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CAD · head to head

Alibre Design vs Contractor Foreman

Alibre Design logo

Alibre Design

CAD

Affordable professional CAD

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Contractor Foreman logo

Contractor Foreman

Construction

Construction management for contractors covering scheduling, invoicing and crew management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Contractor Foreman has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Alibre Design perpetual licences do not include updates; maintenance is a separate yearly plan starting at $50 per year for CAD support and updates; Contractor Foreman 100-day money-back guarantee only available for annual billing, not monthly

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alibre Design and Contractor Foreman actually diverge.

Attributes where Alibre Design and Contractor Foreman differ
AttributeAlibre DesignContractor Foreman
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelone-timesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindowsWeb
CategoryCADConstruction
Founded1997Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Alibre Design

  • Parametric modeling
  • Assemblies
  • Sheet metal
  • 2D drawings
  • BOM
  • Rendering
  • CAM software
  • PDM

Only in Contractor Foreman

Nothing recorded that Alibre Design does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Alibre Design

  • Parametric 3D solid modelling for mechanical partsnot Contractor Foreman
  • Producing 2D manufacturing drawings from 3D modelsnot Contractor Foreman
  • Designing parts for 3D printing and small shop machiningnot Contractor Foreman

Contractor Foreman

  • Construction project management and trackingnot Alibre Design
  • Field team crew coordinationnot Alibre Design
  • Project timeline managementnot Alibre Design
  • Multi-project workload balancing for contractorsnot Alibre Design

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Alibre Design

  • Perpetual licences do not include updates; maintenance is a separate yearly plan starting at $50 per year for CAD support and updates
  • Sheet metal, PDM data management and rendering are Design Expert only at $1,999
  • Scripting is excluded from the $199 Atom3D edition
  • CAM capability is sold as separate EZ-Mill, EZ-Turn and EZ-EDM products costing up to $2,999
  • A dedicated account manager is excluded from Atom3D

Contractor Foreman

  • 100-day money-back guarantee only available for annual billing, not monthly
  • All plans include 30-day trial, but commitment ends trial with charges
  • Stripe payment adds 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction fee; ACH adds 1% + $0.30 max fee

Pricing, plan by plan

Alibre Design

On request
  • Atom3D Lifetime License$125/mo
  • Design Pro Lifetime License$630/mo
  • Design Expert Lifetime License$1260/mo
  • Design Pro Monthly$99.9/month

Contractor Foreman

Free
  • Basic$49/month
    • 1 user
    • 30-day free trial
    • 100-day money-back guarantee (annual only)
  • Standard$105/month
    • 3 users
    • 30-day free trial
    • 100-day money-back guarantee (annual only)
  • Plus$166/month
    • 8 users
    • 30-day free trial
    • 100-day money-back guarantee (annual only)
  • Pro$221/month
    • 15 users
    • 30-day free trial
    • 100-day money-back guarantee (annual only)

Which should you pick?

Choose Alibre Design if

  • You need parametric modeling.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want assemblies.
Alibre Design review

Choose Contractor Foreman if

  • You want to start without paying.
Contractor Foreman review

Questions people ask

Is Alibre Design or Contractor Foreman better?
Neither clearly leads. Alibre Design starts at On request and Contractor Foreman at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Alibre Design or Contractor Foreman?
Contractor Foreman has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Alibre Design and Free for Contractor Foreman.
Does Alibre Design or Contractor Foreman run on more platforms?
Alibre Design runs on Windows. Contractor Foreman runs on Web.
Can I use Contractor Foreman for free?
Yes. Contractor Foreman has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Alibre Design starts at On request.
What is Alibre Design best used for?
Alibre Design is most often used for parametric 3d solid modelling for mechanical parts, producing 2d manufacturing drawings from 3d models, designing parts for 3d printing and small shop machining. Of those, parametric 3d solid modelling for mechanical parts and producing 2d manufacturing drawings from 3d models are not what Contractor Foreman is typically brought in for.
What can Alibre Design do that Contractor Foreman cannot?
Alibre Design covers Parametric modeling, Assemblies, Sheet metal, 2D drawings.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Alibre Design: Does Alibre Design require a subscription or is it a one-time purchase?

Alibre Design offers one-time lifetime licenses or monthly payment plans. Atom3D lifetime is $125, Design Pro is $630, and Design Expert is $1,260. Monthly payment plans spread costs over 10 months.

Source
Contractor Foreman: How much does Contractor Foreman cost?

Contractor Foreman pricing ranges from $49/month for 1 user (Basic) to $332/month for unlimited users (Unlimited). Annual payment provides 100-day money-back guarantee.

Source
Alibre Design: What is the difference between Alibre Design Pro and Design Expert?

Design Expert ($1,260) is the complete design suite with advanced features, while Design Pro ($630) is the entry-level professional 3D/2D CAD software.

Source
Contractor Foreman: How many users are included in each Contractor Foreman plan?

Basic includes 1 user, Standard includes 3 users, Plus includes 8 users, Pro includes 15 users, and Unlimited plan includes unlimited users.

Source
Alibre Design: Do I need to pay separately for software updates and support in Alibre?

Yes. Annual support and update plans cost $50 per year for CAD software and $100-$200 per year for mill and turn add-ons.

Source
Contractor Foreman: Does Contractor Foreman offer a free trial?

Yes, all Contractor Foreman plans include a 30-day free trial with no charge until the trial ends. Annual plans also include a 100-day money-back guarantee.

Source
Contractor Foreman: What payment methods does Contractor Foreman accept?

Contractor Foreman accepts Stripe payments (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction) and ACH bank transfers (1% + $0.30 max fee).

Source
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