An AutoCAD alternative in the browser — what IndoCAD has, and what it does not
People searching for an AutoCAD alternative deserve a straight answer, so here is IndoCAD's: it has the everyday drafting set an AutoCAD user's hands already know — the command line and its aliases, object snaps, layers, five dimension types, hatch, blocks, DWG and DXF import, and plotting to scale with a title block — and it does not have paper space, XREF, LISP, DWG writing or 3D solids. It runs in the browser on a Free plan with nothing to install, and it is written for the Indian design office.
Autodesk, AutoCAD and Revit are trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. CivilOS is not affiliated with Autodesk, and IndoCAD is not AutoCAD. The comparison below is meant to let you decide in a minute whether your work fits.
What you can do
| Feature | What it does | Export / status |
|---|---|---|
| Command line | 80+ commands with the familiar aliases; type L, C, TR, O, CO, M, RO, AR, MI, F, EX, H, DLI, DAL and the rest | Has |
| Object snaps, ortho, polar | Endpoint, midpoint, intersection, centre, perpendicular, tangent, nearest; an aperture that behaves like AutoCAD's | Has |
| Layers, linetypes, lineweights | By layer or by object, with paper-mm lineweights on the plot | Has |
| Dimensions, text, hatch | Five dimension types with DIMSTYLE paper sizes; text with fonts; hatch patterns read from imported files | Has |
| Blocks | Insert, a 213-piece Indian library, blocks read from DWG including mirrored ones | Has |
| DWG / DXF | Both read; DXF written with tables, blocks and dimensions | Has (read) · DXF (write) |
| Plot to scale | Title block, stated scale, PDF sheets, a direction wheel on every plot | Has |
| Paper space, layouts, viewports | Model space only | Does not have |
| XREF | External references are not resolved; bind them first | Does not have |
| LISP, scripts, dynamic blocks, constraints | No scripting or parametrics | Does not have |
| DWG writing, 3D solids, sheet sets | Not provided | Does not have |
Where the two are the same
The drafting itself. A line, a circle, an offset, a trim, an array, a fillet, a dimension, a hatch — typed at a command line with the same alias, picked with the same snaps, on layers with the same properties. Sheets plot to a stated scale with a title block and the lineweights come out in paper millimetres. The 213-block library is Indian: the doors, windows, sanitary fittings, kitchen units, furniture, electrical symbols and structural marks an Indian plan is drawn with.
Where they are not
Everything that makes AutoCAD an enterprise document system rather than a drafting tool. Paper space with layout viewports at several scales; external references holding a hundred-sheet set together; LISP and scripts enforcing office standards; dynamic blocks and parametric constraints; saving back to DWG for a supply chain that standardised on it; 3D solids. Those are real, they are what a large office pays for, and a browser tool does not do them. If your drawing depends on them, stay where you are.
What IndoCAD has that AutoCAD does not
The rest of the platform. The plan drafted here is the plan the take-off measures, the plan BIM Studio raises into 3D, the plan Interior Studio walks, and the geometry the IS-code BOQ is priced from on CPWD DSR 2023. There is nothing to install, nothing to renew, it runs on a tablet at site, and the interface reads in 24 languages.
How to start
- Open IndoCAD from the sidebar; the command line is at the bottom of the sheet.
- Draft as you would — type the alias, pick with snaps, manage layers from the panel.
- Open a DWG you were sent, measure it, mark it up, or continue it.
- Plot to scale with a title block, or export DXF for the next office.
- Carry it on — take-off, 3D, BIM, bill — on the same project.
What CivilOS does not do
- No paper space, layouts or viewports.
- No XREF. Bind external references before importing.
- No LISP, scripts, dynamic blocks or parametric constraints.
- No DWG writing and no 3D solids. DXF, PDF and plotted sheets are written.
- Not affiliated with Autodesk. AutoCAD is Autodesk's trademark; IndoCAD is CivilOS's own drafting module.
Where a browser tool fits
AutoCAD earns its licence on the large, long-running job: hundreds of sheets held together by external references, layouts at several scales, standards enforced by scripts, DWG as the exchange format the whole supply chain expects. That work stays in AutoCAD.
The single sheet going out this afternoon, the drawing received and measured, the class of forty machines, the site engineer's tablet, the fifteen-sheet project — that is where a free browser CAD that opens the DWG and drafts with the same hands is the better tool, and where IndoCAD is meant to be used.
Open IndoCAD free → type L and start drafting; open a DWG to see your drawingFrequently asked questions
Is IndoCAD a free AutoCAD alternative?
Yes, to start. Create a free account (no card) and the Free plan opens every module, including IndoCAD, with a monthly allowance; prints carry the CivilOS letterhead. Pro, Max and Enterprise Seats plans add more hours and generations and put your own letterhead on every print. The Training Corner, Knowledge Library and Feedback are free without limit.
What AutoCAD features does IndoCAD have?
The everyday drafting set: a command line with the usual aliases, object snaps, ortho and polar, layers with linetypes and lineweights, five dimension types, text, hatch, blocks with a 213-piece Indian library, array, mirror, offset, trim, extend, fillet, DWG and DXF import, DXF export, and plotting to scale with a title block. An AutoCAD user's hands work here.
What does it NOT have?
Paper space and layouts, external references (XREF), LISP and scripting, DWG writing, 3D solids, sheet-set management, dynamic blocks and parametric constraints. A drawing that depends on those belongs in AutoCAD. Autodesk, AutoCAD and Revit are trademarks of Autodesk, Inc.; CivilOS is not affiliated with Autodesk.
Can it open my AutoCAD drawings?
Yes. DWG and DXF files open with their layers, colours, linetypes, hatches, text and blocks as the file specifies, including mirrored blocks and large drawings. Drawings with external references need them bound first. IndoCAD writes DXF, PDF and plotted sheets, not DWG.
Is it like AutoCAD LT?
In scope, yes — 2D drafting without 3D — but it is a browser platform rather than a desktop program, with no licence and nothing to install, and it lacks LT's paper space and XREF. It gains what LT does not have: the drawing carries straight into quantity take-off, 3D, BIM and an IS-code bill on the same platform.
Do I need to install anything or create an account?
No installation: CivilOS opens in an ordinary browser on a laptop, tablet or phone and can be installed as an app from the sidebar. A free account is needed to open the engineering modules; it takes a minute and asks for no card.
Draft for checking. Every safety-critical output of CivilOS is a preparation document. Drawings, quantities, rates, programmes and inspections must be verified, and the result signed off, by a licensed professional before they are issued, tendered, built or paid against.