The Best Free CAD Software for 3D Print Design

Although there are many free CAD software tools on the market, not all of them have the features that matter for 3D printing.

Perhaps the most critical is how easily the software interacts with the 3D printing process. This essentially comes down to the ability to create 3D models that can later be converted into instructions for 3D printing. The most common way to accomplish this is to save the model in STL or OBJ format.

Model printability is also an important feature, especially when producing or customizing parts. Some modeling platforms produce models that eventually need to be repaired before printing.

The Best Free Programs for 3D Printers

Now that we’ve seen what makes 3D modeling or CAD software ideal for 3D printing, let’s take a look at the best free CAD programs on the market!

Blender

For many, Blender is the essence of 3D computer graphics software. It’s considered the best not only because it’s open-source and free, but also for its huge feature set, versatility, and professional use cases.

Examples include 3D modeling, texturing, rigging, shading, smoke simulation, particle simulation, animation, rendering, and video editing. And these are really just a fraction of what it offers.

Naturally, Blender is much more than just a tool for producing models for 3D printing, but its learning curve is quite steep. Blender is considered a difficult tool to master, and its many features can make it both intimidating and confusing for CAD beginners.

BricsCAD Shape

Born from the BricsSys software platform, BricsCAD Shape is a completely free modeling and visualization program. It works in the DWG file format and supports direct import from SketchUp. It can only open DXF, DWG, and DWT file types, which may limit the user depending on the project.

The GUI is functional, with a standard toolbar/sidebar layout that’s easy to navigate. Manipulation is very responsive, even if somewhat limited. It includes the necessary tools for creating simple architectural and design models as well as mechanical parts and assemblies.

It includes a visualization and rendering environment for previews, with a browsable 3D space to get great snapshots of what the final part will look like. Supported export formats include DAE, FBX, and STL.

DesignSpark Mechanical

Here’s a more advanced CAD option: DesignSpark Mechanical. Its interface was deliberately designed to resemble AutoCAD, positioning itself as a fitting free alternative to it.

DesignSpark Mechanical is free to download, but additional functionality, such as working with STEP and IGES formats, requires paid add-ons. Fortunately, the core functionality includes exporting models in STL format, so the free version is perfectly sufficient for 3D printing applications.

FreeCAD

FreeCAD is a free, open-source parametric CAD modeler. It’s a great entry point for designers and mechanical engineers who are new to the world of 3D modeling.

Parametric modeling refers to the way 3D models can be fully modified simply by adjusting individual elements and constraints. It’s the most widely used technique in professional CAD software for precise and accurate design work.

The graphical user interface may not look as polished as the other programs on this list, but FreeCAD is definitely a tool for serious design. Lastly, it can export a wide variety of formats for 3D printing, including STL and OBJ, as well as other formats suited for model sharing, such as STEP, IGES, and DWG.

Fusion 360

If you’re looking for full-fledged CAD software that’s relatively easy to use while still letting you go into professional depth, Fusion 360 is the right choice for you. It allows parametric, freeform, surface, and mesh modeling, while still being able to export STLs for 3D printing.

Fusion 360 is one of the most popular CAD options for hobbyists, offering tools and features comparable to high-end solutions like SolidWorks.

While the software is paid, Autodesk offers a limited personal-use license for free for non-commercial projects. This license no longer offers the full feature set, but it does include the same design and modeling tools as the paid versions.

Meshmixer

Meshmixer is Autodesk’s free 3D program heavily focused on 3D printing. For beginners, it works exclusively with polygon mesh 3D files in formats like STL and OBJ.

It’s also a popular tool for analyzing, editing, and repairing files from online model repositories like Thingiverse and MyMiniFactory. It can also create support structures for 3D printing, both manually and automatically.

It’s also possible to build models from scratch with Meshmixer, using a 3D modeling technique known as 3D sculpting. Unlike most of the more CAD-focused solutions on this list, this method is best suited for creating organic shapes like characters and faces.

Onshape Free

Onshape is a deep and versatile CAD program that goes beyond just designing 3D models. This self-described “all-in-one product development platform” allows for parametric modeling, team collaboration, and data management, but its strength lies in the technical and spare-parts side.

This is one of a handful of fully web-based professional platforms. Onshape offers an interesting opportunity for hobbyists and makers: if you’re willing to freely share your designs under a creative commons license, the software is free (with some limitations). However, if you want all the shiny new features and want your designs to remain private, you’ll need the full paid version.

SelfCAD

SelfCAD is a full-featured environment that supports CAD model design, freeform sculpting, rendering, animation, and even 3D print slicing. The whole package can be accessed online through a web interface, or offline by installing it locally.

Beginners and occasional designers will appreciate its simple approach to modeling, and the included interactive tutorials are a great way to get started.

The interface is minimal but functional. The GUI won’t overwhelm the user with too many tools to choose from. It also has a slicing engine that supports a decent range of printers, with the option to customize profiles. It has a free license alongside a paid license packed with additional tools.

SketchUp Free

SketchUp Free is one of the most intuitive and robust free 3D modeling tools available. This combination makes it suitable for both beginners and intermediate users, while still being able to export designs in 3D printing formats like STL.

SketchUp’s own model repository, 3D Warehouse, has a huge number of ready-to-use, user-made models, including many designed specifically for 3D printing.

SketchUp Free offers most of the 3D modeling tools found in SketchUp’s other, paid versions. Unfortunately, since the free version is a web-based application, it doesn’t support plugin extensions — one of SketchUp’s biggest advantages over other design software.

TinkerCAD

Tinkercad is one of the most popular educational 3D modeling tools. Its interface and feature set are user-friendly and easy to use, making the process fun for kids, hobbyists, educators, and — most importantly — beginners to 3D design.

As for 3D printing, users can export designed objects in STL format. Another great feature of Tinkercad is that it’s entirely browser-based, so there are no compatibility issues and minimal system requirements.

The platform offers many learning resources and projects, which is especially useful for those learning — or even teaching — 3D modeling. Tinkercad also hosts a user gallery where other users’ 3D models can be viewed and even copied for further customization.

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