Autodesk Tinkercad vs. FreeCAD

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Autodesk Tinkercad
Score 9.3 out of 10
N/A
Autodesk offers Tinkercad, a 3D modeling and design tool available free for educational purposes. Shapes are the building blocks of Tinkercad. Users can add pre-existing shapes, or import them. To adjust objects, users can rotate the workplane to adjust shapes or change views and input exact dimensions with the ruler. Custom shapes can also be created by combining elements.
$0
per month
FreeCAD
Score 7.8 out of 10
N/A
FreeCAD is an open-source CAD software that specialized in 3D design. New features are added to FreeCAD by an active community of developers.N/A
Pricing
Autodesk TinkercadFreeCAD
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Autodesk TinkercadFreeCAD
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
YesNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Best Alternatives
Autodesk TinkercadFreeCAD
Small Businesses
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.0 out of 10
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.0 out of 10
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.0 out of 10
Enterprises
Rhino
Rhino
Score 9.1 out of 10
Rhino
Rhino
Score 9.1 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Autodesk TinkercadFreeCAD
Likelihood to Recommend
9.7
(6 ratings)
8.0
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
Autodesk TinkercadFreeCAD
Likelihood to Recommend
Autodesk
I have found that Autodesk Tinkercad is best for creating simple 3D models for printing. I use it to add text or modifications to 3D models of artifacts for my museum, including labels and support structures for artifacts to stand on. I also use it to create promotional materials, like 3D models of artifacts with our logo on them, which we can print and pass out at events. I would not use Autodesk Tinkercad for more complex 3D modeling or editing 3D models. It's really designed for basic creation and modification, and in those areas it is extremely useful!
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FreeCAD
It is a great cad software if you are wanting to try something without the commitment of a payment plan. It has the ability to do most of what other cad systems do and has some functionality that is way superior to other cad systems. It could be better with things like assemblies and larger part count developments
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Pros
Autodesk
  • Tinkercad is a great baseline CAD program. This program is easy to implement and train people in.
  • After on a short period of time my students are able to create complex forms using Tinkercads pre-generated shapes and holes.
  • The Tinkercad provided projects aid in pushing the learning experience even further and reinforce the ideas that I train on and help my students explore the program before designing their own complex sculptural forms.
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FreeCAD
  • Importing CAD formats
  • Converting mesh formats to solid and surface objects geometry
  • Fixing errors in geometry cad
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Cons
Autodesk
  • The tutorials could be more easily readable and easier for younger students
  • Sometimes confusing how to use the mouse tools vs on an iPad
  • Less professional, not often used in career fields
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FreeCAD
  • Would be great if it was cloud based
  • If it had some basic analysis tools
  • Had a rendering function
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Alternatives Considered
Autodesk
Tinkercad is free and easy to use. It's a great place for people to start learning about 3D Design before they invest time and money in professional-level tools.
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FreeCAD
Freecad is used often when receiving files from multiple sources and the need to work with cad in various forms from meshes to solid cad. Often when receiving scans of 3d objects the format is easy to work with and convert to traditional cad later on. There is no other cad that can bridge the gap between all the cad formats that we found yet.
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Return on Investment
Autodesk
  • I should definitely say that Tinkercad has no negative impact on my business.
  • It shortened my 3d design process for my many simple projects.
  • Tinkercad is a free tool, no investment needed.
  • I suggest it to my customers who don't know 3d design, but desperately needs a 3d file for their projects.
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FreeCAD
  • It has allowed us to do some cad work that no other systems has allowed us to do and is key to getting that done fast
  • It has lots of online support through forums and blogs for trouble shooting
  • It could have an updated interface to make the functionality more user friendly for first time users
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ScreenShots