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Don’t waste time using knockoffs. No AutoCAD alternative comes close.

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Top 5 reasons to choose AutoCAD

No alternative CAD software has as many options to improve your team’s workflows.

  • Using AutoCAD will save you valuable design time

    Save time with built in workflows, thousands of standard parts, and features. Across seven studies, the average productivity gain was about 63% for tasks completed using a specialized toolset.

  • Automate more processes than any alternative CAD software

    AutoCAD’s robust library of APIs, LISP functionality, and specialized toolsets allow you to automate tedious tasks. Develop your own apps or choose from thousands in the Autodesk App Store.

  • AutoCAD provides best-in-class data fidelity and compatibility for DWGs

    The .dwg file format was created by Autodesk and provides the most efficient and accurate way to view and edit DWGs versus any CAD alternative.

  • Make CAD updates on the go with AutoCAD web and mobile apps

    Alternative CAD software programs only allow you to share or annotate drawings. Only AutoCAD allows editing, viewing, and creating new CAD drawings in a web browser or on any mobile device.

  • Save time training your future hires with AutoCAD

    AutoCAD is the standard that students learn. Alternative CAD programs use different terminology and require more time spent learning. AutoCAD will enable your employees to get up to speed quickly.

Danielle Golden Irby at one of her recent kitchen designs. Courtesy of Studio GLDN.

Trusted by millions of customers

See how architects, engineers and designers from around the world are using AutoCAD to take their designs further and be more efficient with the included specialized toolsets and web and mobile apps.

Save time with specialized toolsets

These seven studies show an average productivity gain of up to 63% for AutoCAD tasks completed with the help of a specialized toolset.*

  • Up to 61% overall productivity gain

    The Architecture toolset saves you time on floor plans, elevations, and other common architecture design tasks.

  • Up to 55% overall productivity gain

    The Mechanical toolset speeds up a variety of mechanical design tasks such as creating bills of materials.

  • Up to 95% overall productivity gain

    The Electrical toolset helps you to quickly perform common electrical design tasks like numbering and tagging.

  • Up to 48% overall productivity gain

    The Raster Design toolset boosts your productivity when performing tasks such as insert and scale.

  • Up to 85% overall productivity gain

    The MEP toolset brings increased productivity to common MEP design tasks including HVAC, piping, and plumbing.

  • Up to 60% overall productivity gain

    The Map 3D toolset helps save time spent on mapping design tasks like creating and editing coordinate geometry.

  • Up to 74% overall productivity gain

    The Plant 3D toolset improves the efficiency of tasks frequently performed by process plant designers.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

AutoCAD is computer-aided design (CAD) software that is used for precise 2D and 3D drafting, design, and modeling with solids, surfaces, mesh objects, documentation features, and more. It includes features to automate tasks and increase productivity such as comparing drawings, counting, adding objects, and creating tables. It also comes with seven industry-specific toolsets for electrical design, plant design, architecture layout drawings, mechanical design, 3D mapping, adding scanned images, and converting raster images. AutoCAD enables users to create, edit, and annotate drawings via desktop, web, and mobile devices.

AutoCAD is used by students, architects, designers, engineers, project managers, real estate developers, and construction professionals to create precise 2D and 3D drawings.

AutoCAD LT is powerful 2D CAD software used for precision drafting and documentation. AutoCAD includes all the features of AutoCAD LT, plus additional features to benefit productivity such as 3D modeling and automation of repetitive processes. AutoCAD also lets you customize the user interface with APIs and add-on apps. With AutoCAD, users are able work more efficiently with seven industry-specific toolsets to enhance automation and productivity for tasks in architecture, mechanical design, electrical design, plant design, plumbing, converting raster images, geographic information systems, and 3D mapping.

Your AutoCAD subscription gives you access to install and use the three previoaus versions of AutoCAD. Available downloads are listed in your Autodesk Account after subscribing. See also previous releases available for subscribers.

With a subscription to AutoCAD software, you can install it on up to three computers or other devices. However, only the named user can sign in and use that software on a single computer at any given time. Please refer to the Software License Agreement (US site) for more information.

Launch your trial software and click Subscribe Now on the trial screen or buy AutoCAD here. When buying your subscription, enter the same email address and password combination you used to sign in to your trial. Learn more about converting a trial to a paid subscription.