Creo Elements/Direct Modeling Alternatives (September 2025)

Creo View is a simple but powerful enterprise visualization solution for MCAD and ECAD data enabling collaboration across engineering and manufacturing teams.

Pro/ENGINEER is now PTC Creo, but it's not just a name change it's so much more! Creo is a suite of solutions offering integrated 3D CAD/CAM/CAE software.

2D Diagramming Software for Creating 2D Schematic Designs of Routed Systems.

Pro/ENGINEER is now PTC Creo, but it's not just a name change it's so much more! Creo is a suite of solutions offering integrated 3D CAD/CAM/CAE software.

Creo Illustrate is a technical illustration software for creating 3D and 2D Illustrations in minutes.

3D modeling software to create, edit, and modify CAD or STL files for design, reverse engineering, simulation, manufacturing, 3D printing, and sheet metal.

Fast and flexible design with direct modeling, comprehensive drafting, and simple data management. Maximize productive re−use of CAD data from anywhere.

CADDS 5 is a specialized CAD/CAM software that is the ideal solution for shipbuilders and other discrete manufacturers.

SOLIDWORKS® Electrical 3D enables you to easily integrate your electrical schematic designs into your SOLIDWORKS 3D product model.

Transform your product development with CATIA: From concept to manufacturing, all in one powerful platform.

IRONCAD DRAFT is 2D mechanical drafting software with unique 3D integration, enabling users who work in 2D CAD software to view, render & reference 3D models.

Professional-grade 2D CAD software that can be used to create, edit, view, and markup any kind of 2D drawing or DWG file.

Goes Beyond 3D CAD Design to Encourage Innovation Across the Extended Enterprise.

Subject your designs to real world conditions to raise product quality while reducing prototyping and physical testing costs.

BricsCAD is a single, native-DWG platform with five product levels including 2D drafting, 3D modeling, BIM, and mechanical design toolsets.

Easily repurpose existing 3D models to rapidly create and update high-quality graphical assets that are fully associated with your 3D design.

Oqton Freeform is the industry’s most comprehensive design software for any complex or organic models. Solve your physical design challenges in the digital world. | Freeform - 3D Design Software for Organic Models

Simcenter 3D is a comprehensive, fully integrated CAE solution for complex, multidisciplinary product performance engineering including emag and structures.

FreeCAD, the open source 3D parametric modeler

Highest rated 3D CAD software for business on Capterra - it's powerful, easy to use, and affordable. 3D design and manufacturing suite. Hobby version available.

CAD Viewer and Translators for CATIA V5, CATIA V6 3DEXPERIENCE, 3D CAD Viewer, Parasolid, IGES, Inventor, Autodesk Design Review, JT, Creo, SOLIDWORKS, Solid Edge, RHINO, ACIS, STEP, NX, CGR, and STL, CAD Translation Software, 3D CAD Translation

Ansys engineering simulation and 3D design software delivers product modeling solutions with unmatched scalability and a comprehensive multiphysics foundation.

Design better every step of the product design journey with Shapr3D’s adaptive UI and Siemens Parasolid kernel, achieving design vision with built-in precision.

Autodesk Fusion, formerly Fusion 360, is a platform for 3D CAD, modeling, manufacturing, industrial design, electronics, and mechanical engineering. Subscribe or download for free.

Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS Corp. develops and markets 3D CAD design software, analysis software, and product data management software. SOLIDWORKS is the leading supplier of 3D CAD product design engineering software.

IronCAD is intuitive 3D CAD software that increases efficiency and can be used standalone or to complement an existing design environment.

The Art of Surface Modeling

Modo is a world-class 3D design software. It empowers designers to handle 3D modeling, animation, texturing & rendering at the speed of thought.

Open, Measure and Convert CATIA, Siemens NX, Creo, SolidWorks, SolidEdge, Inventor, Rhino, JT, STEP, IGS, VDA, X_T, SAT [Free Trial Now]

The Autodesk AEC Collection gives designers, engineers and construction professionals the tools and integrated workflows to create with ease, all in one essential package.

Local-install, stand-alone programs for viewing 3D CAD and drawing files from all major MCAD formats. Deploy read-only option or allow file conversion.

Solve complex structural engineering problems with Ansys Structural FEA analysis software solution for implicit and explicit structural analysis.

Create your products using the latest 3D product design and manufacturing software, including Inventor, AutoCAD, and Fusion 360, together at one great price.

Deliver next-generation products faster using Siemens NX software, the integrated software solution for design, simulation and manufacturing.

SOLIDWORKS® Electrical Professional combines the electrical schematic design capabilities of SOLIDWORKS Electrical Schematic Professional with the 3D capabilities of SOLIDWORKS Electrical 3D in one package.

Award-winning CAD software for structural packaging design. ArtiosCAD handles all structural design, product development, and virtual prototyping.

Autodesk Inventor 3D CAD software is used for industrial design, simulation, and documentation. Buy an Inventor subscription from the official Autodesk store or a reseller.

VisualCAM/CAD is our standalone CAD/CAM package that is the best valued software on the market today. Try our Free Demo Today!

Access the world's most technologically advanced 3D design solution for the process plant, marine, and power industries.

Cimatron is integrated CAD/CAM software which provides an end-to-end solution for designing and manufacturing tools, and programming CNC/EDM machines for molds, dies, plates, and more.

Autodesk is a global leader in design and make technology, with expertise across architecture, engineering, construction, design, manufacturing, and entertainment.

Bricsys 24/7 construction project management software is designed for CAD collaboration to help streamline workflows & improve productivity.

Autodesk is a global leader in design and make technology, with expertise across architecture, engineering, construction, design, manufacturing, and entertainment.

Autodesk is a global leader in design and make technology, with expertise across architecture, engineering, construction, design, manufacturing, and entertainment.

Autodesk is a global leader in design and make technology, with expertise across architecture, engineering, construction, design, manufacturing, and entertainment.

Define, organize, and publish 3D annotations, including 3D model data in industry-standard file formats.

PTC’s enterprise PLM software, Windchill, provides out-of-the box functionality that can be quickly implemented. Manufacturers can now instantly collaborate, share information in real-time, and dynamically visualize data. Learn more about Windchill.

SOLIDWORKS® CAM - powered by CAMWorks - uses rules-based technology that enables you to integrate design and manufacturing in one application, connecting design and manufacturing teams through a common software tool and 3D model.

nanoCAD - professional, cost-effective CAD Software with powerful 2D/3D modeling tools for viewing and drawing DWG files in engineering and architecture. Free download.

PLAXIS 2D is user-friendly geotechnical finite element analysis software for engineers to model, simulate, analyze and deploy geotechnical projects.

PLAXIS 3D is geotechnical finite element analysis software for engineers to model, simulate, analyze and deploy staged construction in geotechnical projects.

Do more in visual communication with CorelDRAW Technical Suite, our technical design software used for high-impact technical design & documentation.

See how PTC’s ThingWorx Navigate system enables users at all levels to access the latest product information easing product development pains. Learn more.

Adobe Dimension is a set of 2D and 3D compositing design tools with an approachable, modern interface for easy compositing of photorealistic graphics.

Vuforia Studio is a powerful, easy-to-use tool that enables industrial enterprises to rapidly create scalable augmented reality (AR) experiences.

Easily store, access, and share data in one location, improving the way your teams manage and collaborate on data

Mastercam is a leading CAD/CAM software solution used in various industries and education worldwide. Learn how our CAD/CAM software can help you today.

3DModelSpace helps Engineers and CAD Designers find 3D CAD models and CAD drawings of supplier parts.

ActCAD IntelliCAD Software, AutoCAD Alternative, ActCAD 2D & 3D CAD Software. ActCAD is a 2D drafting and 3D modeling CAD software meant for engineers, architects and other technical consultants. It is a native DWG & DXF CAD software to create and edit drawings.

ModuleWorks is the leading software component provider for the CAD/CAM industry providing 3 - 5 axis machining and simulation technology.

ZW3D is an easy-to-learn, all-in-one 3D CAD/CAE/CAM solution that can take you through the entire product development journey from conception to production.

Onshape is a product development platform that brings together all the tools needed to develop a product from conception to production.

ExpressPCB

Arena product lifecycle management (PLM) and quality management system (QMS) solutions accelerate new product development processes and ensure regulatory compliance.

CAD, CAM and PDM software, TopSolid is a complete solution that meets the needs of all industries.

Vectorworks Architect design software has the flexibility to support your entire architecture project from beginning to end — from conceptual design, to fully coordinated BIM models, to construction documents.

Revit software helps MEP engineers, detailers, and fabricators model, analyze, and iterate systems design in BIM to support better performance and sustainability.

Create and edit P&IDs and 3D models, and extract piping orthographics and isometrics with the comprehensive AutoCAD Plant 3D design and layout toolset.

PADS is an affordable and powerful PCB design software used for rapid prototyping, simulation, & collaboration between PCB & other hardware engineering projects

Quickly and easily create professional, photo-quality images, animations, and other interactive 3D content to get your products to market faster.

Take your project review to new heights

Create masterful landscape projects with the all-in-one landscape software built to transform your design, presentation, irrigation, and documentation workflows.

OpenRoads Designer is a road design software for plant documentation, surveying, stormwater design & analysis, visualization, geotechnical, underground utilities, and much more.

Design & Engineering Simulation solutions from Dassault Systèmes help companies accelerate product development and advance new innovations through virtual prototyping

formZ is a popular, powerful 3d modeling software used to explore, design and deliver extraordinary projects.

Learn more about Design Master Electrical, 3D electrical building information modeling software for AutoCAD.

DipTrace - PCB Design software. EDA/CAD package with autorouter, Schematic Capture multi-level hierarchy, real-time DRC, 3D Preview/export, Gerber output and comprhensive component and pattern libraries.

Design faster with the AutoCAD Mechanical toolset, featuring a library of standards-based parts and tools to help you create and document mechanical designs.

Simcad and Digital Twin Studio offer comprehensive support for diverse industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, robotics, and automation. With features including Digital Twin Modeling, Lean Analysis, Planning, and Scheduling.

Design and document building systems with the AutoCAD MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) toolset. Create engineering designs within an AutoCAD environment.

Twinmotion empowers you to create high-quality real-time visualizations for architecture, consumer products, transportation, fashion, and more.

Direct collaboration when used in conjunction with AVEVA Everything3D- Enable visualising, inspecting, commenting and approving between mobile workers using a tablet and engineering designers using desktop products.

Unlimited CAD viewing for the enterprise. SpinFire gives your entire organization a better way to view, interrogate, and translate CAD files.

See how Ansys Cloud Direct computing solution leverages the combined benefits of high-performance computing (HPC), cloud-based interactive workstations, and best-in-class engineering simulation software.

Siemens Software

TechViz is a global provider of a leading vr software, enabling to visualize 3D models from +200 3D applications without having to convert any data.

3DCoat is the application that has all the tools you need to take your 3D idea from a block of digital clay all the way to a production-ready, fully textured organic or hard surface model. It combines different technologies: voxels and polygons - for 3D model creation. Today 3DCoat is available to learn at 300+ Universities, Colleges, and Schools worldwide.

AVEVA Engineering enables multi-discipline teams of engineers to work effectively together to develop and maintain the detailed definition of all the key engineering items involved in plant or marine projects.

Autodesk Civil 3D is civil infrastructure design and documentation software. Buy a Civil 3D subscription from the official Autodesk store or a reseller.

IMSI Design is a leader in affordable, general-purpose 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) and home design desktop software, and a pioneer in mobile solutions for the AEC (Architectural, Engineering, and Construction) industry.

TraceParts is one of the world’s leading providers of 3D digital content for Engineering. The traceparts.com portal is available free-of-charge to millions of CAD users worldwide. It provides access to hundreds of supplier catalogs and more than 100 Million CAD models and product datasheets.

Autodesk Inventor CAM software simplifies the machining workflow with CAD-embedded features. Buy a subscription from the official Autodesk store or a reseller.

SmartSketch^® is a versatile and cost-effective precision engineering and drafting product.

Whether you work in lighting, scenic, film, event, or exhibit design, Vectorworks Spotlight is the only solution with the flexibility to support your entire process.

Vizient Manufacturing Solutions provides robotic integration and tooling solutions with industry leading customer service.

PV Elite provides engineers, designers, and inspectors with solutions that match their pressure vessel and heat exchanger design needs.

Draft It Free is the best free CAD software with 2D design drawing tools. Download our free CAD software to create and print drawings easily.

Vuframe® offers fast, photorealistic 3D models and interactive solutions for the mechanical engineering industry, enhancing product presentations, training, and sales with cutting-edge digital experiences.

Site3D is a fully featured software product for the engineering design of road systems, roundabouts, residential developments and earthworks.