License & Deployment Mix: 15 tools – 5 OSS, 5 SaaS. (OSS and SaaS counts can overlap when an open-source tool also offers a vendor-hosted edition.)
What Is CAD?
Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is the use of software to create, modify, analyse, and optimise two-dimensional and three-dimensional designs. CAD tools replace manual drafting with digital workflows, enabling engineers, architects, and designers to produce precise technical drawings, solid models, and assemblies that can be directly used for manufacturing, construction, and prototyping.
CAD solutions span several taxonomies:
- 2D drafting – creation of flat technical drawings, floor plans, and schematics using lines, arcs, dimensions, and annotations (e.g., AutoCAD, LibreCAD)
- 3D parametric modelling – feature-based solid modelling driven by sketches, constraints, and parameters that allow design intent to propagate through changes (e.g., SOLIDWORKS, Inventor, FreeCAD)
- Direct modelling – geometry manipulation without a parametric history tree; useful for concept design and editing imported geometry (e.g., Shapr3D, Siemens NX direct mode)
- BIM (Building Information Modelling) – intelligent 3D models enriched with metadata for architectural, structural, and MEP design (e.g., Revit, ArchiCAD); BIM is not covered in this directory
- EDA / PCB design – electronic design automation for schematic capture, PCB layout, and design rule checking (e.g., KiCad, Altium Designer)
This directory evaluates CAD tools – both open-source and commercial solutions. For product lifecycle management (BOM, change management), see Product Lifecycle Management (PLM). For computer-aided manufacturing (toolpaths, G-code), see Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM).
The information on these pages was researched by a combination of human review and large language models. To suggest an addition or correction, please contact us. Prepared by Rhodium Systems Inc., author of the ResorsIT platform — a unified IT operations management platform for IT teams and MSPs that integrates a curated suite of open-source, commercial, and SaaS applications into a single system with shared identity, single sign-on, access control, and a common audit trail. Use this catalogue only as a starting point for your own research, and review any tool carefully against your own requirements before relying on it. Catalogue data version 2026.197.
Comparison
Deployment Model
| Tool | Desktop | Cloud | Docker | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FreeCAD | Yes | No | No | Lin/Win/Mac |
| OpenSCAD | Yes | No | No | Lin/Win/Mac |
| LibreCAD | Yes | No | No | Lin/Win/Mac |
| Blender | Yes | No | No | Lin/Win/Mac |
| KiCad | Yes | No | No | Lin/Win/Mac |
| AutoCAD | Yes | Yes | No | Win/Mac |
| SOLIDWORKS | Yes | Yes* | No | Windows |
| Inventor | Yes | No | No | Windows |
| Fusion | Yes | Yes | No | Win/Mac |
| CATIA | Yes | Yes* | No | Windows |
| Siemens NX | Yes | No | No | Win/Linux |
| Onshape | No | Yes | No | Web |
| Shapr3D | Yes | No | No | iPad/Win/Mac |
| Tinkercad | No | Yes | No | Web |
| SketchUp | Yes | Yes | No | Win/Mac/Web |
* = cloud version available via 3DEXPERIENCE platform (SOLIDWORKS, CATIA)
Core CAD Features
| Tool | 2D | 3D Param. | Direct | Assy | Drawing | Sim. | Sheet Metal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FreeCAD | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| OpenSCAD | No | CSG | No | No | No | No | No |
| LibreCAD | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| Blender | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| KiCad | EDA | 3D view | No | No | No | No | No |
| AutoCAD | Yes | Basic | No | No | Yes | No | No |
| SOLIDWORKS | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Inventor | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fusion | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CATIA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Siemens NX | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Onshape | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Basic | Yes |
| Shapr3D | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| Tinkercad | No | CSG | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| SketchUp | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
Best parametric 3D: SOLIDWORKS, Inventor, Fusion, CATIA, Siemens NX, Onshape, FreeCAD
Best 2D drafting: AutoCAD, LibreCAD
Best EDA / PCB: KiCad
SSO / Authentik Integration
| Tool | OIDC | SAML | LDAP/AD | Local |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FreeCAD | No | No | No | N/A |
| OpenSCAD | No | No | No | N/A |
| LibreCAD | No | No | No | N/A |
| Blender | No | No | No | N/A |
| KiCad | No | No | No | N/A |
| AutoCAD | OIDC* | SAML | Yes | Yes |
| SOLIDWORKS | No | SAML* | Yes | Yes |
| Inventor | OIDC* | SAML | Yes | Yes |
| Fusion | OIDC* | SAML | Yes | Yes |
| CATIA | OIDC* | SAML | Yes | Yes |
| Siemens NX | No | SAML* | Yes | Yes |
| Onshape | OIDC | SAML | No | Yes |
| Shapr3D | No | No | No | Yes |
| Tinkercad | OIDC* | No | No | Yes |
| SketchUp | OIDC* | No | No | Yes |
* = via vendor identity platform (Autodesk ID, 3DEXPERIENCE, Siemens ID, Trimble ID)
N/A = desktop-only OSS tools with no authentication layer; licence server or cloud account not applicable
Best Authentik integration: Onshape (native OIDC + SAML), Autodesk tools (Autodesk ID federation), CATIA / SOLIDWORKS (3DEXPERIENCE federation)
No SSO: FreeCAD, OpenSCAD, LibreCAD, Blender, KiCad (standalone desktop tools), Shapr3D (cloud account only)
API Capabilities
| Tool | REST API | Webhooks | SDK | CLI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FreeCAD | No | No | Python | Yes |
| OpenSCAD | No | No | No | Yes |
| LibreCAD | No | No | No | No |
| Blender | No | No | Python | Yes |
| KiCad | No | No | Python | Yes |
| AutoCAD | Yes* | No | .NET, Lisp | Yes |
| SOLIDWORKS | Yes* | No | .NET, VBA | Yes |
| Inventor | Yes* | No | .NET | Yes |
| Fusion | Yes | Yes | Python | Yes |
| CATIA | Yes | No | .NET, VBA | No |
| Siemens NX | Yes | No | .NET, Java | Yes |
| Onshape | Yes | Yes | REST | Yes |
| Shapr3D | No | No | No | No |
| Tinkercad | No | No | No | No |
| SketchUp | Yes* | No | Ruby | No |
* = automation API (COM / desktop API), not web REST API
Best API: Onshape (full REST API + webhooks), Fusion (REST API + webhooks + Python SDK)
Best scripting: FreeCAD (Python macro + workbench API), Blender (Python scripting), KiCad (Python scripting + CLI)
Monitoring Integration
| Tool | Health EP | Logs | SNMP | Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FreeCAD | No | Files | No | No |
| OpenSCAD | No | Stdout | No | No |
| LibreCAD | No | Files | No | No |
| Blender | No | Stdout | No | No |
| KiCad | No | Files | No | No |
| AutoCAD | FlexLM | Files | No | FlexLM |
| SOLIDWORKS | SNL | Files | No | SNL |
| Inventor | FlexLM | Files | No | FlexLM |
| Fusion | Cloud | Cloud | No | Cloud |
| CATIA | DSLS | Files | No | DSLS |
| Siemens NX | FlexLM | Files | No | FlexLM |
| Onshape | Cloud | Cloud | No | Cloud |
| Shapr3D | No | No | No | No |
| Tinkercad | Cloud | No | No | No |
| SketchUp | Cloud | Files | No | No |
FlexLM = FlexNet / FlexLM licence server metrics via Telegraf exec plugin
SNL = SolidNetwork License Manager (similar to FlexLM)
DSLS = Dassault Systemes License Server
Best monitoring integration: AutoCAD, Inventor, Siemens NX (FlexLM licence server metrics + log files), Fusion / Onshape (cloud health endpoints)
Pricing
OSS / Free
| Tool | License | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| FreeCAD | LGPL-2.1 | Free |
| OpenSCAD | GPL-2.0 | Free |
| LibreCAD | GPL-2.0 | Free |
| Blender | GPL-3.0 | Free |
| KiCad | GPL-3.0 | Free |
Commercial Desktop
| Tool | Licensing | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| AutoCAD | Subscription | ~$1,975/yr |
| SOLIDWORKS | Perpetual + maint. | From ~$3,995 |
| Inventor | Subscription | ~$2,390/yr |
| Fusion | Subscription | From $545/yr |
| CATIA | Subscription | Quote-based |
| Siemens NX | Subscription | Quote-based |
SaaS / Cloud
| Tool | Licensing | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Onshape | Subscription | From $1,500/yr |
| Shapr3D | Subscription | From $239/yr |
| Tinkercad | Free | Free |
| SketchUp | Subscription | From $349/yr |
Tools
15 tools.
AutoCAD
AutoCAD is the industry-standard 2D drafting and general-purpose CAD application developed by Autodesk.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas, native · SSO: OIDC
Autodesk Fusion
Autodesk Fusion (formerly Fusion 360) is a cloud-connected CAD/CAM/CAE platform that combines parametric modelling, direct modelling, surface modelling, mesh modelling, sheet metal, simulation, rendering, and CAM toolpath generation in a si…
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC
Autodesk Inventor
Autodesk Inventor is a professional 3D parametric CAD application for mechanical design, simulation, and documentation.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas, native · SSO: OIDC
Blender (CAD Use)
Blender is a free and open-source 3D creation suite primarily designed for 3D art, animation, visual effects, and game asset creation.
License: GPL-3.0-only (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas, docker · SSO: none
CATIA
CATIA (Computer Aided Three-dimensional Interactive Application) is an advanced 3D CAD/CAM/CAE platform developed by Dassault Systemes.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas, native · SSO: OIDC
FreeCAD
FreeCAD is an open-source parametric 3D CAD modeller designed for mechanical engineering, product design, and architecture.
License: LGPL-2.1-or-later (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas, docker · SSO: none
KiCad
KiCad is a free and open-source electronic design automation (EDA) suite for schematic capture, PCB layout, and design rule checking.
License: GPL-3.0-only (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas, docker · SSO: none
LibreCAD
LibreCAD is an open-source 2D CAD application for technical drawing and drafting. Forked from QCAD Community Edition, LibreCAD focuses exclusively on 2D drafting using the DXF file format as its native format.
License: GPL-2.0-only (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas, docker · SSO: none
Onshape
Onshape is a cloud-native, browser-based 3D parametric CAD platform from PTC, with assembly design, drawing generation, built-in version control and PDM, and real-time multi-user collaboration.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC
OpenSCAD
OpenSCAD is an open-source script-based 3D CAD tool that uses constructive solid geometry (CSG) and extrusion of 2D profiles to create 3D models.
License: GPL-2.0-only (OSS) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas, docker · SSO: none
Shapr3D
Shapr3D is a direct modelling CAD application designed primarily for iPad (with Apple Pencil) and available on Windows and macOS.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas, native · SSO: none
Siemens NX
Siemens NX (formerly Unigraphics) is an advanced 3D CAD/CAM/CAE platform developed by Siemens Digital Industries Software.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas, native · SSO: none
SketchUp
SketchUp is a 3D modelling application developed by Trimble, widely used in architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and construction.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas, native · SSO: OIDC
SOLIDWORKS
SOLIDWORKS is the industry-leading 3D parametric CAD application for mechanical engineering and product design.
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: none
Tinkercad
Tinkercad is a free browser-based 3D design tool developed by Autodesk. It uses a simplified CSG (constructive solid geometry) approach where users combine primitive shapes (cubes, cylinders, spheres) using drag-and-drop and boolean operati…
License: Proprietary (proprietary) · Kind: web · Deploy: saas · SSO: OIDC
