QCAD.org Forum

Hi All,
I am new to QCAD free version running under Windows. As a long time user of AutoCAD, I find QCAD absolutely fantastic. Being mostly retired, I can't afford to spend any money on purchasing CAD software. Imagine my disappointment when I discovered that my old AutoCAD would no longer run under Windows. After trying several free CAD programs without any real success, I discovered QCAD and it worked perfectly straight away. There is just one thing that bothers me.

Even though QCAD is open source and FREE, when you download it, the installation file has the word "trial" in it suggesting that you have downloaded a trial version of QCAD. In order to make the free version run properly, you must delete some files, which, while not difficult for me, is a problem for some. There is a button to press to select the free version of QCAD but rather than deleting the files, it tells you what files to delete. Pressing the button could have just as easily stated what files were to be deleted and a second button could have appeared that would delete the files automatically.

I must admit that I am old (79) and suspicious (very suspicious) but have the feeling that someone has intentionally made it difficult to make the free version work, in order to get new users to pay-up. This is all very strange, considering how well the free version works.

I haven't read-up on the history of QCAD but I suspect that it was the intention of the QCAD creators, to make QCAD free. What do you other folks think?
John Caldwell New Zealand

Hi, and welcome to the QCAD forum.

You are correct that one downloads a fully functional Pro version in trial mode.
This is to evaluate QCAD in its full potential.

The differences between Pro and CE are listed here: QCAD Features.
Features in blue italic are available in QCAD Professional only.

After evaluation, you can decide whether QCAD is suitable for your needs and whether you want to continue with the Pro or CE version.
For QCAD Pro as trial there are only a limited session time and a limited number of sessions.

As user I can only advice you to buy a lifetime and personal licence to be able to exploit its full potential.
The cost of a single user licence can not be an issue.
A license includes updates for one year and this can be extended at any time at a discount.
You get access to a personal download area where you will find the same list of installation packages but then as QCAD Pro.


It are mostly Windows users that report an issue with downgrading to CE.
The reason is not at all to make it difficult because it is beyond QCAD.
First, it is not a good idea that an application alters itself while running.
This is typically seen as a viral infection.

Using the msi installer, QCAD is commonly installed under the C:\Program Files\ folder. (Not mandatory)
This part of your drive is guarded by the Windows UAC (User Account Control).
Applications can not make changes to that area, 'automatically deleting' is simply not allowed.
Instead, you get a list of what to delete, on a Win system you need at least Admin rights.
A simple solution to a complex problem that suits all as QCAD can be installed on various operating systems.

A trial version for Windows can also be downloaded as a ZIP file and installed anywhere on your system.
The QCAD application package is a self-contained bundle and does not need external resources.

Regards,
CVH

jcthegreat wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 21, 2025 4:01 am

I haven't read-up on the history of QCAD but I suspect that it was the intention of the QCAD creators, to make QCAD free.

QCAD creator here.

No. QCAD version 1 started off as proprietary software by RibbonSoft, GmbH. QCAD version 2 was released under GPLv2 with binary packages being available for a small license fee. QCAD version 3 started of as a proprietary, completely new product. The free open source QCAD Community Edition started with QCAD version 3.1 when the base system of QCAD was released under the GPLv3 with optional commercial proprietary add-ons for QCAD Professional, QCAD/CAM and other products. This dual licensing model has worked very well for all sides, securing the continued development of both QCAD CE and QCAD Professional. Without the continued development of QCAD Professional by RibbonSoft, GmbH, the free QCAD CE would quite simply not exist at all.

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for correcting me with your excellent information on QCAD history. As the QCAD creator, you can be proud of such an excellent piece of software. I am a big fan of QCAD.

Regards,
JC

Hi John. If you have a bunch of old AutoCAD files you might want to take a look at NanoCAD version 5. It has support for DWG up to 2013. It's a good way of checking the contents of those files in cases where QCAD can't fully present you with their contents. Things like like layouts and annotative objects. Then you can export what you need to a clean file and know that there are no surprises when you open it in QCAD. Of course you could keep using nanocad5, but I'd prefer you buy QCAD pro to support development of QCAD as the best cross-platform FLOSS 2D CAD option.

As for QCAD Pro making it tricky to switch to QCAD CE I must agree with you. I am not a software developer but I know of numerous products where functionality can be extended/reduced via extensions and plugins. QCAD could also just set a flag to not use those files at next runtime - and an 'enter your license number here' dialogue to reactivate them. I see no convincing user-oriented explanation for why this is so hard. Failing these options it would be trivial to offer QCAD CE as a separate download - even if it included a 'nag screen' which one had to disable manually. Many dual licensed projects do this. The current situation feels to me exactly how you describe it - like I'm being manipulated.

Cheers from a fellow kiwi

Hi,

Duncan Lithgow wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 29, 2025 10:39 pm

... and an 'enter your license number here' dialogue to reactivate them.

Would be hard because there is none.

Disabling would indeed be an option but is there really a need to switch back to a trial version?
Trials are not only limited in time but also in session starts.
New releases are issued at steady pace.

On the other hand, a license number is also not fool-prove and you probably need a department with people to monitor that.
As is, you have a personal download area for licensee and a licence agreement.
Act like that.

Sharing pro installations is a big no-no and that would be yet another package each update.
I don't expect the licence fee to be the reason for that.
Nothing beats the official download area because these packages are tested, maintained and updated.

I don't find deleting/renaming a list of files a big hurdle.
What also plays a role in this is cross-platform.
Installed on Windows with an msi for example, doesn't allows changes without Admin rights.

It's also easy for the developer, he just have to include a newer, better or additional Plugin.
QCAD can also be customized with additional Plugins and/or Add-Ons.

Duncan Lithgow wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 29, 2025 10:39 pm

As for QCAD Pro making it tricky to switch to QCAD CE

For the record: There is no need to turn QCAD Pro into QCAD CE because you already have a lifetime licence.
What you can do is downgrading a free download of QCAD Pro trial or QCAD/CAM trial into QCAD CE.

I don't think that an attempt is made to manipulate you.
The free QCAD Pro trial is there to let you explore the full capacity.

Is it complete and finished? ... Probably never but it also depends on what you want for that price.

Regards,
CVH