AutoCAD LT vs. SOLIDWORKS

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
AutoCAD LT
Score 8.7 out of 10
N/A
AutoCAD LT computer-aided design (CAD) software that architects, engineers, construction professionals, and designers rely on to produce solely 2D drawings, drafts, and documentation. AutoCAD LT is a CAD software used for 2D drawing, drafting, and documentation whereas AutoCAD is a CAD software used to create 2D drawings and 3D models. While AutoDesk's AutoCAD includes industry-specific toolsets that can provide productivity gains, both AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT include the AutoCAD web and…
$60
per month per user
SOLIDWORKS
Score 8.3 out of 10
N/A
Dassault Systemes offers SOLIDWORKS, a computer-aided design (CAD) system for education and manufacturing supporting 2D or 3D design, electrical design, simulations, and product development with collaboration tools.
$1,295
per year
Pricing
AutoCAD LTSOLIDWORKS
Editions & Modules
Monthly Subscription
$60
per month per user
Yearly Subscription
$490
per year per user
3-Year Subscription
$1470
3 years per user
Solidworks Annual Subscription
1,295
per year
Solidworks Standard
3,996
per standalone license
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
AutoCAD LTSOLIDWORKS
Free Trial
YesNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
AutoCAD LTSOLIDWORKS
Features
AutoCAD LTSOLIDWORKS
Computer-Aided Design Software
Comparison of Computer-Aided Design Software features of Product A and Product B
AutoCAD LT
7.5
Ratings
5% above category average
SOLIDWORKS
7.6
Ratings
7% above category average
2D Drafting10.00 Ratings7.70 Ratings
Parametric Design8.00 Ratings6.00 Ratings
Collaboration and Sharing7.50 Ratings8.00 Ratings
Compatibility with other software and formats4.70 Ratings9.20 Ratings
Assembly Design8.50 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Simulation and Analysis7.00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Documentation and Annotation6.00 Ratings7.00 Ratings
Customization and Extensions8.50 Ratings7.70 Ratings
3D Modeling00 Ratings9.20 Ratings
Rendering and Visualization00 Ratings7.50 Ratings
Best Alternatives
AutoCAD LTSOLIDWORKS
Small Businesses
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.9 out of 10
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.9 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.9 out of 10
Onshape
Onshape
Score 9.9 out of 10
Enterprises
Rhino
Rhino
Score 9.1 out of 10
Rhino
Rhino
Score 9.1 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
AutoCAD LTSOLIDWORKS
Likelihood to Recommend
8.6
(0 ratings)
9.2
(0 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
-
(0 ratings)
10.0
(0 ratings)
Usability
8.6
(0 ratings)
8.5
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
-
(0 ratings)
5.2
(0 ratings)
In-Person Training
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
Online Training
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
AutoCAD LTSOLIDWORKS
Likelihood to Recommend
It is suitable for use with students who are familiar with using a computer. Unfortunately, we still have many people without access and basic knowledge, such as a simple application of the oficce package.
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As a mechanical engineer, it is one of the best tools to just start modeling and engineering with. The UI tools are intuitive and engineering analysis such Mold Analysis, FEA, are great! Other 3D CAD modeling tools have a longer learning curve to master. All in all, if you're not planning to design an entire airplane with large assembly files, then Solidworks is your tool!
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Pros
  • Drafting and layouts generation
  • 2D Modeling and measurements
  • Layers and property features
  • Useful commands like mirror, copy, move, array, offset and rotate etc.
  • File recovery feature
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  • The collaborative work environment is a cool and useful feature where groups of people can work on the same model at the same time, and SOLIDWORKS ensures that you don't overwrite each other's work.
  • The ease and amount of customization options are very useful for creating a personalized and intuitive user interface, whether SOLIDWORKS is your native CAD package or not.
  • It is very easy to quickly edit a model you have already created. The software allows sketch and feature editing without having to take the time to actually enter the sketch/feature environment.
  • The use of configurations and configurations-specific dimensions in the same sketch is very useful for creating different forms of the same part
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Cons
  • Incremental savings (if possible) because autosave on big drawings took time to get done because it saves the whole file
  • Some custom macros that I made should be made standard (like infinite horizontal or vertical lines)
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  • To date, the baked in surfacing tools lack power compared to dedicated surfacing software.
  • In a similar vein, the core modeling kernel is not owned by SOLIDWORKS themselves and so there exists limitations with regards to implementing certain modeling/math.
  • SOLIDWORKS is playing catchup to other online vendors of CAD (notable OnShape); instead of being the once leader, they are being forced to compare themselves. This, however, may work to their advantage and in turn allow them to produce a better on-line CAD tool.
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Likelihood to Renew
No answers on this topic
We have absolutely no reasons to not keep with SolidWorks for the foreseeable future.
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Usability
For being a light version of the program it has a ton of functionality and features. I found the system fairly easy to learn how to use once I took an intro course on it. Overall i think the usability is great and it was easy to jump right in and get working in the program
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I have been using SOLIDWORKS for around 12 years as of writing this review, so have learned where most things are and how they work. When first starting out it was quite daunting, but the interface is well laid out with like functions near each other which made finding new functions relatively easy.
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Support Rating
No answers on this topic
We have an unusual arrangement. We don’t pay for support, but we’re partnered with a VAR for second-tier support.
I work with other users if I have questions but when we’ve had to ask the VAR, they always have answers. It appears that all of the VARs have access to a support platform from DS SOLIDWORKS that helps them answer most questions.
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Alternatives Considered
Although AutoCAD LT is the lite software when compared to standard AutoCAD, it does all the work when it comes to 2D modeling and issuing design drawings. When comparing it to BricsCAD, AutoCAD LT shines, as it works without freezing and is usually more responsive than BricsCAD, it just outclasses it.
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Onshape is a direct competitor. It has great entry level pricing and it is easy to access with no installation required. Being a web based app there is sometime some lag being based in NZ. Management also have concerns over where the data is stored on the cloud. With SW we can control where it is stored
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Return on Investment
  • We have been able to looks at CAD files that ordinarily we would not have been able to open. Giving us more control over our projects
  • We are now able to create very accurate draft designs that save us and our engineering/architecture team valuable time in drafting.
  • We can create our own plan sheets for when it is something that does not require a stamp. This saves us time and money.
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  • Hard to answer directly. Given our customer's needs, we absolutely have to have SW to open their file types.
  • Given the relatively limited use we need at our company, it would be useful to have a cheaper option that was more stripped down but still had some capabilities. Something in-between SW and eDrawings, for example. SW is very capable and expensive, eDrawings is free and super limited. Would be nice to have a middle option.
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ScreenShots