BricsCAD
Octave (formerly Bricsys)
€330–€1,176 / year
Nanosoft
nanoCAD
$289 / year — plus a free tier · 2D + 3D · native DWG
Verdict
The only mainstream commercial product here that still has a real, unlimited free tier — as long as your use is non-commercial. For a student, a hobbyist or someone opening the occasional DWG, nanoCAD Free is a genuinely good answer at zero cost. The paid Platform at $289/yr is fair but sits in the most crowded part of the market.
What it costs, honestly
nanoCAD 26 Platform is $289/yr on subscription. Separately, nanoCAD Free (v.5) is still available: free for non-commercial use, no time limit, and the vendor states "Registration and yearly license renewal are entirely free." The free build is an older version 5, not a crippled version 26.
For scale: AutoCAD is ≈ $2,095 / year, subscription only, with no perpetual option at any price.
What it gets right
- A real free tier with no time limit, for non-commercial use
- DWG-native, classic interface, low hardware demands
- $289/yr paid tier is among the cheapest commercial options
What to watch out for
- Free edition is v.5 — well behind the current v.26 Platform
- Non-commercial only on the free tier; commercial use requires the paid licence
- Paid tier is subscription; perpetual is not the headline offer
Pricing and specifications: https://nanocad.com/products/nanocad/