Trying out free CAD programs (2024)

Opinion

Now that I no longer am a beta tester for the four CAD programs I used to beta-test -- AutoCAD, ARES Commander, BricsCAD, and nanoCAD -- I no longer have access to free CAD. Once in a while I still need to sketch something in CAD. There are a few CAD programs out there that are free, and so I thought I'd try some of them out.

nanoCAD from NanoSoft

nanoCAD v5 is free from NanoSoft. It is a well-functioning CAD package that edits drawings in DWG format. This would be my preferred free CAD program, but it suffers two flaws.

It is a very old version, which is not a problem, because for my basic needs, even CAD from the 1990s is good enough. However, it cannot open DWG files from more recent releases. The workaround here is to get the other CAD package to save DWG in an older format.

The other problem is more annoying. I have to re-register it every year, and I find that the registration process is flawed technically. So, I have given up using nanoCAD. Another aspect that might make it less desirable is that it comes from Russia.

QCAD

QCAD is a 2D CAD program that says it's free but then pesters me constantly to upgrade to the paid version. The pleading became annoying enough that I stopped using it.

LibreCAD

LibreCAD is an offshoot of QCAD, and so it looks like it, but LibreCAD makes no attempt to pester me for payment -- libre being French for free. It reads DWG files but writes DXF files. The interface takes after TurboCAD:

• You enter parameters in a toolbar, such as the length and width of a rectangle.
• The current command always repeats, until you select another one. Other CAD programs return to selection mode after a command ends, so with LibreCAD you have to deliberately select the Select command.

It object snaps are limited: one I use a lot is midpoint, but LibreCAD does not have it.

I would have liked to liked LibreCAD, but it had a severe visual flaw. When I draw a line, it displays the first half of the line, nothing for the remainder of the line, and then continues the "line" after the endpoint. If this bug could get fixed, I think we'd have a winner here.

FreeCAD

FreeCAD is another actually-free free CAD program. It does 2D, reads and writes DWG but through an external facility, and has some 3D capabilities. However, it suffers from this flaw: it is the only CAD program in 38 years in which I've tried but I could not figure out how to draw a line -- or anything else.

It uses modules that have to be loaded that hold all its functions. This is great for extensibility by volunteers who code, but means I could only scratch my head with it. It says it is a "3D parametric modeler," but it is still in early stages with that useful function.

Rayon

Rayon is an unabashedly 2D-only program that runs in Web browsers. It reads and writes DWG files. When you stick to three projects (drawings), then it's free. You can, of course, save a Rayon drawing in DWG, download it, and then erase it from Rayon to free up room for the next one.

Its flaw is that it is new, and so sometimes is immature in its functions. Yesterday I drew the floor plan of a bathroom that I'm remodeling, and its limitations showed up. Here are some of them:

• Dimensioning lacks annotations, like pre- and post-fixes, and dual dimensioning. I'd like to include "Approx." and to show both inches-only and feet-inches.
• I found no way to start a line that's offset by a distance from another entity, such as AutoCAD's .x filter.
• There is no print function, not even to PDF. The closest is to save as a DWG file and print it with another program, or, if scale doesn't matter, do a screen grab.
• I found it hard to apply styles to wall elements.

I list these limitations in the hope Rayon can implement enhancements.

On the other hand, Rayon has some really nice functions, such as object snaps are always on, and it often senses which entities you want to work with. Its table function automatically recognizes named objects, like walls, and instantly lists their lengths.

Some tips:

• Hold down the Alt button to select one out of several overlapping objects.
• Draw an entity roughly, and then fine-tune its size with the Properties bar. (The padlock maintains the aspect ratio; I found it best to leave it turned off.)