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GPL-2.0freeRuns locallyImage & Design

LibreCAD: Open-Source 2D AutoCAD Alternative

GPL-2.0 2D CAD. Reads DXF/DWG, writes DXF/DWG/PDF/SVG. Latest release v2.2.1.6.

LibreCAD 2D editor showing the bundled tux.dxf drawing on a black grid with the Edit menu open
Official project image. Source · License: GPL-2.0.
License
GPL-2.0
Stars
6,514 (2026-10-20)
Platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux
First seen
2011-04-10

TL;DR. LibreCAD is GPL-2.0 2D CAD. Reads DXF/DWG, writes DXF/DWG/PDF/SVG. Latest release v2.2.1.6. License: GPL-2.0 (verified). Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux. Price: free. Runs locally: yes. It is an alternative to AutoCAD.

NameLibreCAD
LanguageC++
LicenseGPL-2.0
Pricingfree
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux
Runs locallyYes
Stats6,514 stars · 1,443 forks (as of 2026-10-20)
First seen2011-04-10
Repositoryhttps://github.com/LibreCAD/LibreCAD

LibreCAD is a free 2D CAD program. Official hosts we opened on 2026-10-20: LibreCAD/LibreCAD (6,514 stars, 1,443 forks, created 2011-04-10, last push 2026-10-19T02:07:02Z), LICENSE (GPL-2.0), release v2.2.1.6 (2026-10-17), and librecad.org.

The GitHub description: it can read DXF/DWG and write DXF/DWG/PDF/SVG, with point/line/circle/ellipse/parabola/hyperbola/spline primitives. README also names command-line converters (dxf2pdf, dwg2dxf, …), ESRI Shapefile import, and libdxfrw. DWG I/O needs a DWGSUPPORT build. Those are copied labels.

Listed on AutoCAD alternatives next to CADCraft (pre-alpha Rust). Parametric 3D: SolidWorks alternatives.

FAQ

Is LibreCAD free?

Yes. LICENSE says GPL-2.0 (opened 2026-10-20). GitHub’s license field is NOASSERTION. Not legal advice.

What is the current release?

GitHub Releases latest is v2.2.1.6 (published 2026-10-17T01:07:16Z) with Windows EXEs, macOS DMGs, Linux AppImage/snap, and SHA256SUMS. The README says master is pre-release code; 2.2.1 is the Qt 5.15 stable branch. We have not run 2.2.1.6.

Does it replace AutoCAD?

We have no sourced bake-off. LibreCAD is a long-standing 2D CAD (Qt, DXF/DWG via libdxfrw). CADCraft is a new pre-alpha Rust command-line CAD. See AutoCAD alternatives.

Sources & verification

Last verified 2026-10-20 · Last updated 2026-10-20· Edited by forkalt editors · Editorial policy

License notes are not legal advice. Read the original LICENSE. Trademark & disclaimer.