Onshape vs OwlCAD

Onshape is a browser-accessible 3D CAD platform for parametric modeling of solids, surfaces and sheet metal, with iOS and Android apps also available. It supports assembly design, rendering, simulation, CAM and 3D-print export. Simulation covers linear static and modal analysis for stress, deformation and natural frequencies; CAM supports machining from 2.5-axis through 5-axis machines. Collaboration includes multi-user editing, instant sharing, real-time communication and access controls. Built-in product data management includes edit history, version control, release management, search and design-data sharing. The Free Plan is for non-commercial use, with publicly accessible documents and unlimited public storage. Standard costs $1,500/user/yr; Professional costs $2,500 per year. Qualified professionals may be eligible for a Professional trial of up to six months without a credit card. Enterprise uses custom pricing. Onshape says updates arrive every three weeks without installations or downtime. Listed integrations include Slack, Arena PLM, Altium Designer, FeatureScript, REST API and the App Store.

OwlCAD is a parametric CAD tool for modeling 3D objects and assemblies in a browser or on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Its editor, modeling features, customizer, and file import and export are free forever, and every plan includes commercial rights to sell prints and files. The browser version requires no installation and can be opened without an account. OwlCAD imports and exports STL, 3MF, OBJ, GLB, STEP, SVG, and DXF files, and imports OpenSCAD SCAD and CSG files. Cloud projects autosave and keep version histories that can be rolled back. Projects are private by default; read-only share links, embeds, and comments can be enabled. Print preparation tools check mesh watertightness, repair geometry, estimate filament cost, and split oversized parts, with profiles for Ender 3, Prusa, and Bambu Lab. Published models can expose dimensions, counts, and text as browser sliders for downloadable print-ready versions. Pro adds AI generation and editing, monthly credits, and MCP access for use with Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor, and other MCP clients.