BricsCAD
Octave (formerly Bricsys)
EUR 330–1,176 / year (approx. $385–$1,375)
FreeCAD community
FreeCAD
Free — open source · 2D + 3D · DWG via DXF interchange
Verdict
Not an AutoCAD replacement, and pretending otherwise does nobody a favor. FreeCAD is a parametric 3D modeller with a drafting workbench attached, where AutoCAD is a drafting tool with 3D attached. Come to it for parametric mechanical design, IFC/BIM work and a real Python API, not to open a consultant’s DWG. On those terms, and since the 1.x line, it is excellent — and it is free.
What it costs
Free and open source. Current stable release 1.1.3, dated 25 July 2026 — a maintenance release in the 1.1.x series carrying security fixes for code-execution and file-handling vulnerabilities. Reads and writes STEP, IGES, STL, SVG, DXF, OBJ, IFC and DAE among others.
Vendor pricing page: https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD/releases
For scale: AutoCAD is subscription only, with no perpetual option at any price since 2016. Autodesk publishes its current rates at autodesk.com.
What it gets right
- True parametric modeling — a different and often better paradigm than AutoCAD
- IFC via the BIM workbench, TechDraw for drawings, Draft for 2D
- Serious Python API; scriptable end to end
- Actively developed — 1.1.3 shipped July 2026
What to watch out for
- DWG is not native and the round trip is the weak point
- The workbench model is a real learning curve coming from AutoCAD
- Different tool for a different job — judge it as a modeller, not a drafter
Pricing and specifications: https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD/releases