FreeCAD
3D & parametric CADOpen-source parametric 3D modeller for real-life objects
- Stars
- ★ 34.5k
- Licence
- LGPL-2.1+
- Updated
- Commercial OK
- STEP
- STL
Alternative to SolidWorks, Fusion 360
Free alternatives to Inventor
Last updated · 2 options
Quick answer: There are 2 free options here. FreeCAD and Solid Edge Community Edition are listed first; check formats, platforms and licence for your own work.
Autodesk's professional 3D mechanical design software. Here are 2 free options, most-starred first.
Solid Edge Community Edition
3D & parametric CADFree edition of Siemens' professional CAD for hobbyists and makers
- Licence
- Proprietary
- Status
- Free (proprietary)
- Non-commercial only
Alternative to SolidWorks, Inventor
FAQ
Is there a free alternative to Inventor?
Yes. CADAlts lists 2 options: FreeCAD and Solid Edge Community Edition.
Which Inventor alternatives are open source?
FreeCAD (LGPL-2.1+). The others are free or freemium but not open source.
Which Inventor alternatives run on a Mac?
FreeCAD. The other listed here isn't listed for macOS.
Related categories: 3D & parametric CAD
Check file compatibility before switching. Free tools import STEP, DXF and other neutral formats well, but native SolidWorks, Altium or Revit files, drawing standards and PDM workflows may not carry over cleanly.