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SmartCAD vs AutoCAD
Feature by Feature

Full professional CAD capabilities at a fraction of the cost. Here is every feature, every category — compared side by side so you can decide with confidence.

AutoCAD®
Autodesk — Subscription
$1,975
per year, every year  —  5 years = $9,875
VS
SAVE 78%
SmartCAD Pro
Perpetual license — use forever
$495
one-time payment  —  no annual fee
 
Feature
SmartCADPro
SmartCADStandard
AutoCADFull
AutoCADLT
Overview 4
Developer
SoftLoid Ltd.
SoftLoid Ltd.
Autodesk
Autodesk
License type
Perpetual
Perpetual
Subscription
Subscription
Price
$635 once
$435 once
$1,975/yr
$540/yr
1-year free upgrade included
✓
✓
✕
✕
File Support 3
DWG R12/2000 to latest
✓
✓
✓
✓
DXF R12/2000 to latest
✓
✓
✓
✓
DGN (MicroStation)
✓
✓
✓
✓
Interface 10
Ribbon menu
✓
✓
✓
✓
Classic menu
✓
✓
✕
✕
Command autocomplete
✓
✓
✓
✓
Customizable interface (CUI)
✓
✓
✓
✓
Tool palettes
✓
✓
✓
✓
Design center
✓
✓
✓
✓
Drawing tab switching
✓
✓
✓
✓
Dynamic input
✓
✓
✓
✓
Dynamic UCS
✓
✓
✓
✓
Properties panel
✓
✓
✓
✓
2D Drawing & Annotation 8
Text & multiline text (MTEXT)
✓
✓
✓
✓
Leaders & multileaders
✓
✓
✓
✓
Annotation scaling
✓
✓
✓
✓
Associative dimensions
✓
✓
✓
✓
Enhanced grip editing
✓
✓
✓
✓
Hatch & gradient fills
✓
✓
✓
✓
In-place text editor
✓
✓
✓
✓
Polyline & hatch boundary grip
✓
✓
✓
✓
Layer Management 6
Layer properties manager
✓
✓
✓
✓
Layer states manager
✓
✓
✓
✓
Layer filter
✓
✓
✓
✓
Layer walk
✓
✓
✓
✓
Layer merge
✓
✓
✓
✓
Layer browser
✓
✓
✕
✕
Tools 8
DGN Purge
✓
✓
✓
✓
Express tools
✓
✓
✓
✕
Groups
✓
✓
✓
✓
Quick select
✓
✓
✓
✓
Electronic transmit (eTransmit)
✓
✓
✓
✓
Lock & unlock layers/objects
✓
✓
✕
✕
Batch print / publish
✓
✓
✓
✓
Mechanical design program
Pro only
✕
✕
✕
Blocks, Attributes & External References 9
Dynamic blocks
✓
✓
✓
✓
Block editor
✓
✓
✓
✓
Block replace
✓
✓
✓
✓
Multiple block insert
✓
✓
✓
✕
DGN insert / underlay
✓
✓
✓
✓
External references (Xref)
✓
✓
✓
✓
Xref manager
✓
✓
✓
✓
Raster image attach
✓
✓
✓
✓
OLE object insert
✓
✓
✓
✓
Print & Plot 4
CTB & STB print styles
✓
✓
✓
✓
Plot output
✓
✓
✓
✓
PDF export
✓
✓
✓
✓
Multi-viewport (MV) setup
✓
✓
✓
✓
Development Tools & API 6
LISP (including DCL)
✓
✕
✓
✕
VBA (Visual Basic for Applications)
✓
✕
✓
✕
SDS / ADS / C++
✓
✕
✓
✕
.NET API support
✓
✕
✓
✕
Automated output program
✓
✓
✕
✕
Mechanical design program
Pro only
✕
✕
✕
No features match your search.
Who Should Choose What?

SmartCAD covers 95%+ of everyday professional CAD workflows. Here is where each product fits best.

Choose SmartCAD if you…
  • Want to stop paying yearly subscription fees
  • Work with DWG / DXF files daily
  • Use standard 2D drafting and 3D modeling
  • Need AutoCAD-compatible commands without relearning
  • Run LISP / VBA automation scripts (Pro edition)
  • Work independently or run a small office
  • Value long-term cost savings over brand recognition
AutoCAD may suit you better if…
  • Your enterprise IT requires Autodesk-certified software
  • You depend heavily on Autodesk cloud services
  • You need tight Autodesk ecosystem integration
  • Mobile and web drawing access is essential
  • Your clients specify AutoCAD in project contracts

Ready to Make the Switch?

Try SmartCAD free for 30 days. No credit card, no commitment. See exactly how it performs with your own drawings.

Download Free Trial View Pricing