Which Free CAD Is Best for a Beginner?
No single ruler measures the best CAD for a beginner — look at the part first, then the tool. A flanged plate or a bracket — a simple mechanical part — with no wish to install a large program is enough for cadAI, which opens in the browser. A part with complex curved surfaces, or work needing assembly motion simulation or CAM toolpaths, belongs in desktop CAD. Opening a model to look at it once or change one small thing is what general online tools are for. One thing to state first: cadAI pricing is to be confirmed, and this page states no price, tier, or free allowance — do not assume it is free from what you read online.
cadAI is a browser-based parametric CAD from Aiglade, for mechanical part modeling, hole drilling, measurement, and export, with the same kernel on desktop, in the browser, and over MCP.
- SolidCraft — kernel (an independent community project, not an ArtCraft product line)
- S-01 primitives, S-02 holes, S-03 conversion, S-04 measurement, S-05 preview — connected intents
- Desktop, browser, and MCP — three forms, one kernel
- To be confirmed — pricing
Start with the part, not the price tag
A beginner's first mistake is choosing by the price tag or the brand name. The choice that matters is the part: what it looks like, and what must be done with it. A simple mechanical part — a flanged plate, a bracket — needs parametric modeling of a simple shape, holes, and a dimension check before 3D printing. That is light work, and light work does not need the heaviest tool. A part with complex curved surfaces, an assembly that must move, or a CAM toolpath needs the full depth of desktop CAD, and no web tool will cover it.
The second thing to check is whether you want to install software at all. A desktop CAD program means several gigabytes of local software and a whole interface to learn. A web CAD opens in the browser and starts with one idea: set the parameters first, then build the rough shape, drill the holes, measure, preview, and export. For a first part, the shorter path teaches the same core idea — parameters first, shape second — without the install.
So the order is: part first, install second, price last. And on price, this page can only say that cadAI pricing is to be confirmed; nothing here assumes a free tier, and the price on the page itself is the only figure to trust.
Three kinds of choices
This is a list-style page, and the method is stated first so nobody mistakes an advertisement for a review: the comparison covers three categories only and gives no version numbers, prices, or scores for any specific product.
| Choice | Install | Parametric modeling | Holes and measurement | AI agent drive | Who it fits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cadAI (web) | Opens in the browser | Yes, the part follows the parameters | S-02 holes, S-04 measurement connected | MCP interface, an agent can drive modeling directly | Simple mechanical parts, flanged plates, brackets; dimension checks before 3D printing |
| Desktop CAD | Install several GB of local software | Yes | Yes | Usually not offered | Complex curved surfaces, assemblies, CAM |
| General online tools | Opens in the browser | Mostly simple edits, not parametric | Depends on the tool, often incomplete | Usually not offered | Light viewing and small edits |
Choose by two things: first, what the part is; second, whether you want to install software. A simple part with no wish to install is enough for cadAI. A complex part, or work needing CAM, is the proper road for desktop CAD. Looking at a model once or changing one small thing is enough for a general online tool.
Try one part first: six steps with cadAI
The best way to start is to make one part. A flanged plate is the classic first part, and six steps walk through it:
- Open cad.aiglade.cn and work in the browser, with nothing to install and no large desktop program to set up first.
- Start a new model and set the parameters first: the outline, the thickness, and the count and position of the holes, written into the parameters before drawing starts.
- Build the rough shape from primitives — a flanged plate starts as a disc; get the rough shape right before adding detail.
- Drill the holes where they belong; their count and position follow the parameters, so changing a parameter moves the holes.
- Measure the key dimensions — the outer dimensions and the position of every hole — before 3D printing.
- Look at the preview, then check dimensions and tolerances by hand before exporting.
The step most often skipped is the sixth one, the hand check. When a parameter changes, the holes move with it, and a dimension can shift without anyone noticing, so measure once more before exporting. The model must not go straight to production: the hand check is a requirement, not an option.
How to choose by your situation
- Your part is a flanged plate, a bracket, or another simple mechanical part, and you do not want to install a large program: choose cadAI.
- Your part has complex curved surfaces, or you need assembly motion simulation or CAM toolpaths: choose desktop CAD.
- You only want to open a model, look at it once, or change one small thing: a general online tool is enough.
- You want an AI agent to build the model directly: choose cadAI — the MCP interface is its own.
- You need a drawing for production, with vendor certification and accuracy sign-off: do not use cadAI; the model for sign-off must go through the vendor's certification process.
For a beginner, the first thing to learn is the parametric idea itself: set the parameters first, then build the rough shape, drill the holes, measure, preview, and export. A flanged plate teaches the whole approach in one part. Whether chamfer is supported is not listed in facts.md, so check the live page rather than assuming it from this guide.
cadAI in numbers
- Connected intents: 5 — S-01 primitives, S-02 holes, S-03 conversion, S-04 measurement, S-05 preview. Source: wiring-layer record, 2026-11-11. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- Forms: 3 — desktop, browser, and MCP, one kernel across all three. Source: official repository notes, 2026-11-11. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- Audience: 3 groups — mechanical engineers, makers, and 3D printing users. Source: facts.md. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- Suitable uses: 4 — parametric modeling of simple parts, flanged plates, and brackets; dimension checks before 3D printing; letting an AI agent build models through MCP; light CAD work without a large desktop program such as Fusion 360. Source: facts.md. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- Unsuitable uses: 2 — complex curved surfaces, assembly motion simulation, and CAM toolpaths; work needing vendor certification and production-grade accuracy sign-off. Source: facts.md. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- Kernel: SolidCraft, an independent community project, not an ArtCraft product line. Source: deployment record, 2026-11-11. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- Pricing: to be confirmed. Source: facts.md. Verified: 2026-11-12.
Additional numbers
- 3 choices in the comparison table — cadAI, desktop CAD, and general online tools. Source: this page, "Three kinds of choices" table. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- 5 dimensions in the comparison table — Install, Parametric modeling, Holes and measurement, AI agent drive, and Who it fits. Source: this page, same table. Verified: 2026-11-12.
- 6 steps to try one part. Source: this page, "Try one part first: six steps with cadAI". Verified: 2026-11-12.
- 3 questions in the FAQ. Source: this page, FAQ section. Verified: 2026-11-12.
Evidence
cadAI is a browser-based parametric CAD from Aiglade, for mechanical part modeling, hole drilling, measurement, and export, with the same kernel on desktop, in the browser, and over MCP. Its kernel is SolidCraft, an independent community project, not an ArtCraft product line. Its AI assistant takes five intents — S-01 primitives, S-02 holes, S-03 conversion, S-04 measurement, and S-05 preview — and it fits simple mechanical parts, flanged plates, and brackets, plus dimension checks before 3D printing. Complex curved surfaces, assembly motion simulation, and CAM toolpaths are outside its scope, and every export needs a hand check of dimensions and tolerances first. Pricing is to be confirmed, and this page states no price, tier, or free allowance.
FAQ
Q: Which free CAD is best for a beginner?
Look at the part, not the advertisement. A flanged plate or a bracket — a simple mechanical part — with no wish to install a large program is enough for cadAI; a part with complex curved surfaces or work needing CAM belongs in desktop CAD. cadAI pricing is to be confirmed, so do not assume it is free from what you read online.
Q: Is cadAI free?
Pricing is to be confirmed, and this page states no price, tier, or free allowance. Do not assume it is free from what you read online, and do not infer from the word "free" in this title that it must be free — the price on the page itself is the only figure to trust.
Q: What should a beginner learn first in CAD?
Learn the parametric idea first: set the parameters, then build the rough shape, drill the holes, measure, preview, and export. A flanged plate is the classic first part, and its method shows the whole approach: change a parameter and the model changes with it, instead of being rebuilt from scratch. Whether chamfer is supported is not listed in facts.md, so check the live page.
Not written / to verify
- Pricing is to be confirmed; no price, tier, or free allowance is written in this page.
- Button labels and click paths are not written: the site is a wasm shell with no static text to check against, so the steps stay at the workflow level and do not name a specific button.
- Export formats (whether STL, STEP, and others) are not listed in facts.md.
- Specific product names, versions, prices, and scores for desktop CAD and general online tools are not written: this page compares categories only and scores no specific product.
- File size limits and browser performance with complex models are not given in facts.md.