progeCAD
ProgeSOFT
Perpetual, no subscription
Octave (formerly Bricsys)
BricsCAD
€330–€1,176 / year · 2D + 3D · native DWG
Verdict
The closest thing to a true AutoCAD replacement rather than an imitation. It is the only alternative here that credibly covers 2D drafting, 3D modelling, BIM and mechanical in one licence family, and the only one whose LISP and .dwg fidelity survive contact with real consultant drawings. If you are replacing AutoCAD in a business and the drawings have to come back unbroken, start here and stop here.
What it costs, honestly
Lite €330/yr (sold in a 5-seat minimum pack), Pro €710/yr, Mechanical €998/yr, BIM €1,060/yr, Ultimate €1,176/yr — maintenance included at every tier. Perpetual licences are still offered and are the reason many shops choose Bricsys, but the store no longer prints a perpetual price: you have to ask. Free for students and schools.
For scale: AutoCAD is ≈ $2,095 / year, subscription only, with no perpetual option at any price.
What it gets right
- Genuine .dwg as the native format — no import/export round trip, no drift
- LISP, VBA, .NET and BRX addons: most AutoCAD customisation ports with modest edits
- One product family scales 2D → 3D → BIM/Mechanical without changing tools
- Perpetual licensing still on the table, which is the whole point for many buyers
What to watch out for
- Bricsys is now part of Octave Intelligence plc and the site has moved to bricscad.octave.com — bricsys.com 301-redirects. Expect churn in docs and links.
- Lite has a 5-seat minimum on the published store price, so the "€330" entry point is not really €330 for a single user
- Perpetual pricing is quote-only now — get it in writing before you commit
Pricing and specifications: https://bricscad.octave.com/store/bricscad