Impact CAD vs Picador
Impact CAD
ardensoftware.comPicador
treedim.comSide by side
| Figure | Impact CAD | Picador |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | — |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Packaging Design Software | 7.9 (#9) | 6.9 (#23) |
| File formats | Impact supports importing and exporting numerous formats, including PDF, Adobe Illustrator, DWG and DXF. | Picador 2D lists PDF, EPS, Ai, CFF2, DDES, DXF, DWG, IGES, HPGL, and Diecad (.N) import/export. |
| Headquarters | Arden Software lists its UK head office in Marple, Stockport, United Kingdom. | Tours, France |
| Purpose | Impact is packaging design CAD software for structural design, soft proofing packaging and displays, and manufacturing workflows. | Picador is CAD software for structural design of cardboard packaging and point-of-sale displays. |
| Support | Arden offers online technical support, 24/7 self-help resources, telephone support, remote troubleshooting and on-site visits. | TreeDiM says its maintenance contract provides phone or email support, hotline access, and secure remote assistance. |
Plans
In their own words
Impact CAD
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.