BricsCAD
Octave (formerly Bricsys)
€330–€1,176 / year
ProgeSOFT
progeCAD
Perpetual, no subscription · 2D + 3D · native DWG
Verdict
The anti-subscription choice. progeCAD sells one thing and sells it clearly: an AutoCAD-shaped 2D/3D drafter you buy once. The DWG range is the widest of anything here — 2.5 through 2027 — which matters more than it sounds when a client sends you a drawing from 1998. Less polished than BricsCAD, meaningfully cheaper, and the licence does not expire.
What it costs, honestly
progeCAD Professional 2027 is sold as a perpetual licence. The vendor is emphatic about it: "progeCAD’s license is perpetual and allows the customer to use the licensed software indefinitely. NO ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION." Reads and writes AutoCAD DWG from release 2.5 all the way through 2027.
For scale: AutoCAD is ≈ $2,095 / year, subscription only, with no perpetual option at any price.
What it gets right
- DWG 2.5 → 2027, the widest legacy range of any product on this page
- Perpetual by design, not perpetual-if-you-ask
- Familiar AutoCAD command line and ribbon — retraining cost is close to zero
What to watch out for
- progecad.com now 301-redirects to progesoft.com — old bookmarks and guides will rot
- Windows only in practice; no first-party macOS or Linux build
- 3D is competent but is not why you buy this
Pricing and specifications: https://www.progesoft.com/