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CAD · head to head

FreeCAD vs RealityScan

FreeCAD logo

FreeCAD

CAD

Open-source parametric 3D CAD modeler

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
RealityScan logo

RealityScan

CAD

The photogrammetry engine formerly called RealityCapture, free below a one million dollar revenue line

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: FreeCAD no pricing published; product is completely free and open-source; RealityScan the free tier is bounded by company revenue rather than by usage, so a business crossing one million US dollars of turnover acquires a per-seat cost overnight for software its workflow now depends on
  • They diverge on capability: FreeCAD covers Parametric modeling, RealityScan covers Photogrammetric reconstruction.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FreeCAD and RealityScan actually diverge.

Attributes where FreeCAD and RealityScan differ
AttributeFreeCADRealityScan
Pricing modelopen-sourceFree below a revenue threshold, then per seat per year
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows
Founded2002Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 FreeCAD

  • Parametric modeling
  • Part design
  • Assembly
  • Drafting
  • FEM simulation
  • Path/CAM
  • Architecture
  • BIM

Only in RealityScan

  • Photogrammetric reconstruction
  • Laser scan fusion
  • Ground control points
  • Texturing and unwrapping
  • Command line interface
  • Unreal Engine path
  • Component alignment control

What people use each for

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

FreeCAD

  • Mechanical engineering designnot RealityScan
  • Architectural modellingnot RealityScan
  • Product design and prototypingnot RealityScan
  • CAM/CNC path generationnot RealityScan

RealityScan

  • A two-person heritage survey practice under the revenue threshold that can now run professional photogrammetry at no licence costnot FreeCAD
  • A film or games asset team scanning props and environments at very high image counts where processing speed decides the schedulenot FreeCAD
  • A survey firm combining terrestrial laser scans with drone photography and needing both aligned in a single reconstructionnot FreeCAD
  • A construction reality-capture operator producing meshes for Unreal-based client visualisation from the same source imagerynot FreeCAD

Where each one falls short

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

FreeCAD

  • No pricing published; product is completely free and open-source
  • Donations are optional and voluntary for project support

RealityScan

  • The free tier is bounded by company revenue rather than by usage, so a business crossing one million US dollars of turnover acquires a per-seat cost overnight for software its workflow now depends on
  • New perpetual licences are no longer sold, so an organisation that deliberately avoided subscription software has no route in; existing perpetual holders keep their version but stop receiving updates unless they accept the current terms
  • It is Windows only and needs an NVIDIA CUDA capable GPU, which excludes macOS studios and makes the real cost of adoption a workstation purchase rather than a licence
  • The rename from RealityCapture to RealityScan in 2025 means tutorials, forum answers and third party pipeline documentation are split across two names and several licensing regimes, and much of it is now wrong about price
  • The interface assumes photogrammetry knowledge; alignment failures, control point placement and reconstruction region setup are not guided, so a team without an experienced operator produces poor models quickly rather than good ones slowly

Pricing, plan by plan

FreeCAD

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the FreeCAD review.

RealityScan

Free
  • Free tierFree
    • For individuals and companies with annual revenue under 1,000,000 USD
    • Full application, no metered input charges
    • Epic account required
  • RealityScan seat$1250/year
    • Required once annual revenue exceeds 1,000,000 USD
    • Per seat, per year
    • Commercial use without output restrictions
  • Unreal Engine subscription$1850/year
    • Per seat per year
    • Includes RealityScan and Twinmotion
    • For teams that also need Unreal Engine for non-game commercial use

Which should you pick?

Choose FreeCAD if

  • You need parametric modeling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want part design.
FreeCAD review

Choose RealityScan if

  • You need photogrammetric reconstruction.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want laser scan fusion.
RealityScan review

Questions people ask

Is FreeCAD or RealityScan better?
Neither clearly leads. FreeCAD starts at Free and RealityScan at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, FreeCAD or RealityScan?
FreeCAD starts at Free and RealityScan at Free.
Does FreeCAD or RealityScan run on more platforms?
FreeCAD runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. RealityScan runs on Windows.
Can I use FreeCAD for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is FreeCAD best used for?
FreeCAD is most often used for mechanical engineering design, architectural modelling, product design and prototyping, cam/cnc path generation. Of those, mechanical engineering design and architectural modelling are not what RealityScan is typically brought in for.
What can FreeCAD do that RealityScan cannot?
FreeCAD covers Parametric modeling, Part design, Assembly, Drafting. RealityScan covers Photogrammetric reconstruction, Laser scan fusion, Ground control points, Texturing and unwrapping.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

FreeCAD: How much does FreeCAD cost?

FreeCAD is completely free with no licensing fees, vendor lock-in, sign-up requirements, paywalls, or restrictions. The software is open-source and available for anyone to use and adapt.

Source
RealityScan: Is RealityCapture still called that?

No. Epic rebranded it to RealityScan with version 2.0 in 2025. It is the same engine and the same team.

FreeCAD: Does FreeCAD offer optional support or sponsorship?

FreeCAD accepts voluntary donations to support the project. Sponsorship tiers range from $1 per month (Normal Sponsor) to $200 per month (Gold Sponsor), with different visibility levels. One-time donations of any amount are also accepted.

Source
RealityScan: Who gets it free?

Individuals and companies with annual revenue under one million US dollars. Above that, a seat is 1,250 US dollars per year.

RealityScan: Can I still buy a perpetual licence?

Not for new purchases. Existing perpetual licences remain valid for the version owned, with updates only under the current terms.

RealityScan: Does the free version restrict output?

No output metering or watermarking; the restriction is on who qualifies, based on company revenue, not on what you export.

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