Impact CAD vs Packly

Impact CAD is Arden Software’s packaging design system for structural work, proofing and manufacturing workflows. It covers 2D drafting through 3D visualisation and animation, with interactive drawing, reusable parametric and resizable packaging designs, drag-and-drop components, layout and nesting, graphics handling, dieline editing and import, and preflight checks. Designers can create virtual 3D samples and animated prototypes for customer review, then produce physical samples through compatible plotters and sample makers. The software imports and exports formats including PDF, Adobe Illustrator, DWG and DXF. Impact 2026 adds machine-learning Design Similarity for ranking related designs and manufacturing layouts, native Python scripting, and 629 standards plus more than 1,000 combinations in its V120 Standards Library. It supports SQL Server and Oracle for 2026; MySQL is no longer supported. Windows 11 is recommended. Pricing is on request, and Arden offers a free demo request.

Packly is a web platform for structural packaging design, dieline creation, 3D mockups, and printing. Users can upload artwork for an interactive model that displays finishes such as gold, silver, or varnishes. ShareLinks let others view a packaging model through a link without receiving native files. Studio Mode supports custom thickness from 0.2 to 1.8 mm and a 1200×1700 mm work area, though printing is unavailable in that mode. Plans set monthly or annual allowances for dieline templates and 3D mockups, and unused allowances expire when a subscription period ends. The Basic plan is free and includes three templates and three mockups per month. Light+ costs €37 /month; Pro+ costs €379 /year; Custom starts from €699 /year. A subscription is not required to purchase printed packaging, and Packly says designs can be printed with it or elsewhere. Custom box orders range from 1 to 1 million pieces, with no minimum quantity. Packly also describes APIs for integrating its generators into external applications.