Oct 09, 2017 If you want to draw up a new floor plan for your home, office or just about any kind of space, we’ve taken a look at the very best Mac compatible floor plan and home design software in 2020. Floor planners are an easy to map out new layouts making it easier to identify problems, save time on costly errors and visualize your ideas more clearly. Aug 21, 2018 3D Design Programs that Won’t Run on Apple’s Mac. Most 3D design programs are available for Windows and Mac users alike. However, some 3D design software that is not available for Mac OS includes Solidworks (62), 3DS Max (55), and Inventor (55). While these are not many, they still represent quite popular 3D modeling software packages. Jun 13, 2019 Macs are very popular with digital creatives, however, they don't have the same breadth of choice when it comes to home design software. If you use a Mac, it means you're limited to only a few software suites – and Home Designer Suite by Chief Architect is by far the best. It comes with a huge selection of features for designing the inside and outside of your building and it's compatible.
Here then is our list of the best CAD software on Mac for 2020 in order of ranking. SmartDraw (Best 2D CAD For Mac) If you’re looking for something powerful for 2D CAD design but amazingly easy to use and value for money, SmartDraw is the best 2D CAD software for Mac on the market. SmartDraw is incredibly flexible because it can be used both as a powerful diagramming alternative to.
Designing for print is a very specific task, so a dedicated vector-based graphic design program is often the best way forward. While there is perfectly good drawing and painting software available.
Easy graphic design software with abundant predefined shapes and templates. Boost your creativity and improve your productivity via the easiest graphic design tool.
Significance of Unique Graphic Design
With tons of competitors out there, uniqueness is the key to stand out from the crowd. Whatever role you play, you need to do presentation from time to time. One of the most effective way to impress audience during presentation is to apply graphic materials. Many people are naturally attracted by those visually pleasing graphic design. Therefore, personalized, educational and easily comprehensible graphic design will surely enhance the effect of communication. In the business circle, people need characteristic graphic design to draw potential customers attention and get more transaction.
If you need amazing graphics and don't want to invest too much, just rely on Edraw - an all-in-one easy graphic design. It can produce hundreds kinds of graphics. Here are some examples.
Best Graphic Design Software
Edraw is a revolutionary infographic design tool. An increasing number of companies are taking advantage of the cost savings and efficiency it offers. With lots of examples and templates, supporting drag-and-drop functionalities, data import and export capacities, it is currently a globally popular drawing app. It is a cost-effective graphic editor used by design professionals and creative people worldwide, for creating diversified of graphics such as illustrations, icons, logos, diagrams, maps and web infographics. It helps you become more competitive by allowing you to:
Design graphics quicker and more effectively
Create graphics more easily and funnily
Make your graphics more intelligent and interactive
Gain unique graphic design like no other to stand out from the crowd
Integrate your graphic designs with other Windows apps
Share your graphics with more people easily on any platform
1 Program for Hundreds of Kinds of Graphics
From 1 single graphic design program, you can gain over 200 kinds of informative diagrams. They are well-designed, easily editable and board-room quality, at your fingertips. Listed below are a small part of the graphic materials Edraw can generate. Click relevant links for more detailed information.
Mind Map: map and clarify ideas in a nonlinear way, presenting relationship between ideas.
Flowchart: a diagrammatic representation that illustrates the sequence of operations to be performed to get the solution of a problem.
Org Chart: a chart which represents the structure of an organization in terms of rank. The chart usually shows the managers and sub-workers who make up an organization. The chart also shows relationships between staff in the organization.
Fishbone Diagram: figure out causes for a result from many perspective in a schematic diagram looking like fishbone.
Data-driven Infographics: dig out insights from statistics analyzed and presented visually in shapes, lines or tables and so on. The most commonly used>Benchmarking:astructuredanalyticaltoolforcomparingyourorganization's work practices to the best similar practices you can identify in other organizations, and then incorporating the best ideas into your own processes.
1 App for Various Formats of Graphics
Once a drawing is created, it must be distributed to the people who need to use it. It is Built to Work Easily with Other Programs.
Put Edraw graphics into:
Word
PowerPoint
Excel
WordPerfect
Html
Slide Show
SVG
Adobe PDF format
Create Graphics More Efficiently
Edraw's drag-and-drop interface combine with our Smart Shapes technology, indicating that if someone can use a mouse, he can produce professional-quality graphics. Its ease of use means that even beginners can be instantly productive, and experienced users find it the most efficient way to create their graphics. Such power and ease of use result in increased productivity. Graphics are made more quickly and accurately. Less time is needed for learning manuals, saving tons of time.
Besides the predefined shapes, an extensive collection of templates and examples are also available. Users can get a jump start with these ready-made templates.
Lower Your Training and Support Costs
Free Graphic Design Software Downloads For Mac
There are a number of costs that you must consider when implementing a software solution in your company. The three most important factors are the initial cost of the software, the cost of training and the cost of support. Edraw offers considerable advantages over traditional drawing software in all of these key areas. Before the introduction of Edraw, companies had to support many different graphics applications. In contrast to specialized CAD software, Edraw is priced consistently with other mainstream Windows applications. In many cases, Edraw is only one-tenth of the cost of high-end CAD software. This allows wider deployment and considerable cost savings over other solutions.
One of the most important costs is the training required to ensure that personnel in your company can effectively use the graphic design software you choose to implement. High-end software typically requires specialized training, and can take three to six months to learn. In contrast, most people are effectively using Edraw in just a few days due to its unparalleled ease of use.
System Requirements
Works on Windows 7, 8, 10, XP, Vista and Citrix
Works on 32 and 64 bit Windows
Works on Mac OS X 10.2 or later
If you’re looking for CAD software for Mac, you’re not without options. We’ve found some standout Mac and cloud-based CAD platforms for you.
You’re likely to hit a wall if you’re searching for computer-aided design (CAD) software designed for Mac. There are plenty of CAD software options for Windows—you’ll see many of them in our list of the top AutoCAD alternatives—but only a handful offer support for Mac.
And, if you think you’ll bypass the issue by using a cloud-based CAD tool, you’ll quickly find that CAD vendors haven’t embraced the cloud as much as other types of software vendors have, so the offerings are still largely on-premise. According to Gartner’s Hype Cycle for IT Evolution (full content available to Gartner clients), cloud-native CAD applications still have five to 10 years before they reach mainstream adoption.
But fear not, Mac users. We’ve done some digging and have put together this list of the top-rated CAD software for Mac. Read more about our methodology at the bottom of this article.
5 Best CAD Software for Mac (presented alphabetically)
Jump to:
CorelCAD
FreeCAD
Fusion 360
LibreCAD
Onshape
1. CorelCAD
CorelCAD offers 2D drafting and 3D design capabilities, such as the drawing constraints feature for creating different geometric shapes faster and the push and pull feature for 3D direct modeling.
3D modeling in CorelCAD (Source)
Common user feedback trends
Based on analyses of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of CorelCAD they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
The short learning curve: Users mention that the tool is easy to use and beginners don’t have to spend a lot of time learning it.
Compatibility with multiple file types: Users like the fact that the tool is compatible with DWG, PDF, ACIS, DXF, STL, CDR, and other file formats.
What users think could be improved:
Software reliability issues: Some users mention that the software tends to crash at times.
Better dimension functionality: Some users would like a better dimensioning feature for more accurate drawings of angles and proportions.
Who can use CorelCAD
CorelCAD can be used by construction businesses for collaborative editing on multiple devices. It offers native iOS applications, which makes it easy for field crews to add annotations in graphics and share files using their iPhones and iPads. Additionally, the tool allows team members to leave recorded messages and instructions for colleagues embedded in the graphics using a voice note tool.
2. FreeCAD
FreeCAD is an open source CAD tool that works on Mac as well as Windows and Linux. It reads many common file formats such as STEP, IGES, STL, SVG, DXF, OBJ, IFC, and DAE.
It offers different modules, including a drawing sheets module that converts 3D models into 2D views, a rendering module that can export 3D objects, and an architecture module for a BIM-like workflow.
3D model of a building in FreeCAD (Source)
Common user feedback trends
Based on analysis of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of FreeCAD they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
Feature-richness for a free tool: Users mention that, although it’s free, the tool comes with a full set of features.
Reliability: Users mention that the tool does not demand a lot of CPU power and works well on devices with low RAM.
What users think could be improved:
Steep learning curve: Users mention that the tool is not the most user-friendly solution and can be difficult for beginners to learn.
Dependent on community for updates: Users mention that modules ignored by the community tend to become outdated quickly.
Graphic Design For Mac
Who can use FreeCAD
FreeCAD appears to be best for hobbyists and home users. It’s also good for users who don’t have a high budget for software but still want to tinker with CAD modeling.
FreeCAD could also be a good choice for businesses on a budget looking for a free and open-source option.
3. Fusion 360
Fusion 360 is a CAD tool from Autodesk with design functionalities such as sketching and 3D modeling. It also supports project management with features such as task management, document management, and collaborative image editing.
Document management in Fusion 360 (Source)
Common user feedback trends
Based on analysis of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of Fusion 360 they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
Comprehensive design features: User mention that the tool offers all the functionalities necessary for 2D and 3D designing.
Availability of training resources: Users like the fact that the tool comes with ample documentation and tutorials.
What users think could be improved:
System crashes: Users mention that the tool tends to crash, especially when designing and rendering large files.
Steep learning curve: Users mention that it can take a lot of time to learn the advanced functionalities of the tool.
Who can use Fusion 360
Fusion 360 is part of the Autodesk ecosystem designed for the AEC industry. This makes the tool suitable for construction businesses that are already using, or intend to use, other Autodesk solutions. Using a software vendor that offers multiple solutions will especially benefit larger businesses that invariably need software that can scale with their growing requirements.
4. LibreCAD
LibreCAD is an open source CAD tool that supports Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems. The tool comes with 2D drawing features such as a snap tool, dimensioning, and annotations. It also supports multiple file imports and exports.
2D drawing in LibreCAD (Source)
Common user feedback trends
Based on analysis of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of LibreCAD they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
Ease of use: Users mention that the tool offers an intuitive and easy-to-use interface.
Lots of tutorials: Users like the fact that there are ample video tutorials that help them get started with the tool.
What users think could be improved:
Software speed: Users mention that the software tends to lag, especially when trying to print designs.
Add support for 3D design: Users would like to see functionalities for creating 3D designs.
Who can use LibreCAD
LibreCAD is an exclusively 2D CAD tool for drawing and designing blueprints of buildings, layouts of parks, and the like. As a free tool, the solution can be used by small and midsize businesses across different industries, including manufacturing, engineering, architecture, and construction.
Best Mac Graphic Design Software
5. Onshape
Onshape is a cloud-only CAD solution that comes with features such as document management with version control, collaborative design creation/editing capabilities, and reporting dashboards to understand project status.
Importing documents in Onshape (Source)
Common user feedback trends
Based on analysis of user reviews on Capterra, here’s an overview of the areas of Onshape they like best, as well as those they feel could use improvement.
What users like:
Document version control: Users like the document management features of the tool, such as version history.
Intuitive interface: Users mention that the tool comes with an intuitive interface for easy image editing.
What users think could be improved:
Performance issues: Some users mention that the tool does not function well on non-Chrome browsers and has file loading issues.
Lack of features: Users mention that the tool should improve certain features such as 2D drawing and 3D surfacing.
Who can use Onshape
As a fully-cloud based tool, Onshape is ideal for businesses that need to manage design documents collaboratively with multiple stakeholders. The tool’s collaboration functionalities include document sharing, document editing, comments, and file downloads in multiple CAD formats, such as Parasolid, ACIS, STEP, and IGES.
Next steps
This report offers a mix of Mac CAD solutions—from free tools that can help you with basic 2D drawing to advanced solutions offering extensive 3D modeling functionalities.
If these tools don’t meet your needs, expand your search and check out more options. To help you, we’ve created a CAD software comparison page where you can explore products using different filters, such as features offered and pricing options.
If you’re looking to understand the CAD software market better, we also recommend that you read the articles listed below:
Methodology
To be shortlisted, products had to fulfill the following criteria:
Products had to be compatible with Mac and offer core CAD software capabilities, such as:
2D drawing or 3D modeling features
Collaborative editing of drawings
Products needed a minimum of 20 user reviews on Capterra (published in the last two years).
Products had to have a high overall rating (an average of at least 4 out of 5 on Capterra).
Note: The content in this piece that provides opinions and points of view expressed by users. It does not represent the views of Capterra.
Looking for Construction Management software? Check out Capterra's list of the best Construction Management software solutions.