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Alibre Design vs Gravity Sketch

Alibre Design logo

Alibre Design

Software

Affordable professional CAD

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Gravity Sketch logo

Gravity Sketch

Software

VR 3D design tool

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Gravity Sketch 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; Gravity Sketch free plan limited to 150MB cloud storage and 3 simultaneous users per room
  • They diverge on capability: Alibre Design covers Parametric modeling, Gravity Sketch covers VR design.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Alibre Design and Gravity Sketch actually diverge.

Attributes where Alibre Design and Gravity Sketch differ
AttributeAlibre DesignGravity Sketch
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelone-timefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindowsVR (Meta Quest, Steam, Web)
Founded19972014

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

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 Gravity Sketch

  • VR design
  • Desktop app
  • Surface modeling
  • Collaboration
  • Import/export
  • Presentation mode
  • Rhino
  • Alias

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 Gravity Sketch
  • Producing 2D manufacturing drawings from 3D modelsnot Gravity Sketch
  • Designing parts for 3D printing and small shop machiningnot Gravity Sketch

Gravity Sketch

  • Spatial 3D design and conceptualisation in VRnot Alibre Design
  • Collaborative product design sessionsnot Alibre Design
  • Conceptual model generationnot Alibre Design
  • Engineering and design team collaboration in immersive environmentnot 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

Gravity Sketch

  • Free plan limited to 150MB cloud storage and 3 simultaneous users per room
  • File format support limited to OBJ and STL on free plan; other formats require paid plan
  • Evaluation tools (surface contours, viewpoints, section tool) not available on free tier
  • VR access requires Meta Quest, Steam, or web app; limited to specific platforms
  • Data localisation only available on Enterprise plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Alibre Design

$29/month
  • Atom3D$199/month
    • Basic modeling
  • Design$999/month
    • Professional CAD
  • Expert$1999/month
    • Full features

Gravity Sketch

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Gravity Sketch review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Alibre Design if

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

Choose Gravity Sketch if

  • You need vr design.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on VR (Meta Quest, Steam, Web).
  • You also want desktop app.
Gravity Sketch review

Questions people ask

Is Alibre Design or Gravity Sketch better?
Neither clearly leads. Alibre Design starts at $29/month and Gravity Sketch at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Alibre Design or Gravity Sketch?
Gravity Sketch has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for Alibre Design and Free for Gravity Sketch.
Does Alibre Design or Gravity Sketch run on more platforms?
Alibre Design runs on Windows. Gravity Sketch runs on VR (Meta Quest, Steam, Web).
Can I use Gravity Sketch for free?
Yes. Gravity Sketch has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Alibre Design starts at $29/month.
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 Gravity Sketch is typically brought in for.
What can Alibre Design do that Gravity Sketch cannot?
Alibre Design covers Parametric modeling, Assemblies, Sheet metal, 2D drawings. Gravity Sketch covers VR design, Desktop app, Surface modeling, Collaboration. Both handle Windows support.
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