LibreCAD is a free, open-source 2D CAD application for Windows, macOS and Linux. It is meant for precise two-dimensional drawings such as technical plans. The project describes it as “completely and utterly free”: no trials, subscriptions, licence costs or annual fees. It is available in more than 30 languages.
LibreCAD started as a project to add CAM features to the community edition of QCad, was briefly called CADuntu, and was renamed LibreCAD by its community. It suits students, hobbyists and small workshops who need 2D drafting. If you need 3D modelling, look at FreeCAD instead.
How to get the official version
The LibreCAD website sends every platform to its GitHub releases. The current stable release is 2.2.1.5, published on 2 May 2026 as a maintenance update focused on translations and bug fixes, including a new crash handler.
- Windows: the 64-bit installer (
win64-msvc.exe). The site also mentions special pre-release installers for beta testing. - macOS: DMG packages, including a separate arm64 build for Apple Silicon. The website notes the team is looking for help with macOS deployment.
- Linux: AppImages for x86_64 and aarch64 plus a Snap in the release. Your distribution’s package manager may also have LibreCAD, but often an older version.
On Windows, winget install LibreCAD.LibreCAD installs the same 64-bit installer from GitHub.
Price and account
LibreCAD is free software under the GPLv2. There are no accounts, ads or paid tiers. Support and documentation come from the community through the forum, manual and wiki.
Building from source
If no ready-made build fits your system, the LibreCAD manual explains how to compile it on each platform. The 2.2 series requires Qt5.
Safety notes
Use librecad.org and the LibreCAD GitHub releases only. Search results for “LibreCAD download” can include portals that bundle their own installers. Check the SHA-256 value from the table below with Get-FileHash on Windows or shasum -a 256 on macOS and Linux.
Questions
Is there a beta version?
Yes. The website mentions special pre-release installers for beta testing, published on the GitHub releases page. Use the stable release for real work.
Is LibreCAD suitable for 3D?
No. It is a 2D drafting program. For parametric 3D design, FreeCAD is the usual free choice.
Which Mac file should I pick?
Use the arm64 DMG on Apple Silicon Macs. The DMG without “arm64” in its name is the other macOS build.
