How progeCAD stacks up against BricsCAD Pro across every dimension that matters. BricsCAD pricing checked October 2026 against the official Octave store.
Feature
progeCAD
$540 one-time
BricsCAD Pro
~$775/year
Pricing & licensing
Purchase model
How you pay
One-time perpetual
Subscription or perpetual
Entry price
What you pay to get started
$540
~$775/yr
Pro, subscription
5-year total cost
What you actually spend
$540
~$3,875
Pro, subscription
Software ownership
Keep it if you stop paying?
✓
Forever
~
Subscription stops; perpetual keeps working
US-based support
Phone & email from Clackamas, OR
✓
✗
Belgium-based
File compatibility
Native DWG read/write
Open and save DWG without conversion
✓
✓
DXF support
✓
✓
PDF export / plot
✓
✓
CAD capabilities
AutoCAD-compatible commands
Same commands and workflow
✓
✓
2D drafting
✓
✓
3D solid modeling
✓
✓
AutoLISP / LISP scripting
✓
✓
XREF management
✓
✓
BIM / architectural modeling
Walls, roofs, structural objects
Via add-on
✓
Built-in
Platform support
Windows
✓
✓
Mac
iCADMac (separate)
✓
Linux
✗
✓
Savings calculator
How much will you save vs BricsCAD?
Drag the slider to see how your savings grow over time compared to BricsCAD Pro.
5
progeCAD cost
$540
one-time, forever
BricsCAD Pro cost
$3,875
over 5 years
You save
$3,335
over 5 years
Based on BricsCAD Pro at ~$775/year (€710/yr converted at approximate USD rate). progeCAD is a one-time $540 purchase — own the version you buy, forever.
Why progeCAD
Three reasons Windows CAD users choose progeCAD.
For drafting professionals who need DWG compatibility without a recurring bill.
Pay once. Own it forever.
progeCAD is $540 — one time. No annual renewal. No access cut-off if you miss a payment. The version you buy is yours to install, move, and use indefinitely. Over five years, that's a $3,335 difference versus BricsCAD Pro.
No subscription management.
No renewal reminders. No seat management portals. No risk of losing access because a credit card expired. progeCAD installs like software used to — download, activate, done. Your team can focus on drafting, not license administration.
US-based support team.
progeCAD USA is based in Clackamas, Oregon. Real people answer your emails and calls in US business hours. BricsCAD (now owned by Octave, previously Bricsys/Hexagon) is headquartered in Belgium — US customers deal with international support queues and time-zone gaps.
Common questions
progeCAD vs BricsCAD — FAQ.
Answers to the questions we hear most from people switching or comparing.
Yes, for most everyday Windows drafting. Both read and write DWG natively and use AutoCAD-style commands, AutoLISP and a familiar interface, so standard 2D drafting and typical 3D modeling work the same way. (progeCAD is built on the IntelliCAD platform; BricsCAD has used its own engine since version 10.) The key difference is cost and ownership — progeCAD is a one-time $540 perpetual license, while BricsCAD Pro on annual subscription is about $775/year (€710/year on the official Octave store). Where BricsCAD has an edge is in built-in BIM tools such as walls, roofs, and structural elements. If you do not need BIM and you are on Windows, progeCAD delivers equivalent capability at a fraction of the lifetime cost.
Yes. BricsCAD saves files in standard DWG format, and progeCAD opens DWG natively — no conversion, no import step. If a colleague or client sends you a DWG created in BricsCAD, you open it in progeCAD exactly like any other DWG file. The same is true in reverse: DWGs saved by progeCAD open cleanly in BricsCAD.
progeCAD has always been sold as a perpetual license at a low one-time price — that's the entire business model. BricsCAD is priced for a broader product family (BIM, Mechanical and Linux support) and is most commonly bought as an annual subscription. progeCAD focuses on what Windows drafters actually use: DWG compatibility, AutoCAD commands, LISP, and solid 2D/3D tools, at a one-time price.
Yes. BricsCAD is sold both as an annual subscription and as a perpetual license, through the Octave store and authorized resellers; perpetual pricing varies by reseller and region. On the official Octave store, BricsCAD Pro on subscription is listed at €710/year (about $775/year). progeCAD Professional is a one-time $540 perpetual license — you own the version you buy, with optional iCARE maintenance only if you want ongoing upgrades.
BricsCAD was originally developed by Bricsys, which was acquired by Hexagon AB (a Swedish industrial technology conglomerate) in 2018. The software division has since been rebranded under "Octave." progeCAD is developed by progeSOFT (Italy) and distributed in the US by progeCAD USA, an independent US company based in Clackamas, Oregon.
In most cases, yes. Both BricsCAD and progeCAD support AutoLISP, and routines written to AutoCAD/AutoLISP standards are generally compatible with both. If a routine uses BricsCAD-specific API extensions (BRX), those parts would need adaptation. Standard LISP automation, batch scripts, and productivity routines typically transfer without modification.
BricsCAD Lite is BricsCAD's 2D-only edition, and on the official Octave store it is sold only in packs of five seats. progeCAD Professional includes both 2D drafting and 3D solid modeling in a single $540 one-time license, sold per seat, so a one- or two-person office does not have to buy five seats.
ZWCAD is another DWG-compatible AutoCAD alternative, developed by ZWSOFT in Guangzhou, China. As of October 2026, ZWSOFT's own pricing page states that ZWCAD perpetual licenses are not available in the USA and Canada and that ZWCAD Flex is currently unavailable in the USA. progeCAD Professional is sold and supported in the US by progeCAD USA as a $540 one-time perpetual license. See the full progeCAD vs ZWCAD comparison at progecad.us/vs-zwcad.
If full BIM authoring (parametric walls, roofs, IFC export) is central to your workflow, BricsCAD has more built-in BIM capability than progeCAD's base package. That said, progeCAD Professional supports 3D solid modeling and can be extended with industry-specific add-ons. For teams that do architectural drafting rather than full BIM authoring, progeCAD handles the job at a much lower cost. Contact us — we'll give you an honest answer based on your specific workflow.
progeCAD vs BricsCAD
Native DWG compatibility. One-time price. No annual renewal.
Stop paying $775 a year.
Try progeCAD free for 30 days. Same DWG files, same commands — one-time price of $540.
