QCAD

QCAD — Free Download. QCAD 2D drafting

QCAD is an application for computer aided drafting in two dimensions. It provides tools for creating technical drawings such as building plans, interior layouts, mechanical part schematics, and complex diagrams. The software supports the AutoCAD DXF file format natively for saving and importing files, with DWG support available as a commercial plugin. It is distributed in two editions: a free Community version and a Professional version that adds scripting and advanced polyline capabilities. The program includes layers, blocks, thirty-five CAD fonts, TrueType font support, various metric and imperial units, printing to scale, and a part library with over 4800 CAD parts.

★★★★★
5.0(1 ratings)
Download QCAD (Official links)
File size: 65.4 MB
The latest version of QCAD is: 3.33.0
Operating system: Windows
Languages: English
Developer: RibbonSoft
Price: $0.00 USD (Free Personal product (TRIAL))
  • Layer Management. A system for organizing drawing elements into separate named layers. Each layer can be assigned its own color, line type, and line weight. Layers can be shown, hidden, locked, or set to print or not print. This function supports complex drawings by separating dimensions, construction lines, annotations, and main geometry. Users can reorder layers and change properties at any time during drafting.
  • Block Grouping. A mechanism for combining multiple drawing entities into a single named block. Blocks can be inserted repeatedly at different scales, rotations, and positions within the same drawing. Editing a block definition updates all inserted instances simultaneously. This function reduces repetitive work when a symbol, such as a door, bolt, or fixture, appears many times in one drawing.
  • 35 CAD Fonts Included. A set of thirty-five vector fonts designed specifically for technical drafting. These fonts ensure consistent text appearance across different systems and when exporting to DXF or DWG formats. They support standard drafting conventions for dimensions, labels, and title blocks. The fonts remain sharp at any zoom level because they are defined geometrically rather than as raster images.
  • TrueType Font Support. The ability to use system-installed TrueType fonts within drawings. This function allows company logos, standard document fonts, and non-Latin character sets to appear in the CAD environment. Text created with TrueType fonts can be exploded into outlines for further geometric editing. The support covers bold, italic, and regular font variants.
  • Metric and Imperial Units. A configuration system for working with different measurement standards. Users can set drawing units to millimeters, centimeters, meters, kilometers, inches, feet, yards, or miles. The program automatically scales dimensions, grid spacing, and printing output according to the selected unit. Switching units does not alter the underlying geometry but changes how measurements are displayed and interpreted.
  • DXF and DWG Input and Output. File format handling for the two most common CAD exchange formats. DXF support is built into both the Community and Professional editions for reading and writing. DWG support is available through a commercial plugin that adds import and export capability. This function enables collaboration with users of other CAD applications such as AutoCAD, LibreCAD, and DraftSight.
  • Printing to Scale. A print setup system that produces paper output at exact drawing scales such as 1:50, 1:100, or 1:500. Users select a paper size, drawing scale, and print area before sending the job to a physical printer or PDF writer. The function includes options for centering the drawing, adjusting line weights, and setting print margins. Scale accuracy is verified through a preview window before printing.
  • Multi-Page Printing. A print mode that splits a large drawing across multiple sheets of paper. The user defines the sheet size and overlap amount, and the program calculates the number of pages required. Each page is labeled with its position in the overall grid for easy reassembly. This function is used when a plotter is unavailable and the drawing must be printed on a standard desktop printer.
  • Over 40 Construction Tools. A collection of more than forty commands for creating basic and advanced geometric shapes. The set includes point, line, arc, circle, ellipse, spline, polyline, rectangle, polygon, and freehand drawing tools. Each tool offers multiple sub-modes, such as circle by center and radius, two points, three points, or tangent to existing entities. Construction tools form the foundation for all drawing work in QCAD.
  • Over 20 Modification Tools. A set of more than twenty commands for altering existing drawing entities. These include trim, extend, stretch, move, rotate, scale, mirror, offset, chamfer, fillet, divide, and break. Each modification tool preserves the correct relationships between connected elements where applicable. The tools reduce the need to redraw geometry when a design change occurs.
  • Entity Construction and Modification. Combined functionality for working with specific entity types. Points, lines, arcs, circles, ellipses, splines, polylines, texts, dimensions, hatches, fills, and raster images can all be created and edited. Each entity type has its own set of properties that can be modified through a property editor. This function covers the full range of elements needed for professional technical drawings.
  • Entity Selection Tools. A set of commands for selecting drawing entities based on specific criteria. Selection methods include window, crossing, polygon, freehand, and single-click. Additional filters select by color, layer, entity type, or property value. Complex selections can be saved and recalled later. These tools are essential for efficient editing of large and detailed drawings.
  • Object Snaps. A precision system that locks the cursor to specific points on existing entities while drawing or editing. Snap modes include endpoint, midpoint, center, intersection, perpendicular, tangent, grid point, and reference point. Multiple snap modes can be active simultaneously, with priority assigned by the user. Object snaps eliminate manual coordinate calculation and improve drawing accuracy.
  • Measuring Tools. Commands for obtaining distances, angles, areas, and coordinates from the drawing. The distance tool measures between two points or along a path. The angle tool reports the angle between two lines or three points. The area tool calculates the area and perimeter of closed shapes. Measurement results appear in the command line and can be copied for documentation purposes.
  • Part Library with 4800 CAD Parts. A built-in library containing more than 4800 pre-drawn CAD symbols and components. The library includes electrical symbols, mechanical fasteners, architectural elements, and piping components. Users insert parts by dragging them from a browser panel into the drawing. The library can be extended with user-defined parts and custom folders.
  • ECMAScript Scripting Interface. A scripting environment based on the ECMAScript standard for automating repetitive tasks and creating custom tools. Scripts can access the full drawing model, create entities, modify properties, and interact with the user interface. The Professional edition includes this scripting interface, while the Community edition does not. Custom scripts can be assigned to menu items, toolbar buttons, or keyboard shortcuts.
  • Hatches and Fills. Tools for applying pattern fills and solid color fills to closed areas of a drawing. The hatch tool supports standard patterns such as diagonal lines, crosshatching, and dot patterns. Custom patterns can be defined with user-specified spacing and angle. Solid fills apply a uniform color to the interior of a closed boundary. Hatch boundaries can be detected automatically or selected manually.
  • Dimensioning Tools. A complete set of dimensioning commands for annotating drawings with measurements. Dimension types include linear, aligned, angular, radial, diametric, and ordinate dimensions. Each dimension style can be customized for text height, arrow type, extension line length, and precision. Dimensions remain associative with the geometry they measure, updating automatically when the geometry changes.
  • Raster Image Support. The ability to insert and manage raster images such as scanned documents, photographs, and bitmap logos within a drawing. Images can be scaled, rotated, clipped, and placed on specific layers. The image brightness, contrast, and fade can be adjusted for tracing over scanned plans. This function supports BMP, PNG, JPG, and TIFF formats.

The development of QCAD began in 1999 when RibbonSoft was founded by Andrew Mustun in Switzerland. Mustun, a software engineer with a background in mechanical engineering, started the project to create a CAD application for the Linux operating system at a time when few options existed. The first public release of QCAD appeared in 2001. The application was written in the C++ programming language and used the Qt framework for its graphical user interface. This choice allowed QCAD to run on Linux, Windows, and macOS from a single codebase.

Alternatives to QCAD: