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AutoCAD vs Design: catalog facts
AutoCAD	Design
Best for: Professionals who draft and exchange DWG drawings	Best for: Linux users who need a free 2D drafting tool that exchanges DXF files
Paid Commercial software sold by Autodesk, with a trial available.	Free Free and open source under the GPL-3.0-or-later licence.
Web	Linux, Web
Native DWG format used widely across industries Desktop and web versions share drawings All 3 strengths for AutoCAD Native DWG format used widely across industries Desktop and web versions share drawings Covers both 2D drafting and 3D modeling	Reads and writes the standard DXF format Command line prompts guide each operation All 4 strengths for Design Reads and writes the standard DXF format Command line prompts guide each operation Dimensions with full dimension style support Desktop and in-browser versions
Expensive commercial licensing Requires an Autodesk account	Desktop version is Linux only 2D drafting only, no 3D modelling
Downloadable app, Web application	Downloadable app, Web application
Not open source	Open source
License not stated	License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for AutoCAD autodesk.com/products/autocad/overview Catalog checked September 23, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Design design-app.readthedocs.io Catalog checked October 1, 2026

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