Alternatives
FreeCAD Alternative
Draw walls in plan and the rooms, slabs and 3D model follow. Add roofs, structure, services and the site, then print sheets and send IFC4 out. No install, no workbenches to learn.
FreeCAD: Free and open source. Home 3D Plan (home3dplan.com): Free.
What FreeCAD does, and where it is here
Arch walls
Walls drawn in plan, with build ups and heights, giving rooms, slabs and the 3D model. See the tool
Roofs and stairs
Roofs with pitch, overhangs and gutters, and 23 stairs checked step by step. See the tool
TechDraw
Sections, elevations and details onto sheets, to PDF, DWG, DXF and SVG. See the tool
Structure
Columns, beams, braces and footings on a grid. See the tool
MEP
Electrical, heating, water, drainage, ventilation, gas and solar PV. See the tool
IFC export
IFC4 with architecture, structure and services. See the tool
Home 3D Plan and FreeCAD, side by side
| Feature | Home 3D Plan | FreeCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free and open source |
| Free option | Start in the browser with no account | Free |
| Runs on | Any modern browser: Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS, iPad and phone | Windows, Mac and Linux |
| Install | None. Can be installed as a web app | Desktop install |
| IFC | IFC4 export of architecture, structure and services | IFC import and export |
| DWG and DXF | DWG and DXF in and out | DXF. DWG through a separate converter |
| Structure | Columns, beams, braces, footings and gridlines, with a reinforcement bar schedule | Structural members and a finite element workbench |
| Services (MEP) | Electrical, plumbing and heating, drainage, ventilation, gas and solar PV | Basic pipes and ducts |
| Site and terrain | Survey levels, terraces, retaining walls, roads, paving and planting | Basic site object |
| Quantities | Takeoff by storey, element, function and material, as CSV or a workbook | Schedules from the model |
| Drawings and sheets | Sections, elevations, 1:5 details and sheet sets to PDF, DWG, DXF and SVG | TechDraw sheets |
| Rendering | Four render tiers, the top one a GPU path tracer on desktop | Render workbench with external renderers |
| Team work | Organisation projects with discipline roles and live presence | Files, shared by you |
| AI and agents | MCP server with 38 tools for Claude, ChatGPT and other agents | Python scripting |
FreeCAD prices as published on 10 October 2026 (https://www.freecad.org). "See vendor" means the vendor does not publish the fact or we could not confirm it. FreeCAD is a trademark of the FreeCAD project. Home 3D Plan is not affiliated with the FreeCAD project.
What FreeCAD does that Home 3D Plan does not
- Free and open source, with the code and your files fully under your control.
- A general parametric CAD core for mechanical parts as well as buildings.
- IFC import as well as export.
- Python scripting of everything.
Moving from FreeCAD
Export the FreeCAD plans as DXF and open them here, or put a PDF of the drawings under the plan and trace it.
The editor writes IFC4, which FreeCAD opens, so the model can go back.
Which one fits your work
Pick FreeCAD when
- You want open source software and your files in open formats only.
- You model mechanical parts as well as buildings.
- You script your work in Python.
Pick Home 3D Plan when
- You want BIM without learning workbenches.
- You want structure, services and the site in the same model.
- You work in a browser on any computer, a tablet included.
How to start
Open the editor
Go to home3dplan.com and open the editor. Nothing to install and no account needed to start.
Bring your drawing
Open a DWG or DXF and turn its lines into walls, or trace over a PDF or a scan set to scale.
Build the model
Draw walls and the storeys, rooms, slabs and 3D model follow. Add roofs, structure, services and the site.
Send it out
Print sections, elevations and sheets to PDF or DWG, and send the building out as IFC4.
FreeCAD and Home 3D Plan, answered
Is Home 3D Plan easier than FreeCAD for buildings?
It is built only for buildings: draw walls in plan and the rooms, slabs, 3D model, sections and IFC follow. FreeCAD is a general CAD program with an architecture workbench, which gives more control and asks more learning.
Is Home 3D Plan open source?
No. FreeCAD is. Home 3D Plan saves to its own open .hdp format and exports IFC4, DWG, DXF, PDF and SVG, so your work is not locked in.
How much does FreeCAD cost compared with Home 3D Plan?
FreeCAD: Free and open source, as published on 10 October 2026. Home 3D Plan is free to use in the browser today.
Does Home 3D Plan export IFC and DWG?
Yes. The building goes out as IFC4, with its architecture, structure and services, and the drawings go out as DWG, DXF, PDF and SVG. DWG and DXF also come in. The editor does not open IFC files.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Home 3D Plan runs in any modern browser on Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS, iPad and phones, and can be installed as a web app if you want an icon.
Read on
- Walls: Draw walls in 2D and get rooms, floors and the 3D model, with build ups and heights.
- Import and Export: DXF, DWG and SVG in; DXF, DWG, SVG, PDF and IFC out.
- Revit alternative: BIM in the browser, with IFC4 and DWG out, for houses and small buildings.
- Archicad alternative: Plan, model, sheets and IFC4 out, in a browser tab.
- All alternatives: Every product we compare against, with its price.