Cad reviews from Reddit
Summary
We analyzed 264 Reddit reviews across 33 subreddits and 49 posts to rank the best Cad brands recommended by redditors, including communities like r/MechanicalEngineering, r/3Dprinting, r/SolidWorks, r/woodworking, r/Ender3V3KE. Top-rated brands include Solidworks (4.2/5), Autodesk (4.1/5), OnShape (3.8/5).
Stats
Reviews264
Subreddits33
Posts49
Brands76
Products61
264 reviews from
and
By Brand
/By Product
#1
Solidworks
4.2
(29)
"Mechanical? Solid Works definitely though there are other possibilities industry centric."
"Solidworks is the easiest to learn, I found."
"Solidworks is the most broadly used CAD software in mechanical engineering disciplines."
"Go for Solidworks or Oneshape"
"SolidWorks is nice, user friendly and has many features."
"Definitely Solidworks if can get your hands on it."
"SOLIDWORKS is one of the most intuitive CAD software in comparison to stuff like rhino, proe, crio, nx."
"The best CAD software I've used."
"Currently loving SolidWorks."
"The capabilities of the SW FEA module are unbelievable for experienced engineers."
#2
Autodesk
4.1
(23)
"Great software with a lot of features and it’s free for hobbyists."
"Inventor is better than Catia for my needs."
"Fusion 360 is a powerful CAD tool that is great for modeling and design."
"Fusion360 has a web based version, which let me use it on my Chromebook during high school."
"Fusion 360 is quite easy to learn yet very capable. In just a few hours you will have learned all the basics and can actually create something."
"TinkerCAD is great for beginners, and Fusion 360 is a powerful extension of it."
"Super simple to get into, easy to use, but it's very limiting. I just started using Fusion 360 recently and I've been missing out for way too long."
"Fusion 360 is great because anytime I'm stuck YouTube and Google to the rescue."
"Probably the best CAD for beginners because you can look up 100th of videos for it on YT."
"Try using the free version of a commercial product(e.g., Fusion 360)."
#3
OnShape
3.8
(22)
"Onshape is really good if you don’t need any privacy considerations."
"My son taught my OnShape and I learned that quickly in a day."
"Found on shape and started learning. it'll totally change your way of thinking about everything."
"Onshape is now my religion. The philosophy of multibody modeling is a little different, but once you get it, you don't want to go back."
"OnShape is definitely number 1 though."
"Onshape is probably the best."
"Choose based on the license that works for you."
"It's fully online and works very easy."
"I personally find it very easy to learn and use."
"I think onahape is the far and away best deal in CAD these days."
#4
Fusion 360
3.9
(14)
"Fusion 360 for cad. It’s free for hobbiest, and there are tons of tutorials online."
"Fusion 360 is free an the most intuitive."
"I’m now about 9 days in on the 'learn fusion360 in 30 days' and I’ve been able to make whatever my wife needs."
"Yep, Fusion is more than capable for this level of project and super easy to learn compared to some more professional/big league 3D CAD packages."
"I'm using fusion for my design. It's done everything I need and there's lots of resources to learn with."
"I'd have a look at fusion. They have a free personal plan."
"I like Fusion. There's a free version for makers."
"Fusion360 or OnShape are the solid professional ones."
"Use whatever is free. Fusion360 is a very common free one for people to learn."
"Fusion 360 has a free version that covers a lot of the concepts in other parametric CAD packages."
#5
FreeCAD
3.9
(14)
"The most truly offline experience would be FreeCAD, 1.0 just released and it's an incredible improvement"
"I export to OBJ then use FreeCAD to export it to STL. Import into Blender and profit."
"Also useful for creating nice 2D drawings of the PCB with dimensions."
"It's free, it's CAD, and there is a metric ass ton of tutorials on YouTube."
"FreeCAD is free and open source, similar to quality 3D printers."
"I use freecad, semi steep learning curve but great for simple quick stuff."
"A good option for those who don't know how to code."
"Seems to be able to do way more than I need, and no account issues to deal with."
"Then just use FreeCAD or NanoCAD, or Sketchup."
"Freecad"
#6
TinkerCAD
4.0
(10)
"Try Tinkercad. It’s 100% free and easy to use."
"Tinkercad and a few YouTube videos has been easy to learn basics."
"Tinkercad is free and easy to use and lots of tutorials."
"Great for beginners to learn 3D design."
"If you are just making trinkets, start with Tinkercad."
"I started with Tinkercad and can do way more with it."
"Great starting point for beginners."
"Tinkercad is the best place to get your feet wet. It's powerful yet simple."
"Great for beginners or a parent and their kid(s) making something together."
"Run from TinkerCAD."
#7
Dassault Systèmes
3.4
(11)
"Abaqus is another excellent simulation tool."
"SolidWorks is also comparable to other CAD software."
"Best for surfacing and brute forcing anything into reality."
"CATIA is excellent for large complex assemblies."
"I really enjoyed working with Catia during uni."
"Very powerful tool but too expensive."
"A close second would be Catia but I don't like the interface."
"SolidWorks is user friendly, features are easy to use but will crash even on very small assemblies & feature creation."
"I learned Catia but now prefer Inventor."
"CATIA V5, NX, and AutoCAD just feel ancient."
#8
Shapr3D
4.4
(7)
"Shapr3D started as iPad only I believe. I’ve been using it quite a bit and it’s great!"
"Shapr3D is an excellent tool for 3D modeling, making it easy to create complex designs."
"It's really simple and easy to use."
"Shapr3D on iPad is amazing"
"Shapr3D is a good CAD tool and specifically designed for touch interface."
"The only decent one I have seen is the Shapr3D, but I have not used it."
"Lately I’ve been using Shapr3D - it’s free for like 2 projects."
#9
Logitech
4.8
(6)
"Also a mx ergo user. Also can't recommend it enough"
"Its a thumb mouse but the mx ergo has been great. I have been using it for years"
"This is what I've been using for years too. I always recommend it to people who do CAD work"
"I use a Logitech MX ergo, a trackball type, have done for a number of years and love it, wouldn't go back to a conventional mouse."
"Logitech G700. Has like 13 programmable buttons I use for CAD shortcuts."
"I use the 502 and I like it a lot, I solved the DPI changing issue by making all the mouse buttons that arent left or right be middle mouse button."
#10
AMD
4.7
(6)
"**CPU** | [AMD Ryzen 7 7700X 4.5 GHz 8-Core Processor](https://ca.pcpartpicker.com/product/WfqPxr/amd-ryzen-7-7700x-45-ghz-8-core-processor-100-100000591wof) | $389.50 @ Vuugo"
"Yes you can get on AM5 and crush 1440p gaming with your budget."
"Yes you can get on AM5 and crush 1440p gaming with your budget."
"Although the 7800X3D is the best gaming CPU atm."
"Rx 7700xt would also be good if you want something more powerful than 4060ti $560ish."
"If you want to go cheaper, gpu can be downgraded to rx 6800."
#11
AutoCAD
3.5
(6)
"It does everything I need."
"If you can find an older version of autocad with the perpetual license. It’s got everything one needs to customize and make it a very competitive piece of software."
"The simplest and probably the widest used is Autocad. It's good for 2D drawing."
"For complicated parts I use autocad."
"Autocad is for dinosaurs. If you are not using Revit or Vectorworks or some other parametric modeler then you are wasting your time"
"Did not like AutoCAD."
#12
SketchUp
3.8
(5)
"Yeah as above I think SketchUp is the main free/inexpensive option to look at."
"Sketchup for simpler designs, and fusion 360 for CNC work or work with lots of curves, chamfers, and the like."
"Sketchup online. Pretty simple and lots of tutorials available."
"SketchUp is easy to learn and use for simple modeling tasks."
"Sketchup is great for planning out a thing and awful if you're not planning in advance."
#13
NX
3.8
(4)
"NX would be my first pick. Solidworks 2nd."
"Very capable, but not as user-friendly as SolidWorks."
"Synchronous modeling and ease of modeling in assemblies are great, though 2D drawings could be improved."
"NX has a steep learning curve and outdated user interface."
#14
OpenScad
5.0
(3)
"Learning curve for OpenScad is really short. I use it in class where students build robots."
"Great for those who know how to code."
"Great for coding custom designs!"
#15
Creo
3.5
(4)
"DOD jobs typically use Creo."
"Our org, and our larger competitor both use Creo."
"Creo hands down. Solidworks is solid but it’s slow, bloated, and crashes constantly."
"Huge drop off in usability compared to the top two."
#16
Daiwa
4.7
(3)
"Daiwa Tatula XT was recently on sale at 99$ CAD in my area. I grabbed two of them. If you can find them at that price, it's a hell of a deal for an amazing rod."
"Daiwa Tatula XT rods. Best $100 rods going."
"Daiwa Revros is on sale at Cabela’s at the moment. Pretty good combo for the money if you’re after a spinning setup."
#17
Apple
4.7
(3)
"Go with a macbook."
"A base M1 MacBook... will fit you perfectly... it will be silent AF."
"I have a Mac air that does light gaming including baldurs gate that has zero fans/completely silent."
#18
LG
4.7
(3)
"Lg 27gs85q is basically like that but better contrast bigger and 200Hz."
"Lg ultragear 1440p 165hz . Has built in crosshairs . Great monitor."
"LG 27GS85Q or Philips 27M2N5500 depending if you want 20Hz more or pre-calibrated colors."
#19
Siemens
3.3
(4)
"NX is also strong for handling complex assemblies."
"Siemens NX is a preferred choice."
"I like NX although there was a bit of a learning curve coming from Solidworks."
"I hate it."
#20
Kicad
4.3
(3)
"Kicad is really good and it's free"
"Kicad is a good starting point for circuit board design."
"Kicad is a great free alternative to Altium."
#21
Blender
4.3
(3)
"Impressed with Blender, especially if they add a CAD-like plugin."
"Blender is by far the most popular."
"I use Blender for pretty much everything now and i am happy with the toleranzen."
#22
CATIA
3.3
(4)
"CATIA V5 is also a strong alternative."
"I would rank CAD software I used in this order: SW, CATIA, NX, Inventor."
"I use Catia because that's what I know best and I'm not switching softwares."
"Like every package it has its quirks and glitches."
#23
Lenovo
4.3
(3)
"I recommend the Legion Pro 7i with a 4080, i9 14th gen, 32 gb ram, 1 tb storage."
"A refurbished ThinkPad is a great choice for CAD work with upgradable memory and storage."
"The Lenovo ThinkPad T16 is a good choice within your budget, offering great upgrades at reasonable prices."
#24
Michelin
4.0
(3)
"I got MICHELIN X-ICE SNOW 205/55R17 + C-Wheels 17 in. Orion Alloy Wheel for $1,895 tax and installation included."
"Costco: Michelin - X-Ice Snow, Tire Size: 195/50R19 Speed Rating: H Load Index: 88 $286 CAD each."
"I ended up getting the X-Ice's last year. I didn't notice there were more options. I got them last November during the $100 rebate."
#25
Inventor
4.0
(3)
"10% of the cost of solidworks and crashes way less often."
"I would rank CAD software I used in this order: SW, CATIA, NX, Inventor."
"Inventor felt similar to SolidWorks but was used a long time ago."
#26
Nokian
4.0
(3)
"I downsized too and got Nokian hakkapaliita tyres."
"I got the 19s x-ice from Kal Tire and they were about $2000 total."
"I went with Kal tire and downsized to 17's. Nokians with studs and rims put me right at $2000 all in."
#27
NVIDIA
4.0
(3)
"You could even go the other way and upgrade to a 4070 super."
"The 3090 will hold it's price for ML work as:
* it's NVidia
* 24GB of VRAM
* FE edition meaning more selection of water blocks and matching NVLink location"
"I’ll recommend just getting a 4070S instead, about same to a little more performance for about $50 less then that 3090"
#28
PTC
3.7
(3)
"Creo is by far the best. I can do more with it and model things faster."
"Creo is well-regarded for its simulation capabilities."
"Creo/Pro-E is faster even on low end systems but needs everything in a very specific manner to adjust & work."
#29
3DConnexion
5.0
(2)
"3DConect cad mose is fire. I can't live without it."
"The best true 3 button I've found is the CADmouse"
#30
Alibre
4.0
(2)
"I use Alibre as I do some commercial that isn't allowed with Fusion 360."
"Alibre is a good alternative if you don't have a .edu email."
#31
Ansys
4.0
(2)
"ANSYS is great for simulation."
"It’s probably not as advanced as Ansys but it does the job."
#32
QCad
4.0
(2)
"If 2D AutoCAD is your second language, Qcad comes close for the learning curve involved."
"I use QCad. You can use it successfully for free."
#33
Dell
4.0
(2)
"Use a Precision instead. The Precision models are designed to be for Engineering."
"Dell precisions with rtx."
#34
Rhino
4.0
(2)
"You should try Rhino... with a jewelry mod. It is the one used for 90 % of jewelers."
"Rhino has a 90-day free trial and it's the cheapest well-known program you can actually own rather than license."
#35
Rhinoceros
4.0
(2)
"Rhinoceros for industrial design"
"Rhino is incredibly powerful once you get a handle of it."
#36
Garneau
4.0
(2)
"Just bought two of Garneau's bibs from thelasthunt.com. Good stuff so far."
"I have a pair of their cargo bibs and love them. The only thing I'd change is to make the pocket a bit bigger."
#37
Rayon
3.5
(2)
"Tried Rayon,thanks,it’s great"
"When it comes to 2d drafting having used revit and archicad myself it’s not as feature rich or user friendly as autocad"
#38
Haworth
2.5
(2)
"I found a Haworth fern for a price I couldn’t pass up."
"Saw horrendous review about the product."
#39
Asus
5.0
(1)
"If you want something slim, go for the zephyrus G16 with a 4070 and Ryzen Ai hx 370."
#40
DesignSpark Mechanical
5.0
(1)
"It's free, easy to use, no subscription fees, not Cloud based."
#41
Rhino 3D
5.0
(1)
"I really like Rhino 3D. It has good tutorials, runs on MacOS and Windows."
#42
ASUS
5.0
(1)
"The TUF A17 is probably the best one from the above link at the moment."
#43
Acer
5.0
(1)
"I would recommend Acer Predator Triton because it comes with everything you need, i7-13700H CPU which is one of the latest in the market."
#44
Tinkercad
5.0
(1)
"Tinkercad is a great tool for creating base shapes before exporting to Fusion 360."
#45
Thingiverse
5.0
(1)
"Great resource for finding tolerances!"
#46
Meshmixer
5.0
(1)
"Meshmixer is also a great free software."
#47
exocad
5.0
(1)
"If you have access to exocad or 3shape it will make your life a lot easier."
#48
3shape
5.0
(1)
"If you have access to exocad or 3shape it will make your life a lot easier."
#49
Nissan
5.0
(1)
"My dream car."
#50
Sketchup
5.0
(1)
"Sketchup Pro is also a fantastic tool for 3D projects."
#51
Custom
5.0
(1)
"I've created a fume extractor using some server PC fans and 4 in duct."
#52
Qcad
5.0
(1)
"Qcad is great for additions and remodel projects, with a free version available."
#53
Medit
5.0
(1)
"Medit has tons of free design videos/tutorials, and medit link is free."
#54
WokWi
5.0
(1)
"An excellent tool for simulating circuits."
#55
EasyEDA
5.0
(1)
"I'm trying out EasyEDA and likely going to switch to it going forward just because of the integration with LCSC and JLPCB."
#56
GTA Car Kits
5.0
(1)
"They put in the Bluetooth which was a life saver."
#57
Wikifactory
5.0
(1)
"It's very useful and easy to use."
#58
Subaru
5.0
(1)
"I loved my WRX when i had one so i’d say go with that 100%."
#59
Pro/ENGINEER
4.0
(1)
"It's worth taking formal classes. Most companies using ProEngineer send new employees and cover the cost."
#60
PCPartPicker
4.0
(1)
"Idle for 1440p ultra settings and 4k ultra settings with 75+ fps native"
#61
SolidWorks
4.0
(1)
"Got Solidworks Maker for home, well worth the £54pa."
#62
CC
4.0
(1)
"I’d start with this bundle with the 7600 from CC."
#63
Gigabyte
4.0
(1)
"Consider maybe the 27" gigabyte? Seems to be fairly well reviewed."
#64
Cadillac
4.0
(1)
"I actually love driving it. Has some bells and whistles the Cadillac didn’t even have."
#65
Tarantula
4.0
(1)
"I used tinkercad for some very basic designs."
#66
Various CAD Software
4.0
(1)
"Most CAD software share a similar working principle, making it easier to switch between them."
#67
Fusion360
1.5
(2)
"Feels broken and more suited for hobbyists."
"Don't waste your time if you're going to learn CAD; learn on something like Onshape or Fusion360."
#68
Altium
3.0
(1)
"Altium has great courses but the license is too expensive."
#69
Ondsel
3.0
(1)
"A good alternative to Freecad."
#70
AutoCAD Architecture
3.0
(1)
"AutoCAD Architecture has 3D capabilities, but I primarily use it for 2D functionality."
#71
Hyundai
2.0
(1)
"I feel like I got ripped off a little for the brake service."
#72
Gaming Model
2.0
(1)
"At this price range, only gaming models would offer proper dgpu for 3D CAD/Solidworks."
#73
Eagle
2.0
(1)
"Eagle is being phased out by Autodesk."
#74
Pro/E
2.0
(1)
"Pro/E is annoying to use because you kind of do everything backwards of intuitive."
#75
Autocad Inventor
2.0
(1)
"Like every package it has its quirks and glitches."
#76
Solid Edge
1.0
(1)
"That crappy sht called Solidedge."
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