DraftSight

DraftSight is a 2D drafting and 3D design application from Dassault Systèmes, aimed at users who need professional CAD capability with a familiar working style and a substantially lower cost than the market-leading packages. Its central practical advantage is native DWG compatibility: DraftSight reads and writes DWG and DXF files directly, without the translation step that introduces errors and lost entities when moving between different CAD systems. For an architectural practice, engineering consultancy or contractor exchanging drawings with clients and subcontractors who all use DWG, that compatibility is not a convenience but a requirement, and it is the main reason firms adopt the product as an alternative rather than a compromise.

The interface, command structure and keyboard shortcuts deliberately mirror long-established CAD conventions, so an experienced draughtsperson is productive almost immediately rather than relearning fundamentals. Drafting capability covers the full 2D toolset: precise geometry creation, layers, blocks and block libraries, external references, dimensioning and annotation styles, hatching, tables, layouts and sheet sets, plotting and publishing, and extensive customisation through scripting and API access for firms that automate repetitive drafting. The higher tiers add 3D solid modelling, allowing design work to move beyond plan and elevation into volumes, sections and visualisation, with the ability to generate 2D views from 3D models. Additional productivity features include drawing comparison, batch printing, PDF import and underlay, image tracing, point cloud support and design-standards checking. The product is offered in four packages, two of which are 2D only at lower cost, letting organisations buy only the capability each seat genuinely requires rather than licensing 3D for everyone — a meaningful saving across a drawing office. Perpetual and subscription licensing options are available, and the software runs on Windows, macOS and Linux. Typical users are architects, civil and mechanical engineers, surveyors, manufacturers, contractors and educational institutions. Pricing starts from around USD 199 with a free trial; there is no permanently free version.