolidWorks
- Vuuch
- WoodTools
- XNurbs
- Xometry
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ABCO Automation Inc., Bausch & Lomb, Barry-Wehmiller International Resources, Parryware Roca Bathroom Products Pvt. Ltd.
Windows
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Best Free Mac Cad Software
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SolidWorks Premium is a computer-aided design software that allows users to create, simulate, publish, and manage 3D models. It has features for conceptual design, product layout, structural integrity testing, and more. Additionally, it has robust simulation tools. Using those, you can ensure that your designs are on par with industrial standards.
SolidWorks
Corporate Headquarters
Dassault Systèmes, 175 Wyman Street
Waltham, Massachusetts, 02451-1223
USA
Corporate Headquarters
Dassault Systèmes, 175 Wyman Street
Waltham, Massachusetts, 02451-1223
USA
Comparision
Score
SmartDraw Alternatives9.5
CAD Pro Alternatives6.9
ARES Commander Alternatives6.7
progeCAD Alternatives6.4
CADISON Alternatives6.0
Please keep in mind that while both FreeCAD and SolidWorks Premium may provide an outstanding set of features every solution may be created for a different business size. If you are comparing features you may want to give some attention to a business type they are aimed at. Certain functionalities might scale up well for large enterprises but if you own a small or mid-sized company it’s frequently more sensible to avoid paying for advanced functionalities that you may never actually use.
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If you’re looking for CAD software for Mac, you’re not without options. We’ve found some standout Mac and cloud-based CAD platforms for you.
You’re likely to hit a wall if you’re searching for computer-aided design (CAD) software designed for Mac. There are plenty of CAD software options for Windows—you’ll see many of them in our list of the top AutoCAD alternatives—but only a handful offer support for Mac.
And, if you think you’ll bypass the issue by using a cloud-based CAD tool, you’ll quickly find that CAD vendors haven’t embraced the cloud as much as other types of software vendors have, so the offerings are still largely on-premise. According to Gartner’s Hype Cycle for IT Evolution (full content available to Gartner clients), cloud-native CAD applications still have five to 10 years before they reach mainstream adoption.
But fear not, Mac users. We’ve done some digging and have put together this list of the top-rated CAD software for Mac. Read more about our methodology at the bottom of this article.
5 Best CAD Software for Mac (presented alphabetically)
Jump to:
CorelCAD
FreeCAD
Fusion 360
LibreCAD
Onshape
1. CorelCAD
CorelCAD offers 2D drafting and 3D design capabilities, such as the drawing constraints feature for creating different geometric shapes faster and the push and pull feature for 3D direct modeling.
3D modeling in CorelCAD (Source)
Common user feedback trends
Based on analyses of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of CorelCAD they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
- The short learning curve: Users mention that the tool is easy to use and beginners don’t have to spend a lot of time learning it.
- Compatibility with multiple file types: Users like the fact that the tool is compatible with DWG, PDF, ACIS, DXF, STL, CDR, and other file formats.
What users think could be improved:
- Software reliability issues: Some users mention that the software tends to crash at times.
- Better dimension functionality: Some users would like a better dimensioning feature for more accurate drawings of angles and proportions.
Who can use CorelCAD
CorelCAD can be used by construction businesses for collaborative editing on multiple devices. It offers native iOS applications, which makes it easy for field crews to add annotations in graphics and share files using their iPhones and iPads. Additionally, the tool allows team members to leave recorded messages and instructions for colleagues embedded in the graphics using a voice note tool.
2. FreeCAD
FreeCAD is an open source CAD tool that works on Mac as well as Windows and Linux. It reads many common file formats such as STEP, IGES, STL, SVG, DXF, OBJ, IFC, and DAE.
It offers different modules, including a drawing sheets module that converts 3D models into 2D views, a rendering module that can export 3D objects, and an architecture module for a BIM-like workflow.
3D model of a building in FreeCAD (Source)
Common user feedback trends
Based on analysis of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of FreeCAD they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
- Feature-richness for a free tool: Users mention that, although it’s free, the tool comes with a full set of features.
- Reliability: Users mention that the tool does not demand a lot of CPU power and works well on devices with low RAM.
What users think could be improved:
- Steep learning curve: Users mention that the tool is not the most user-friendly solution and can be difficult for beginners to learn.
- Dependent on community for updates: Users mention that modules ignored by the community tend to become outdated quickly.
Who can use FreeCAD
FreeCAD appears to be best for hobbyists and home users. It’s also good for users who don’t have a high budget for software but still want to tinker with CAD modeling.
FreeCAD could also be a good choice for businesses on a budget looking for a free and open-source option.
3. Fusion 360
Fusion 360 is a CAD tool from Autodesk with design functionalities such as sketching and 3D modeling. It also supports project management with features such as task management, document management, and collaborative image editing.
Document management in Fusion 360 (Source)
Common user feedback trends
Based on analysis of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of Fusion 360 they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
- Comprehensive design features: User mention that the tool offers all the functionalities necessary for 2D and 3D designing.
- Availability of training resources: Users like the fact that the tool comes with ample documentation and tutorials.
What users think could be improved:
- System crashes: Users mention that the tool tends to crash, especially when designing and rendering large files.
- Steep learning curve: Users mention that it can take a lot of time to learn the advanced functionalities of the tool.
Who can use Fusion 360
Fusion 360 is part of the Autodesk ecosystem designed for the AEC industry. This makes the tool suitable for construction businesses that are already using, or intend to use, other Autodesk solutions. Using a software vendor that offers multiple solutions will especially benefit larger businesses that invariably need software that can scale with their growing requirements.
4. LibreCAD
LibreCAD is an open source CAD tool that supports Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems. The tool comes with 2D drawing features such as a snap tool, dimensioning, and annotations. It also supports multiple file imports and exports.
2D drawing in LibreCAD (Source)
Common user feedback trends
Based on analysis of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of LibreCAD they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
- Ease of use: Users mention that the tool offers an intuitive and easy-to-use interface.
- Lots of tutorials: Users like the fact that there are ample video tutorials that help them get started with the tool.
What users think could be improved:
- Software speed: Users mention that the software tends to lag, especially when trying to print designs.
- Add support for 3D design: Users would like to see functionalities for creating 3D designs.
Who can use LibreCAD
LibreCAD is an exclusively 2D CAD tool for drawing and designing blueprints of buildings, layouts of parks, and the like. As a free tool, the solution can be used by small and midsize businesses across different industries, including manufacturing, engineering, architecture, and construction.
5. Onshape
Onshape is a cloud-only CAD solution that comes with features such as document management with version control, collaborative design creation/editing capabilities, and reporting dashboards to understand project status.
Importing documents in Onshape (Source)
Common user feedback trends
Based on analysis of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of Onshape they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
- Document version control: Users like the document management features of the tool, such as version history.
- Intuitive interface: Users mention that the tool comes with an intuitive interface for easy image editing.
What users think could be improved:
- Performance issues: Some users mention that the tool does not function well on non-Chrome browsers and has file loading issues.
- Lack of features: Users mention that the tool should improve certain features such as 2D drawing and 3D surfacing.
Who can use Onshape
As a fully-cloud based tool, Onshape is ideal for businesses that need to manage design documents collaboratively with multiple stakeholders. The tool’s collaboration functionalities include document sharing, document editing, comments, and file downloads in multiple CAD formats, such as Parasolid, ACIS, STEP, and IGES.
Next steps
This report offers a mix of Mac CAD solutions—from free tools that can help you with basic 2D drawing to advanced solutions offering extensive 3D modeling functionalities.
If these tools don’t meet your needs, expand your search and check out more options. To help you, we’ve created a CAD software comparison page where you can explore products using different filters, such as features offered and pricing options.
If you’re looking to understand the CAD software market better, we also recommend that you read the articles listed below: |
Methodology
To be shortlisted, products had to fulfill the following criteria:
- Products had to be compatible with Mac and offer core CAD software capabilities, such as:
- 2D drawing or 3D modeling features
- Collaborative editing of drawings
- Products needed a minimum of 20 user reviews on Capterra (published in the last two years).
- Products had to have a high overall rating (an average of at least 4 out of 5 on Capterra).
Note: The content in this piece that provides opinions and points of view expressed by users. It does not represent the views of Capterra.
Looking for Construction Management software? Check out Capterra's list of the best Construction Management software solutions.