Free CAD Software for CNC: The Best Freeware Tools Compared

Free CAD Programs for CNC Compared

Program	Focus	3D	CAM/G-code integrated	Export	Learning curve	Open source
FreeCAD	2D + 3D, parametric	Yes	Yes (Path workbench)	DXF, STL, STEP, IGES	Medium to high	Yes
Fusion 360 Personal	3D, integrated CAM	Yes	Yes (integrated)	DXF, STL, STEP, IGES	Shallow to medium	No
Inkscape	2D vector, engraving	No	No	DXF, SVG	Shallow	Yes
QCAD	2D technical drawing	No	Only in QCAD Pro	DXF, SVG	Shallow to medium	Yes
OpenSCAD	3D via script	Yes (script-based)	No	STL, DXF (2D)	Very high	Yes
LibreCAD	2D technical drawing	No	No	DXF	Shallow	Yes
SketchUp Free	3D, browser	Yes	No	STL (DXF only via plugin)	Shallow	No
Onshape Free	3D, cloud	Yes	No	STEP, STL, DXF, IGES	Medium	No

The best free CAD programs for CNC are FreeCAD (permanently free, with integrated CAM via the Path workbench) and Fusion 360 under the Personal Use licence (as of June 2026 free for three years, with a built-in CAM module). For pure 2D work, Inkscape, QCAD and LibreCAD are suitable, and for script-based or cloud-based 3D, OpenSCAD, SketchUp Free and Onshape. What matters is whether you design in 2D or 3D and whether the program can generate G-code directly or only exports files such as DXF, STL and STEP, which you then process further in CAM software.

BZT does not sell CAD software itself. This allows us an impartial assessment: we recommend the program that suits your task and your machine, not the one we earn from. This comparison ranks eight free programs by function, learning curve and suitability for CNC, and shows what the path from drawing to finished G-code for your CNC gantry milling machine actually looks like.

2D or 3D, CAM Integrated or Not: The Decision Up Front

Before you install a program, clarify three questions. First: are you designing flat contours, signs and engravings (2D), or spatial components, reliefs and freeform surfaces (3D)? Second: should the program generate G-code itself, or is an export enough that you then convert into toolpaths in separate CAM software? Third: do you want open-source software without licence traps, or is a particularly beginner-friendly interface more important to you?

Most CNC users ultimately need a continuous chain of three steps: CAD (design), CAM (calculating the toolpaths) and control (running the G-code). Only two of the programs compared here cover CAD and CAM in one tool: FreeCAD and Fusion 360. All the others are pure CAD programs and need additional CAM software. That is not a disadvantage, and is often even more flexible, because you can choose your CAM freely.

FreeCAD: Free All-in-One Solution with Integrated CAM

FreeCAD is an open-source, parametric 2D/3D CAD system and the only permanently free program in this comparison that offers a complete CAD-to-CAM workflow without licence restrictions. Design is done in the Sketcher (2D sketches) and Part Design (3D solid modelling) workbenches. Parametric means that you change a dimension and the model adapts automatically, which is ideal for components you need in several variants.

The decisive advantage for CNC users is the Path workbench. It generates toolpaths from your model and converts them directly into G-code via Python post-processors. Free post-processors are available for LinuxCNC, Mach3, GRBL and Marlin, among others. FreeCAD thus covers the entire chain from design to the finished NC program in a single application.

FreeCAD has a broad export range: DXF, STL, STEP, IGES, SVG and over 40 other formats are supported. STEP is the most important format for the lossless exchange of 3D solid models, and DXF is the standard format for 2D contours.

To be honest, the learning curve has two sides: the interface looks less tidy at first than with commercial programs, and the parametric concept takes getting used to. But if you persevere, you have a tool with no running costs and no licence risk. Depending on your prior knowledge, expect a noticeable learning effort before you work productively; reliable time estimates depend heavily on your level of prior knowledge.

Fusion 360 Personal: Cloud-Based, Intuitive, with Licence Caveats

Fusion 360 from Autodesk is a cloud-based 3D CAD system with an integrated CAM module and is considered particularly beginner-friendly. The interface is tidy, and the range of functions extends from parametric modelling through freeform surface modelling to generative design. For many hobby users and educational institutions, Fusion 360 is the quickest route to the first runnable G-code.

The integrated CAM comes with post-processors for numerous controllers (such as Fanuc and Haas). For typical hobby and professional controllers, as also used on BZT machines (WinPC-NC, Mach3 and Mach4), suitable post-processors can be added from the library.

Exports include DXF, STL, STEP, IGES and PDF. Because Fusion 360 is cloud-based, you need an internet connection and an Autodesk account. If you are looking for a permanently free, locally installed and open-source solution, FreeCAD is the better fit; if you want maximum beginner-friendliness and integrated CAM and can live with the licence terms, Fusion 360 serves you well.

Inkscape: Free for 2D Engraving and Signs

Inkscape is an open-source vector graphics editor rather than a classic CAD program, but it is excellent for 2D tasks on the CNC: engraving, lettering, signs and flat contours. You work with lines, curves and shapes and export the result as DXF (via File > Save As, desktop cutting plotter format) or as SVG.

The preparation step before export is important: all objects must be converted to paths, text must be converted to curves, and the units should be explicitly set to millimetres. If you forget this, you get unusable or distorted contours in the CAM software. Inkscape does not generate G-code itself. The route runs from Inkscape via DXF into CAM software and from there to the NC program.

For sign makers who produce signs and engravings with a BZT PFA, Inkscape is a solid, free front end for the design work. The actual toolpath calculation is then handled by the CAM software.

QCAD, LibreCAD, OpenSCAD, SketchUp Free and Onshape in Brief

The other five programs each cover clear niches. None of them generates G-code directly in its free version, and all serve as a CAD front end before the CAM software.

• QCAD is an open-source 2D CAD program in the style of classic AutoCAD tools, strong for technical drawings with extensive hatch patterns and polyline editing. The free version exports clean DXF; G-code output and post-processors are offered only by the paid QCAD Professional.
• LibreCAD is likewise open-source 2D CAD, DWG/DXF-compatible and often more intuitive to use than QCAD, with a German-language interface. It exports DXF (DWG read-only, writing limited) and is ideal for technical 2D drawings and workshop plans.
• OpenSCAD creates parametric 3D models not graphically but by script: you program the component as code. This is powerful for gears, fasteners and parametric parts, but has a very steep learning curve for non-programmers. Export: STL natively, DXF as a 2D projection. G-code is produced via external slicers or CAM.
• SketchUp Free is a browser-based 3D program focused on intuitive modelling, popular in architecture and product design. The free version exports STL, SKP and PNG; DXF export requires a paid plugin, and extensions are available only in the paid versions.
• Onshape is a capable, cloud-based 3D CAD system (comparable to Fusion 360) with export to STEP, STL, IGES, DXF, DWG and other formats. However, the free version stores documents publicly, and private projects require a subscription. For confidential contract work this is an important point.

Comparison Table: 8 Free CAD Programs for CNC

Onshape Free stores documents publicly only; private projects require a subscription. As things currently stand, Fusion 360 Personal is free for three years and restricted to non-commercial use.

CNC Export Formats Explained: DXF, STL, STEP, G-code

If you use free CAD software for CNC, you quickly run into file formats. The four most important, briefly explained:

• DXF is the standard format for 2D contours. Signs, engraving paths and flat cut-outs are usually passed to the CAM software as DXF. Almost every CAD program exports DXF.
• STL describes a 3D surface as a triangle mesh. It is the standard format for 3D printing and for reliefs or freeform surfaces in 3D CNC machining, but does not contain an exact geometric description.
• STEP is the best format for the lossless exchange of 3D solid models between different programs. If you still need to dimension or change a component later, you should use STEP.
• G-code is the machine-readable language your CNC controller actually runs. CAD and CAM generate geometry and toolpaths; only the post-processor translates these into the G-code that exactly your controller understands.

How the Workflow Runs from Drawing to Milling Machine

The chain from idea to milled part runs in three steps, regardless of which free CAD program you choose:

• 1. CAD (design): you draw the component, in 2D in Inkscape, QCAD or LibreCAD, in 3D in FreeCAD, Fusion 360, OpenSCAD, SketchUp or Onshape, and export as DXF, STL or STEP.
• 2. CAM (toolpaths): the CAM software calculates the toolpaths from the geometry: cutter diameter, depth of cut, feed rate, sequence. In FreeCAD and Fusion 360 this step is integrated; with all the others you need a separate CAM program.
• 3. Post-processor and controller: the post-processor translates the toolpaths into G-code that suits your controller. Your CNC controller loads the finished G-code and runs it.

BZT gantry mills work with established controllers such as WinPC-NC, Mach3, Mach4 and NCdrive, which process standard G-code. This makes FreeCAD and Fusion 360, with their post-processors, a natural partner for BZT machines. Which material you can machine with which spindle power and which tool depends on your specific machine configuration, from the entry-level class such as PFK and PF to universal models such as the PFU. We are happy to clarify individually which HF spindle is best for your material.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which free CAD software is suitable for CNC beginners?

Two programs are recommended for beginners: Fusion 360 under the free Personal Use licence, because the interface is particularly intuitive and CAM is integrated, or FreeCAD, because it is permanently free and open source and also offers a complete CAD-to-CAM workflow. The choice depends on whether beginner-friendliness (Fusion 360) or independence without licence traps (FreeCAD) matters more to you.

Can free CAD software generate G-code for the CNC directly?

Only two of the programs compared here generate G-code directly: FreeCAD via the Path workbench with Python post-processors and Fusion 360 via its integrated CAM. All the other programs (Inkscape, QCAD in the free version, LibreCAD, OpenSCAD, SketchUp Free, Onshape) are pure CAD tools. They export DXF, STL or STEP, and the G-code is then produced in separate CAM software.

Is Fusion 360 really permanently free for private users?

As things currently stand (June 2026), Fusion 360 under the Personal Use licence is free for non-commercial private projects and valid for three years, renewable thereafter. However, Autodesk has changed these terms several times in the past. Therefore, before you start, check the current status directly on the Autodesk website. If you mill commercially, you need a paid licence.

Which export formats do I need for my BZT milling machine?

For 2D contours and engraving you need DXF, for 3D solid models STEP, and for reliefs or 3D printing geometry STL. These files go into your CAM software, which generates the G-code from them. BZT machines with standard controllers such as WinPC-NC, Mach3 or Mach4 process G-code from all common CAM programs.

Can I use Inkscape for CNC engraving?

Yes, but only for 2D tasks such as engraving, signs and lettering. The route is: design in Inkscape, export as DXF, load into the CAM software and generate the G-code there. Before exporting, it is important to convert all objects to paths and all text to curves and to explicitly set the units to millimetres, otherwise unusable contours result.

Do I need a special post-processor for my CNC controller?

Yes, the post-processor must match your controller, for example WinPC-NC, Mach3, Mach4 or NCdrive. FreeCAD comes with free post-processors for common systems, and Fusion 360 offers integrated options. If your machine uses a special controller, our advice service can help; in many cases post-processors can be adapted.

Whichever CAD program you choose, what matters is that the chain of CAD, CAM and controller works together cleanly. If you want to go deeper into the link between design and toolpath calculation, our overview of CAD/CAM software for CNC beginners is worth reading. If you are unsure which software and which post-processor suit your machine, first compare the BZT series and contact us via the contact form. We advise you impartially, because we do not sell any CAD software ourselves.