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CAD · head to head

BricsCAD vs DraftSight

BricsCAD logo

BricsCAD

CAD

DWG-based CAD platform

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
DraftSight logo

DraftSight

CAD

Professional 2D CAD drafting

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: BricsCAD the Lite edition has no 3D modelling, surveying or point cloud support; DraftSight specific pricing amounts not disclosed on website
  • They diverge on capability: BricsCAD covers DWG native, DraftSight covers DWG/DXF support.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BricsCAD and DraftSight actually diverge.

Attributes where BricsCAD and DraftSight differ
AttributeBricsCADDraftSight
Pricing modelone-timesubscription
Founded20021981

Identical on both: starting price ($29/month), free tier (No), platforms (Windows, MacOS, Linux), user rating (Not yet rated), category (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 BricsCAD

  • DWG native
  • BIM
  • Sheet metal
  • Mechanical
  • LISP support
  • AutoCAD compatible
  • Revit IFC
  • License management

Only in DraftSight

  • DWG/DXF support
  • Batch printing
  • PDF import
  • Layer management
  • SolidWorks
  • CATIA
  • Dassault account

Both cover

  • 2D drafting
  • 3D modeling
  • Windows support
  • MacOS support
  • Linux support

What people use each for

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

BricsCAD

  • 2D drafting as a DWG native alternative to AutoCADnot DraftSight
  • 3D mechanical design and assembly modellingnot DraftSight
  • BIM modelling and construction documentationnot DraftSight

DraftSight

  • 2D drafting and annotation on DWG filesnot BricsCAD
  • Opening and editing DWG drawings without AutoCADnot BricsCAD
  • Architectural and engineering drawing productionnot BricsCAD
  • Working alongside SOLIDWORKS in a Dassault toolchainnot BricsCAD

Where each one falls short

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

BricsCAD

  • The Lite edition has no 3D modelling, surveying or point cloud support
  • Lite is sold as a network licence only with a 5 seat minimum
  • Mechanical excludes BIM tools and BIM excludes mechanical and surveying tools, so cross discipline work needs Ultimate at 1,176 euro
  • Importing 3D geometry and PMI from other CAD systems requires the Communicator add on at 294 euro per year
  • Network licences require the customer to run their own licence server
  • Maintenance is included for the first year only and renewal is a separate annual charge on perpetual licences
  • Listed prices exclude local taxes
  • Bricsys now trades as Octave and the product site has moved to bricscad.octave.com

DraftSight

  • Specific pricing amounts not disclosed on website
  • Directs customers to contact sales or visit store for pricing
  • Three tiers available but feature differences not fully detailed

Pricing, plan by plan

BricsCAD

$29/month
  • Lite$550/month
    • 2D drafting
  • Pro$875/month
    • 2D + 3D
  • Ultimate$1575/month
    • All features

DraftSight

$29/month
  • Standard$99/month
    • 2D drafting
  • Professional$199/month
    • 2D + 3D
  • Premium$499/month
    • Advanced features

Which should you pick?

Choose BricsCAD if

  • You need dwg native.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want bim.
BricsCAD review

Choose DraftSight if

  • You need dwg/dxf support.
  • You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
  • You also want batch printing.
DraftSight review

Questions people ask

Is BricsCAD or DraftSight better?
Neither clearly leads. BricsCAD 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, BricsCAD or DraftSight?
BricsCAD starts at $29/month and DraftSight at $29/month.
Does BricsCAD or DraftSight run on more platforms?
Both run on Windows, MacOS, Linux, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is BricsCAD best used for?
BricsCAD is most often used for 2d drafting as a dwg native alternative to autocad, 3d mechanical design and assembly modelling, bim modelling and construction documentation. Of those, 2d drafting as a dwg native alternative to autocad and 3d mechanical design and assembly modelling are not what DraftSight is typically brought in for.
What can BricsCAD do that DraftSight cannot?
BricsCAD covers DWG native, BIM, Sheet metal, Mechanical. DraftSight covers DWG/DXF support, Batch printing, PDF import, Layer management. Both handle 2D drafting, 3D modeling, Windows support, MacOS support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

BricsCAD: Does BricsCAD offer a trial?

Yes, BricsCAD offers a 30-day trial to 'Start designing in BricsCAD today'.

Source
DraftSight: Is there a free trial for DraftSight?

Yes, DraftSight offers a 30-day full-featured trial available for download. The trial provides complete access to all 2D/3D tools and advanced features.

Source
BricsCAD: Is BricsCAD free for any users?

Yes, BricsCAD is available at no cost for students and schools.

Source
DraftSight: What DraftSight tiers are available?

DraftSight offers three pricing tiers: Professional (core 2D CAD tools), Premium (adds advanced tools, STEP import, and BIM module), and Enterprise (for large organizations with multiple sites).

Source
BricsCAD: What product tiers does BricsCAD offer?

BricsCAD offers five tiers: Lite (essential 2D CAD), Pro (professional 2D & 3D CAD), Mechanical (2D & 3D mechanical CAD), BIM (2D & 3D building modeling), and Ultimate (integrated 2D & 3D for multiple disciplines). Specific pricing for each tier is not disclosed on the website.

Source
DraftSight: What licensing options does DraftSight provide?

DraftSight offers Named-User Licensing for individuals and dedicated workstations, Network Licensing for shared access across users and locations, Perpetual Licensing for one-time purchase, and Cloud and Remote Access options.

Source
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