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Alibre Design vs VariCAD: catalog facts
Alibre Design	VariCAD
Best for: Small businesses and engineers who need mechanical CAD at a lower cost	Best for: Mechanical engineers who need full CAD on Windows or Linux
Paid Paid licences with a free trial; add-ons are sold separately.	Paid Paid license with all features included, plus a 30-day free trial.
Windows	Windows, Linux
Parametric part and assembly modeling Weldments module for structural assemblies in the Expert edition All 4 strengths for Alibre Design Parametric part and assembly modeling Weldments module for structural assemblies in the Expert edition Optional CAM, FEA and motion add-ons Free trial available	Runs on Linux as well as Windows 3D modeling and 2D drawing in one program All 4 strengths for VariCAD Runs on Linux as well as Windows 3D modeling and 2D drawing in one program Sheet metal unbending, interference checks and BOM tools All features included in one license
Paid software; advanced features require higher editions or add-ons Smaller user community than the largest CAD suites	Paid software after the 30-day trial No macOS version mentioned
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Not open source	Not open source
License not stated	License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Offline features available
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Alibre Design alibre.com Catalog checked September 24, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for VariCAD varicad.com Catalog checked September 24, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.