Alternatives to Alibre Atom3D
Design mechanical parts and assemblies with a desktop CAD application. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.
The original
Alibre Atom3D
Design mechanical parts and assemblies with a desktop CAD application.
Replacements
Listings that take over the same core job as Alibre Atom3D.
Autodesk Fusion 360
Cloud-connected parametric CAD, CAM, and CAE platform with a free personal tier.
Autodesk Fusion 360 adds CAM and simulation, runs on Windows and macOS, and has a free personal tier, but is cloud-connected and needs an internet connection for full use.
SolidWorks
Industry-standard parametric CAD software for 3D design and product development.
SolidWorks is an industry-standard parametric CAD package with deep assembly and simulation features, but it is Windows-only and costs more for individuals.
Solid Edge
Mainstream parametric CAD software with a free Community edition.
Solid Edge is also Windows-only parametric CAD, with a free Community edition for hobbyists and paid commercial tiers holding the full feature set.
FreeCAD
A parametric 3D modeller for real objects: design by sketching constrained 2D shapes, then change the parameters later.
FreeCAD is free and open source under LGPL-2.1, runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and adds FEM and CAM workbenches, with a longer learning curve.
Onshape
Fully browser-based parametric CAD platform with real-time collaboration.
Onshape runs entirely in the browser with real-time collaboration and version history, but needs a stable connection and its free tier makes projects public.
Shapr3D
Touch-first parametric CAD app originally built for iPad, now on desktop.
Shapr3D offers touch and stylus-first parametric modeling on iPad, Windows and macOS, with a limited free tier and paid subscriptions.
SolveSpace
A tiny parametric 2D and 3D CAD program built around a constraint solver, for designing real parts.
SolveSpace is a small free open-source parametric CAD program for Windows, macOS and Linux, with a bare interface and limits on complex assemblies.
Dune 3D
Design constrained 3D parts with a parametric CAD editor.
Dune 3D is a free GPL-3.0 parametric CAD editor for Windows and Linux with STEP exchange, chamfers and fillets.
Similar software
Related functionality, not a direct replacement.
Tinkercad
Create simple 3D designs and explore electronic circuits in a browser.
OpenSCAD
A 3D modeller you write rather than draw: a script describes the object, and the program compiles it into a solid.
CQ-editor
Build parametric CAD models with Python scripts in CQ-editor.
MoI 3D
Create precise curves and surfaces with a streamlined NURBS modeler.
MeshLab
The standard tool for cleaning up messy 3D scan data: fill holes, remove noise, simplify and convert between mesh formats.
