Five Alternatives for AutoCAD

There is AutoCAD. AutoCAD is world leader as far as CAD software is concerned. I don't know why. There are five alternatives for AutoCAD.


Talking About AutoCAD


But let's first talk about AutoCAD. There are two version of AutoCAD. There are:


1. AutoCAD Light
2. AutoCAD full version


With AutoCAD Light you can only create 2D drawings. And there is no AutoLISP support. So in it you cannot run an AutoLISP program.


If you want to run an AutoLISP program in AutoCAD Light, then you need a tool. You could take CADSTA. The price is $ 350.


Prices Of AutoCAD


Let's have a look at the prices of AutoCAD. These are the prices:


AutoCAD Light $ 1,295
AutoCAD $ 4,195


Alternatives For AutoCAD


I think that is a lot of money. You could go for an alternative for AutoCAD. I found five alternatives for AutoCAD.


There are alternatives for creating 2D drawings. And there are for creating 3D drawings. All alternatives have AutoLISP support.


That is important. With the alternatives you create AutoCAD drawings. The drawings have the DWG extension. In different formats.


These are the alternatives that I found:


1. ZWCAD
2. BricsCAD
3. AViCAD
4. IntelliCAD
5. DraftSight


ZWCAD


ZWCAD comes in two versions:


- Standard
- Professional


The Standard version is used for creating 2D drawings. The Professional version is used for creating 3D drawings.


These are the prices:


Standard 2014 $ 735
Professional 2014 $ 935


BricsCAD


BricsCAD was formerly selling the IntelliCAD program. Now they came out with their own version. But they have a dispute with IntelliCAD.


There are three versions of the BricsCAD program. These are the versions:


- BricsCAD Classic
- BricsCAD Pro
- BricsCAD Platinum


The first version is used for creating 2D drawings. 3D drawings are created in the second version and the third version.


What exactly the difference is between the second version and the third version. I do not know. It is not made clear.


I guess you find more functions in the third version. But if that leads to better CAD drawgisn. I do not know.


These are the prices:


BricsCAD Classic $ 445
BricsCAD Pro $ 575
BricsCAD Platinum $ 825


AViCAD


AViCAD only has got two versions. It only has got the following versions


- Easy Pay
- Pro


The first version is for creating 2D drawings. The second version is for creating 3D drawings.


These are the prices:


Easy Pay $ 199
Pro $ 799


IntelliCAD


IntelliCAD comes in three versions. We have the following three versions:


- Classic
- Standard
- Pro


With the first version you can only create 2D drawings. With the second and the third version you can also create 3D drawings.


But the commands for 3D are not very advanced in the Standard version. If you want to create 3D drawings, go for the Pro version.


These are the prices:


Classic $ 149
Standard $ 249
Pro $ 349


DraftSight


DraftSight is a CAD program that has been created by Dassault. Dassault is French and they built planes. Like Boeing is doing.


There is only one version of their program. And in that version you can create 2D drawings and 3D drawings.


Although. You will not find all 3D commands in DraftSight. With DraftSight you better stick to only creating 2D drawings.


That is important. The DraftSight program is free. But you do not have AutoLISP support in it. Call it an alternative for AutoCAD Light.


Wasting Money


Do you now understand why I do not understand why AutoCAD is the market leader as far as CAD software is concerned?


I think the people that bought AutoCAD are wasting a lot of money. Look at the alternatives and their prices. It is far less.


I don't know why they bought AutoCAD. Were they thinking you need AutoCAD for creating technical drawings?


Let me tell you how it is. You do not need AutoCAD. A drawing created with an alternative for AutoCAD is exactly the same.

Telling Others Do you like what you have read? Do you know other people, that could be interested? Could you tell them about this blog?

Comment In the mean time. If you have any questions. Or you want to tell me something. Feel free to add a comment to this blog. I would love to hear from you. And when you come to me with a comment. I will give a reply to your question or remark.

Warning Don't spend a lot of money on AutoCAD Light. It is only for creating 2D drawings and it doesn't support AutoLISP. There is a very similar CAD program. And that is completely free. The name of the program? DraftSight. How to get it? Do a search on Google for “download DraftSight”. And you will find where you can download the program.

Only Create Drawings When your CAD operators don't create the borders of your drawings, a lot of time is saved. You get your drawings much faster. I have created a program that does exactly that. An AutoCAD drawing has been created and the program draws a border around it. If you want to see how the program works, go to YouTube. You'll find the working of the program here: http://www.youtu.be/O8Zy6n9zS8Q Now the AutoLISP program gives you the choice to select the size of your border. You can select A4, A3, A2, or A1. Maybe you already know the size of the border of your drawing. Maybe all your drawings have the size A1. If so. Let me know. That is important. The program finds the proper scale of your drawing. Or do you already know what the scale always is? I can write the AutoLISP program that you want. The price? I will only charge you RM 600.-. That is less than US $ 200.-.

You are welcome to publish my article provided you include the resource box with links intact.

Resource Box Jos van Doorn is an AutoLISP programmer and blogger. He is originally from Holland and now he lives in Malaysia. He is the founder of the Make AutoCAD Fast business. Make AutoCAD Fast is writing AutoLISP programs for AutoCAD users. Make AutoCAD Fast created an AutoLISP program for drawing a border around AutoCAD drawings. The program can be found on YouTube. http://www.youtu.be/O8Zy6n9zS8Q Jos is writing a blog. In it are AutoLISP programs with information and it is about Make AutoCAD Fast. You can find his blog here: http://www.makeautocadfast.blogspot.com Maybe you have a question. Or want to tell me something. You can contact me on this e-mail address: makeautocadfast@ymail.com

This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any Ezine, newsletter, blog, or website. As long as the following resource box is added: ------------------------------------------------- This article is written by Jos van Doorn. He is an AutoLISP programmer who has helped engineering firms and architects to get their AutoCAD drawings fast, without waiting for hours. You can find more valuable information about his business and AutoLISP at his blog. It is here: http://www.makeautocadfast.blogspot.com If you want to contact him. Go to his blog and leave a comment. -------------------------------------------------