Command line
Type L to draw, TR to trim, MI to mirror. LINE chains AutoCAD-style — C closes, U undoes a segment. The muscle memory you already have, carried over.
[ DRAFTLY · v1 ]
Real CAD.
Without the $2,000/yr tax.
The same commands you already have in muscle memory — L,
TR, MI, O — on a real command
line. Nine object-snap families, layers that lock and freeze, DXF in
and out (Pro). Built mobile-and-web-first by a working drafter.
- AutoCAD-style command line
- 9 object-snap families
- DXF import & export (Pro)
- Runs in your browser
01 · PROOF
A real snap. Not a smart guide.
Endpoint, midpoint, intersection, center, perpendicular, nearest, quadrant, tangent, node — nine families, solved analytically. The master switch arms with F3, same as AutoCAD.
// OSNAP armed with F3 — then the cursor locks to real geometry.
02 · FEATURES
Built for the drafter, not the deck.
Every interaction passes one test: would a 20-year drafter resent us for breaking flow?
Object snaps
Endpoint, midpoint, center, intersection, perpendicular, nearest, quadrant, tangent, node — all nine in the running set. Press F3 to arm OSNAP, same as AutoCAD.
Layers that behave
Lock a layer and it refuses mutations. Freeze or turn it off and it stops rendering. Real freeze-vs-off semantics, enforced on every edit path — not best-effort.
Open formats out
Export PDF, SVG, and DXF — a hand-rolled DXF writer, no library tax (DXF is a Pro feature). Got a DWG? Draftly points you to the free ODA File Converter to make a DXF first. There is no DWG reader or writer, in either direction — your files, your call, no lock-in.
03 · OWNERSHIP
Buy it once. Keep it.
"I refuse to rent my tools to do my job."
AutoCAD retired perpetual licenses. Vectorworks killed theirs. Shapr3D won't sell one. Draftly still will: a one-time $179 Founding Drafter seat, no subscription. The offer is withdrawn when the app reaches general availability — the seat you bought is not.
Claim a founder seat
04 · COMPARE
The same job. A fraction of the price.
2D drafting tools, US list pricing in USD excluding tax. Including the one most comparisons quietly omit — AutoCAD Web + Mobile at $100/yr.
| Tool | Price | Own it? | Platforms | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AutoCAD | $2,095 / yr | No | Win · Mac | Full DWG, 3D, BIM · autodesk.com, 19 Jul 2026 |
| AutoCAD LT | $540 / yr | No | Win · Mac | 2D only, DWG-native · autodesk.com, 19 Jul 2026 |
| AutoCAD Web + Mobile | $100 / yr | No | Browser · tablet | No desktop app · autodesk.com, 19 Jul 2026 |
| Octave BricsCAD Lite | $345 / yr | Yes | Win · Mac · Linux | DWG-native (formerly BricsCAD Lite). A perpetual licence is also sold; its price was not captured. · bricsys.com, 19 Jul 2026 |
| DraftSight Professional | $299 / yr | Reseller | Win · Mac | SolidWorks halo · draftsight.com, 19 Jul 2026 |
| QCAD Professional | $48 | Yes | Win · Mac · Linux | Open-source core · qcad.org, 19 Jul 2026 |
| Draftly Pro | $72 / yr | No | Web (desktop + mobile browsers) | Command line + 9 object snaps |
| Draftly Lifetime | $179 once | Yes | Web (desktop + mobile browsers) | Withdrawn at general availability |
Competitor pricing was collected from each vendor's own public pricing page on 19 Jul 2026 and has not been independently re-verified since. Every figure is a US list price in USD, excluding tax; pricing in your region, through a reseller, or under a volume agreement will differ. Confirm current pricing with the vendor before relying on it. Draftly's own prices are the ones charged at checkout. Draftly is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Autodesk, Inc. AutoCAD is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc.
What Draftly does today
- [x] AutoCAD-style command line, aliases & history
- [x] 9 object-snap families (armed with F3)
- [x] Layers: lock, freeze/off, color
- [x] Aligned-linear dimensions
- [x] DXF import & export (Pro)
- [x] PDF & SVG export
What it doesn't do yet
- [ ] Paperspace / layouts
- [ ] Parametric constraints
- [ ] Blocks & attributes
- [ ] MTEXT & hatch
- [ ] DWG read/write (use conversion guidance)
05 · PLEDGE
The free tier, in writing.
Free CAD tools have burned drafters before. Here is what the free tier will always include — a commitment, not a teaser.
Our no-rug-pull promise
- 01 The free tier stays free. Drawing, editing, 5 layers, and local files are not going behind a paywall later.
- 02 Your files are yours.
.drftis readable JSON; nothing you make is held hostage if you stop paying. - 03 No account required to draft. Sign-in unlocks sync and Pro — it is never the price of opening the app.
- 04 If a paid feature ever moves to free, you keep it. Prices only get grandfathered down, never clawed back.
— Tyler Thompson, founder & sole drafter
These four commitments are not marketing copy: they are written into Section 19 of the Terms of Service, which governs your use of Draftly. Where any other page and the Terms disagree, the Terms govern.
06 · PRICING
Pricing built for working drafters.
Start free. Upgrade when a client needs a DXF or a clean sheet. Paid plans are charged by Stripe on draftlycad.com; Pro requires a Draftly account and a periodic online check. Support and refunds.
Free
$0
Forever
- 5 layers
- Watermarked PDF / SVG export
- No DXF import or export
- Runs in your browser · local files
Pro Annual
$72/yr
or $9/mo · 33% annual savings
- Unlimited layers
- DXF import & export
- Watermark-free PDF / SVG
- One account, every device
Lifetime
$179
One time. Sunset at GA.
- Everything in Pro
- Pay once, no renewal
- Email support direct from the builder
- On sale until general availability
07 · GET IT
Draft in your browser right now.
No install, no account, nothing to download — the full app runs in your browser on any machine, desktop or tablet. The web app is the only build published today. Native Windows, macOS, Linux, App Store and Play builds are in development and are not downloadable yet; platform status says exactly where each one is.
Web — live
Windows — in development
macOS — in development
Linux — in development
iPad & phone — use the web app
08 · FAQ
Honest answers.
Will Draftly open my AutoCAD files?
Via DXF, yes — Draftly imports DXF natively (a Pro feature). It does not read or write DWG in either direction. For a DWG, run it through the free ODA File Converter to make a DXF first. Download ODA File Converter.
Does it work offline?
Yes for drafting. The web app keeps working after first load (PWA), and your files live locally on every tier. Signing in is only needed for Pro and cross-device sync — never to draft. Pro features are different: your entitlement is re-checked with Draftly each time the app starts, and when your device cannot reach us a signed licence keeps Pro working offline for a bounded window — up to 14 days on a subscription, up to 90 days on a lifetime seat. After that Draftly falls back to the free tier until the next successful check. Nothing you have drawn is affected, and nothing is deleted.
What can I print? Does it plot to scale?
Yes. PDF export plots to scale at fixed ratios (1:1, 1:50, 1:100) and can stamp a border, title block, and scale note on the sheet — just print at 100% / actual size (turn off "fit to page" in your print dialog) so the ruler agrees. Fit-to-page export is still there when you just want it on the sheet. Not yet: paperspace layouts and multiple named title-block templates.
What happens to my files if Draftly shuts down?
You keep them. .drft is readable JSON and .dxf is an open CAD interchange format. No opaque binary, no cloud lock-in, no migration tax.
Is this really an alternative to AutoCAD?
For 2D line-and-dimension drafting, it's getting there — lines, arcs, layers, object snaps, aligned dimensions, DXF. It is not 3D, not parametric, not BIM, and it has no blocks or paperspace yet. If you draw plans and details all day, try it. If you need Revit-style modeling, it isn't that.
Can I use Draftly commercially?
Yes, on any tier. Free, Pro, or Lifetime — your output is yours.
Why should I trust a one-person CAD tool?
Two reasons that don't depend on trusting me. First, your files are portable: local .drft JSON and exportable .dxf, so you can walk away any time. Second, the engine is tested — 3,121 automated tests ran green on 25 Jul 2026, and every release runs them again. And this page says out loud what the app can't do yet, which is the honest way to earn a purchase.
Is Draftly affiliated with Autodesk or AutoCAD?
No. Draftly is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Autodesk, Inc. AutoCAD is a registered trademark of Autodesk, Inc. We mention it for cost and workflow reference only.