AutoCAD for Mac: cost, differences and alternatives

By Tiago Almeida · Updated 29 October 2026

Yes, there is AutoCAD for Mac. Autodesk makes native Mac versions of AutoCAD and of AutoCAD LT, its 2D-only sibling, and they open and save the same .dwg files as AutoCAD on Windows. This guide covers what they cost, what the Mac version leaves out, the other Mac apps that edit DWG files, and when you don't need a CAD app at all.

We don't sell AutoCAD or any of the alternatives below. We do make DWG Viewer, a Mac app for looking at DWG files, so weigh that in where it comes up.

Is AutoCAD available for Mac?

Yes. The current versions are AutoCAD for Mac 2027 and AutoCAD LT for Mac 2027. They run natively on Apple silicon, as they have since the 2024 release, and on Intel Macs, and they need macOS 14 Sonoma or later. There's a free 15-day trial, and students and educators get a free educational licence.

What it costs

AutoCAD is only sold as a subscription. In October 2026, Autodesk's US prices were:

Product	Per year	Month to month	What it is
AutoCAD	$2,095	$260	2D and 3D, plus the Windows-only toolsets
AutoCAD LT	$540	$70	2D drafting only
AutoCAD Web	$100	$10	Core 2D tools in the browser

A subscription to AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT includes both the Mac and the Windows versions, and AutoCAD Web, so you can switch computers without paying twice. Prices change, so checkAutodesk's store before you buy.

How the Mac version differs from Windows

The drawing tools you use every day are the same, and so are the files. What's different is around the edges. According to Autodesk's comparison, AutoCAD for Mac doesn't have:

The specialised toolsets that come with AutoCAD on Windows, such as Architecture, Mechanical, Electrical and MEP.
.NET and VBA plug-ins or the action recorder; LISP works, but without ActiveX.
DWF, DGN and Navisworks underlays, point clouds, data extraction or DBConnect.
Rendering, cameras and walkthroughs.
The Windows ribbon, tool palettes, DesignCenter or QuickCalc; dynamic blocks and Express Tools are only partly there.
DWF publishing: the Mac version makes PDFs instead.

Autodesk's comparison dates from the 2023 release, so some gaps may have closed since. If your work depends on a toolset or on plug-ins written for Windows, you'll need AutoCAD on Windows, on a PC or in a virtual machine.

AutoCAD Web on a Mac

AutoCAD Web runs in Chrome, Firefox or Edge on a Mac (not Safari). It has the core 2D drawing and editing tools, it's included with every AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT subscription, and on its own it costs $100 a year. Autodesk also lets you view DWG files in it for free with an Autodesk account.

Mac apps that edit DWG files instead

Several CAD apps run natively on the Mac and work with DWG files directly:

BricsCAD: works in DWG with AutoCAD-style commands, runs natively on Apple silicon, and is sold as a subscription or a perpetual licence.
DraftSight, from Dassault Systèmes: Professional and Premium run on the Mac, at $299 and $599 a year.
ARES Commander, from Graebert: Mac, Windows and Linux, as a perpetual licence or a subscription.
Vectorworks: a CAD app for architecture, landscape and entertainment design that started on the Mac. Its own format is VWX, and it imports and exports DWG.
QCAD Professional: a simpler 2D drafting app that reads and writes DWG, for a one-off licence of about €52.
LibreCAD: free and open source, for 2D work in DXF files; its DWG import is experimental.

When a viewer is enough

Many people looking for AutoCAD for Mac only need to open drawings that someone else made: to check a dimension, see a layer, print a plan or send a PDF on. That doesn't need a CAD subscription.

DWG Viewer, our app, opens .dwg, .dxf, .dwf and .dwfx files, 2D and 3D, with Finder thumbnails, a space-bar preview, layers, measuring, and PDF, SVG and DXF export. It costs $19 once and can't edit drawings. For free, Autodesk Viewer and AutoCAD Web open DWG files in the browser once you upload them, and eDrawings, on the Mac App Store, opens DWG and DXF. There's more in How to open AutoCAD .dwg files on a Mac.

Which should I use?

Drawing in 2D and 3D every day, with colleagues on AutoCAD: AutoCAD for Mac.
2D drafting only: AutoCAD LT for Mac, or BricsCAD or DraftSight.
Toolsets, or Windows plug-ins your office relies on: AutoCAD on Windows, on a PC or in a virtual machine.
Opening and checking drawings other people send you: a viewer such as DWG Viewer.

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DWG Viewer is not made by or affiliated with Autodesk, Inc. Autodesk, AutoCAD, DWG, DXF, DWF, Revit and Inventor are trademarks of Autodesk, Inc.