CAD · head to head
BricsCAD vs nTop
nTop
CAD
Implicit computational design for lattices, heat exchangers and topology-driven parts
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: BricsCAD the Lite edition has no 3D modelling, surveying or point cloud support; nTop nTop is a specialist tool that sits alongside mainstream CAD rather than replacing it, so you pay for an extra seat and accept a handoff between two geometry systems.
- They diverge on capability: BricsCAD covers DWG native, nTop covers Implicit modelling.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which BricsCAD and nTop actually diverge.
Identical on both: free tier (No), 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
- 2D drafting
- 3D modeling
- BIM
- Sheet metal
- Mechanical
- LISP support
- AutoCAD compatible
Only in nTop
- Implicit modelling
- Lattice and cellular structures
- Field-driven design
- Integrated simulation
- Reusable workflows
- Topology optimisation
- CAD and AM interoperability
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 nTop
- 3D mechanical design and assembly modellingnot nTop
- BIM modelling and construction documentationnot nTop
nTop
- Designing a variable-density lattice bracket where mass must drop without losing stiffness in the loaded regionsnot BricsCAD
- Generating a heat exchanger with thousands of internal channels that a conventional CAD kernel cannot representnot BricsCAD
- Producing patient-specific implant geometry with porous surfaces at scale rather than one at a timenot BricsCAD
- Automating a family of parts as a reusable design workflow that reruns when the load case changesnot 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
nTop
- nTop is a specialist tool that sits alongside mainstream CAD rather than replacing it, so you pay for an extra seat and accept a handoff between two geometry systems.
- Implicit modelling requires a different way of thinking from feature-based CAD, and the retraining period is long enough that unused licences are a common and expensive outcome.
- No pricing is published and there is no free or hobbyist tier, so evaluation runs through a sales process and small teams cannot try it seriously without engaging.
- Subscription only, with no perpetual licence, means the geometry logic you built stops being editable the day you stop paying, which is a real risk for long-lifecycle aerospace and medical programmes.
- The output is most valuable when you have additive manufacturing capacity to make it; organisations without machines that can print the geometry end up designing parts nobody can produce.
Pricing, plan by plan
BricsCAD
$29/month- Lite$550/month
- 2D drafting
- Pro$875/month
- 2D + 3D
- Ultimate$1575/month
- All features
nTop
On request- nTop$undefined/year
- Annual named or floating seat subscription
- No perpetual licence offered
- Capability tiers quoted by use case
Which should you pick?
Choose BricsCAD if
- You need dwg native.
- You work on Windows, MacOS, Linux.
- You also want 2d drafting.
Choose nTop if
- You need implicit modelling.
- You work on Windows, Cloud.
- You also want lattice and cellular structures.
Questions people ask
- Is BricsCAD or nTop better?
- Neither clearly leads. BricsCAD starts at $29/month and nTop at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, BricsCAD or nTop?
- BricsCAD starts at $29/month and nTop at On request.
- Does BricsCAD or nTop run on more platforms?
- BricsCAD runs on Windows, MacOS, Linux. nTop runs on Windows, Cloud.
- 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 nTop is typically brought in for.
- What can BricsCAD do that nTop cannot?
- BricsCAD covers DWG native, 2D drafting, 3D modeling, BIM. nTop covers Implicit modelling, Lattice and cellular structures, Field-driven design, Integrated simulation.
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'.
SourcenTop: Is nTop the same company as nTopology?
Yes. nTopology rebranded to nTop. The product is the same lineage.
BricsCAD: Is BricsCAD free for any users?
Yes, BricsCAD is available at no cost for students and schools.
SourcenTop: Does it replace SolidWorks or NX?
No. It is used alongside them. Mainstream CAD handles the conventional geometry and assembly; nTop handles the lattice, field-driven and complex internal structure work.
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.
SourcenTop: Is there a free version?
No free commercial tier is published. Access runs through a demo and sales process, with academic programmes handled separately.
nTop: Can I buy a perpetual licence?
No. It is sold as an annual subscription, so budget it as recurring cost across the life of the programme.
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