WebCAD compared with desktop CAD
SolidWorks, Fusion and AutoCAD are mature tools that professionals spend years learning. WebCAD is built for a different moment: going from an idea to a part you can test and make, in a browser tab, without learning CAD first. Here is where each one fits.
| Topic | WebCAD | Desktop CAD (SolidWorks, Fusion, AutoCAD) |
|---|---|---|
| Getting started | Open a browser tab. Nothing to install; model and run stress tests without an account. | Download and install the program, then set up a licence or an account. |
| Where it runs | In the browser on Windows, Mac, Linux and iPad. | Mostly Windows or Mac desktops. |
| Starting a part | Describe it in a sentence, or attach a photo or a sketch, and CAD Genie builds an editable model. | You build it yourself: sketches, features and mates. |
| Changing it | Describe the change (“make the wall 3 mm thick”), or edit by hand: dimensioned sketches, relations, and Edit Feature on any feature. | Deep parametric feature history, built for complex design intent. |
| Stress tests | Built in and free: stress, displacement and vibration modes. | Depends on the product and tier; often an add-on. |
| Heat and airflow | In the Pro plan, in the same tab. | Often separate software or a higher tier. |
| Drawings | Drawings that dimension themselves in ISO or ASME style, exported as PDF, SVG or DXF (Pro). | Complete drawing tools with tolerancing standards. |
| Files | Export STEP and STL. Import STEP, STL, OBJ and 3MF. | Native formats plus STEP, STL and many more. |
| Price to start | Free, with 25 CAD Genie credits a month. Pro is CA$24.99 a month. | Paid subscriptions; some offer free plans for hobbyists or students. |
When WebCAD is the better choice
- Your first part, with no CAD experience.
- School or work computers where you cannot install software.
- A quick concept and a first stress check before you commit.
- A STEP file for a machine shop or an STL for your printer, today.
When desktop CAD is the better choice
- Large assemblies with hundreds of parts and full design history.
- Production drawings with tolerancing to a company standard.
- Data management, revisions and approvals across a big team.
- Machining toolpaths and simulation that your industry requires a specific tool for.
Use both
WebCAD exports STEP, so you can start a part here and finish it in your main CAD tool, or send it straight to a shop.
Questions
Does WebCAD replace SolidWorks or Fusion?
Not for every job. For large assemblies, production drawings and team data management, desktop CAD is the better tool. WebCAD is for getting from an idea to a tested part quickly, in a browser, especially if you have never used CAD.
Can I open WebCAD parts in my desktop CAD?
Yes: export STEP, the standard exchange format that desktop CAD tools import.
Is the AI the only way to model?
No. CAD Genie is one way to start. You can also sketch with dimensions and relations, extrude, revolve, sweep, loft and shell, and build assemblies by hand.
Open a tab. Build something real.
No install and no credit card. Describe your first part in a sentence.
Try WebCAD free