Jonathan Cooperjew
Dec 21, 2025
Every engineering team eventually faces the same question: which CAD tool should we use?
It sounds simple, but the answer depends on your industry, team size, budget, workflow needs, and increasingly, whether you want cloud-native collaboration or prefer the control of desktop applications.
This guide breaks down the major CAD platforms, both desktop and cloud-native, with honest assessments of their strengths, weaknesses, and actual AI capabilities (not the marketing claims). Whether you're a startup evaluating your first professional CAD system or an enterprise considering a switch, this comparison will help you make an informed decision.
Quick Overview: Desktop vs. Cloud-Native CAD
Before diving into individual tools, let's understand the fundamental difference between these two approaches.
Desktop CAD applications run locally on your machine. Your files live on your computer or a networked server. You install updates manually. Collaboration happens through file sharing, check-in/check-out systems, and separate PDM solutions.
Cloud-native CAD applications run in your browser or through a thin client connected to cloud infrastructure. Your data lives in the cloud. Updates happen automatically. Multiple users can work on the same model simultaneously without file conflicts.
As of 2024, on-premises desktop CAD still controls about 78% of revenue in the 3D CAD market. But cloud-native solutions are growing at 7%+ annually as teams prioritize collaboration and remote work flexibility.
Desktop CAD Applications
SolidWorks (Dassault Systèmes)
The Industry Standard for Mid-Market Mechanical Design
SolidWorks is the CAD system most mechanical engineers learn first. With over 7.5 million users worldwide and roughly 14% market share in the CAD category, it's become the default choice for product design companies in the 20-500 employee range.
Category | Details |
Owner | Dassault Systèmes (acquired 1997 for $310M) |
Users Worldwide | ~7.5 million |
Market Share | ~14% of CAD market |
Primary Industries | Industrial machinery, consumer products, medical devices, general manufacturing |
Typical Company Size | 20-500 employees (sweet spot: 50-250) |
Pricing | ~$4,000-$8,000/year depending on tier |
Platform | Windows only |
Strengths:
Excellent learning curve. Most engineers become productive within weeks.
Massive ecosystem of tutorials, forums, and third-party add-ons.
Strong simulation capabilities built in (SolidWorks Simulation).
Large talent pool. Hiring engineers who know SolidWorks is easy.
Solid sheet metal, weldments, and manufacturing preparation tools.
Weaknesses:
Large assemblies (10,000+ parts) can become sluggish.
Windows-only limits flexibility.
PDM (data management) requires separate product and configuration.
Licensing and VAR relationships can be frustrating.
Annual subscription costs keep climbing.
Best For: Small to mid-sized manufacturers, product design firms, medical device companies, industrial equipment makers. If you're designing consumer products, machinery, or anything that doesn't require the extreme complexity of aerospace or automotive, SolidWorks is likely your best starting point.
CATIA (Dassault Systèmes)
The Enterprise Standard for Aerospace and Automotive
CATIA is what Boeing uses to design aircraft and what most major automotive OEMs use for vehicle development. It's the high-end sibling to SolidWorks, built for managing extreme complexity and surface quality requirements.
Category | Details |
Owner | Dassault Systèmes |
Users Worldwide | ~20,000+ companies |
Market Share | ~4% of CAD market |
Primary Industries | Aerospace, automotive, shipbuilding, complex consumer products |
Typical Company Size | 500+ employees (enterprise) |
Pricing | $15,000-$50,000+/year depending on modules |
Platform | Windows (with 3DEXPERIENCE cloud option) |
Strengths:
Industry-leading surface modeling for Class A surfaces.
Handles massive assemblies (aircraft, vehicles) that would crush other systems.
Deep integration with PLM (ENOVIA) for enterprise data management.
Generative design and optimization capabilities.
Standard in aerospace (Boeing, Airbus) and automotive (BMW, Toyota, Tesla).
Weaknesses:
Extremely expensive and complex licensing.
Steep learning curve. Requires significant training investment.
Overkill for most SMB applications.
Implementation and customization costs are substantial.
Best For: Large enterprises in aerospace, automotive, shipbuilding, and complex consumer products (think Dyson-level product development). If your supply chain partners and customers don't mandate CATIA, you probably don't need it.
Siemens NX
The Integrated Powerhouse for Complex Manufacturing
Siemens NX (formerly Unigraphics) is CATIA's primary competitor in the high-end market. It's particularly strong when you need tight integration between CAD, CAM, and CAE within a single platform.
Category | Details |
Owner | Siemens Digital Industries Software |
Users Worldwide | ~5,700+ companies |
Market Share | ~1% of CAD market (but higher in target segments) |
Primary Industries | Automotive, aerospace, industrial machinery, electronics |
Typical Company Size | 200+ employees |
Pricing | $10,000-$30,000+/year depending on configuration |
Platform | Windows, Linux (limited), NX X cloud option |
Strengths:
Best-in-class CAD/CAM/CAE integration. Design, simulate, and program manufacturing in one environment.
Synchronous technology enables powerful direct modeling alongside parametric.
Strong in mold and die design.
Excellent handling of large assemblies.
Growing faster than CATIA in recent years (50% faster growth 2016-2021 per CIMdata).
Weaknesses:
Smaller user community than SolidWorks or CATIA.
Complex licensing structure.
Hiring NX-trained engineers is harder than SolidWorks.
Significant training investment required.
Best For: Companies that need integrated CAD/CAM/CAE workflows, especially in automotive (Hyundai, Daimler Truck), aerospace (Lockheed Martin), and precision manufacturing. If machining complex parts is central to your business, NX's CAM integration is a major advantage.
PTC Creo (formerly Pro/ENGINEER)
The Parametric Pioneer for Precision Engineering
Creo (and its predecessor Pro/ENGINEER) pioneered parametric modeling in the 1980s. It remains a strong choice for companies that need robust parametric control and have legacy data in the PTC ecosystem.
Category | Details |
Owner | PTC |
Users Worldwide | ~9,200+ companies |
Market Share | ~1.8% of CAD market |
Primary Industries | Industrial machinery, heavy equipment, aerospace, defense |
Typical Company Size | 100-5,000 employees |
Pricing | $6,000-$15,000+/year |
Platform | Windows |
Strengths:
Extremely robust parametric modeling. Changes propagate reliably.
Strong in large assembly management.
Excellent integration with PTC Windchill PLM.
Model-based definition (MBD) capabilities.
Good simulation tools built in.
Weaknesses:
User interface feels dated compared to SolidWorks.
Smaller community and talent pool.
Licensing and support costs can be high.
Less intuitive for new users.
Best For: Companies with existing PTC/Windchill infrastructure, heavy machinery manufacturers, defense contractors, and organizations that prioritize parametric precision over ease of use.
Cloud-Native CAD Applications
Onshape (PTC)
The First True Cloud-Native CAD
Onshape was built from scratch for the cloud by the original founders of SolidWorks. It's the only professional CAD system that's truly cloud-native (not desktop software with cloud storage bolted on). PTC acquired Onshape in 2019 for $470 million.
Category | Details |
Owner | PTC (acquired 2019) |
Users Worldwide | 2+ million (including education) |
Market Share | ~0.2% of enterprise CAD market (but growing 7x market rate) |
Primary Industries | Robotics, consumer electronics, startups, education |
Typical Company Size | 10-200 employees |
Pricing | Free tier available; Professional ~$1,500/year; Enterprise custom |
Platform | Browser-based (any OS), mobile apps |
Strengths:
Real-time collaboration. Multiple engineers work on the same model simultaneously.
No files to manage. Built-in version control with branching and merging.
Works on any device, any OS, including tablets.
Continuous updates every 3 weeks. No IT overhead.
Built-in PDM eliminates separate data management system.
Fastest growing CAD system in the market.
Weaknesses:
Requires internet connection.
Feature set not as deep as SolidWorks or NX (yet).
Limited drawing capabilities compared to desktop CAD.
Smaller ecosystem of third-party add-ons.
Some enterprises have cloud data concerns (though Onshape Government addresses ITAR/EAR).
Best For: Startups, distributed teams, companies tired of PDM headaches, education, robotics companies, and anyone who values collaboration over legacy feature depth. If your team is remote or you're frustrated with file management, Onshape is worth serious consideration.
Autodesk Fusion (formerly Fusion 360)
The Affordable All-in-One for Makers and SMBs
Fusion combines CAD, CAM, CAE, and PCB design in a single platform at a price point that's accessible to small businesses and hobbyists. It's cloud-connected (but not fully cloud-native like Onshape).
Category | Details |
Owner | Autodesk |
Users Worldwide | 5+ million education users; significant hobbyist/maker base |
Market Share | Leading in hobbyist/maker segment; growing in professional |
Primary Industries | Consumer products, makers, small manufacturers, education |
Typical Company Size | 1-50 employees |
Pricing | ~$545/year (Personal Use free with limitations) |
Platform | Windows, macOS, browser (limited) |
Strengths:
Best value in professional CAD. Hard to beat the price/feature ratio.
Integrated CAM for machining.
Generative design and simulation included.
PCB design built in (great for electromechanical products).
Strong maker/hobbyist community.
Free for personal/startup use.
Weaknesses:
Not truly cloud-native. Still file-based at its core.
Performance issues with large assemblies.
Professional drawing/detailing tools lag behind SolidWorks.
Autodesk pricing changes have frustrated users.
Less suitable for enterprise environments.
Best For: Startups on a budget, maker businesses, small manufacturers, and anyone doing electromechanical design who wants CAD + PCB in one tool. If cost is your primary constraint and you're not dealing with enterprise complexity, Fusion delivers remarkable value.
3DEXPERIENCE Platform (Dassault Systèmes)
The Cloud Evolution of SolidWorks and CATIA
Dassault's 3DEXPERIENCE platform is their cloud strategy, offering cloud-connected versions of SolidWorks (called SolidWorks Connected or 3DEXPERIENCE SolidWorks) and browser-based tools like xShape and xDesign.
Category | Details |
Owner | Dassault Systèmes |
Users Worldwide | Limited adoption so far |
Market Share | Small (most SolidWorks users still on desktop) |
Primary Industries | Same as SolidWorks/CATIA |
Typical Company Size | Varies |
Pricing | Subscription-based, varies by configuration |
Platform | Browser + desktop hybrid |
Strengths:
Access to 3DEXPERIENCE ecosystem and collaboration tools.
Data management built in.
Migration path for existing SolidWorks/CATIA users.
Weaknesses:
Not truly cloud-native. It's cloud-connected desktop software.
Adoption has been slow. ~99% of SolidWorks users still use the desktop version.
Complexity of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform can be overwhelming.
Pricing and licensing complexity.
Best For: Existing Dassault customers looking to add collaboration capabilities without switching platforms. Not recommended for new users evaluating cloud CAD for the first time.
AI Capabilities: The Reality Check
Every CAD vendor is talking about AI. But what's actually shipping, and what's just marketing? Here's an honest assessment.
The Uncomfortable Truth
None of the major CAD vendors currently offer AI tools that have been reported to provide significant, measurable value to engineering workflows.
The CAD industry is behind software development (GitHub Copilot) and legal (Harvey.ai) when it comes to practical AI integration. There are real technical reasons for this:
CAD data is not text. LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are trained on text. They cannot natively understand 3D geometry, assemblies, tolerances, or constraints.
The cost of mistakes is high. In software, you can push a bug fix in minutes. In manufacturing, a design error that makes it to production can cost millions.
CAD vendors are large and slow-moving. Their engineering teams aren't traditionally AI researchers. Pivoting to AI-first development takes time.
What's Actually Available
Onshape AI Advisor (April 2025)
What it does: Answers questions about how to use Onshape based on their documentation.
What it doesn't do: Understand your designs, suggest improvements, or automate modeling.
Honest assessment: It's a support chatbot (RAG over their technical docs), not an AI design assistant. Useful for learning Onshape, but not transformative for engineering work.
SolidWorks AURA (Announced February 2025 for July 2025 launch)
What it does: Promised to provide AI-assisted design guidance within SolidWorks.
Current status: As of December 2025, still in beta. Only available on 3DEXPERIENCE platform (which ~1% of SolidWorks users have). Reports indicate it's buggy and limited to text chat about SolidWorks features.
Honest assessment: Dassault announced this at their 3DEXPERIENCE World 2025 conference in Houston with a lot of fanfare. The reality has been disappointing. It feels like the big CAD vendors are still trying to figure out what to do with AI.
Siemens NX Design Copilot (2025)
What it does: Natural language interface for learning NX features and commands.
Honest assessment: Similar to Onshape's approach. Helps users learn the software but doesn't understand your actual designs.
Autodesk Fusion Generative Design
What it does: Topology optimization to generate organic shapes based on loads and constraints.
Honest assessment: This is legitimate, useful technology. But it's not LLM-based AI. It's algorithmic optimization that's been around for years. Still valuable for lightweighting and additive manufacturing, but not the "AI assistant" that marketing implies.
Why Desktop CAD Vendors Are Slow on AI
These companies are big and hard to change. Their products are decades old with massive codebases. Their engineering teams are experts in geometry kernels and CAD architecture, not machine learning. And their customers in aerospace, medical devices, and automotive are rightfully cautious about trusting AI with safety-critical designs.
The AI startups moving fast in this space (like Leo AI) are building from scratch with AI-first architectures, which is why they're ahead.
How to Choose: A Decision Framework
Step 1: What's Your Industry?
Industry | Recommended CAD |
Aerospace/Defense | CATIA or Siemens NX (often mandated by primes) |
Automotive OEM | CATIA or Siemens NX |
Automotive Tier 1-2 Supplier | SolidWorks, Creo, or NX (match your customer) |
Medical Devices | SolidWorks (dominant) |
Industrial Machinery | SolidWorks or Creo |
Consumer Products | SolidWorks, Fusion, or Onshape |
Robotics/Startups | Onshape or Fusion |
Education | Onshape (free) or Fusion (free) |
Step 2: What's Your Company Size?
Company Size | Best Fit |
1-10 engineers | Fusion or Onshape (cost and simplicity) |
10-50 engineers | SolidWorks or Onshape (depends on collaboration needs) |
50-200 engineers | SolidWorks with PDM, or Onshape Enterprise |
200+ engineers | NX, CATIA, or Creo (enterprise features) |
Step 3: What Are Your Key Requirements?
If You Need... | Consider... |
Real-time collaboration | Onshape (only true real-time solution) |
Integrated CAM | NX (best), Fusion (good value) |
Class A surfaces | CATIA (industry standard) |
Affordable entry point | Fusion ($545/year) or Onshape (free tier) |
Large assembly handling | NX or CATIA |
Largest talent pool | SolidWorks |
No IT overhead | Onshape (nothing to install or maintain) |
Existing PTC ecosystem | Creo |
Existing Dassault ecosystem | SolidWorks or CATIA |
Step 4: Cloud vs. Desktop
Choose cloud-native (Onshape) if:
Your team is distributed or remote
You're frustrated with file management and version control
You want to eliminate PDM overhead
You need to collaborate with external partners frequently
You're starting fresh without legacy data
Choose desktop (SolidWorks, NX, etc.) if:
You have significant legacy data in a specific format
Your industry partners mandate a specific tool
You need the deepest possible feature set
You have strict data residency requirements
Your team is co-located and file management isn't painful
The CAD-Agnostic Alternative: Leo AI
Regardless of which CAD system you choose, engineering teams face common challenges that CAD software alone doesn't solve:
Finding existing designs in your PDM/PLM is painful
New engineers take years to become productive
Tribal knowledge leaves when senior engineers retire
Design reviews are bottlenecked on a few experts
Engineers reinvent parts that already exist in your library
This is where Leo AI comes in.
Leo is the first AI built specifically for mechanical engineers. Unlike generic AI tools like ChatGPT (which can't read CAD files), Leo uses a proprietary AI model that actually understands 3D geometry, assemblies, and engineering specifications.
Leo integrates with your existing tools:
CAD: SolidWorks, CATIA, NX, Creo, and others
PLM/PDM: Teamcenter, Windchill, 3DEXPERIENCE, and more
Data sources: Network folders, ERPs, and engineering documentation
What Leo delivers:
34% reduction in design errors through automated design inspection
30% reduction in redundant design by finding existing parts in your CAD library
~18% faster time to market through accelerated engineering workflows
5+ hours saved per engineer per week on searching and repetitive tasks
Leo searches your organization's CAD and text data based on geometry and technical specifications (not just file names). It answers technical questions using both your internal knowledge and 1 million+ engineering standards, guidelines, and reference books. And it's secure: SOC 2 certified and GDPR compliant.
Companies like HP, Scania, and Intel already use Leo to augment their engineering teams.
The difference between Leo and the "AI features" from CAD vendors is fundamental: CAD vendor AI helps you use their software. Leo helps you do better engineering, regardless of which CAD software you use.
Conclusion
Choosing CAD software in 2025 means balancing feature depth, collaboration needs, industry requirements, and budget. There's no universally "best" option. The right choice depends on your specific situation.
For most small to mid-sized manufacturers: SolidWorks remains the safe, capable choice with the largest ecosystem.
For teams prioritizing collaboration: Onshape is the only truly cloud-native option and is growing faster than any competitor.
For aerospace and automotive enterprises: CATIA and Siemens NX dominate for good reasons.
For startups on a budget: Fusion delivers remarkable value.
For AI-powered engineering assistance: Don't wait for CAD vendors to figure it out. Leo AI works with any CAD system today and delivers measurable results.
The best CAD system is the one that makes your engineers most productive. And increasingly, that means pairing your CAD platform with specialized AI tools that understand engineering, not just software interfaces.
Looking to see how AI can accelerate your engineering team's productivity regardless of your CAD platform? Learn more about Leo AI.
