It's not perfect, but FreeCAD is one of the best free CAD programs I've ever used

Earlier this year I crowned FreeCAD the winner of the 'best free' category in my best CAD software guide. Given the limited competition, you might not be surprised that it made it to the top, but after also looking at the likes of LibreCAD and Onshape, I felt the position was well deserved.

FreeCAD provides 2D and 3D functionality that makes it ideal for architects, 3D printing enthusiasts, and anyone involved in CNC machining. It's also possible to create NURBS, perform model analyses, and work on BIM projects.

Alongside an excellent set of tools, we also love that FreeCAD is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux. Ubiquitous support across all major operating systems makes it an ideal solution for multidisciplinary teams. I downloaded the app onto my Mac and proceeded to put it through its paces.

How I tested

To test the major features of FreeCAD, I decided to work on two separate projects that spanned 2D and 3D disciplines. The way designers and visualisers approach each of these disciplines is very different, and I was keen to honour that in my testing. My 2D testing focused on architecture while 3D on a digger's bucket / arm.

Key plans and pricing

FreeCAD is, unsurprisingly, 100% free, and according to their website, it "will always be free". It is free to use, modify, and distribute, which gives total freedom to users without any recourse.

Users are not required to do so, but if they want to support the project, then they can donate money to the FreeCAD project. This is handled by the FreeCAD Project Association (FPA), a non-profit association created by FreeCAD administrators and core developers. The FPA uses the money it gathers to support FreeCAD developers and sponsor new projects.

Value score: 4.5/5

Setup and getting started

• New file templates
• Customisable navigation options

The FreeCAD interface is not particularly inviting or intuitive, although we'll make more comments on that in a later section. The process of getting started, though, is actually fairly straightforward thanks to a set of templates that can be selected on the opening screen. These take care of various settings, including measurements and whether it opens in a top-down or 3D view.

There are also a range of example files which are perfect for familiarising yourself with the software. Being able to interrogate and play with well-built drawings and models is incredibly helpful for seeing how the software functions.

Another feature that I found incredibly helpful for getting up and running quickly was the ability to set the navigation type. This can be done at the point of creating a project or at any point later down the line. Options include, but are not limited to, Blender, Revit, and TinkerCAD. (Read our Blender review for comparison.) This means that if you're transitioning across from a different piece of software but don't want to learn a whole new way of interacting with the app, then you can just choose your preferred type.

Setup score: 4.5/5

Features

• 2D and 3D functionality
• Support for parametric modelling

FreeCAD enables designers to produce and edit 2D drawings and 3D models. It is therefore ideal for architects, 3D modellers, 3D printing enthusiasts, and those involved in CNC machining. The ability to import and export in all of the major file formats, including STEP, IGES, OBJ, STL, and DWG, only helps FreeCAD integrate within a wider ecosystem of programs.

One of the main strengths of FreeCAD is that every object is natively parametric. This means that they are based on properties such as numeric values, texts, on/off buttons, or even other objects and can therefore easily be updated or adjusted. This parametric functionality links neatly into the history tracker, which lets you go back to any point in time, make a change, and see it reflected throughout the model. This non-destructive workflow is a dream.

FreeCAD also includes a set of 'workbenches', including an assembly workbench, an architectural workbench, and even a BIM workbench. All three of these are integrated natively into FreeCAD and offer dedicated tools for each type of project.

3D modelling is possible through the creation of solids, Boundary Representation (BRep) objects, and Non-Uniform Rational Basis Spline (NURBS) curves and surfaces. With a set of tools to create and modify these objects, you'll have everything you need to perform Boolean operations, fillets, shape cleaning, and more.

Feature score: 4/5

User interface and experience

• A basic interface that is difficult to navigate
• Extensive written documentation as well as YouTube tutorials

After opening up FreeCAD, I was surprised at how dated and basic the interface was that I was presented with. I appreciate it's only at version 1.0 and the software is 100% free, but I don't think those should be excuses for a lack of good design and implementation of clear workflows. In this regard, I would like to see the team take significant strides when it comes to the user interface and how users interact with it.

The set of icons at the top of the application are all fairly clear and colour coordinated, but not all of them clearly enough communicate what they achieve. Thankfully, if you hover over each one, you get a tooltip description, which I found invaluable for finding my way around. There's also a 'What's this?' tool which opens online documentation for any tool you click on.

More positively, the creation and modification of 2D and 3D objects is beautifully simple. If you don't have any objects selected in the viewport, then the 'Tasks' panel displays a list of objects that you can create. Then, if you select an object, the same panel displays the set of tools that can be utilised for modifying what has been selected. The simplicity of the interface therefore actually helps with simplifying some of these processes, although workflows are still unnecessarily complex and convoluted.

Performance score: 3.5/5

Help and support

• Community help through an online forum
• Official help can be found on the FreeCAD Discord channel

As is common with free and open-source software, almost all help and support is funnelled through a forum and a Discord channel. The forum is neatly organised with threads for all the common subjects and more. I was also impressed to see forums dedicated to languages other than English, including French, Italian, and Portuguese.

The FreeCAD Discord is a little more sparse, with most announcements being funnelled through a 'How to' channel. The last update provided by the team was towards the end of 2024, so don't expect to find too much help or regular updates there. Visit the FreeCAD website for more details.

Support score: 4/5

Who is it for?

• 2D and 3D designers on a budget

Not everyone has the money to be able to buy a subscription to AutoCAD, 3ds Max, or SketchUp. That's why FreeCAD is so popular. Despite not being as feature-rich or polished as these other applications, FreeCAD is still more than capable for most users. It's therefore ideal for freelance architects, 3D visualisers, and product designers, as well as many other related professions.

Buy it if...

• You need a free piece of CAD software.
• You like parametric modelling workflows.
• You use Python and want a supporting CAD package.

Don't buy it if...

• You need more features.
• You want the most intuitive workflow.
• You want the industry standard CAD package.