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DraftSight: better than AutoCAD ... and cheaper!
October 13, 2020

DraftSight: better than AutoCAD ... and cheaper!

Anonymous | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Software Version

Paid

Overall Satisfaction with DraftSight

DraftSight is used by our department, principally to design pre-project and schematics drawings. Compared to other solutions on the market, it offers us a fully satisfactory cost/service return with 2D drawing functions that are more than sufficient for our needs.

  • Read/write compatibility of DWG and DXF files
  • Create layout easly
  • In multi-screen mode, the secondary windows do not appear on the screen on which it was closed.
  • The ratio cost of licenses/returned service is really good.
We had the AutoDesk 2D solution (AutoCAD). Given our use of this type of 2D solution, from a pricing point of view, it was no longer possible. We have been on DraftSight since its beginnings. We tried solutions like SolidEdge and some other freeware, but to read DWG/DXF files in a reliable way, we couldn't find better than DraftSight. Also commercially, the offerings are very competitive.
In my opinion, for compatibility with DWG/DXF formats and the basic use of 2D drawings DraftSight is well suited. Users from the AutoCAD world are not completely lost. They immediately regain the usual functionality and quickly discover the features of DraftSight.

Evaluating DraftSight and Competitors

Yes - In the beginning, it was AutoCAD. We drew a lot in 2D and we are still working on these formats, mainly in reading/editing. Today, our main projects are done with CATIA or SOLIDWORKS. But we still need to read/modify our historical drawing base. Commercially, AutoCAD was very too expensive for the need we had.

  • Price
  • Product Features
  • Product Usability
  • Prior Experience with the Product
Price & features: After trying many solutions, the only one that allows us to read/modify our DWG/DXF archives reliably without using AutoCAD is DraftSight. Moreover, not to spoil anything, it is commercially competitive.
Classically, we do a continuous technology watch. We test/re-evaluate a few products every year. This is how we originally discovered DraftSight when it was free. The goal of these tests is not to change the product, but to follow the trends in order to be sure to use a product that meets our expectations ... and at the best price.