3D & CAD · head to head
Alibre Design vs DraftSight
The short version
- 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; DraftSight there is no free version any more, only a 30 day trial; DraftSight was previously free for personal use
- They diverge on capability: Alibre Design covers Parametric modeling, DraftSight covers DWG/DXF support.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Alibre Design and DraftSight actually diverge.
| Attribute | Alibre Design | DraftSight |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | one-time | subscription |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows, MacOS, Linux |
| Founded | 1997 | 1981 |
Identical on both: starting price ($29/month), free tier (No), 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 Alibre Design
- Parametric modeling
- Assemblies
- Sheet metal
- 2D drawings
- BOM
- Rendering
- CAM software
- PDM
Only in DraftSight
- DWG/DXF support
- 2D drafting
- 3D modeling
- Batch printing
- PDF import
- Layer management
- SolidWorks
- CATIA
Both cover
- Windows support
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 DraftSight
- Producing 2D manufacturing drawings from 3D modelsnot DraftSight
- Designing parts for 3D printing and small shop machiningnot DraftSight
DraftSight
- 2D drafting and annotation on DWG filesnot Alibre Design
- Opening and editing DWG drawings without AutoCADnot Alibre Design
- Architectural and engineering drawing productionnot Alibre Design
- Working alongside SOLIDWORKS in a Dassault toolchainnot 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
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
Alibre Design
$29/month- Atom3D$199/month
- Basic modeling
- Design$999/month
- Professional CAD
- Expert$1999/month
- Full features
DraftSight
$29/month- Standard$99/month
- 2D drafting
- Professional$199/month
- 2D + 3D
- Premium$499/month
- Advanced features
Which should you pick?
Choose Alibre Design if
- You need parametric modeling.
- You work on Windows.
- You also want assemblies.
Choose DraftSight if
- You need dwg/dxf support.
- You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
- You also want 2d drafting.
Questions people ask
- Is Alibre Design or DraftSight better?
- Neither clearly leads. Alibre Design 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, Alibre Design or DraftSight?
- Alibre Design starts at $29/month and DraftSight at $29/month.
- Does Alibre Design or DraftSight run on more platforms?
- Alibre Design runs on Windows. DraftSight runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
- 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 DraftSight is typically brought in for.
- What can Alibre Design do that DraftSight cannot?
- Alibre Design covers Parametric modeling, Assemblies, Sheet metal, 2D drawings. DraftSight covers DWG/DXF support, 2D drafting, 3D modeling, Batch printing. Both handle Windows support.
Related pages
More on Alibre Design
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