Your work depends on a proven CAD solution – and you have options [sponsored content]
Changes in software licensing arrangements, increasing software costs, and product development frustration has rattled the AEC industry. As this recent Open Letter to Autodesk suggests, Autodesk customer satisfaction is low. Some customers are questioning the longevity of their current software relationship.
With changing customer attitudes, there is an emerging need for alternatives to long-standing AutoCAD software and a huge market that can be better served with improved price and value. It starts with prioritizing the customer and the needs of their business. Your CAD software is your choice. Now is the perfect time to compare offerings and find the best CAD solution to support the needs of your business.
You can start by looking at:
1. License Flexibility
In August, Autodesk announced that network licenses will be discontinued with a transition to individual licenses. All Autodesk network licenses will be retired by August 2021. This followed the discontinuation of Autodesk perpetual licenses in 2016. Prices have risen and licensing models have changed, increasing the overall cost of ownership for many.
For CAD users that value a choice in ownership, DraftSight offers the flexibility of subscription licenses that can be purchased and managed directly, or network and perpetual licenses designed for multiple users or businesses.
2. Cost of Ownership
Are you paying more and not seeing value? With design software costs rising, it makes sense to evaluate if increased costs are connected to productivity or development. Otherwise, you may be paying for functionality that you don’t need.
Not everyone has the same CAD needs and DraftSight empowers customers with a choice of products to help you find what you need, at the best value.
- If you are looking for essential 2D CAD drafting and fundamental drawing tools you may consider DraftSight Standard which provides tremendous value at $99/year – a quarter of the price of AutoCAD LT.
- For an advanced 2D CAD drafting solution with powerful, time-saving productivity tools and API access to run your AutoLISP routines, DraftSight Professional is $199/year. Compared to AutoCAD, you can get eight seats of DraftSight Professional for less than one seat of AutoCAD.
- If you are looking for a robust 2D drafting and 3D design experience with full 3D capabilities and parametric constraints, evaluate DraftSight Premium at $499/year.
- If you prefer perpetual licensing (one-time purchase), need network licensing or multi-user subscriptions, evaluate DraftSight Enterprise and Enterprise Plus. Unlike AutoCAD, you can still buy a perpetual version of DraftSight, further reducing the multi-year cost of ownership.
When cost of ownership outweighs business value it is time to evaluate alternative platforms.
3. Customer-Led Development
Unlike fine wine, software is unlikely to get better with age without a strategic commitment to understanding and prioritizing the needs of customers. Some Autodesk customers have expressed frustration with a multi-year lack of development.
According to one customer review on Software Advice, “AutoCAD needs to completely reshape itself for the modern era and provide more intuitive controls and tools.”
Delivering value with customer-led development requires an understanding of what customers are trying to solve and what their current issues are. DraftSight has won the trust of millions of users worldwide, with the productivity tools you need, nothing more.
One example of a customer need that DraftSight has prioritized is superior compatibility with AutoCAD and DWG files and software interoperability between Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS® products. DraftSight’s familiar user interface, commands and support for legacy drawings and data like Dynamic Blocks facilitates a quick transition from AutoCAD with very little downtime. Realizing that many users in the AEC industry are entering the world of BIM, they are in the process of adding BIM tools to make interoperability easier.
DraftSight 2020 initiated the next chapter in DraftSight’s journey to develop innovative design solutions for users. With DraftSight you have product options and licensing flexibility to choose the right design experience that lets you create, edit, view and markup any kind of 2D and if you choose, 3D DWG file.
What now?
When you are struggling with your legacy CAD relationship you can evaluate the pain of staying or seek a better opportunity. According to the 2020 Jon Peddie Research CAD Report, “CAD is communication, and miscommunication is expensive. For that reason, CAD customers tend to standardize on a particular platform.” Breaking up is hard to do, we get it, but the grass really may be greener on the other side. Consider your opportunity – a proven CAD solution with the professional tools, functionality, and DWG file compatibility you need (with choices in product and license flexibility) at a fraction of the price. DraftSight makes transitioning and getting started easy and supports full collaboration with other CAD users.
Your work depends on a proven CAD solution – and you have options. Look at license flexibility, cost of ownership, the functionality you need (without the bloat), and development prioritization to find a solution that delivers the best value for your business. Your CAD software is your choice.
Thanks to DraftSight for empowering CAD users to find the best value for their business.
Discover DraftSight today
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