People don't question AutoCAD enough. 95% of people probably don't realize there is anything other than AutoCAD out there that they can use, and so they pay Autodesk's expensive licensing fees. Maybe it was true in the past that there weren't many practical alternatives, but not anymore - not since DoubleCAD XT arrived on the scene.
CAD drafting software is traditionally expensive, and while it's understandable that it may be more expensive than most programs (many developers = many moneys), Autodesk certainly takes advantage of their monopoly in the market, charging $4000 for an AutoCAD license (or $1000 for AutoCAD LT), with additional fees for support and maintenance. It's about time they're put it their place.
This is precisely what IMSI Design's DoubleCAD XT does. It is a direct challenger to AutoCAD LT (the version of AutoCAD most people would need, although usually architecture and engineering firms end up opting for the much more expensive full blown AutoCAD). Take a moment to check out their matrix comparing DoubleCAD XT and AutoCAD LT (and their flagship product DoubleCAD XT Pro). Impressed? Me too.
These are a few of my favorite things about DoubleCAD XT:
- Free for personal OR commercial use
- Supports more file formats
- Look and feel is very similar to AutoCAD LT (for easier transition)
- Supports most major AutoCAD LT features
- Uses less memory and CPU
- Good documentation and decent free support forum
Obviously DoubleCAD XT cannot replace AutoCAD for every project or situation. But especially for small businesses, users with limited drafting needs (like interior designers), or home projects, try DoubleCAD XT first before making the financial commitment to AutoCAD.
Download latest version:
DoubleCAD XT v2.1 build 24.8
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