Open CAD Studio: Free Open-Source CAD with DWG/DXF Support
Open CAD Studio is a free, open-source (GPL-3.0) CAD program that opens, edits and saves AutoCAD DWG and DXF drawings (R14 to 2018 formats). It is written in Rust and runs in the browser for free with no account at opencadstudio.com/app, or as a desktop app for Windows, Linux and Apple-silicon macOS from the official GitHub releases. It is developed in the open by Hakan Seven and ships updates about weekly (v2026.41 on October 11, 2026 added a Sheet Set Manager, COUNT and SWEEP). The project says it is still under active development, so keep backups of important drawings.
Open CAD Studio at a glance
| Open CAD Studio | |
|---|---|
| Price | Free (no account for the web app) |
| Licence | GPL-3.0 open source |
| Made with | Rust (native desktop UI, GPU rendering) |
| Runs on | Web app · Windows · Linux · macOS (Apple silicon) |
| Native formats | DWG and DXF, read + write (R14 to 2018) |
| Other formats | OBJ import · STL and STEP (AP203) export · PDF plot (desktop) · CSV · CTB/STB plot styles · LandXML points |
| Languages | 22 interface languages |
| Latest release (checked Oct 18, 2026) | v2026.41 (October 11, 2026) |
| Official links | opencadstudio.com · GitHub |
How to download Open CAD Studio (official only)
- Try it in the browser: open the Open CAD Studio web app. Nothing to install, no sign-up.
- Desktop: go to the GitHub Releases page and pick the file for your system (Windows, Linux or macOS on Apple silicon).
- On first launch, open a copy of a drawing rather than the original until you trust the round trip.
Watch out for lookalikes. opencad.studio (no "www.opencadstudio.com") is a separate, third-party hosted service with its own accounts and billing. It is not the official project site.
What's new: recent releases
| Version | Date | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| v2026.41 | Oct 11, 2026 | Sheet Set Manager (SHEETSET), COUNT, SWEEP, right-to-left MTEXT, DIMBLK1/DIMBLK2, Metal and OpenGL rendering |
| v2026.40.1 | Oct 5, 2026 | Fix release |
| v2026.39 | Sep 27, 2026 | Python plugins, geometric constraints |
| v0.9.8 | Aug 27, 2026 | Last release before the calendar-version numbering |
Version numbers now follow the year and week (2026.41 = week 41 of 2026).
Open CAD Studio vs FreeCAD vs AutoCAD (honest table)
| Open CAD Studio | FreeCAD | AutoCAD | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free | Paid subscription |
| Open source | Yes (GPL-3.0) | Yes (LGPL) | No |
| Main focus | 2D drafting with DWG/DXF, some 3D | Parametric 3D modelling | 2D + 3D industry standard |
| Native DWG editing | Yes (R14–2018) | Through converters | Yes (all versions) |
| Runs in a browser | Yes | No | Web version with a subscription |
| Maturity | Young, ships weekly | Mature (20+ years) | Mature |
Pick Open CAD Studio if you need to open and edit DWG/DXF files for free, especially on Linux or in a browser. Pick FreeCAD for parametric 3D parts. Stay on AutoCAD if your team depends on its full feature set, newer DWG versions or vertical toolsets.
Who should try it
- Students and hobbyists who receive DWG files and don't have an AutoCAD licence.
- Linux and Mac users who need a DWG/DXF editor.
- Teams that want an open-source tool they can script (Python plugins) or self-build.
Before you rely on it
- The developer says the software is under active development. Save a backup before editing a client drawing.
- DWG versions newer than 2018 are not listed as supported. Save as 2018 or older from the sending program if a file won't open.
- Report bugs on the GitHub issues page.
Looking for another open-source CAD app? See our SolidCraft guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is Open CAD Studio?
A free, open-source (GPL-3.0) CAD program written in Rust that reads and writes AutoCAD DWG and DXF files (R14–2018). It runs in a browser at opencadstudio.com/app or on Windows, Linux and Apple-silicon macOS.
Is Open CAD Studio free?
Yes. It is free and open source under GPL-3.0, and the web app needs no account.
Where do I download Open CAD Studio?
From the official GitHub releases page (HakanSeven12/OpenCADStudio) or the links on opencadstudio.com. The web app at opencadstudio.com/app needs no download.
Can Open CAD Studio open DWG files?
Yes. It opens and saves DWG and DXF files from R14 up to the 2018 format. Newer DWG versions are not listed as supported.
Is Open CAD Studio better than FreeCAD?
They do different jobs. Open CAD Studio focuses on 2D drafting with native DWG/DXF editing; FreeCAD is a mature parametric 3D modeller. Many users keep both.
Is Open CAD Studio an AutoCAD alternative?
For basic 2D DWG/DXF drafting, yes, and it is free. It is young software, so it does not match AutoCAD's full feature set or support DWG versions newer than 2018.
Does Open CAD Studio run on Linux and Mac?
Yes. Desktop builds are published for Linux and Apple-silicon macOS as well as Windows, and the web app runs in any modern browser.
Is opencad.studio the official site?
No. The official site is www.opencadstudio.com and the code is on GitHub at HakanSeven12/OpenCADStudio. opencad.studio is a separate third-party hosted service.