? What varieties of CAD are most popular.
Like some I do not use Auto Cad because of cost and only rental option.
I use BricsCad and Progecad. Progecad often aborts so I mostly use BrficsCad.
What are some other options for CAD programs that are reliable and at a reasonable cost.
Thanks .
Comments
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ZwCAD is absolutely the best performing clone, probably the cheapest.
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BricsCAD, GStarCAD, ZwCAD.
GStarCAD 2027 is the cheapest bare-bones model with a solid interface and API.
IMHO, for perpetual, wait for BricsCAD to have a promotion, it’s more seasoned.0 -
Intellicad was one of the first other CAD, I think was part of Microsoft at one stage.
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I try Intellicad every year, which Progecad is a member. I usually test CMS, and I mostly kick around their APIs
IcARX SDK was surprisingly good, I was able to compile and run this custom TIN object https://github.com/CEXT-Dan/ArxTin, its fast too
ITC has changed; they have a new president changing things up. I was able to send support requests with some of the more major issues I found, received tickets, and notifications when they were fixed.
I think the major issue blocking 14 was fiber or thread issues, running commands in certain contexts caused it to barf. At Sub $400 they’re one to keep an eye on.
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I checked out ZW and Gstar web sites. ZW doesn't sell perpetual licenses in the US. Gstar does, starting at $600, but they don't say what comes with it. Lisp?
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Depending on what you expect from CAD. If you work in 3D, BricsCAD is much better solution comparing to ZWCad. If you want to write lisps, again BricsCAD is right solution since it has debugger BLADE (although not perfect one – its stability is problematic).
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Graebert's (the Draftsight people) Ares Commander is what I would explore if it were not for Bricscad.
Lisp support. Not based on Intellicad (they've their own proprietary engine).
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I have tried all of the big names, AutoDesk, CMS Intellicad, Q-Cad, Draftsight, Turbo-CAD, BricsCad, ARES Commander, High Design. The two I keep my maintenance up on are BricsCAD and ARES Commander.
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From the past I think it was Zwcad it actually had a macro record that was useful, it saved VBA code think Excel, way better than Acad version you could at least edit it to do stuff, converting a macro into a full program. If you knew VBA basics. Noticed no macro record in Bricscad. Is it in the list of improvements or will it just plug and play with AI ?
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Intellicad is a spin-off from Visio when that got bought by Microsoft. I would have to look up the exact details but when Microsoft bought Visio for the diagramming they had to spin off the cad part and that eventually became IntelliCAD.
I tried some IntelliCAD based CAD programs in the past but the only one that really worked well at the time was BricsCAD (v5, IntelliCAD based at that time until V8) so I went with BricsCAD alongside AutoCAD and since V13 I basically stopped using AutoCAD but kept it for two more years until BricsCAD had the last two missing functionalities and the completely dropped AutoCAD.
Also tried Ares Commander for a year a decade or so ago for its Microstation import that I needed at the time. Better than most IntelliCAD options but it was lagging BricsCAD in a multiple ways. It has been improving quite a bit lately based in what I see in articles from time to time.
In my opinion BricsCAD and Ares Commander are the best DWG options at the moment as an alternative for AutoCAD.
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If you like Autocad and DWG you can also take a look at OpenCADStudio
Relatively new project, currently in version 0.9x. Release is announced for end of the year.
Also available as a web version.
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As @zoomer says, Open Cad Studio looks interesting, and they seem to bring out new versions every few days.
The important thing to note if you are on a budget is that it is free (you can donate to the project if you wish).
It's no like-for-like replacement for Bricscad, but for an occasional user it could be very useful.
It's written entirely in RUST and even has an API, so it could make a useful front end for a specific use.
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I think I read something about a plugin interface.
Some weeks ago it wasn't very impressing, especially on Mac. But since 1-2 weeks it feels already like an App.
Not sure where it is heading. It is part of the dutch Open AEC Foundation and labeled as "2D + 3D CAD in Rust with native DWG/DXF"
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Oh yeah, Rust and WebGPU, interesting, thx
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When I read the title of the thread I was expecting something different. I though you were asking about categories such as AutoCAD-like / parametric like SolidWorks / Sketch-up / Animation oriented like Blender, etc.. But discussion, so far, has just been about what I would consider AutoCAD-like software.
I have not really kept myself very knowledgeable about CAD design in well over a decade now. Were the categories I listed earlier the main categories that are dominant now? Have any new categories started to emerge?
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The question was meant to compare the stability and use of Cad Programs other than AutoCad.
As an example Progecad has some good commands, but it tends to abort at random times. Which is frustration.
I use Bricscad since is basically stable and useable, but the new beta releases are very buggy.
I have been trying GstarCad for about a week. It is basic and reasonably priced, but you can tell
by the sentence structure that it comes from China.
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@Harvey Hampton If you aren't doing 3D work, then Draft It might be worth a look.
It isn't an AutoCAD clone, but as far as I am aware uses the Teigha libraries like Bricscad, so it can handle DWG & DXF.
The Pro version is only £99.00 for quite a comprehensive program.
I'm not willing to put any more information up here as this is a Bricscad site and I don't think it is fair to recommend other CAD software on here.
I have no affiliation with the above program/company and don't even use it.
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but the new beta releases are very buggy.
That's what Betas are for :)
To find most Bugs.
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David, you are right, but it seems that BricsCad comes out ahead in the comments.
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Considering this is the 2D forum, and you just do 2D , your requirements are probably lowest common denominator. So just look at the lower cost options or free. That Open CAD studio project zoomer mentioned is one to follow.
Maybe you need AutoCAD like dynamic 2D blocks? Then look for a low cost solution with Dynamic Block capabilities. For 2D all these apps are similar and would probably meet requirements.
QCAD, LibreCAD, and nanoCAD are all free 2D CAD apps. Theres nothing particularly sophisticated about drawing lines and circles, anycad can do that.
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Oh, I didn't realize it's the 2D forum.
I am only here for Bricscad's 3D Direct Modeling and ML BIM. That's all brilliant. I hate everything ACAD behaviour base below.
…. anycad can do that.
For 2D I personally would never want to use anything ACAD-like.
Where you have to start any Command again after usage, where there is no Object Fill but another Hatch object required. With strange non industry/OS standard Selection behaviours, where a Rectangle ends up in just a Poly Line instead of a parametric Rectangle as Lines are, or where Chain Dimensions are just an array of single Dimensions.So OpenCADStudio would not be for me either.
I would use something like Vectorworks. I have not found alternatives so far.
I would rather use a 2D Layout App like Illustrator before using something ACAD.0 -
I am using the 30 day trial of Ares Commander.
Can those with Ares Commander experience give the pros and cons of this CAD program. (I have used BricsCad since 2017.)
Thanks.
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For 2D Ares Commander will be fine, if the accuracy and reliability of dimensioning is better than BricsCAD in 2D then I would seriously consider it myself if I would only do 2D. However… if you want to get into 3D and parametric objects/blocks then BricsCAD is probably still superior.
When I looked at the new 2D/3D features for 2025-2027 versions it looks like it still has to do quite a bit of catching up, most of these new features have been in BricsCAD for quite a while. Its 3D is geared towards general 3D and BIM.
It does have a few nice features that seem better than the BricsCAD equivalent of which I think BricsCAD should take a look at and implement as well but overall for what I do (parametric 3D and 3D Mechanical, Civil) BricsCAD is still superior despite its bugs and annoyances in the user interface/experience with some things
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RSW, Thanks for the info.
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