solvespace.com

What It Is

SolveSpace is a free parametric 2D/3D CAD tool licensed under GPLv3, aimed more at engineering design than visual modeling. According to the main site, it can be used for 3D part modeling, 2D part drafting, 3D printing, CAM data preparation, mechanism design, and dimensioned planar/solid geometry calculations. The website also provides downloads, a Web Version, tutorials, reference documentation, a technology library, and forum access.

Core Capabilities

Its core strength lies in sketch constraints and parametric modeling. On the sketching side, it supports lines, rectangles, arcs, Bezier curves, splines, TrueType text, tracing over background images, and line style settings. For constraints, it covers distance, angle, tangency, parallelism, perpendicularity, equal length, equal radius, symmetry, and point-line-plane relationships, with support for arithmetic expressions and both metric and imperial units. Solid modeling features include extrusion, solids of revolution, helices, Boolean union/difference/intersection, and parametric arrays. For assemblies, parts can be linked, positioned via constraints, and changes to parts can automatically propagate into the assembly.

Pricing and Licensing

The site clearly states that SolveSpace is free and licensed under GPLv3. For individuals, education, makers, and small teams, the cost advantage is very strong. However, GPLv3 carries compliance requirements for redistribution and derivative software, so commercial embedding or secondary development should be evaluated carefully from a licensing perspective. The site does not mention paid support, an enterprise edition, or subscriptions.

Pros and Cons

Its main advantage is a fairly complete workflow: it covers everything from 2D sketches, 3D solids, and assembly checks to exports such as STL, STEP, DXF, SVG, PDF, OBJ, and G-code, making it usable for 3D printing, laser cutting, waterjet cutting, and third-party CAM. It also provides degrees-of-freedom analysis, interference checking, STL validation, area/volume measurement, and mechanism path export. The downsides are that the site does not show cloud collaboration, permissions, version management, or the scale of any asset/resource library; complex enterprise CAD workflows, commercial SLA support, and a large ecosystem also cannot be confirmed.

Best Fit and Access from China

SolveSpace is better suited to mechanical prototyping, open-source hardware, 3D printing, teaching, lightweight assembly validation, and geometry calculation. If you need large-team collaboration, PLM, or a deep industrial ecosystem, it is worth comparing it with FreeCAD, Fusion, Onshape, SolidWorks, AutoCAD, and similar tools. Access from China cannot be determined from the site alone, and there is no payment information. Since it is free and open source, the main concerns are download connectivity, documentation accessibility, and the local alternative software ecosystem.