FreeCAD review: 3D designs stay on your computer

FreeCAD is free open-source CAD software for designing real objects in 3D, from a printed bracket to a piece of furniture.¹ It is for hobbyists, students, teachers and people doing product design, mechanical work or architecture.¹ The sizes stay as numbers you can change, and the model rebuilds. There is no account and no licence fee, and the application does not collect personal data.¹³

Last checked October 28, 2026.

At a glance

What it is: A free parametric 3D modeller. Parametric means the sizes are numbers you can edit, and the shape updates.¹

Works on: 64-bit Windows 10 or newer, macOS 12 Monterey or newer (Apple Silicon and Intel), and Linux.²

Price: Free to download, use and share, including commercial work. No account and no paywall.¹⁴

Licence: Source code is LGPL version 2 or later. Documentation and the website are Creative Commons Attribution 3.0.⁴

Best for: Precise parts on your own computer.

Official site: freecad.org

What FreeCAD does (and how it protects your privacy)

FreeCAD is a desktop program for models that have to be the right size. You sketch a flat shape, lock the measurements with constraints, then turn that sketch into a solid. A constraint is a rule such as “this edge is 40 mm” or “these lines stay parallel.” Parametric modelling means you go back into that history, change a number, and the later steps rebuild.¹ The project describes it as a way to design real-life objects of any size, and to make drawings from the 3D model.¹

Tools sit in workbenches. A workbench is a set of tools for one job, such as a sketch, a mechanical part or a building.⁵ Part Design, with the Sketcher, is the usual start for a single part. A BIM workbench (building information modelling) covers architecture.⁵

A design is a file on your computer. The application does not collect personal data, there is no sign-up, and the public source code can be checked for that.¹³⁴ The models you produce are yours.⁴

Key features of FreeCAD

Editable dimensions: Change a parameter in the model history and the design updates.¹
Constrained sketches: Draw a closed 2D shape and use it as the base of a 3D object.¹
Pads and pockets: Give a sketch thickness, or cut a second sketch out of the solid. Editing the sketch rebuilds the part.⁵
Drawings: Take dimensions and other details from the 3D model into a production drawing.¹
Open formats: Reads and writes STEP, IGES, STL, SVG, DXF, OBJ, IFC, DAE and others.¹
Add-ons: Extra workbenches and macros install from the Addon Manager inside the program.²
Python scripting: A built-in console can create or change geometry. Python is a programming language. Macros are short scripts.⁵
Three desktops: Official builds cover Windows, Mac and Linux. Many Linux distributions also offer it in their package manager.²⁵

FreeCAD pros and cons

Pros

Free for private, commercial or institutional use, with no contract and no forced update.⁴
No account, no paywall and no advertising in the application.¹³
The design file belongs to you, and you choose the owner and the terms.⁴
The current stable release is 1.1.4, released on 28 September 2026.²⁹
Windows and macOS builds are signed by The FreeCAD Project Association, the non-profit seated in Belgium that supports the project.⁷⁸

Cons

The learning curve can be steep, especially on a first try at 3D modelling.⁵
Downloads are 64-bit desktop builds. Windows 10 is the oldest supported Windows, and macOS 12 Monterey is the oldest supported Mac system.²
The Draft workbench does not include the full tool set of a dedicated 2D CAD program.⁵
Add-on workbenches are not checked for malicious content, and a macro from someone else can do anything you can do on the computer.³
Releases before 1.1.4 are affected by two file-handling problems that a crafted project file can trigger.⁷

Is FreeCAD safe and private?

The privacy policy says the application does not collect, transmit, share or use personal data, and that it has no ads or trackers.³ Logs, settings, cache, thumbnails and recent files stay on the computer.³ The in-app manual loads over HTTPS, and saving or opening a file on a remote server can share your IP address.³ A project file can store a folder path that includes a user name, so check that before you share it.³

Telemetry is a separate add-on, not part of a normal install. You add it yourself in the Addon Manager, and the project says it will not turn reporting on by default.⁶ If you install it, it sends preferences, including customisations, plus platform, architecture, the list of installed third-party add-ons, and notes of incorrect shutdowns.⁶ The project calls that non-identifying and assigns a random identifier. It says it uses PostHog and that the data is retained in the EU, and that the FreeCAD Project Association stewards it. Uninstalling the add-on stops the reports.⁶

Use 1.1.4, the last planned maintenance release in the 1.1 series. It fixes two file-handling flaws that a malicious FCStd file can trigger. FCStd is FreeCAD’s project file, and every earlier release is affected.⁷ The project does not vouch for unofficial builds.³ The FreeCAD Project Association is an international non-profit seated in Belgium, created in November 2021 and registered as an AISBL, to support the project. Source code is on GitHub, with mirrors on GitLab, Codeberg and SourceForge.²⁸

How to get started with FreeCAD

Download FreeCAD 1.1.4 from the official download page.² It was released on 28 September 2026.⁹ Weekly builds are not for production use.²
Install the 64-bit Windows installer, the Apple Silicon or Intel macOS disk image, or the Linux AppImage.² Many Linux distributions also package FreeCAD. Prefer a build the download page lists.³⁵
For a small part, switch to the Part Design workbench. It uses the Sketcher for the flat outline.⁵
Create a sketch, draw a closed shape, close the sketch, and use Pad to give that shape thickness.⁵
Change a constraint, or the pad distance. The solid updates from the model history.⁵
Save in a folder you control. File, then Project information, can name an owner and your own terms.⁴ Before you share the file, check that its folder path does not show a user name.³
Install add-ons and run macros only from authors you trust.³ If you already have an older FreeCAD, update to 1.1.4 before opening files from other people.⁷

Who should use FreeCAD (and who might prefer something else)

FreeCAD fits a measured object on your own computer: a replacement clip, a workshop jig, furniture whose sizes will change, or a simple building. It also fits a class or a small workshop that does not want a subscription or an account.¹⁴ If you already use OpenSCAD, FreeCAD includes an OpenSCAD workbench.⁵ You can also stay with OpenSCAD.

The getting-started guide sets FreeCAD apart from software made for animation and film.⁵ For sculpting, animation and finished pictures, Blender is the wider 3D workspace. For logos and other flat drawings, Inkscape stays in 2D. FreeCAD can still write SVG and DXF when a flat outline needs to leave the model.¹

Frequently asked questions

Is FreeCAD free?

Yes. You can download, use and share it free of charge, including for paid work, with no sign-up.¹⁴ The files you make are yours. Donations to the project association are optional.⁴⁸

Is FreeCAD safe?

The application does not collect personal data and has no ads or trackers.³ Install 1.1.4, because earlier releases are affected by two file-handling flaws in crafted project files. Trust add-ons and macros only from authors you trust.³⁷

Does FreeCAD work on Mac, Windows or a phone?

Official builds are 64-bit Windows 10 or newer, macOS 12 Monterey or newer for Apple Silicon and Intel, and Linux.² The download page is the list of official packages.³

Does FreeCAD upload my designs?

It does not transmit personal data. If you choose to open or save a remote file, your IP address can be shared as part of that connection.³ Usage reports come from an optional add-on.⁶