BricsCAD
Octave (formerly Bricsys)
EUR 330–1,176 / year (approx. $385–$1,375)
Nanosoft
nanoCAD
$289 USD / year — free tier available · 2D + 3D · native DWG
Verdict
The only mainstream commercial product here that still has a real, unlimited free tier — as long as your use is non-commercial. For a student, a hobbyist or someone opening the occasional DWG, nanoCAD Free is a genuinely good answer at zero cost. The paid Platform at $289/yr is fair but sits in the most crowded part of the market.
What it costs
nanoCAD 26 Platform starts at $289/year on subscription, with annual updates included. Separately, nanoCAD Free has no time limit and no cost: registration is required and the vendor states yearly license renewal is entirely free, but it is a single license only — no network licensing on the free edition, and it is non-commercial use. nanoCAD 3DScan is a different product starting at $1,499, available as a one-year subscription or a perpetual license with optional maintenance.
Vendor pricing page: https://nanocad.com/products/nanocad/
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
- A real free tier with no time limit, for non-commercial use
- DWG-native, classic interface, low hardware demands
- $289/yr paid tier is among the cheapest commercial options
What to watch out for
- Free edition is v.5 — well behind the current v.26 Platform
- Non-commercial only on the free tier; commercial use requires the paid license
- Paid tier is subscription; perpetual is not the headline offer
Pricing and specifications: https://nanocad.com/products/nanocad/