Autodesk’s AutoCAD is an industry-standard for high-end CAD designing. But does that make it the right CAD tool for your construction business?

Autodesk is a juggernaut in the industrial drafting solutions market. And its products are the go-to tools for many types of professionals, including product designers, architects, and instrumentation engineers.

The company’s AutoCAD is a popular tool in the construction industry, offering features such as 3D modeling and parametric constraints. But big things have long shadows; in AutoCAD’s case it’s the $1,610 per user per year price tag. It’s a fairly expensive option, especially for small construction firms.

If you’re looking for a less expensive software option, the fact that the market is fraught with terrible AutoCAD knockoffs doesn’t help either.

So, we’ve done the research to bring you the top four AutoCAD alternatives. Read on to learn about the key capabilities and pricing of the top four AutoCAD alternatives for construction businesses.

This article looks at four highly rated AutoCAD alternatives. See the full list of AutoCAD alternatives here

How we selected the best AutoCAD alternatives

Products are listed in alphabetical order. To make the list, products had to meet the following criteria:

Core AutoCAD capabilities: The product had to offer similar 2D and 3D modeling capabilities and support similar file types to AutoCAD.

The product had to offer similar 2D and 3D modeling capabilities and support similar file types to AutoCAD. Minimum of 20 user reviews published on Capterra’s site in the last two years: Recent reviews help us analyze the pros and cons of the alternatives.

Recent reviews help us analyze the pros and cons of the alternatives. High “likelihood to recommend” rating: The product should have an average recommendation rating of at least 8 out of 10 on Capterra.

The product should have an average recommendation rating of at least 8 out of 10 on Capterra. High “features and functionality” rating: The product must have a minimum functionality rating of 4 out of 5 stars on Capterra.

1. FreeCAD: Open source parametric 3D CAD modeler

Recommendation rating: 8.1/10

Features & functionality rating: 4.2/5.0

Reviews: 71

FreeCAD comes with capabilities such as 3D parametric modeling, robot simulation, 2D drawing and sketching, and a rendering module for creating high-quality 3D images.

The tool is suitable for a wide range of uses in manufacturing and engineering industries. However, construction businesses can also use it to create floor plans or to design 3D building models.

Pros Cons Users like the tool’s many features, considering it’s completely free to use for commercial purposes. Users mention that certain modules can become outdated when there are no updates from the community. Users also like the fact that the tool is lightweight and works on most systems, even those with low RAM, without crashing. Users also say that there is a steep learning curve. How much does FreeCAD cost? FreeCAD is an open-source solution and can be freely downloaded for use on platforms such as Windows, macOS, and Linux.

3D modeling of a building in FreeCAD (Source)

2. SketchUp: Intuitive 3D modeling

Recommendation rating: 9.6/10

Features & functionality rating: 4.8/5.0

Reviews: 128

SketchUp helps users draw 2D construction plans as well as 3D models of buildings. Along with design-related features, the tool offers features for document management with support for numerous file types (including DXF, DWG, FBX, OBJ, XSI, and VRML) and the facility to export images (including PDFs and HD animations).

Pros Cons Users mention that the tool has a short learning curve. Users mention the tool is not suitable for large-scale designs that require parametric modeling. Users like the intuitive interface that makes direct 3D modeling easy. Users say the tool lacks functionalities and relies heavily on plugins, which come at an additional cost. How much does SketchUp cost? SketchUp’s cloud-based version offers a basic free plan for personal use; the paid plans start at $119 per user per year. The on-premise version is priced at $695 (one-time license fee), with an additional $120 for annual upgrades.

3D construction plan design in SketchUp (Source)

3. SolidWorks Premium: Full-featured CAD tool

Recommendation rating: 8.6/10

Features & functionality rating: 4.5/5.0

Reviews: 324

SolidWorks Premium is a good option for 3D sketchers who want CAD software for detailed design work. The tool comes with extensive design features that allow for creating 2D drawings and 3D models. The tool also supports document management (with version control) for building a repository of up-to-date designs.

Pros Cons Users like the tool’s wide set of functionalities for 3D modeling. User mention that the software is buggy and prone to crashes. Users like the vendor’s exhaustive training resources. Users mention that the software is incompatible with any operating software beside Windows. How much does SolidWorks Premium cost? SolidWorks Premium’s license costs and terms of use vary based on whether you’re using it for commercial or academic purposes. The student version is $150 for a 12-month term-of-use license fee; the commercial pricing is customized based on a business’s specific needs.

3D image design in SolidWorks (Source)

4. Vectorworks Architect: Suitable for BIM modeling

Recommendation rating: 8.0/10

Features & functionality rating: 4.4/5.0

Reviews: 25

Vectorworks Architect offers capabilities such as 2D drawing, 3D modeling, and building information modeling (BIM). As its name suggests, the tool is designed to help architects; it allows building 3D construction site models, drawing site blueprints, and designing digital walk-through presentations.

Pros Cons Users like the tool’s capabilities to integrate with other CAD solutions. Users say the tool comes with a steep learning curve. Users also like the tool’s capabilities for creating high quality graphics. Users mention that the tool can become slow on computers running on fewer than 4GB RAM. How much does Vectorworks Architect cost? Vectorworks Architect offers only custom pricing for the software with a free 30-day trial period.

Designing stairs in Vectorworks (Source)

What other great CAD options are out there?

Is there a great CAD program that we’ve missed? What do you use? If you use AutoCAD, why do you prefer it? Let us know in the comments below!

The AutoCAD alternatives listed here are based on ratings from Capterra users. To expand your search, compare other CAD software on Capterra.

Note: Listed pros and cons are derived from features listed on the product website and product user reviews on Gartner Digital Markets domains (Capterra, GetApp, and Software Advice). They do not represent the views of, nor constitute an endorsement by, Capterra or its affiliates.