Online OpenSCAD Playground

Online OpenSCAD Playground compared with Autodesk Fusion, SolidWorks and FreeCAD
Online OpenSCAD Playground	Autodesk Fusion	SolidWorks	FreeCAD
Modelling approach: You write a .scad script and the tool renders it to a solid. Geometry comes from code, so every dimension is a variable that can be changed and re-rendered. The playground also offers a Customizer for adjusting parameters without editing code.	Modelling approach: Interactive modelling in a graphical interface, driven by sketches and features. The software is now marketed as Autodesk Fusion. Unlike the playground, no code is needed for ordinary parts.	Modelling approach: Interactive part and assembly modelling with 2D drawings, sold as 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS. Design intent lives in a feature tree, not in a script as it does in the playground.	Modelling approach: Interactive parametric modelling, where all objects are natively parametric. It has workbenches for CSG, 2D drafting, NURBS surfaces, BIM, 3D printing, CNC and finite element analysis, plus Python scripting.
Platform and installation: Runs in the browser as a WebAssembly build of OpenSCAD with a Monaco code editor, so nothing is installed. It can also be installed as a PWA and is meant to work offline once cached. It is described as a limited port of the desktop program.	Platform and installation: Desktop application with commercial and personal use subscriptions. The playground needs no account or licence activation, which is the main practical difference.	Platform and installation: Installed locally on the computer and deployed from the cloud, with a Work Offline mode of up to 30 consecutive days. The licence is tied to a 3DEXPERIENCE ID.	Platform and installation: Desktop installers for Windows 10 or later, macOS 12 or later and Linux (x86_64 and aarch64 AppImage). Stable release listed on the project site: 1.1.4.
Inputs, outputs and formats: Reads .scad files. STL is the export format, and export to other formats is listed as a roadmap item. The default Manifold backend makes rendering fast, but local file imports are limited because the library path setup is not finished.	Inputs, outputs and formats: The free personal use plan has limited drawings, documentation and file import and export, and no commercial data translators. Exchange with other CAD systems is therefore narrower than with the commercial plan.		Inputs, outputs and formats: Supports dozens of formats, including STEP, IGES, STL, DXF and IFC, plus its native FCStd format. This is far wider exchange than the playground, which ends at STL meshes.
Licence and cost: Free to use in the browser. The source is on GitHub, and the licence terms are in the LICENSE files of the repository, which also cover Monaco and the STL viewer.	Licence and cost: Free for personal, non-commercial projects with feature limits. Freelance, consulting and product sales require a commercial Autodesk Fusion subscription, whose price is on a separate Autodesk page.	Licence and cost: Subscription only. The Standard plan is a per-seat licence on the vendor store, with Professional and Premium plans above it.	Licence and cost: Free and open source, and the files you create belong to you.
Level of expertise required: Needs basic programming ideas (variables, modules, loops) and spatial reasoning. No CAD training is required. Well suited to a first test of OpenSCAD.	Level of expertise required: Standard CAD training is enough for common parts. Advanced CAM and simulation need more experience.	Level of expertise required: Typical professional CAD skills, including sketching constraints, assemblies and drawings. Premium adds simulation and routing, which need specialist knowledge.	Level of expertise required: CAD skills plus time to learn the workbench structure. Python scripting is optional but available for automation.
When to choose it: Choose it to try OpenSCAD quickly, share a parametric part by link, or generate simple parts without installing anything. For complete features, the desktop OpenSCAD is the better base.	When to choose it: Choose it for integrated design and CAM in one environment, or when a free hobby licence is enough.	When to choose it: Choose it where a commercial, supported CAD with drawings and collaboration is required by the company or its customers.	When to choose it: Choose it when you need a free, general parametric CAD with scripting and many workbenches, and can accept a steeper learning curve.

Online OpenSCAD Playground compared with Autodesk Fusion, SolidWorks and FreeCAD

Online OpenSCAD Playground

Autodesk Fusion

SolidWorks

FreeCAD

Modelling approach: You write a .scad script and the tool renders it to a solid. Geometry comes from code, so every dimension is a variable that can be changed and re-rendered. The playground also offers a Customizer for adjusting parameters without editing code.

Modelling approach: Interactive modelling in a graphical interface, driven by sketches and features. The software is now marketed as Autodesk Fusion. Unlike the playground, no code is needed for ordinary parts.

Modelling approach: Interactive part and assembly modelling with 2D drawings, sold as 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS. Design intent lives in a feature tree, not in a script as it does in the playground.

Modelling approach: Interactive parametric modelling, where all objects are natively parametric. It has workbenches for CSG, 2D drafting, NURBS surfaces, BIM, 3D printing, CNC and finite element analysis, plus Python scripting.

Platform and installation: Runs in the browser as a WebAssembly build of OpenSCAD with a Monaco code editor, so nothing is installed. It can also be installed as a PWA and is meant to work offline once cached. It is described as a limited port of the desktop program.

Platform and installation: Desktop application with commercial and personal use subscriptions. The playground needs no account or licence activation, which is the main practical difference.

Platform and installation: Installed locally on the computer and deployed from the cloud, with a Work Offline mode of up to 30 consecutive days. The licence is tied to a 3DEXPERIENCE ID.

Platform and installation: Desktop installers for Windows 10 or later, macOS 12 or later and Linux (x86_64 and aarch64 AppImage). Stable release listed on the project site: 1.1.4.

Inputs, outputs and formats: Reads .scad files. STL is the export format, and export to other formats is listed as a roadmap item. The default Manifold backend makes rendering fast, but local file imports are limited because the library path setup is not finished.

Inputs, outputs and formats: The free personal use plan has limited drawings, documentation and file import and export, and no commercial data translators. Exchange with other CAD systems is therefore narrower than with the commercial plan.

Inputs, outputs and formats: Supports dozens of formats, including STEP, IGES, STL, DXF and IFC, plus its native FCStd format. This is far wider exchange than the playground, which ends at STL meshes.

Licence and cost: Free to use in the browser. The source is on GitHub, and the licence terms are in the LICENSE files of the repository, which also cover Monaco and the STL viewer.

Licence and cost: Free for personal, non-commercial projects with feature limits. Freelance, consulting and product sales require a commercial Autodesk Fusion subscription, whose price is on a separate Autodesk page.

Licence and cost: Subscription only. The Standard plan is a per-seat licence on the vendor store, with Professional and Premium plans above it.

Licence and cost: Free and open source, and the files you create belong to you.

Level of expertise required: Needs basic programming ideas (variables, modules, loops) and spatial reasoning. No CAD training is required. Well suited to a first test of OpenSCAD.

Level of expertise required: Standard CAD training is enough for common parts. Advanced CAM and simulation need more experience.

Level of expertise required: Typical professional CAD skills, including sketching constraints, assemblies and drawings. Premium adds simulation and routing, which need specialist knowledge.

Level of expertise required: CAD skills plus time to learn the workbench structure. Python scripting is optional but available for automation.

When to choose it: Choose it to try OpenSCAD quickly, share a parametric part by link, or generate simple parts without installing anything. For complete features, the desktop OpenSCAD is the better base.

When to choose it: Choose it for integrated design and CAM in one environment, or when a free hobby licence is enough.

When to choose it: Choose it where a commercial, supported CAD with drawings and collaboration is required by the company or its customers.

When to choose it: Choose it when you need a free, general parametric CAD with scripting and many workbenches, and can accept a steeper learning curve.