CADCraft vs FreeCAD
A 2D drafting app against an open-source parametric 3D modeller. Both read and write DXF, but they are built for different main jobs.
CADCraft is an open-source computer-aided design and drafting app written in pure Rust, currently in early development, and it is not AutoCAD. FreeCAD describes itself as an open-source parametric 3D modeler made primarily to design real-life objects of any size. The main difference is scope: CADCraft is for 2D drawings today, and FreeCAD is for 3D models that can produce 2D drawings.
Comparison at a glance
public descriptions| Question | CADCraft | FreeCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Public product position | Open-source computer-aided design and drafting in pure Rust (official page). | Open-source parametric 3D modeler, made primarily to design real-life objects of any size (freecad.org). |
| Main job | 2D drafting with an AutoCAD-style command line, layers, dimensions and hatching. | 3D parametric modelling. The site describes drawings produced from 3D models. |
| Sketches and constraints | Geometric and dimensional constraints that re-solve as you edit (official page). | Sketches of constrained 2D shapes that serve as the base for 3D objects (freecad.org). |
| 3D | Not built yet. The gaps list records UCS, 3D views, solids, surfaces, meshes and rendering as missing. | Core use. The site lists it as the main purpose of the project. |
| File formats | DXF read and write, DWG opened (R13 to 2018), SVG and PNG export, PDF plotting (README). | Reads and writes many open formats, the site names STEP, IGES, STL, SVG, DXF, OBJ, IFC and DAE (freecad.org). |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux and FreeBSD, plus a WebAssembly web build (README). | Windows, Mac and Linux (freecad.org). |
| Extras named on the site | Not in the repository: no finite element, CFD, BIM or CAM workbenches are listed. | The site lists FEA tools, experimental CFD, BIM, geodata, CAM/CNC and a robot simulation module. |
| Project stage | Early development. The roadmap labels it pre-alpha (ROADMAP.md, reviewed 2026-10-10). | The site does not give a stage label on the page we read. Check its release notes. |
Evidence and method
checked 2026-10-16Sources. For CADCraft we read the official product page, the repository README, ROADMAP, the gaps list and the file-format notes. For FreeCAD we read its public home page at freecad.org. Where a source is silent, the table says so.
Method. We compared what each project says about its scope and formats. We did not install either application, open a model or drawing in either one, or run a benchmark.
What to verify
- Whether your work needs 3D. If it does, CADCraft does not cover that part today.
- The DXF and DWG versions your collaborators use, tested on a copy of a real file in each application.
- The FreeCAD release notes and documentation for the workbench you plan to use.
- CADCraft's known-gaps list in docs/gaps.md in the repository.
Questions readers ask
Is CADCraft a 3D modeller like FreeCAD?
No. FreeCAD's site describes it as an open-source parametric 3D modeler. CADCraft is a 2D drafting app, and the repository's gaps list records 3D modelling as missing.
Which one fits a floor plan?
This guide does not pick a winner. CADCraft is built around the AutoCAD-style command line for 2D drawings. FreeCAD's site describes sketching constrained 2D shapes and building 3D objects from them. Draw the same plan in both and compare the steps you need.
Do both read DXF?
FreeCAD's site says it reads and writes DXF among other open formats. CADCraft reads DXF from R12 to 2018 and writes it, but the write version range differs between its sources, so check the version your collaborator needs.
Limits and what this page does not claim
This page does not declare a winner or rank either project. It gives no benchmark, download count or user count. It is not endorsed by FreeCAD or by ArtCraft. It does not describe FreeCAD's funding, sponsors or community size.