Compare Updated 2026-06-15
Browser-native 2D CAD compared
A free 2D drafting canvas in the browser. No install. Local files. DXF in and out. Below, how Pixie Space stacks up against both the CAD drafting kernels everyone reaches for first and the vector tools its pen-and-pull curves take after.
At a glance
| Software | Price | Runs on | DXF round-trip | Hatches / dimensions / blocks | Account | Local files | Best fit for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pixie Space | Free | Browser | Yes | Yes / yes / yes | No | Yes | Free browser 2D drafting and pen-and-pull curves, no install, with DXF round-trip and plot to scale |
| AutoCAD LT | $480 / yr | Desktop | Native | Yes / yes / yes (dynamic) | Autodesk login | Yes | Construction documentation and daily DWG round-trip with AEC industry |
| LibreCAD | Free (GPL) | Desktop | Yes | Limited / yes / yes | No | Yes | Free desktop drafting for small projects |
| QCAD | Free or ~$39 perpetual | Desktop | Yes | Yes / yes / yes | No | Yes | Desktop 2D CAD with a free community edition and a paid perpetual pro license |
| Inkscape | Free (GPL) | Desktop | Limited fidelity | Pattern fills / plugin / clones | No | Yes | Free-form SVG vector illustration with rich path editing |
| Adobe Illustrator | $263 / yr (single app) | Desktop, iPad | Limited fidelity | Pattern fills / no / symbols | Adobe login | Yes | Free-form vector illustration and print artwork with deep type and color |
Directional guide as of 2026-06-15. AutoCAD LT and Adobe Illustrator pricing reflect the vendors' public single-product lists. QCAD Professional one-time license is approximately €33 / $39 per QCAD's public store. Features and pricing vary by plan, region, and product version.
Pixie Space for 2D CAD
A free 2D drafting kernel in the browser, with vertical apps for specific trades sitting on top of the same canvas.
- Drawing. Lines, arcs, circles, polylines, splines, ellipses, polygons, construction lines, single-line text.
- Pen and pull. A pen that fits a smooth curve through your points and lets you pull its handles, a curvature tool, French curve presets, and a freehand pencil that snaps to clean shapes. Mouse, touch, or Apple Pencil.
- Editing. Move, rotate, scale, mirror, copy, offset, trim, extend, fillet, chamfer, break, explode, stretch.
- Drafting aids. Object snap (endpoints, midpoints, intersections, perpendicular, tangent, nearest, center, quadrant), in-progress snap, grid, polar tracking, direct distance entry, relative and polar coordinate input.
- Selection. Window, crossing, fence, window polygon, crossing polygon, recall, Shift add, Ctrl subtract, filter by kind or layer.
- Dimensions. Linear, aligned, angular, radial, diametric, leaders, auto center marks. Decimal, architectural feet-inch, and engineering formats.
- Annotations. Text with named styles, hatches (SOLID + ANSI 31-38), blocks with attributes, in-place block editing.
- Layers. Linetypes (continuous, dashed, dotted, center, hidden, phantom), lineweights, visibility, lock.
- Inquiry. Distance, angle, area on closed regions or interactive AREA command, multi-select aggregate stats.
- Files. DXF round-trip (generic and AAMA), pspace native, PDF and SVG export, plot to scale at any ratio with multi-page tiling.
- Workflow. Command palette (Ctrl+K), customizable shortcuts, undo and redo, light and dark themes, movable panels.
- App. Browser-native. No install, no account, no upload. Local files by design.
Common questions
Is Pixie Space a browser-based AutoCAD LT alternative?
Yes for 2D drafting work in the browser. DXF round-trip, hatches, dimensions, blocks, snapping, layers, plot to scale. Free, no install, no account.
How does Pixie Space compare to LibreCAD and QCAD?
Pixie Space runs in the browser with no install. The full drafting surface ships free, with vertical apps for specific trades sharing the same canvas.
Does Pixie Space replace Inkscape for technical drawing?
For CAD-flavored work, yes. DXF round-trip without conversion, dimensions and hatches native, layers that behave the way a CAD user expects.
Is Pixie Space an Adobe Illustrator alternative?
For CAD-flavored drawing, yes. The pen-and-pull, curvature, and freehand tools come from the Illustrator and Procreate lineage, but the output is CAD geometry that round-trips DXF, carries real dimensions and layers, and plots to scale. Illustrator stays the better fit for raster effects, print color, and free artwork.
Why browser-native?
No install. No account. The drawing lives on your machine. Opens on any laptop, tablet, or shared workstation.
Open Pixie Space
A 2D drafting canvas in the browser. Free, no signup.
Open Pixie Space →Working in a specific trade? See the per-vertical comparisons.
AutoCAD, AutoCAD LT, LibreCAD, QCAD, Inkscape, and Adobe Illustrator are trademarks of their respective owners. Pixie Space is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by these companies.