Onshape

Overview

Onshape is browser-based 3D CAD with shared editing and built-in product data management (PDM). It suits product-design teams that want modeling, collaboration, and design records in one service. The free plan is useful for non-commercial work, but private commercial projects start at $1,500 per user per year.

Its parametric tools cover solids, surfaces, and sheet metal, alongside assembly design, simulation, and CAM. Access through a browser or mobile apps avoids an installation-dependent workflow, while the free plan’s public-document rule makes it unsuitable for confidential work.

Compare it with CAD software, 3D CAD Software, and 3D modeling software.

Key features

Modeling and engineering

Parametric modeling supports solids, surfaces, and sheet metal, with dedicated sheet-metal tools and assembly design. A built-in render engine and STL and OBJ mesh support help with visualization and file exchange; designs can also be exported for 3D printing. These capabilities make Onshape a substantial product-design workspace rather than a parts-only modeler.

Simulation supports linear static and modal analysis for stress, deformation, and natural frequencies. CAM covers machining from 2.5-axis through 5-axis machines. Those tools extend the design workflow, but the plan distinction matters: simulation is included in Professional, while Standard is positioned around commercial CAD and built-in data management.

Collaboration and product data

Multi-user editing, instant sharing, real-time communication, and access controls support teams working on shared designs. Built-in PDM brings together edit history, version control, release management, search, and data sharing. Branching and merging, infinite undo, and audit trails add control around changing designs. Updates arrive every three weeks without installations or downtime, reducing the maintenance work associated with keeping a desktop installation current.

Integrations include Slack, Arena PLM, Altium Designer, FeatureScript, REST API, and the App Store. Support options include in-product and priority support, technical support, courses, and guided onboarding.

Pricing

Free and Standard

Free Plan: free. It provides unlimited public storage for non-commercial use, but all documents are publicly accessible. That is a workable choice for learning or projects that can be shared openly, not for proprietary designs or commercial work.

Standard Plan: $1,500 a year, billed annually. It provides professional CAD for commercial use, built-in data management, and unlimited private storage. This is the entry point for commercial users who need private designs but do not need the higher-tier Professional capabilities.

Professional and Enterprise

Professional Plan: $2,500 a year, billed annually. It adds company-managed data, release management, advanced PDM, and simulation. Qualified professionals can try Professional free for up to six months through the Discovery Program, with no credit card required. The longer trial makes it possible for eligible professionals to evaluate the higher tier before committing.

Enterprise: custom pricing for large companies needing enterprise CAD and PDM. It includes custom release management, analytics and dashboards, an Arena PLM connection, advanced administration and security, and priority support. Enterprise security includes SSO, role-based access, guest users, and IP audit trails. Onshape Government runs on AWS GovCloud and helps meet ITAR and EAR requirements. Professional and Enterprise customers retain company ownership of design data when users are removed, a useful provision for organizations managing staff changes.

Platforms

Onshape runs in a browser and has apps for iOS and Android. The browser-first approach suits teams that need to reach designs across supported devices without installing desktop software; users specifically requiring a Windows or macOS desktop application should consider another option.

Who it's for

Onshape is best for product-design teams that value shared CAD work, version and release management, and access across browser and mobile devices. Standard fits commercial users who need private storage; Professional is better for teams needing advanced PDM and simulation; Enterprise targets large organizations with heightened security, administration, and support needs. Individuals and teams doing non-commercial work can use Free if they accept public documents. It is a poor fit for confidential free-tier projects or buyers who need a low-cost private commercial plan.

Pros and cons

Strength: Shared editing and built-in PDM keep collaboration, version history, and release workflows within the same CAD service.

Strength: Modeling spans solids, surfaces, sheet metal, and assemblies, with render, simulation, CAM, and 3D-print export extending the workflow.

Strength: Browser access, mobile apps, and updates every three weeks without installations or downtime reduce dependence on local setup and maintenance.

Limitation: Free documents are public and restricted to non-commercial use, ruling out private or commercial projects.

Limitation: Commercial private storage begins at $1,500 per user per year, with Professional at $2,500 per year; the paid tiers are a significant commitment for individual users.

Limitation: Enterprise pricing is custom, so large organizations must request a quote rather than compare a published price.

Alternatives

Consider AutoCAD if you want a paid CAD product with a free trial and support across Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows; its listed plans are for one user.

Solid Edge is worth comparing if you want a freemium option with a free trial and design and drafting, sheet metal, frame and weldment, surface-modeling, and basic FEA capabilities.

Choose SOLIDWORKS if its device-locked, single-device Design Standard with Cloud Services plan fits your needs; that plan is $2,820 a year, billed yearly.

Creo is another paid option, with a floating-license plan that shares concurrent access among organizational users and includes support and maintenance.

Consider Rhino 3D if you want a perpetual commercial license that does not expire and a free trial.

GstarCAD may suit buyers comparing a paid, perpetual-license CAD option with broad platform support.

Autodesk Inventor is a Windows-only alternative with a no-contract monthly subscription option or token access for 24 hours at a time.

Siemens NX offers four cloud CAD tiers with progressively added functionality for buyers comparing tiered cloud plans.

Verdict

Choose Onshape if your product-design work benefits from browser-based collaboration and integrated PDM, and you can budget for private commercial storage when needed. Its public, non-commercial free plan is a practical way to work openly, but confidentiality makes a paid plan necessary; readers who need private CAD without that annual commitment should look elsewhere.