3D & CAD · head to head
3D-Coat vs DraftSight
The short version
- Each has a real cost: 3D-Coat split into separate products, so 3DCoatTextura covers texturing only and the full sculpting toolset needs the complete 3DCoat licence; DraftSight there is no free version any more, only a 30 day trial; DraftSight was previously free for personal use
- They diverge on capability: 3D-Coat covers Voxel sculpting, DraftSight covers DWG/DXF support.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which 3D-Coat and DraftSight actually diverge.
| Attribute | 3D-Coat | DraftSight |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | one-time | subscription |
| Founded | 2007 | 1981 |
Identical on both: starting price ($29/month), free tier (No), platforms (Windows, MacOS, Linux), user rating (Not yet rated), category (3D & CAD).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in 3D-Coat
- Voxel sculpting
- Surface sculpting
- Retopology
- UV mapping
- Texture painting
- PBR materials
- Smart materials
- Baking
Only in DraftSight
- DWG/DXF support
- 2D drafting
- 3D modeling
- Batch printing
- PDF import
- Layer management
- SolidWorks
- CATIA
Both cover
- Windows support
- MacOS support
- Linux support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
3D-Coat
- Voxel sculpting from a digital clay blocknot DraftSight
- Retopology of high-density sculpts into production meshesnot DraftSight
- UV mapping and PBR texturingnot DraftSight
- Preparing print-ready models for 3D printingnot DraftSight
- Node-based material authoring on the GPUnot DraftSight
DraftSight
- 2D drafting and annotation on DWG filesnot 3D-Coat
- Opening and editing DWG drawings without AutoCADnot 3D-Coat
- Architectural and engineering drawing productionnot 3D-Coat
- Working alongside SOLIDWORKS in a Dassault toolchainnot 3D-Coat
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
3D-Coat
- Split into separate products, so 3DCoatTextura covers texturing only and the full sculpting toolset needs the complete 3DCoat licence
- Pricing is not published on the product pages
- Licences are sold node-locked or floating, so moving a seat between machines depends on which was bought
DraftSight
- There is no free version any more, only a 30 day trial; DraftSight was previously free for personal use
- Split into Professional, Premium and Enterprise tiers, with prices not shown on the product page
- Primarily a 2D CAD application, with 3D limited to DWG file handling rather than full modelling
Pricing, plan by plan
3D-Coat
$29/month- Amateur$99/month
- Non-commercial use
- Professional$379/month
- Full commercial license
- Floating$568/month
- Network licensing
DraftSight
$29/month- Standard$99/month
- 2D drafting
- Professional$199/month
- 2D + 3D
- Premium$499/month
- Advanced features
Which should you pick?
Choose 3D-Coat if
- You need voxel sculpting.
- You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
- You also want surface sculpting.
Choose DraftSight if
- You need dwg/dxf support.
- You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
- You also want 2d drafting.
Questions people ask
- Is 3D-Coat or DraftSight better?
- Neither clearly leads. 3D-Coat starts at $29/month and DraftSight at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, 3D-Coat or DraftSight?
- 3D-Coat starts at $29/month and DraftSight at $29/month.
- Does 3D-Coat or DraftSight run on more platforms?
- Both run on Windows, MacOS, Linux, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- What is 3D-Coat best used for?
- 3D-Coat is most often used for voxel sculpting from a digital clay block, retopology of high-density sculpts into production meshes, uv mapping and pbr texturing, preparing print-ready models for 3d printing. Of those, voxel sculpting from a digital clay block and retopology of high-density sculpts into production meshes are not what DraftSight is typically brought in for.
- What can 3D-Coat do that DraftSight cannot?
- 3D-Coat covers Voxel sculpting, Surface sculpting, Retopology, UV mapping. DraftSight covers DWG/DXF support, 2D drafting, 3D modeling, Batch printing. Both handle Windows support, MacOS support, Linux support.