Allplan
Germany
EU
Allplan is BIM software for architecture, structural engineering and construction, developed by Allplan in Munich, Germany. The first version of the CAD system appeared in 1984, and the company goes back to...
European 3D & CAD Software
Archicad
Hungary
EU
Archicad is building information modelling (BIM) software for architects, developed by Graphisoft in Budapest, Hungary. Graphisoft was founded in 1982, Archicad has been in development since 1984 and is considered the first...
Blender
Netherlands
EU
Open Source
Blender is a free and open source 3D creation suite developed under the Blender Foundation, an independent public benefit organisation (Stichting) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The foundation was established in 2002, and...
BricsCAD
Belgium
EU
BricsCAD is a CAD application from Bricsys, a company headquartered in Ghent, Belgium. Bricsys was founded in 2002 by Erik De Keyser and has been wholly owned by the Swedish technology group...
CATIA
France
EU
CATIA is the high-end product design system of Dassault Systèmes, headquartered in Vélizy-Villacoublay, France. The software originates from the aerospace industry: Dassault Systèmes was founded in 1981 to develop CAD for aircraft...
Cinema 4D
Germany
EU
Cinema 4D is a 3D modelling, animation and rendering program from Maxon, a company headquartered in Friedrichsdorf near Frankfurt, Germany. Maxon was founded in 1985 and has been part of the German...
FreeCAD
Belgium
EU
Open Source
FreeCAD is an open source parametric 3D modeller for designing real-life objects of any size. The project is supported by the FreeCAD Project Association, an international non-profit association (AISBL) registered and based...
SolidWorks
France
EU
SolidWorks is a parametric 3D CAD program for mechanical design and one of the best-known products of Dassault Systèmes, a French software group headquartered in Vélizy-Villacoublay near Paris. Dassault Systèmes was founded...
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Submit SuggestionEuropean 3D and CAD software covers programs for mechanical design, architecture and engineering as well as 3D modelling, animation and rendering from companies and projects based in Europe. This page lists Blender from the Netherlands, FreeCAD and BricsCAD from Belgium, SolidWorks and CATIA from France, Archicad from Hungary and Allplan and Cinema 4D from Germany.
European 3D and CAD software at a glance
| Product | Country | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Blender | Netherlands | Open source 3D creation: modelling, sculpting, animation, rendering and video editing |
| FreeCAD | Belgium | Open source parametric 3D modeller for product design, architecture and engineering |
| BricsCAD | Belgium | DWG-based CAD for 2D drafting, 3D modelling, BIM and mechanical design |
| SolidWorks | France | Parametric 3D CAD for mechanical design, from Dassault Systèmes |
| CATIA | France | High-end product design system from Dassault Systèmes with roots in aerospace |
| Archicad | Hungary | BIM software for architects from Graphisoft, part of Nemetschek |
| Allplan | Germany | BIM software for architecture and structural engineering, part of Nemetschek |
| Cinema 4D | Germany | 3D modelling, animation and motion graphics from Maxon, part of Nemetschek |
Which software suits which job
For mechanical design and product development, SolidWorks and CATIA from Dassault Systèmes are the established commercial systems, with CATIA aimed at large engineering organisations. FreeCAD is the open source option for parametric modelling, and BricsCAD suits offices that work with DWG drawings. Architects and planners use building information modelling: Archicad and Allplan are both developed in Europe and exchange data through the IFC format. For 3D art, animation and motion graphics, Blender is free, while Cinema 4D is a commercial tool with a strong position in broadcast and motion design.
Ownership notes
Archicad, Allplan and Cinema 4D belong to the Nemetschek Group in Munich, which is listed on the stock exchange. SolidWorks and CATIA are products of Dassault Systèmes, listed on Euronext Paris, whose largest shareholder is the Dassault family holding with about 40 percent. BricsCAD has belonged to the Swedish group Hexagon since 2018. Blender is run by a Dutch foundation and FreeCAD by a Belgian non-profit association. None of the listed products has a non-European parent.
What Europe does not offer
The most widely used CAD and 3D programs come from the American company Autodesk, which the page about European alternatives to Autodesk covers. European tools replace many of its programs, but no single European package matches the file formats, add-ons and training offers built around AutoCAD. Industrial design suites for the largest manufacturers are also concentrated in a few vendors, so European firms often work with two systems side by side.