The best free scale drawing tools in 2026
Lots of tools say they can make a scale drawing for free. Some turn out to be trials, some are professional CAD programs that take a long time to learn, and some can't draw to a real scale at all. We looked at which tools really let you draw to scale for free, how quickly you can get started with each, and what the catch is.
The short answer
- A quick, accurate drawing in your browser, with nothing to install and no sign-up required: SimpleDraw
- Free 2D CAD on your computer, if you're willing to learn it: LibreCAD
- Free 2D CAD, with a paid upgrade if you need AutoCAD DWG files: QCAD
- A 3D model of your project, in your browser: SketchUp Free
- 3D models of parts or furniture, with drawings made from them: FreeCAD
SimpleDraw is free, and an optional Plus upgrade is $10 USD a year. It's our product. We've put it first, but we've tried to be straight about every tool here, including our own.
Start drawing now, no sign-upWhat we counted
Every tool here lets you draw in real units, at exact sizes, and save your work for free with no time limit. We left out free trials and tools that only let you view drawings.
Free scale drawing tools at a glance
Scroll sideways to see every column.
| Tool | Sign-up needed? | Works on | What's free | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SimpleDraw | No | Web browser on a computer | Unlimited drawings, PNG export at an exact scale | Editing needs a computer; PNG export only |
| SketchUp Free | Yes | Web browser (free Trimble account) | 3D modeling in the browser, 10 GB storage | Non-commercial use only; watermarked PNGs; built for 3D |
| LibreCAD | No | Windows, Mac and Linux (installed program) | The whole program | Install needed; takes time to learn |
| QCAD | No | Windows, Mac and Linux (installed program) | The Community Edition | Install needed; the download includes a paid trial |
| FreeCAD | No | Windows, Mac and Linux (installed program) | The whole program | Built for 3D; the most to learn |
The 5 tools in more detail
1. SimpleDraw
Best for: Quick, accurate scale drawings in your browser
SimpleDraw is a scale drawing tool that runs in your browser, so there's nothing to install and no account to create. Every line shows its real length as you draw, and you can type exact lengths and angles, in metric or feet and inches. As you draw, guides snap your lines straight, square and parallel.
Use it for floor plans, elevations, garden and site plans, workshop layouts and carpentry. If your sizes come out wrong, type the real length of one line and SimpleDraw resizes the whole drawing to match.
When we asked our users what they liked most about SimpleDraw, the most common answer was that it's easy and simple to use.
- Works on:
- Web browser on a computer.
- Sign-up needed:
- No.
- Free:
- Unlimited drawings saved to your computer, PNG export at an exact scale such as 1:50, and up to five drawings shared publicly by link.
- The catch:
- Editing needs a computer with a keyboard and mouse. PNG is the only export format, so there's no DXF or DWG, but you can easily turn a PNG into a PDF with Google Docs: our guide to printing at a specific scale shows how. Drawing over a PDF or photo needs Plus.
- Paid:
- Plus is $10 USD a year, or $5 for 3 months. It adds drawing over PDFs and photos, 3D and VR walkthroughs, full color, cloud storage, version history and logo-free exports.
See how SimpleDraw's scale drawing tools work.
"SimpleDraw was simply the best for a beginner like me."
SimpleDraw user, June 2026
Start drawing now2. SketchUp Free
Best for: 3D models, if you're willing to learn
SketchUp is a well-known 3D modeling tool, and its free plan runs in your browser. You can draw flat shapes at exact sizes, measure them and add dimensions, then pull them up into 3D. You can bring in a JPG or PNG image and place it in your model. It's capable, but it's built for 3D, so a simple 2D drawing takes more learning than in a dedicated scale drawing tool.
- Works on:
- Web browser (free Trimble account).
- Sign-up needed:
- Yes.
- Free:
- 3D modeling in the browser, 10 GB of cloud storage, and PNG and STL downloads.
- The catch:
- The free plan is for non-commercial use only. Free PNG exports and prints are watermarked, and scaled paper drawings, such as a 1:50 plan, are made in LayOut, which comes with SketchUp Pro. The free plan isn't on SketchUp's pricing page, but it has its own page.
- Paid:
- Go is $129 USD a year and Pro is $399 a year.
3. LibreCAD
Best for: Free 2D CAD, if you're willing to learn it
LibreCAD is a free, open-source 2D CAD program. You draw at real-world size, with layers, snapping and dimensions, then choose a scale such as 1:50 when you print. It saves DXF files, which most CAD programs can open, and exports PDF and SVG.
- Works on:
- Windows, Mac and Linux (installed program).
- Sign-up needed:
- No.
- Free:
- Everything. It's free and open source, with no trial, no account and no paid version.
- The catch:
- You have to install it, and like any traditional CAD program it takes time to learn: you work with layers and typed commands, as in professional CAD. It works best with DXF files. Support for AutoCAD's DWG files is limited.
- Paid:
- There's no paid version.
4. QCAD
Best for: Free 2D CAD, with a paid upgrade for DWG files
QCAD is a long-running 2D CAD program. Its free Community Edition draws accurate plans with layers, snapping and a print scale. You can bring in a photo or a scanned plan and line it up to a known length before drawing over it. The paid Professional version adds AutoCAD DWG files and more tools.
- Works on:
- Windows, Mac and Linux (installed program).
- Sign-up needed:
- No.
- Free:
- The Community Edition, which is free and open source. It saves DXF files, in the older 2000 format, and exports PDF.
- The catch:
- You have to install it, and it takes time to learn, like any traditional CAD program. The standard download comes with a trial of the paid Professional version. To keep only the free edition, you remove the Professional trial. The free edition can't open DWG files.
- Paid:
- Professional is a one-off €50.40, with a year of updates included.
5. FreeCAD
Best for: 3D models of parts or furniture, with drawings made from them
FreeCAD is a free, open-source 3D modeling program. It can make 2D plans as well: you draw with its Draft or BIM tools, then lay out a scaled drawing sheet with TechDraw. The 2D side is spread across several of these toolsets, and much of it is built around making drawings from a 3D model.
- Works on:
- Windows, Mac and Linux (installed program).
- Sign-up needed:
- No.
- Free:
- Everything. It's free and open source, with no paid version and no account.
- The catch:
- You have to install it, and it has the most to learn of any tool here. For a simple flat drawing, it's far more than you need.
- Paid:
- There's no paid version.
Often recommended, but not on our list
These names come up a lot when people ask for a free scale drawing tool. Some of them aren't free, and the free ones aren't built for drawing to scale.
- SmartDraw
- SmartDraw has good floor plan and scale drawing tools, but there's no free plan, only a seven-day trial. If you're weighing it up, see our write-up of how SimpleDraw compares with SmartDraw.
- Visio
- Without a license, Visio only lets you view drawings. Microsoft's cheapest standalone plan, Visio Plan 1, is $5 USD a month, paid yearly.
- AutoCAD
- AutoCAD is paid professional CAD software. LibreCAD and QCAD work in a similar way and are free.
- DraftSight
- DraftSight used to have a free version, but it stopped working at the end of 2019. It's paid software now.
- draw.io
- draw.io is free and runs in your browser, but it's a diagramming tool with no scale setting. You'd have to pick your own scale, such as one grid square for 10 cm, and work out every size by hand.
- Tinkercad
- Tinkercad is free and runs in your browser, but it's a simple 3D modeler for 3D printing, not a tool for drawing plans to scale.
What to check before you choose
- Can you type exact sizes?
- A scale drawing is only as good as its measurements. Look for a tool where you can type a length and an angle, not just drag a line until it looks right.
- Does it work in real units?
- You should be able to draw in meters, or feet and inches, and let the tool handle the scale, rather than working out every size at 1:50 yourself.
- Can you get your drawing out at a known scale?
- If you'll print it or hand it to a builder, check that you can export or print at a set scale, such as 1:50 or ¼ inch to a foot.
- Do you need to install anything?
- Browser tools work straight away. CAD programs need installing, and some tools need an account before you can start.
- How long will it take to learn?
- CAD programs can do a lot, but expect to spend time learning one before your first drawing. For a one-off job, a simpler tool is often quicker.
Drawing a floor plan? Our roundup of the best free floor plan tools covers apps made just for floor plans, such as Planner 5D and Sweet Home 3D.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about free scale drawing tools
Make your scale drawing free
Open SimpleDraw in your browser and start drawing. No account, no download and no trial clock.
"Very easy and intuitive to draw simple scale drawing."
SimpleDraw user, July 2026
Start drawing now