Best design software on Reddit

290 reviews from r/3Dprinting, r/woodworking, r/tabletopgamedesign and 39 more subreddits

290 reviews from

and

By Brand

By Product

SketchUp

4.0

(26)

"SketchUp is the most user friendly."

"Sketchup Pro with FredoSpline to draw curves, PathCopy to distribute objects around a path, and 3D warehouse for various elements like retaining wall blocks, plants, etc."

"SketchUp is fantastic."

"Sketchup is still free to use on browser."

"The 2017 version of Sketchup can be downloaded and installed still."

"SketchUp + enscape"

"In terms of ease of use, sketchup is probably your best bet for designing comprehensive plans."

"SketchUp is a popular choice, easy to learn and great for 3D renderings!"

"SketchUp, it free, runs in a browser and super easy to use."

"The last good standalone version."

Onshape

4.3

(23)

"I'd learn onshape in a heartbeat"

"Onshape is awesome."

"I use onshape."

"OnShape by far. I've tried Fusion 360 (awful UX), tinkercad, Shapr and OnShape and I'm hooked with OnShape."

"Imo onshape is the best, multi body parts and multi use sketches are a godsend"

"Free indefinitely (strictly no commercial use on the free license), cloud-based, and professional grade."

"Onshape is free, and it is great."

"Try Onshape. It’s powerful like Fusion 360 and is entirely web-based."

"Onshape. It's in browser but it has a ton of features and it's free if you're not using it commercially"

"Onshape has made a million improvements this year."

Fusion 360

4.4

(22)

"I recommend fusion 360. And the real bonus is that once you learn it you will have learned how to model for a 3d printer which is an added bonus you could get into."

"If you're still in school you can apply for an education license with fusion 360."

"**Fusion 360**. Awesome."

"Fusion360."

"If you want to learn parametric (think math's and easy adjustment) fusion 360."

"I vote for fusion360 as well."

"Fusion 360 personal license (free) or tinkercad (free)."

"My vote is for Fusion360 though."

"Fusion 360 or Onshape."

"Fusion 360 is a straight up gift from the hobby gods. Incredibly powerful and robust while completely free for hobby/personal use."

Autodesk

4.3

(20)

"Fusion 360 is still free for personal use."

"Fusion has been great for me coming from Solidworks."

"Fusion360 is the most easy and fun to use. Very user friendly, idiot friendly even."

"Fusion 360 is hard to beat"

"Fusion 360 is the way to go. Ill never go back to sketch up."

"Fusion 360 has a free version for personal projects (up to 10 active projects at a time)."

"Fusion 360."

"For functional parts i would go for Fusion360 or onshape, for pretty stuff figuratures i would go with blender."

"You should start with fusion 360 ( 10 active model for the free version ) or on shape for mecanical parts."

"Fusion Solid Edge community edition Freecad if you're a masochist"

Tinkercad

3.8

(21)

"There is nothing that comes close in ease of use for 3D printing."

"You can do a surprising amount with Tinkercad."

"Tinkercad makes this kind of thing pretty easy."

"TinkerCAD. Import stl. Scale up about 0.1%. Change to negative. Create rectangle. Align and combine (group). Export new stl."

"For most functional parts, probably tinkercad."

"Tinkercad."

"Tinkercad is great to get the basics of 3D modeling."

"Tinkercad is great. It is free, on the web, and really easy to use and learn."

"Start with tinkercad. Once you find that tinkercad is limiting the intricacy of your models, transition to fusion 360 if you functional print, or blender if you create organic objects like statues."

"My recommendation: Start with Tinkercad, watch videos on youtube of how to use it's features."

Inkscape

4.3

(15)

"I started using Inkscape and I love it. I honestly prefer it to Illustrator now."

"Is free and super-easy to use!"

"Inkscape, with tutorials from Logos by Nick on YouTube."

"Inkscape and Krita are both amazing. They are also free and open source."

"If you’re purely 2D then Inkscape to create the svg file."

"Inkscape"

"I use Inkscape. The price is right for my tastes and comes close to what my simple needs require."

"You can replace illustrator with Inkscape."

"If you want something something free that works on MacOS and Linux as well as Windows - Inkscape is an open source vector graphics editor."

"I use Inkscape for card design/re-design because it has better control of type than programs like GIMP."

Blender

4.3

(9)

"Blender is unbeatable."

"I like blender and freecad"

"Blender and FreeCAD are FOSS."

"Blender for 3d modeling."

"Blender."

"Blender is great. People hate it for 3d printing but I don't get it."

"Blender does well for me, but I already knew it decently well."

"Blender for animation and modelling is great but has a learning curve."

"If you don't know/not sure about pirate things, you can get blender to draw in 3D."

Plasticity

4.7

(7)

"Plasticity is a great 3d modeling software, its very capable and easier to use than fusion 360."

"Plasticity 3D is pretty awesome"

"Plasticity is delightful"

"Love Plasticity. Perpetual license"

"I have to say that plasticity is a wonder to work with."

"Plasticity is great if you have experience with eg. Blender."

"Plasticity. Tinkercad is too basic once you get into more complex objects."

SolidWorks

4.3

(7)

"Solidworks."

"Solidworks for makers."

"Solidworks."

"Solidworks for makers is 50$ a year, they have both sheetmetal tools and weldments for tube fab."

"SolidWorks was a pretty good fit."

"For strictly and forever tinkerers, probably Fusion."

"SolidWorks maker is like $100 a year."

#10

FreeCAD

3.6

(8)

"Freecad is awesome."

"It is quite easy to use, in some cases it's easier than SketchUp. It's on windows, mac and Linux. It's also open source and still in active development."

"IMO FreeCAD is the most powerful and truly free, software."

"Sketchup and freecad seem to be the most popular."

"FreeCad Open source software, closest thing to fusion that’s free."

"For functional stuff I use FreeCAD and OpenSCAD because open source software is important to me."

"FreeCAD or Ondsel (cleaner and better version of FreeCAD imo)."

"I've found FreeCad (or is it called OpenCad?) and OnShape."

#11

KiCad

4.7

(6)

"I use KiCad. Works great."

"KiCad is free and has a large community."

"Schematic/PCB hobbyist software (sorted by first letter): KiCad"

"Kicad is free, and has built in sim capabilities."

"KiCad. You can then order cheaply from JLCPCB."

"KiCad == Easy."

#12

Rhino

4.2

(6)

"Rhino for explicit 3D, Rhino+Grasshopper for parametric 3D."

"Rhino has a steeper learning curve but offers perpetual licenses."

"Rhino One off purchase, took a month or two to learn but it's amazing for so many things"

"Rhino or SketchUp"

"I’ve done a few basic things like an oven knob and vise parts with Rhino."

"Rhino is a single purchase and does everything and more than what sketchup can."

#13

Affinity

4.2

(5)

"I also can recommend the Affinity software lineup. It is way more inexpensive than Adobe Creative Cloud."

"You can do great stuff with PowerPoint/Keynote."

"Affinity Designer"

"Affinity Designer is the best paid option. Nearly all the power of Adobe Illustrator for only $70."

#14

Dextrous

4.5

(4)

"Is amazing for prototyping."

"For the early stages of game development Dextrous is king."

"I'm using it myself, and switched to it from nandeck."

"Dextrous and Strange Eons are the two most specialized tools."

#15

DesignSpark Mechanical

4.5

(4)

"I use DesignSpark Mechanical for all my 3D prints. It's free, easy to use, no subscription fees, not Cloud based."

"Explorer edition is totally free and it’s fully featured."

"I used design spark mechanical. It served me well but I’m transitioning into fusion360 because of more features."

"Designspark Mechanical"

#16

Procreate

4.7

(3)

"I have been loving the ability to layer."

"I’ve been using an iPad and procreate for 8-ish years."

"Procreate, single payment, affordable, flexible, great UX."

#17

Mozaik

4.3

(3)

"Hi, I have experience on Mozaik. If you ever need someone to design your joinery/cabinets/cupboards just reply here."

"Mozaik. It's made for Mac. It's based off sketch up."

"Mozaik. It's made for Mac."

#18

Krita

4.3

(3)

"Bonus it's free and very well equipped for stuff."

"I've been using Krita for years, it's free and once you learn all the tools it's very simple for vector line art."

"For digital drawing: Krita."

#19

GIMP

4.3

4.0

(2)

"Nandeck"

#34

Resolume

4.0

(2)

"Resolume is definitely available for mac as well."

"Resolume works great for pixel tape."

#35

Vectorworks

3.5

(2)

"I would give Vectorworks a look."

"Vectorworks is more costly but has plant libraries built in."

#36

Canva

3.5

3.0

(1)

"InDesign is not free, but it’s an easier product to use."

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