AutoCAD

4.6 (3,137)
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2D & 3D design & drafting platform

Overall rating

4.6 /5
(3,137)
Value for Money
4.2/5
Features
4.6/5
Ease of Use
4.1/5
Customer Support
4.2/5

97%
recommended this app
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3137 Reviews

Mohammad
Mohammad
Overall rating
  • Industry: Civil Engineering
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

AutoCAD remains the uncontested drafting software for my daily civil & architectural demands.

Reviewed on 2023/01/15

For a while now, AutoCAD has been my go-to CAD utility thanks to its rich features & undisputed...

For a while now, AutoCAD has been my go-to CAD utility thanks to its rich features & undisputed performance. The software has a neat interface for easily navigating through the variety of plotting tools & organized tabs for all drafting purposes. it's hard not to recommend this software to anyone who's looking for a flawless CAD experience.

Pros

Since college, I've been regularly using AutoCAD to design 2D schematics in various course projects & till this day, the software has never failed me in fulfilling my work. The user interface is sleek & the plethora of features & compatibility to complement the fantastic user experience. More specifically, whenever I'm working a schematic that contains multiple layers (civil, electrical, HVAC, etc.), I'm easily able to lock or freeze other layers while working on a specific layer. This has countlessly averted me unintentional alterations of layers that I weren't supposed to modify.

Cons

Since updating to version 2023.1, I've noticed an increase in CPU usage on my Athlon 200GE desktop which occasionally led to audible inconvenience from the desktop fans revving at full speed. I hope a future update could resolve this minor annoyance. A great piece of software nonetheless.

Alternatives Considered

FreeCAD

Reasons for Choosing AutoCAD

AutoCAD offers an easier UI without compromising on features or performance. Besides, the frequent, large-sized software updates meant that CPU usage was bogged down when drafting & storage was quickly filling on my C drive. This ultimately dissuaded me to continue on using the software altogether & make the switch to AutoCAD.

Reasons for Switching to AutoCAD

While FreeCAD is admirably free & open source with a modest amount of features, I wasn't quite satisfied with the seemingly messy, convoluted user interface which made resort to AutoCAD.
MA. CELINE
Overall rating
  • Industry: Civil Engineering
  • Company size: 11–50 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

My Profession saved by AutoCad

Reviewed on 2024/09/04

My overall experience with AutoCad is just superb. Making 2D and 3D drawing, corrections are easy...

My overall experience with AutoCad is just superb. Making 2D and 3D drawing, corrections are easy to make, importing and exporting file, sharing it through e-mail, are all just easy and hassle-free.

Pros

The ease of use and to draw ideas quickly are what I like most about AutoCad. The feature of easily creating a 3D and shifting views from all angles are an additional advantage of this software.

Cons

What I like least about AutoCad is that your work can be corrupted by viruses, plus you really need a high-end laptop to experience a smooth work with AutoCad, and initial costs for computer systems for this software are really high.

Paola
Paola
Overall rating
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support

It is a tool used in the design area, a great help for the design of drawings or 3D modeling

Reviewed on 2018/06/28

Pros

It is an effective tool for the professional and student architecture, engineering and basic drawing, has extensive editing capabilities that allow the user an exact and optimal design, its interface is very pleasing to the eye and has multiple options to select the same command, allows printing in different scales and formats to suit the user

Cons

It is an oversized program, that is, it has a large number of little-known and unused commands, depending on the large number of designs made in the same file, this system creates obstacles in the system that do not allow its continuous use, at the risk of generating errors that close the program without previous saved

Greyson
Overall rating
  • Industry: Research
  • Company size: 11–50 Employees
  • Used Monthly for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Likelihood to recommend 8.0 /10

AutoCAD - industry standard for a reason

Reviewed on 2024/07/25

In General, it's a fantastic program that does drafting and design work really well. It has a host...

In General, it's a fantastic program that does drafting and design work really well. It has a host of tools and calculators that can help you with design and development work. When you know how to use the program, it's a really powerful tool that will allow you to develop professional designs and work products for clients.

Pros

It's a great program for drafting and design. When it comes to incorporating survey data, drone imagery, etc., it's hard to beat. It's really an industry standard for a reason, and is incredibly powerful when it comes to land development and other civil and environmental engineering design work. Once you get the hang of it and realize that there are many different approaches to the same solution, things get really interesting. There's also a robust online community for answering questions. Because it's an industry standard, there are tons of online tutorials and walkthroughs for a whole host of hang ups one might have.

Cons

The program can crash when designs get very complicated, and sometimes, if there's a bug in a drawing, it can be hard to remove or back out and simplify. I've had to completely start from scratch more than a handful of times which can be frustrating. Once you find out the things that tend to bog it down, there's work arounds, and ways to make it more resilient. Another drawback is that it's fairly expensive. Not a huge issue if you are working for a company, but if you'd like to use it yourself, or are a small business, it's not an insignificant expense.

Ali
Overall rating
  • Industry: Airlines/Aviation
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

AutoCAD Usage Satisfaction

Reviewed on 2024/09/20

We use it for electrical projects, it is a program that we can use to run our business more cleanly...

We use it for electrical projects, it is a program that we can use to run our business more cleanly and easily.

Pros

The best application that can be used for drawing in projects, there is no other program that can replace it from the past to the present.

Cons

Some functions do not always proceed as we would like.

Iain
Overall rating
  • Industry: Civil Engineering
  • Company size: 10,000+ Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

AutoCAD review

Reviewed on 2024/09/26

Positive - i have used this programme for over a decade and would be my go to drafting tool.

Positive - i have used this programme for over a decade and would be my go to drafting tool.

Pros

AutoCAD allows me as an engineer to convey my designs via drawings quickly and efficiently

Cons

There is sometimes need to undertake training to be able to make effect use of all the features in the programme.

Michael
Overall rating
  • Industry: Medical Devices
  • Company size: 5,001–10,000 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10

AutoCAD Review

Reviewed on 2024/10/23

I have used AutoCAD for many applications in design.

I have used AutoCAD for many applications in design.

Pros

Very easy to use. It has many years of development and sets the standards of CAD.

Cons

Learning the hotkeys. It took some time, but eventually it became normal.

Jalal
Overall rating
  • Industry: Semiconductors
  • Company size: 10,000+ Employees
  • Used Weekly for 1+ year
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

AutoCAD review

Reviewed on 2024/09/16

I use it for the integration with other CAD software, allowing for seamless workflows between...

I use it for the integration with other CAD software, allowing for seamless workflows between mechanical and optical design.

Pros

I'm an optical engineer and AutoCAD excels in precision drafting, making it suitable for designing mechanical and optical systems with exact dimensions.

Cons

AutoCAD lacks specialized optical simulation tools, so it won’t handle lens design, ray tracing, or optical performance analysis. It requires additional plugins or external software to work efficiently for optics-specific tasks like lens geometry or light path visualization. The learning curve can be steep, especially if focusing purely on optical design tasks that might be better handled by dedicated software like Zemax.

Pradeep
Overall rating
  • Industry: Higher Education
  • Company size: 501–1,000 Employees
  • Used Weekly for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 8.0 /10

Essential for the designer's toolkit

Reviewed on 2024/10/17

I have been using AutoCAD since my engineering college years and it has been a very facilitative...

I have been using AutoCAD since my engineering college years and it has been a very facilitative tool throughout this journey. It has evolved with time, reflecting the advancements in technology in the software by upgrading the user interface and hence the experience.

Pros

Supports 2D as well as 3D modeling, which makes it more comprehensive in handling different users' requirements at different stages in a project.

Cons

It sometimes becomes too messy when designing something but it can't be helped with, I guess as the complexity of the tasks demands it.

Zach
Overall rating
  • Industry: Construction
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10

Best Product Available

Reviewed on 2024/09/05

Pros

It's easy to use and has frequent updates to better the program

Cons

If your software gets a bug, removing and redownloading can be a problem.

Aditya
Overall rating
  • Industry: Civil Engineering
  • Company size: 10,000+ Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

If you can imagine it, AutoCAD can draw it!

Reviewed on 2021/04/22

I have been using AutoCAD for more than 8 years. I have used it for CAD modeling, drafting,...

I have been using AutoCAD for more than 8 years. I have used it for CAD modeling, drafting, building design and construction detailing. I and my company has always used this program for any construction-related work. We have been using it as step one for creating a base model to be used in the Building Information Modelling process. We use it to develop Revit Model. Use it in Civil 3D for civil design. AutoCAD has always supported our needs.

Pros

The freedom that AutoCAD gives you is one of the most important. If I can imagine any drawing/component/part in my head, then AutoCAD can draw it. There is no more easy explanation for it. AutoCAD is the most versatile and compatible software for any engineering problem. It works with Revit, it works with Bentley Suite, it works with Google package, it works with almost all software. AutoCAD is a basic building blocks for drafting, design and engineering analysis.

Cons

AutoCAD does not provide full Building Information Modelling compatibility. Its content has only Geometric properties. It does not provide full parametric modeling and add a material characteristic to the model. It is simply a program that draws stuff. No intelligent modeling.

Alternatives Considered

SketchUp

Reasons for Switching to AutoCAD

Compatibility with other Autodesk products. Ease of access.
Lyle
Overall rating
  • Industry: Utilities
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 8.0 /10

AutoCAD is great but at a price

Reviewed on 2021/12/27

We are an engineering firm and have used AutoCAD as our main drafting and design program for almost...

We are an engineering firm and have used AutoCAD as our main drafting and design program for almost 30 years. Even though we have moved on to Revit, we still use AutoCAD for certain projects where 3D parametric design may not be needed or practical.

Pros

I've used it for 30+ years so I know it inside and out. It's heavily customizable and AutoCAD is a great tool for just about anything you need to design. It's THE industry standard for CAD. If you work with lots of other companies and are sharing drawings frequently, AutoCAD is the way to go. AutoCAD LT may be an option as well at a fraction of the cost.

Cons

While AutoCAD does offer some parametric and 3D features, it's not the best thing out there if you are wanting to do parametric 3D design. Also, after using Revit, the disconnection between drawings (other than xrefs) is rather annoying. But, if you're a skilled drafter, you can do great things with AutoCAD.

Alternatives Considered

AutoCAD LT and BricsCAD

Reasons for Switching to AutoCAD

As stated above, we share drawings with many other firms so we need to have true AutoCAD compatibility. Also, even though other software may be cheaper and just as functional, we find most people already know some AutoCAD and trying to train those people on another software is not practical.
Javauny
Overall rating
  • Industry: Education Management
  • Company size: Self Employed
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

AutoCAD is one of the best drawing softwares despite its few shortcomings.

Reviewed on 2023/05/26

A smooth, fun and continuous learning curve. The capabilities are only limited by your own...

A smooth, fun and continuous learning curve. The capabilities are only limited by your own imagination.

Pros

AutoCAD is widely used and easy to learn. It offers a wide range of functions and extensive options for customization for personal and indiviual use. The tools are easily accesible through a search bar and are given basic names in most cases.

Cons

The license can be costly for low end businesses and it may take some creativity and innovation to accomplish a certain end desire when 3D modelling.

Leon
Leon
Overall rating
  • Industry: Arts & Crafts
  • Company size: 11–50 Employees
  • Used Weekly for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10

Versatility mixed with complexity.

Reviewed on 2018/09/25

As complex as AutoCad is, learning how to use it is a very rewarding experience when you start to...

As complex as AutoCad is, learning how to use it is a very rewarding experience when you start to achieve sleek designs.

Even though it takes time, I cannot really state that my experience is a negative one, for the contrary, the more I learn, the more excited I get.

AutoCad's difficulty is very well balanced out with the quality you are able to achieve within the software, and the wide possibilities it offers. Becoming an expert is a must have for many fields, it will surely open many doors.

Pros

To state an opinion of AutoCad being as objective as you can is clearly a challenge, because it is very versatile software, with distinctive functionalities that adapt to many industries, but I will give it a try:

AutoCad has one of the most extensive tools set you can imagine, that allows to draft in a logical sense almost anything you could imagine through the space of your ‘canvas’. From package design, to wire and pipes, props, Architecture, Interior and Industrial design and even Printed Circuit Board designs (Even though there are more efficient softwares for that one).

AutoCad is all about precision and logical designs that follow a mathematical pattern, even though it might be catered towards some specific fields, the possibilities are wide and you may find it useful for something you never really imagined that follows a specific rational arrangement, I could basically describe it as a digital technical drawing software with almost no limitations.

Once you get a grasp of the most basic tools, it is fairly easy to keep everything neat.

Cons

AutoCad is a very complex software, and learning how to use it is not precisely an easy task, sometimes just exploring the tools is not enough. I needed to do a few courses before I was able to get a grasp of it, and I am still far from being an expert. You usually adapt your learning curve towards what you are looking to do, since there is not necessarily a unique way to approach your designs, and the tools logical functionality might feel abstract if you are unable to understand them properly.

The uses you can give to the software are as ambiguous as how you use your tools, and it adapts to your needs but at the same time you have to be aware of keeping your designs coherency at all times.

I believe they should definitely enhance the printing area configuration; it still gives me a headache every time that I am trying to print a one page designs and I end up printing 4 divided sheets because of a misinterpreted printing setting.

You need a high-spec machine if you are planning to design in 3D, it consumes a lot of RAM memory and might slow down or heat up your computer.

George
Overall rating
  • Industry: Civil Engineering
  • Company size: 201–500 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

AutoCAD Review as a Engineering Undergraduate and a Young Engineer

Reviewed on 2020/02/16

AutoCAD is tough to pick up and learn, however, this can be said for any modeling software with...

AutoCAD is tough to pick up and learn, however, this can be said for any modeling software with such immense capabilities. This being said, AutoCAD is my favorite modeling software to use as I have been able to play around with it during college and throughout my internship. I have modeled small buildings to planes, and will continue to use AutoCAD as I believe it is the best modeling software.

Pros

With AutoCAD, your mind is the limit for what you can draw, simulate, and model! As an engineering student I used AutoCAD in a couple of my classes to create anything ranging from simple pieces of equipment to an entire Iron Man helmet (I would like to note that making the Iron Man Helmet took a very long time). The precision with AutoCAD always memorizes me, as you can make models that look real within the program. I have used AutoCAD for a few years now (throughout college and through my engineering internships) and still feel as if I have scratched the surface on the immense capabilities of AutoCAD. I highly recommend AutoCAD for any creative person that is looking to get into modeling or any company that is looking to improve their equipment drawings.

Cons

I would definitely have to say that AutoCAD has been one of the more difficult software to pick up and learn (take this with a grain of salt though as all modeling software are typically very difficult to learn). AutoCAD provides many tutorials to help you get started, however, these can only take you so far. To become proficient with AutoCAD you need many hours dedicated to playing around with AutoCAD and watching other tutorials. Once you have gotten good at using AutoCAD, you will be able to create almost anything with ease. One last thing to note is that it can be tough to find what exact button you are looking for with the current interface. Other than that, I highly recommend AutoCAD.

ahmed
Overall rating
  • Industry: Civil Engineering
  • Company size: Self Employed
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

AutoCAD

Reviewed on 2022/03/31

This program is an essential partner in all the reconstruction of the earth
He is very excellent,...

This program is an essential partner in all the reconstruction of the earth
He is very excellent, noble and the greatest assistant to any engineer in particular
We rely on it very mainly now and we hope to give more to Autodesk

Pros

• Save a lot of time, effort and thought
• High quality in drawing and directing
• High accuracy in execution
• Very good safety in storage and transmission
• Ease of use after good training You can draw and remember commands greatly after interruption of work on it for periods
• One of the most beautiful things about the program is the diversity of drawing methods, data entry and output, and ease of storage
• Also, one of the most wonderful things about the program is the presentation of work in more than one interface, whether two-dimensional or three-dimensional and others, or according to the required specialization, for example, civil engineering, mechanics or electrical engineering, especially architecture, and this greatly facilitates work on it
• One of the nice things about the program is that we once entered a picture of a geological map that was so old that we could not get some information from it, such as the scale in some places. The image was scanned and inserted into the program, and it was great to simply extract the information from the program’s simple tools, including zooming in to the maximum.
• The program allows converting work to PDF with different types of quality, and this is good in terms of the fact that each quality has a different size
• It is fun to work on the program at home on your device and then transfer the file and complete your work in The company or office, then run the file on the mobile applications on the work site and be able to

Cons

• Expensive startup costs. Software can be very expensive with upfront costs such as hardware and training
• It takes a long time to understand the use of this software
This is the biggest hurdle in the program is the beginning
In order to understand how the program works, you need to know all the details about it, and then things will be easy

* New versions need great specifications, the most important of which are processors
And the graphics card, so a lot may work on old versions
It sacrifices the features of the new versions

* AutoCAD cannot freely edit lines and locations. For instance, when it comes to overlapping lines and editing them, the software is quite limited and offers just a few options on this.

* There are about 256 possible colors on many textures. This means that you may not be able to create realistic images quite like other software

*The program is not as strong in 3D drawing as other specialized programs
* We need to increase the trial period
*We need support from the company for fonts for all languages and countries
Instead of downloading and inserting it into the program
* The size of the program is very large and with each release it increases
* There are no courses from the company for each specialty or even as a general explanation of the program

Hicham
Overall rating
  • Industry: Computer Software
  • Company size: Self Employed
  • Used Daily for 1+ year
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

AutoCAD: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Reviewed on 2022/07/15

I had a hard time getting started with AutoCAD. The interface is not very user-friendly and the...

I had a hard time getting started with AutoCAD. The interface is not very user-friendly and the learning curve is steep. Once I got the hang of it, I found that it was very buggy and would often crash. Overall, I was not impressed with AutoCAD and would not recommend it to anyone. It has limited features, crashes frequently, and can be difficult to learn. On the other hand, I think it could be useful for someone who needs just a simple CAD software program. If you are looking for something complex or have any experience with CAD, this is not the program for you. However, if you need something basic that is easy to use and doesn't require much technical knowledge, AutoCAD might work for you. I do like that it's affordable and comes with all the features you will need in a CAD program. There are also helpful tutorials available on their website to help new users get acquainted with AutoCAD quickly.

Pros

AutoCAD is the industry standard in CAD (computer-aided design) software. It has been around for over 30 years and has changed significantly during that time. With each version, new features are added, existing ones are improved, and the interface changes to accommodate those changes.
I've been using AutoCAD for about a year now, and I have to say that I'm really impressed with it. It's very user-friendly, and the results are always accurate. Plus, it has a lot of features that make it really versatile. Overall, I'm really happy with AutoCAD. There is room for improvement, but I can see myself using this software for years to come. One thing I wish was better was compatibility with other CAD programs. In my field, we use two different types of CAD and there's no way to import files from one program into another. That would be a nice feature to add in the future. Other than that, everything else is great! And even if you're not an engineer or designer, the tools AutoCAD offers are still very useful. I used it on a class project last semester and made some pretty sweet posters. Not only does AutoCAD do well for professionals like me, but people who just want to design posters too! Definitely worth checking out :)

Cons

Overall, I was really disappointed with AutoCAD. I found the interface to be confusing and difficult to use. The software crashed a lot and was really slow. Plus, the learning curve was really steep. I wouldn't recommend this software to anyone. It's just not worth it. There are so many other programs out there that are better than this one. The price is outrageous for what you get. If you're looking for an easier to use program with a great UI, try Sketch Up or Fusion 360. You won't regret it! They both have some really awesome features and a much better UI than AutoCAD. They also both cost way less money-even though they do almost everything that AutoCAD does. Seriously, don't waste your time on AutoCAD when you could be using something else more worthwhile like Sketch Up or Fusion 360. They will work for what you need and save you time in the long run because of how easy they are to use.

elleuch
Overall rating
  • Industry: Civil Engineering
  • Company size: Self Employed
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 9.0 /10

AutoCAD for Civil Engineering Students: My Experience with the Essential Design Tool

Reviewed on 2023/03/27

Overall, I find AutoCAD to be an excellent tool for my work. Its ease of use, precision, and many...

Overall, I find AutoCAD to be an excellent tool for my work. Its ease of use, precision, and many functionalities make it an essential program for any designer or engineer. I look forward to continuing to work with it and discovering all the new ways I can use it to create innovative designs.Overall, while I appreciate the many benefits of AutoCAD, there are a few things about the software that I think could be improved. However, I believe that the benefits of the software outweigh the drawbacks, and I will continue to use it as a valuable tool in my work.

Pros

I really enjoy working with AutoCAD. It is a fantastic software that is very easy to manipulate, and it offers a high level of precision. I love that I can use it to create detailed and complex designs with ease. One of the things that I appreciate about AutoCAD is its user-friendly interface. It is incredibly intuitive, and the tools are logically organized, making it very easy to find what I need when I need it.AutoCAD is also an incredibly precise program. I love that I can draw with such accuracy and create designs that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional. The software allows me to create 2D and 3D models with ease, which is incredibly useful when designing architectural or mechanical components. I can easily create and modify drawings to ensure that they are exactly what I need.Another great thing about AutoCAD is the number of functionalities it offers. There are a wide variety of tools and features that I can use to create intricate designs and drawings. The program allows me to add annotations, dimensions, and other important details to my designs, which is incredibly helpful when communicating my ideas to others. Plus, there are many add-ons and plugins available that expand the software's capabilities even further.

Cons

While I enjoy working with AutoCAD, there are a few things about the software that I don't like. For one, I find that it can be quite resource-intensive, especially when working with larger files. This can make the program slow down and become less responsive, which can be frustrating when I'm trying to get work done quickly.Another issue I've encountered with AutoCAD is that some of the tools can be a bit difficult to use. While the software is generally user-friendly, there are some functions that require a bit of trial and error to get right. For example, I've had trouble with the hatch tool, which can be a bit finicky to work with.

Marta
Overall rating
  • Industry: Architecture & Planning
  • Company size: 2–10 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 7.0 /10

Pros and cons of AutoCAD

Reviewed on 2021/06/30

Most design studios are still relying on AutoCAD, and even if other programs (e.g. Revit) are...

Most design studios are still relying on AutoCAD, and even if other programs (e.g. Revit) are appearing in studios, it does not mean elimination of CAD applications.

Even when design offices boast that they model fully in 3D (including BIM), in fact, AutoCAD still plays a supporting role, and in some areas it may be the other way around, and it is AutoCAD that dominates as a proven and fast tool for drawing details.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Pros

The advantages of the program include, first of all, a large number of created tools, thanks to which it is possible to design various, arbitrary elements. Thanks to the extensive library of materials, which is available to the users of the program, it is possible to select such materials and textures, which are characteristic for a particular design department (e.g. architecture and construction). In this way, the program adapts to individual user needs.
All ready-made elements can be modified - you can also freely modify the created elements. The multitude of functions allows you to create truly unique, functional and great-looking designs - which is undoubtedly a great advantage.
Finished files can be transferred to other formats - you can also create your own overlays, because the program has an open architecture. Many companies have already taken advantage of this possibility, adapting it to their needs. Advantages include: Easier navigation when moving the screen. Quick repair of corrupted paths to external files.

Cons

Cons: The program takes up a lot of disk space and is quite expensive.

Verified Reviewer
Overall rating
  • Industry: Design
  • Company size: 11–50 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

AutoCAD is a best computer-aided design (CAD) software for for creating, modifying, and...

Reviewed on 2023/06/03

AutoCAD is an essential tool for mechanical engineers like me, because it offers a robust set of...

AutoCAD is an essential tool for mechanical engineers like me, because it offers a robust set of design and drafting capabilities. Its 2D and 3D modeling features, parametric modeling capabilities, and integration with other software make it highly suitable for mechanical design and documentation tasks.

Pros

AutoCAD provides a comprehensive set of tools for creating precise and detailed 2D and 3D designs. Mechanical engineers like me can use it to develop complex mechanical parts, assemblies, and machines with accurate dimensions, annotations, and geometric constraints. AutoCAD allows for parametric modeling, which means you can define relationships and constraints between different elements of your design. This feature enables efficient design changes and updates as the software automatically adjusts the model based on defined parameters. AutoCAD offers powerful 3D visualization tools, allowing mechanical engineers like me to create realistic renderings and visualizations of their designs. This helps in evaluating the aesthetics, functionality, and ergonomics of the product before manufacturing.

Cons

AutoCAD is a resource-intensive software, requiring significant system requirements to run smoothly, especially when working with complex 3D models. This can be a limitation for users with less powerful hardware.

Nelsys
Overall rating
  • Industry: Civil Engineering
  • Company size: 2–10 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Ease of Use
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

Easy to use once you get it

Reviewed on 2018/08/02

I used AutoCAD throughout my university career and in the professional and labor fields. As a civil...

I used AutoCAD throughout my university career and in the professional and labor fields. As a civil engineer, this is a program that you use almost daily.

Pros

It really is too useful and has too many functionalities in addition to many ways to do the same thing, so you just have to find the way that best suits you. For me it was not at all easy to use it at the beginning, it's like you open the program and it overwhelms you all there, but once you have it is extremely easy to use. Honestly it is a very extensive program and has additional extensions that you can add later for your particular use. There are functions that only civil engineers use, there are functions that only mechanical engineers or electrical engineers use, so I think it is very difficult to use the program in its gigantic totality, but that should not overwhelm you. Honestly it is not necessary to take a course to learn how to use it, on the internet this is all you need and after you understand it, it will be the best specialized drawing program you will find.

Cons

share the drawings and the different versions you have, because if you save a file in a version, it can not be displayed on another computer with an earlier version, so if you have the latest version, you should always remember to save the file in a format the previous versions. And Plotting a plane and the scales, that process should be more intuitive, it can really become a nightmare to move from the screen to the paper.

M Choiril
M Choiril
Overall rating
  • Industry: Printing
  • Company size: Self Employed
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 10.0 /10

Making precision images on packaging die-cut jobs is very reliable.

Reviewed on 2022/01/25

This software gives me a lot of convenience and benefits, especially it can make work in the food...

This software gives me a lot of convenience and benefits, especially it can make work in the food packaging printing industry, carton packaging, and commercial printing easier.

Pros

Since the beginning of entering the industrial engineering school, I was surprised by this software which has many benefits, not only useful for building architects, but also in the industrial sector. My need for this software is to create a master drawing that is used for the die-cut process of a package because I am required to make precise folding lines and cut lines on a packaging box. At first, I was just experimenting with combining this software with Laser Die Cutting software to cut and make lines on wooden planks. The results are impressive and very precise. The die-cut work process always runs smoothly and there are minimal size errors with this software. My customers are also satisfied because the packaging prints are detailed and neat in every corner.

Cons

Along with the times, developers are required to continue to develop their software and update the latest features, we as users have a little trouble with hardware problems. Which requires a fairly high hardware upgrade cost for a PC/Laptop. This constraint makes me have to keep AutoCAD on the old version. I have to save a little budget to use in other sectors. As long as the software is an old version and has no problems I will continue to use it.

Ibrahim
Overall rating
  • Industry: Civil Engineering
  • Company size: 51–200 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 8.0 /10

The AutoCAD program served as a solid foundation for my entry into the world of construction...

Reviewed on 2024/01/06

It was an exciting experience in the world of building design and modeling through which I gained...

It was an exciting experience in the world of building design and modeling through which I gained many experiences in understanding and modeling all 2D and 3D plans

Pros

Through my work on the AutoCAD program for many years, I noticed that it has many advantages, such as saving time and effort, mainly because it eliminates the need to draw on paper or manually. In addition, it is an effective program for designing and modeling projects, as it provides models (2D and 3D), and it is worth mentioning. The AutoCAD program has proven its effectiveness in the past and up to the present time as it is characterized by ease and flexibility and has an interface that is easy to understand and detail and the ability to import and export files from other programs...

Cons

Whatever the advantages of this program, we must focus on some of its negatives for the purpose of effective criticism... It has a relatively high cost, in addition to the fact that it requires computers with very high specifications, because when we design a (3D) program with complex and precise details, it will lead to a significant slowdown in the computer..

Latifa
Overall rating
  • Industry: Architecture & Planning
  • Company size: Self Employed
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Value for Money
  • Ease of Use
  • Customer Support
  • Likelihood to recommend 8.0 /10

the powerful drawing tool

Reviewed on 2021/03/21

Autocad is a versatile application that offers the possibility to design various elements and...

Autocad is a versatile application that offers the possibility to design various elements and objects in 2D and 3D.
With this very powerful software, you can create your own plans whether in architecture and town planning, in mechanics, in landscaping, in industry, in electronics, or others, also it is a tool to create realistic images of all your plans and designates, applying colors and textures to them. You can also make animations for objects or take a virtual tour of a subdivision or a house.

The software has developed well since its first versions. Each update always offers more features for the computer-aided drafting professions.

It is a very professional software, it is essential, for all draftsmen especially in architecture, it is an efficient, very precise and complete way to develop their 2d plans for all types of buildings.

Realizing 3D with autocad offers you the pleasure of being the master on its platform, of designing any object or building, and of assigning it materials, and colors, adding light, taking pictures, the software puts at your disposal a library of materials and very rich color palettes, all that remains is to unleash your creativity.

This software allows you to draw and design your ideas in 3d without even drawing a plan, you can go directly to draw and view 3d designs.
After all the years I have spent using this powerful application, autocad is a must have for all of my designs.

Pros

speed, precision, richness in tools, efficiency, drawing of 2d and 3d plans

Cons

apparently I don't see any drawbacks, it is very useful

Amjad
Amjad
Overall rating
  • Industry: Maritime
  • Company size: 1,001–5,000 Employees
  • Used Daily for 2+ years
  • Review Source

Overall rating

  • Ease of Use
  • Likelihood to recommend 5.0 /10

Undisputed marked leader for Computer Aided Design

Reviewed on 2019/10/17

I personally love AutoCAD and consider myself quite proficient with it; however, I do believe that...

I personally love AutoCAD and consider myself quite proficient with it; however, I do believe that its days are numbered. BIM is the future and we're quickly moving there.

Pros

- an extremely versatile full-featured CAD software that has been leading innovation since 1980s
- Works in 2D and 3D to create models and printable layouts
- Once you master it, drafting and drawing will be extremely fast.
- Can handle anything from simple sketches to multi-million dollar developments
- Layout (Paper space) support is very good especially with batch plotting
- Plenty of training resources and blocks are available online. Student version available for free too.
- The user interface has evolved in the right direction over the last decade.
- Great features are always being added.

Cons

- License is expensive for small companies
- When you use AutoCAD, while extremely powerful, you are still creating 2D or 3D lines and shapes, not objects. Therefore, it pales in comparison to Revit, Civil3D and trade-specific AutoCAD versions which create "smart" objects rather than "stupid" lines.
- Should have included some of the features that AutoDesk Quantity Takeoff had before it was scrapped. Since most people use it for surveying quantities.
- Lack of default CAD standard don't make sense.