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10 Most Popular CAD Programs from Beginner to Advanced

Computer-aided design (CAD) is a technology developed for engineers and designers to help them create, edit, modify, and optimize drawings. This software technology focuses on digital design tools developed to improve design quality, increase productivity, allow users to create real projects and prototypes, and overall automatize the design process.

 

CAD programs provide a wide range of applications that include project development, prototyping, layouts and renders, simulations, and animations to recreate the designer’s concepts and projects in a digital space.

Best CAD Program by Industry

CAD Programs for Architecture

SketchUp

SketchUp

SketchUp is a CAD tool commonly used by architects and interior designers because of its specific 2D and 3D features and vast design library. The software offers designing and rendering tools (lighting effects, textures, animations, etc.) that aid in providing professional-level drawings and models. SketchUp’s library includes realistic representations of interiors, furniture, patterns, pre-designed structures, and landscapes for all types of constructions. Furthermore, users are able to share designs with their peers and colleagues to plan and coordinate construction projects in detail including all the needed construction materials.

This software is popular not only because of its user-friendly and dynamic interface but also because it’s one of the most affordable professional CAD programs on the market.

The main file format is SKP, which contains all the data from small designs or objects (such as furniture) of a larger design. The software does have the capability to allow users to import and export DWG, DXF, DAE, 3DS, and other formats as well.

AutoCAD

AutoCAD

AutoCAD is a CAD program developed by industry leader Autodesk, and can create, modify, and draw 2D and 3D models using graphic commands and controllers. This software is used by professionals across a variety of industries but it’s preferred by architects and professionals in the construction field due to its high-quality 2D tools and features. This software pioneered CAD design, so learning how to master it has become an essential skill for engineering and architecture students and professionals at all levels.

AutoCAD enables the creation of highly detailed 2D drawings such as piping circuits, floor plans, object sectioning, electric circuits, manufacturing layouts, and other flat representations. At the same time, it aids users in the CNC machining processes, the creation of 3D models and prototypes, and rendering, all of which offer comprehensive tools for designers.

The software works with its own file format called DWG containing all the drawings’ data. AutoCAD also allows files to be exported in different formats such as DXF or PDF to make the designs accessible for other programs. Due to AutoCAD’s impact on the CAD market, the DWG format is considered universal and other reputable CAD programs can work with this file format or transform it to other formats such as STL, OBJ, DAE, and 3DS.

CAD Programs for Construction

Civil 3D

Civil 3D

Another software from Autodesk, Civil 3D lets professionals in the construction industry design and manage documentation related to construction projects using the Building Information Modeling (BIM) method to coordinate and plan projects.

Civil 3D was specially developed to perform geospatial analysis on infrastructures, design railroads, bridges and highways, carry topographic analyses, and manage streamlined documentation that allows designers to update and share information. The program stores all the construction data and optimizes the designing process by providing different scenarios and recreation of construction projects.

The software is compatible with other Autodesk file formats such as DWG and DXF, making it easy to export documents from Civil 3D to AutoCAD.

CAD Programs for Mechanical Engineering and 3D Printing

SolidWorks

SolidWorks

SolidWorks is a CAD/CAE program that offers parametric design tools and 2D and 3D modeling solutions. It’s one of the most widely used CAD solutions on the market due to its user-friendly interface, its advanced design tools, and its versatility. This software is preferred by engineers in the industrial and mechanical fields, although it could also be helpful for construction professionals in some cases.

SolidWorks offers a variety of tools in the 3D space, enabling users to simulate the stress of objects, study the mechanics of fluids, create realistic renderings, and animate designs to evaluate their functions. The software also provides design templates and a resource library to accelerate the design process. This is especially useful when creating extensive manufacturing plans or layouts by reducing the number of commands and operations needed.

Parametric design in SolidWorks allows correlating 2D drawings and 3D models, making it easy for users to edit and modify objects.

The software runs on its own native files, which are SLDPRT (SolidWorks Part), SLDDRW (SolidWorks Drawing), and SLDASM (SolidWorks Assembly). However, it’s also possible to export files as STL, IGES, OBJ, and STEP.

Inventor

Inventor

Owned by Autodesk, Inventor was developed as a CAD software for creating professional mechanical designs, 3D models, and product simulations. It’s a strong competitor of SolidWorks, and provides a parametric design option with specialized tools for sheet metal, plastic tubes and pipes, ceramic materials, wood machining, rendering, simulation, prototyping, and more.

Inventor offers highly realistic 3D models and professional renderings especially intended for mechanical design. Because it’s part of Autodesk’s suite of tools, it’s possible to share information through the maker’s online apps. Additionally, pre-designed tools make it possible to improve the efficiency of the design process.

The software has its own file format called IDW, but it works with DWG (AutoCAD) format in sketches. Inventor also handles other file extensions including IPT (parts), IAM (assemblies), and IPN (presentations). Compatible formats include IGES, DXF, DWG, and ACIS as well as formats for 3D printing.

Fusion 360

Fusion 360

Yet another Autodesk program, Fusion 360 is a CAD/CAM/CAE cloud solution that combines dynamic and simple modeling options with high versatility to create prototypes, machinery, and solids. It also offers simulation tools and CAM options making Fusion 360 a unique software in the CAD market.

Fusion 360 has a user-friendly interface that aids designers during product development, including a variety of tools such as 3D modeling, 2D drawing, rendering, manufacturing, and CAM toolpath generation for CNC machines. A characteristic feature of the software is its 3D printing tools located in the CAD/CAM, making it an excellent choice for home enthusiasts as well as a learning opportunity for beginners.

Fusion 360 is known for having easy navigation with more condensed commands than other CAD/CAM software by including more complete and dynamic icons, menus, and bars.

The software works with its native F3Z and F3D file formats but also is capable of exporting to external formats such as STEP, DXF, STL, and IGES to include graphical information for different manufacturing and designing purposes.

CAD Programs for Jewelry and Other Industrial Design

Rhino 3D

Rhino 3D

Rhinoceros 3D, better known as Rhino 3D, is a CAD program that is mostly used for jewelry and industrial design. It’s a 3D modeler that uses the curve technique (NURBS or Non-Uniform Rational Basis Spline) to create 3D objects. NURBS is a mathematical model that allows the program to render curves and surfaces using computer graphics. This technique offers great precision and detailed drawings that jewelry and other intricate models require. The accurate representation of these models is accomplished thanks to the mathematical correlations in Rhino 3D’s modeling process.

The native file format is 3DM, but it’s also possible to export files to other formats such as DXF, SKP, IGES, and STL.

Tinkercad

Tinkercad

Tinkercad is an open-source, cloud-based software used for 3D modeling and 3D printing. This software uses a simplified constructive solid geometry method for constructing 3D models with a highly dynamic and user-friendly interface. This allows users of all ages to create 3D models and export them to other formats, becoming one of the first options for children’s educational software.

Tinkercad is popular for bringing to life electric circuits, toys, jewelry, and small prototypes. It’s available as a mobile app and includes games that promote innovation and critical thinking. This is a fun and practical tool for everyone, making it easy to transform a 3D model into an STL file and quickly create a physical object.

CAD Programs for the Aerospace and Automotive Industries

CATIA

CATIA

CATIA is a CAD/CAM/CAE program that features powerful parametric modeling and photorealistic rendering tools. Although it’s similar to other 3D modeling programs, it offers more advanced functionality for surfaces and modules for designers in the automotive and aerospace industry. The software offers materials in its library where users can create a high level of surface sophistication and quality virtual prototypes. CATIA allows designers to create 3D sketches and 3D printed models, as well as perform reverse engineering analyses, visualizations, and Class-A modeling.

The software has multiple versions available for download and they work with their native files and extensions such as CATPart (part), CATProduct (assembly), CATDrawing (drawing), CGR (faceted representation) and 3DXML (lightened representation). CATIA V5 and V4 also support external file formats such as IGES, DXF, DWG, STEP, and STL.

Solid Edge

Solid Edge

Solid Edge is a CAD/CAM software developed by the tech company Siemens PLM known for employing synchronous technology for 3D modeling. It offers a set of design tools that aids engineers in the product development processes such as 3D design, manufacturing, simulation, and data management. Furthermore, it integrates both parametric design and synchronous technology to design complex objects and easily edit an element without the risk of having the whole assembly malfunction, all while gaining total control of the workflow.

Although its interface is very dynamic and interactive, the software has a steep learning curve, making it a little bit more difficult for beginners to master compared to its CAD competitors.

Solid Edge has its own file formats: PAR (part), ASM (assembly), DFT (drawing), DTF (document), and CMP_XML (XML design). It also supports external files such as STL, DWG, STEP, IGES, DXF, ACIS, PLM, XML, and NX, among others.

Best CAD Programs Based on Experience Level

Beginners

It’s advisable to start learning CAD with affordable but user-friendly software that allows users to improve their spatial reasoning and creative skills. However, some users prefer to start with a software of their preference according to their needs or field of work. The following are two CAD software we recommend for beginners.

  • Tinkercad: As stated above, Tinkercad is one of the best options for beginners and allows users to start creating their first 3D models through a free online platform. However, the program does not include 2D tools or parametric modeling.
  • FreeCAD: This is an open-source, 3D parametric modeling software with the ability to recreate objects and modify their features and properties in the design process. It also allows for 2D sketching, offering the option to constrain shapes and geometries and adjust or extract details from 3D models to create highly professional drawings.

FreeCAD

FreeCAD is a very accessible software, and it’s compatible with all operating systems such as Linux, Mac, and Windows. It also integrates and manages different file formats such as STEP, IGES, STL, DXF, SVG, OBJ, and DAE.

It can be a useful tool for professionals and students in engineering and architectural fields and includes simulation and analysis tools such as Finite Element Analysis (FEA), stress analysis of elements, and CAM/CNC workbenches.

Intermediate

Intermediate CAD users usually have experience with basic design, drawing, and spatial reasoning and often choose a software that contains a broad set of design tools. Here’s a short list of the CAD programs recommended for intermediate users.

  • AutoCAD: This software is considered one of the most versatile CAD programs on the market. However, its steep learning curve makes it a little bit harder for beginners to master the designing tools.
  • Fusion 360: This is the most affordable CAD program on the market and intermediate designers and professionals take advantage of its user-friendly interface and compatibility with 3D printing and mechanical design.
  • SolidWorks: This software is the strongest competitor of Fusion 360 and Inventor in terms of 3D modeling, but it requires a certain amount of experience to master the designing tools.

Professional

Professional users usually prefer CAD programs with specific functions and features according to the field or industry they work in (mechanical, automotive, construction, etc.), and choose a version that provides more design tools and options specifically tailored to their needs. This usually makes the software expensive to maintain, hence licenses are purchased by large companies or high-paying professionals.

  • CATIA: This software is the most expensive CAD solution on the market but the most field-oriented one, hence it is often used by professional designers and engineers.
  • Inventor: Although similar to Fusion 360, Inventor is considerably more expensive but also includes more functions and features specifically developed for mechanical design.
  • Civil 3D: This software’s use is strictly limited to infrastructure and construction, so it requires previous knowledge in the field to use it appropriately.

Pricing for the Most Popular CAD Programs on the Market

CAD Program License Cost
Fusion 360 ●       30-day free trial and a free student version for one year

●       Standard version for $545 / year

SketchUp ●       SketchUp Free: Limited cloud storage and functionality

●       SketchUp Shop: $119 / year with 3D modeling tools

●       SketchUp Pro: $299 / year with all 2D and 3D tools

●       SketchUp Studio: $699 / year with advanced workflows

AutoCAD ●       30-day free trial and a free student version for one year

●       Standard version for $1,865 / year

Inventor ●       30-day free trial and a free student version for one year

●       Standard version for $2,300 / year

Civil 3D ●       30-day free trial and a free student version for one year

●       Standard version for $2,550 / year

Solid Edge ●      Basic: $987 / year

●      Complete: $2,406 / year

●      Advanced: $3,012 / year

●      Ultimate: $4,327 / year

Rhino 3D ●       Commercial: $595 for the single-user “older” version and $995 for the upgraded version

●       Students and Faculty: $95 for the single-user “older” version and $195 for the upgraded version

SolidWorks ●       30-day free trial

●       Subscription prices between $2,800 and $4,850 / year

CATIA ●       Free 30-day cloud-based demo

●       One-time charge of $11,200 with annual maintenance of $2,000

Where to Start Learning CAD?

There are many learning options available in the CAD software market, but if you decide to choose AutoCAD as the program you want to master, look no further. CADLabWorld offers a unique AutoCAD Online Training Course for beginners.

This course provides a total of eight hours of intensive lessons for you to master all AutoCAD tools and become a skilled CAD designer. The course includes live webinars where you can interact with instructors who are Certified AutoCAD Professionals. Students can solve any doubts in real-time and within the 120 hours’ time frame where the course takes place.

All information given throughout the course (divided into 11 chapters) is explained in very straightforward language, making it easy for anyone to understand it. In addition, participants receive an original Complete AutoCAD Strategy Guide, which provides valuable information that you can refer to long after you have completed the course. In this sense, you will have lifetime access to detailed information regarding the software, tips, and more.