Best Open-Source CAD Software 2026: 6 Options Compared

Open-source CAD gives you something no vendor can: a drawing program that will still open your files in ten years. The cost is that the tools are younger than AutoCAD or SolidWorks in the ways that show, such as assemblies, drawing standards and file import fidelity. Expect to work around gaps. The choices fall into 2D drafting and 3D solid modeling. LibreCAD and QCAD Community are 2D programs for plans, parts outlines and DXF exchange; neither does 3D. FreeCAD and SolveSpace build 3D parts from sketches and constraints, with FreeCAD being much larger and SolveSpace much smaller. OpenSCAD and CadQuery turn the part into code, which resizes instantly and diffs cleanly in Git but has no point-and-click sketching. The main trade-off is breadth against weight: FreeCAD does the most but has the steepest manual, while a tool like SolveSpace starts in a second and stops sooner. Check the license line on each pick if you plan to redistribute modified software; using the program to make your own designs carries no restriction in any of them.

FreeCAD

LGPL-2.1 parametric 3D modeler, the broadest open-source CAD here. Models come from dimensioned sketches; the project notes 2D drafting is not its strength.

Price: Free (Free, no sign-up) (FreeCAD pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Linux. LGPL-2.1 (open source) (license source).

Project activity: 34.9k GitHub stars · latest release 1.1.4 (Sep 28, 2026) · last commit Oct 27, 2026

Best for: Full 3D parametric CAD.

Worth knowing: Mainly parametric 3D; 2D drafting is not its strength.

LibreCAD

GPL-2.0 2D CAD with no trial, subscription or account. Strictly 2D, so it replaces drafting seats, not solid-modeling ones.

Price: Free (Free, no trial or subscription) (LibreCAD pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Linux. GPL-2.0 (open source) (license source).

Project activity: 6.5k GitHub stars · latest release v2.2.1.6 (Oct 17, 2026) · last commit Oct 27, 2026

Best for: 2D drafting and DXF exchange.

Worth knowing: 2D only.

QCAD

Community Edition is open source (GPL-3.0 with exceptions). A 2D drafting tool; the Professional edition is sold separately; check the vendor for its price.

Price: Free (Community Edition is free (source on GitHub)) (QCAD pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Desktop. GPL-3.0 with exceptions (Community Edition) (open source) (license source).

Project activity: 1.9k GitHub stars · last commit Oct 27, 2026

Best for: 2D drawings with a familiar CAD layout.

SolveSpace

GPL-3.0-or-later parametric 3D CAD with a constraint solver. Small and fast, with fewer features than FreeCAD; license read from package metadata.

Price: Free (Free and open source) (SolveSpace pricing, checked 2026-10-23).

Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Linux. GPL-3.0-or-later (open source) (license source).

Project activity: 4.2k GitHub stars · latest release v3.3 (Oct 21, 2026) · last commit Oct 27, 2026

Best for: Quick constraint-based parts.

OpenSCAD

GPL-2.0 modeler where the part is a script. No visual sketching, but dimensions become variables and files diff cleanly.

Price: Free (Free software; no paid tier) (OpenSCAD pricing, checked 2026-10-23).

Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Linux. GPL-2.0 (open source) (license source).

Project activity: 10.5k GitHub stars · latest release openscad-2021.01 (Feb 7, 2021) · last commit Oct 27, 2026

Best for: Parts kept as code.

Worth knowing: Script-based solid modeler: you describe parts in code, there is no drag-to-sketch interface. License from an archived copy of openscad.org; other listings say GPL-2.0-or-later.

CadQuery

Apache-2.0 Python library for parametric 3D models, designed to run in scripts and servers without a GUI of its own.

Price: Free (Free and open source) (CadQuery pricing, checked 2026-10-24).

Platforms and license: Python library. Apache-2.0 (open source) (license source).

Project activity: 6k GitHub stars · latest release v2.8.0 (Jun 20, 2026) · last commit Oct 24, 2026

Best for: Automated or generated parts.

Worth knowing: Python module for parametric 3D CAD models; script-driven like OpenSCAD but in Python.

Which one to pick

• You need 2D plans or DXF files: LibreCAD
• You need assemblies of real mechanical parts: FreeCAD
• You generate parts from a spreadsheet or script: CadQuery
• You want a tiny app that starts instantly: SolveSpace