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QCADGstarCAD

Best for: Drawing accurate 2D plans and technical drawings without a subscription

Best for: Drafters and engineers who work with DWG drawings

Free + paid options

QCAD Community Edition is free and open source under GPLv3. The commercial Professional edition adds DWG support and…

Full pricing details

QCAD Community Edition is free and open source under GPLv3. The commercial Professional edition adds DWG support and further tools for a one-off fee.

 Paid

Paid licence, with a 30-day free trial.

Windows, macOS, Linux Windows
  • Over forty construction and twenty modification tools with layers and blocks
  • DXF input and output, printing to scale and across multiple pages
All 4 strengths
  • Over forty construction and twenty modification tools with layers and blocks
  • DXF input and output, printing to scale and across multiple pages
  • Thirty-five CAD fonts plus TrueType, metric and imperial units
  • An interface people consistently describe as easy to pick up without CAD experience
  • Works directly in the .dwg file format
  • Covers both 2D drafting and 3D design
All 4 strengths
  • Works directly in the .dwg file format
  • Covers both 2D drafting and 3D design
  • Industry editions for mechanical and architectural work
  • Related viewer, cloud and BIM products from the same developer
  • 2D only; there is no 3D modelling at all
  • DWG support and some tools are in the paid Professional edition
All 4 limitations
  • 2D only; there is no 3D modelling at all
  • DWG support and some tools are in the paid Professional edition
  • Not aimed at parametric or constraint-driven design
  • Community and Professional builds differing in features can be confusing at first
  • Paid software after the 30-day trial
  • Specialised editions are separate products
Downloadable app Downloadable app
Open source Not open source
License: GPL-3.0 License not stated
No account needed Not stated if an account is needed
Offline features available Not stated if it works offline
Sources

Catalog checked September 21, 2026
Sources

Catalog checked September 24, 2026

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