Compare software

DraftSight vs Design: catalog facts
DraftSight	Design
Best for: Drafters and engineers maintaining DWG drawings on a smaller budget	Best for: Linux users who need a free 2D drafting tool that exchanges DXF files
Paid Paid software with a free trial.	Free Free and open source under the GPL-3.0-or-later licence.
Windows	Linux, Web
Full DWG file support Interface familiar to users of other CAD programs All 3 strengths for DraftSight Full DWG file support Interface familiar to users of other CAD programs Handles both 2D drafting and 3D DWG files	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
Paid after the trial Focused mainly on 2D drafting All 3 limitations for DraftSight Paid after the trial Focused mainly on 2D drafting Closed source	Desktop version is Linux only 2D drafting only, no 3D modelling
Downloadable app	Downloadable app, Web application
Not open source	Open source
License not stated	License: GPL-3.0-or-later
Not stated if an account is 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 DraftSight draftsight.com 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.