You’re likely to hit a wall if you’re searching for computer-aided design (CAD) software designed for Mac. There are plenty of CAD software options for Windows—you’ll see many of them in our list of the top AutoCAD alternatives—but only a handful offer support for Mac.
Jan 18, 2017 CAD software has been used for decades to aid the construction industry. It’s an electronic drafting solution that can produce engineering. Apr 10, 2020 Download. Krita is a professional drawing app, created by digital artists who wanted to make their tools available to everyone. As such, this app is a great choice even if you are just starting to master the skills of digital sketching. Plus, the official website offers a bunch of free learning resources.
And, if you think you’ll bypass the issue by using a cloud-based CAD tool, you’ll quickly find that CAD vendors haven’t embraced the cloud as much as other types of software vendors have, so the offerings are still largely on-premise. According to Gartner’s Hype Cycle for IT Evolution (full content available to Gartner clients), cloud-native CAD applications still have five to 10 years before they reach mainstream adoption.
But fear not, Mac users. We’ve done some digging and have put together this list of the top-rated CAD software for Mac. Read more about our methodology at the bottom of this article.
CorelCAD offers 2D drafting and 3D design capabilities, such as the drawing constraints feature for creating different geometric shapes faster and the push and pull feature for 3D direct modeling.
3D modeling in CorelCAD (Source)
Based on analyses of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of CorelCAD they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
What users think could be improved:
CorelCAD can be used by construction businesses for collaborative editing on multiple devices. It offers native iOS applications, which makes it easy for field crews to add annotations in graphics and share files using their iPhones and iPads. Additionally, the tool allows team members to leave recorded messages and instructions for colleagues embedded in the graphics using a voice note tool.
FreeCAD is an open source CAD tool that works on Mac as well as Windows and Linux. It reads many common file formats such as STEP, IGES, STL, SVG, DXF, OBJ, IFC, and DAE.
It offers different modules, including a drawing sheets module that converts 3D models into 2D views, a rendering module that can export 3D objects, and an architecture module for a BIM-like workflow.
3D model of a building in FreeCAD (Source)
Based on analysis of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of FreeCAD they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
What users think could be improved:
FreeCAD appears to be best for hobbyists and home users. It’s also good for users who don’t have a high budget for software but still want to tinker with CAD modeling.
FreeCAD could also be a good choice for businesses on a budget looking for a free and open-source option.
Fusion 360 is a CAD tool from Autodesk with design functionalities such as sketching and 3D modeling. It also supports project management with features such as task management, document management, and collaborative image editing.
Document management in Fusion 360 (Source)
Based on analysis of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of Fusion 360 they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
What users think could be improved:
Fusion 360 is part of the Autodesk ecosystem designed for the AEC industry. This makes the tool suitable for construction businesses that are already using, or intend to use, other Autodesk solutions. Using a software vendor that offers multiple solutions will especially benefit larger businesses that invariably need software that can scale with their growing requirements.
LibreCAD is an open source CAD tool that supports Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems. The tool comes with 2D drawing features such as a snap tool, dimensioning, and annotations. It also supports multiple file imports and exports.
2D drawing in LibreCAD (Source)
Based on analysis of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of LibreCAD they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
What users think could be improved:
LibreCAD is an exclusively 2D CAD tool for drawing and designing blueprints of buildings, layouts of parks, and the like. As a free tool, the solution can be used by small and midsize businesses across different industries, including manufacturing, engineering, architecture, and construction.
Onshape is a cloud-only CAD solution that comes with features such as document management with version control, collaborative design creation/editing capabilities, and reporting dashboards to understand project status.
Importing documents in Onshape (Source)
Based on analysis of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of Onshape they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
What users think could be improved:
As a fully-cloud based tool, Onshape is ideal for businesses that need to manage design documents collaboratively with multiple stakeholders. The tool’s collaboration functionalities include document sharing, document editing, comments, and file downloads in multiple CAD formats, such as Parasolid, ACIS, STEP, and IGES.
This report offers a mix of Mac CAD solutions—from free tools that can help you with basic 2D drawing to advanced solutions offering extensive 3D modeling functionalities.
If these tools don’t meet your needs, expand your search and check out more options. To help you, we’ve created a CAD software comparison page where you can explore products using different filters, such as features offered and pricing options.
If you’re looking to understand the CAD software market better, we also recommend that you read the articles listed below: |
To be shortlisted, products had to fulfill the following criteria:
Note: The content in this piece that provides opinions and points of view expressed by users. It does not represent the views of Capterra.
Looking for Construction Management software? Check out Capterra's list of the best Construction Management software solutions.
It’s not so easy being an engineer. Think of all that careful planning you have to do everyday of your job—even the tiniest of miscalculations can cost quite a hefty sum to fix. That’s why most engineers use blueprints to make and erase any potential mistakes they make. Even then, these blueprints can be really hard to make.
Thankfully, for all you engineers out there, there’s a very convenient Drawing Softwarecalled an engineering drawing software that assists you guys in drawing projects. On this list are 11 of the best engineering drawing software. Thank us later!
Even the smartest of engineers would need a little help in finishing their projects.
Engineering drawing software takes a huge burden off their backs by helping them draw all they need to complete certain projects. It can help save time and effort, as well as funds for a project, to have this software at your disposal.
This can also be used to correct errors and mistakes in blueprint by providing a digital view of everything you’re placed on the project papers and allowing you to make adjustments and modification before they become a problem.
Just think of all the help you’ll get with an engineering drawing software with its extensive features.
Speaking of drawings, if you want to view something in 3D format for something other than engineering, anIsometric Drawing Softwareis what you need to help you display those drawings in 3D format specifically.
If you’re still not convinced that this can be a big convenience for engineering projects, just think of the all the work you have to spend drawing and making necessary arrangements yourself. Why do you even need to bother? With an engineering drawing software at your disposal to make things so much simpler and easier for you, it would simply be a waste of time and effort to do everything manually.
While it doesn’t do all your job for you (ironically if it did, it means you’re out of a job), having a software like this can make things a lot easier for you by a large margin.
Speaking of drawing, ever wanted to make drawings that aren’t for engineering purposes? Well, you might be interested in 2D Modeling Softwarewhich has a ton of features to help you make 2D models.