Software Alternatives & Reviews

QCAD VS SolidWorks

Compare QCAD VS SolidWorks and see what are their differences

QCAD logo QCAD

QCAD is an application for computer aided drafting in 2D.

SolidWorks logo SolidWorks

Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks Corp. develops and markets 3D CAD design software, analysis software, and product data management software. SolidWorks is the leading supplier of 3D CAD product design engineering software.
  • QCAD Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-23
  • SolidWorks Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-15

QCAD videos

Noobs guide to QCAD

More videos:

  • Review - Getting Started with QCAD

SolidWorks videos

First Look at SOLIDWORKS Software - SOLIDWORKS

More videos:

  • Review - SOLIDWORKS 2018 Overview
  • Review - SOLIDWORKS 2019 - Large Design Review Mode

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to QCAD and SolidWorks)
3D
30 30%
70% 70
Architecture
31 31%
69% 69
CAD
33 33%
67% 67
3D Modeling
26 26%
74% 74

User comments

Share your experience with using QCAD and SolidWorks. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare QCAD and SolidWorks

QCAD Reviews

9 Free CAD Software to Download
Since it is open source, QCAD’s focus is more towards modularity, extensibility and portability. Its 2D CAD platform is powerful but yet easy to use even for a beginner who has little to no experience in CAD applications.

SolidWorks Reviews

7 Best 3D Modeling Programs Like SketchUp | EASY RENDER
If it’s flexibility and modeling capability you’re looking for, you could do a lot worse than SolidWorks. Not only is it probably the best 3D modeler on this list, it has been a mainstay in the visualization industry for decades, and has been constantly developed to be more powerful and easier to use. SolidWorks is most commonly used by mechanical and industrial designers,...
Best SolidWorks rendering software [2020 Guide]
There are numerous SolidWorks rendering programs available but we have compiled the very best below in terms of functionality.
Looking for a SketchUp alternative? Check out the 10 best options
SolidWorks is another popular CAD software on par (and arguably above) the likes of Autodesk Inventor or Fusion 360. Though definitely harder to learn than SketchUp, SolidWorks is packed with advanced features that companies use to design and manufacture products. All this functionality certainly doesn’t come cheap, however – you’ll have to contact their site to get a quote...
Source: all3dp.com
Top 10 of the best 3D modeling software for architecture
Solidworks is a 3D modeling software mainly used by engineers. It can be a great solution if you need a 3D software for a project, and you just want to create a quick design. You can’t do complex rendering, with a lot of material or texture as it is not a CAD program dedicated to architecture. But it is possible to design a building and get a good overview of your...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, QCAD seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 4 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

QCAD mentions (4)

  • Pattern Making Software Recommendations?
    The best software for your situation is to work with a basic 2D CAD program. You would still need to learn the software but they are pretty basic. I'm not an expert in what is free but googling I found this open source one https://qcad.org/en/. Source: about 1 year ago
  • What's the most accomplished CAD software for Linux?
    QCAD has a free community version and professional and CAM versions for reasonable prices. Check out the features list to see which version you will need, although make sure the community version works on your system before committing to a paid version. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Free alternatives to AutoCAD?
    I'm no longer a user of CAD programs so this might be a bit outdated. But for 2D take a look at QCAD. For 3D modeling and lots of other functionality you have FreeCAD. Source: over 2 years ago
  • New to laser, How to designe?
    If you are looking for something free that can handle dimensions I would recommend QCAD. https://qcad.org/en/ It only supports 2D drawings, but I find it works well for laser cutting / engraving work. The free windows versions is also a bit trashy/unusable in free mode. But the Linux version works great if you want to try booting Linux off a USB stick. Source: about 3 years ago

SolidWorks mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of SolidWorks yet. Tracking of SolidWorks recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing QCAD and SolidWorks, you can also consider the following products

LibreCAD - An open source 2D CAD application for Windows, Apple and Linux.

FreeCAD - An open-source parametric 3D modeler

SketchUp - 3D for Everyone

nanoCAD - nanoCAD is a pro-grade 2D CAD system with native DWG support and full customizability.

OpenSCAD - OpenSCAD is a software for creating solid 3D CAD objects.

Autodesk AutoCAD - Autodesk AutoCAD is a commercial computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting software application.