3D CAD Software Market Size & Share Analysis - Trends, Drivers, Competitive Landscape, and Forecasts (2025 - 2032)
This Report Provides In-Depth Analysis of the 3D CAD Software Market Report Prepared by P&S Intelligence, Segmented by Deployment (Cloud-based, On-premises), Model (Wire-Frame, Surface, Solid), Application (Aerospace & defense, Automotive, Manufacturing, Healthcare, Media & Entertainment, Arts), and Geographical Outlook for the Period of 2019 to 2032
Explore the market potential with our data-driven report
3D CAD Software Market Future Prospects
The global 3D CAD software market size was USD 12.0 billion in 2024, and this number is expected to increase to USD 22.0 billion by 2032, advancing at a CAGR of 8.0% during the forecast period (2025–2032). This is attributed to the increasing use of 3D modeling and the rising demand for cloud-based and mobile-friendly 3D CAD solutions. Moreover, the adoption of such software is surging, due to the increasing number of professionals in the field of designing, especially in sectors such as aerospace & defense, automotive, and healthcare.
In addition, packaging machines are increasingly becoming complex, especially with the rise in the focus on efficiency, due to which designers and engineers are deploying such software to meet mechatronic engineering challenges. Thus, these factors are resulting in the increasing demand for 3D CAD software, globally.
Another key industry that is increasingly using CAD tools is aerospace, where precision, quality, efficiency, performance, and safety are everything. This software is widely used to design autonomous flight systems, often in combination with AI. CAD enables the usage of new, high-performance materials as well as additive manufacturing, which saves time, material wastage, and operational costs. The watershed moment for the aerospace industry in regard to CAD tools was the 1995 launch of Boeing 777, which was designed entirely using this technology.
3D CAD Software Market Trends and Growth Drivers
Shift from License-Based to Subscription-Based Models Is Key Trend
Due to the high cost of CAD software, many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) having limited IT budgets are leveraging professional CAD software on a quarterly or monthly basis.
Since the development and installation of CAD solutions are highly expensive, the majority of users, rendering 2D CAD software, have now shifted to the subscription-based model.
With the increasing number of price-conscious customers in the global technology market, 3D CAD subscription-based offerings are gaining interest, while the use of traditional 2D CAD software is diminishing.
Moreover, through this subscription model, CAD providers are reshaping their sales strategy to easily allow users to get in touch with an array of offerings provided by them.
Increasing Need for Quality Automotive Products Boosts Market Growth
The demand for quality automotive products has increased in recent years. Users are significantly focusing on quality products, rather than considering brand value.
With millions of connected cars expected on road in the coming years, designers are considering advanced solutions and tools provided by 3D CAD software to align the design and development of products with error-free manufacturing.
Further, 3D CAD plays a major role in ensuring the utmost quality and precision, while helping in manufacturing each part in the automotive industry.
Moreover, due to the increased investment in research and development (R&D) by product manufacturers, in order to compete in the market, such designing solutions have gained significant interest from designers to produce less vulnerable automotive products.
Also, 3D CAD software lowers product recalls and further enables product designers with complex simulations of how new product designs will behave and function in response to real-world forces.
Some of the prominent cars created using CAD are Tesla Model S, Porsche 911, BMW i8, Audi R8, and newer models of the long-produces Ford Mustang.
High Cost and Availability of Free Open-Source Software Hamper Market Growth
High price for advanced CAD software is also a major factor affecting the growth of CAD software market globally.
On average, advanced 3D CAD software availed via the cloud can cost up to USD 100 per hour and USD 500 per day.
Due to high implementation and maintenance cost, advanced CAD software are not preferred by small scale industries and designers.
Apart from this, advanced CAD software require high configurable workstations to run effectively, thus, increasing the overall IT budget of the users.
Since, the cost of 3D CAD is high, many product designers are still considering 2D CAD as a cost-effective solution to product drafting and modeling.
Also, such designers are looking for add-ons to their traditional 2D CAD, such as advanced 2D CAD tools and simulation solutions, in order to meet the specific demands of customers.
Further, 3D CAD requires expertise to design and draft products, which creates a skill gap between 3D CAD designers and the designers already rendering 2D CAD software.
Small industries tend to avoid such skill gaps, due to loss in overall productivity and business continuity.
Increasing availability of open-source and free version of CAD software is another major challenge. Due to high cost of CAD software, many providers are rolling out free versions of their offerings to reach out to large customers.
Such free and open-source products are widely being rendered by individual small-scale industries, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that have limited budget for designing tools.
3D CAD Software Market Analysis
Model Analysis
The solid model accounted for the largest revenue share, of 65%, in 2024, and the category is further expected to advance at the highest CAGR. This is attributed to the surging demand for greater simulation, manipulation, and modification in designs; and the rising need for most advanced modeling in three dimensions. Additionally, this model helps designers to ensure that an object looks exactly as they wanted it to be after manufacturing, and it provides a vision to the designers to make changes wherever required, which, in turn, create a significant demand for this model.
Moreover, the surface model category will witness significant growth in the coming years. This can be due to the rising adoption of such modeling, as it offers a more realistic approach for creating free-form shapes or objects, definitive in nature with no ambiguity; and the surging preference of designers, as the creation of complex surfaces using surface modeling is easier in comparison to other modeling techniques.
These models are covered in the report:
Wire-Frame
Surface
Solid (Largest and Fastest-Growing Category)
Deployment Analysis
The on-premises category dominates the market as deploying the software onsite offers better control and data privacy, thus enabling regulatory compliance. This is also credited to the inclination of large enterprises towards industry standards and traditional method of deploying CAD software, along with their hesitation to make technology shifts, especially where large or professional projects are at hand.
The cloud-based deployment category will register the faster growth during the forecast period, of 8%. This high growth can be ascribed to its convenience of usage, as it runs through a web or mobile app, or in a local browser, unlike traditional CAD software installed on a local computer; it can be updated through a remote server; and it is highly preferred by designers, as it offers greater collaboration, streamlined workflows, and design from anywhere options. Moreover, it is cost-effective software that helps in enhancing the quality of design while also improving the productivity of designers.
The deployments analyzed are:
Cloud-Based (Faster-Growing Category)
On-Premises (Larger Category)
Application Analysis
The manufacturing category accounted for the largest revenue share in 2024, and it is further expected to maintain its dominance during the forecast period, advancing with a substantial CAGR. This is attributed to the increasing investments in various 3D printing technologies, which are assisting in the manufacturing of numerous parts with a wide range of materials based on end users’ requirements.
Additionally, the automotive category will witness significant growth in the coming years. This can be ascribed to the rising need for such software, as a result of the surging demand for more advanced and safe vehicles; the increasing need for advanced 3D designed features of the interior and exterior automotive parts and the implementation of existing designs in new vehicle variants; and the wide usage of such software, as it is used in every aspect of automotive design.
The healthcare category is expected to be the fastest growing during the forecast period. With rapidly expanding healthcare services and continuous innovation, designers have generated huge demand for advanced designing software to reduce complex designing challenges in healthcare applications. 3D CAD helps designers in most vivid areas of healthcare, such as hearing devices, surgical and medical devices, and medical implantation machinery. Apart from this, 3D CAD is also majorly used in dental design, artificial body parts, surgical implant design, blood flow analysis, preoperative planning for surgical operations, and computer-assisted surgery. The software helps in creating models of injuries to develop precise personalized treatment plan and assists radiologists in comprehending complex images and in detection of fractures.
We studied the below-mentioned applications:
Aerospace & defense
Automotive
Manufacturing (Largest Category)
Healthcare (Fastest-Growing Category)
Media & Entertainment
Arts
Others
Drive strategic growth with comprehensive market analysis
3D CAD Software Market Geographical Outlook
North America accounted for the largest revenue share, of 45%, in 2024 and is further expected to maintain its market dominance during the forecast period. This is attributed to the presence of a large number of software providers, high R&D expenditure, and the mounting usage of such software in the healthcare, manufacturing, automotive, and media and entertainment sectors.
Furthermore, the market for 3D CAD software in the U.S. is experiencing significant development, owing to the growth in industries such as aerospace & defense and automobile. The aerospace & defense sector holds the prime share in the U.S. market for such software. This is mostly attributable to the enormous emphasis on the development of cutting-edge space shuttle, missile, and aircraft systems. Also, such software has become a crucial factor in product designing in this sector, as it demands great accuracy, particularly in the manufacturing of essential components such as wings and interbody sheets.
The APAC market will register the fastest growth in the coming years, of 8.5%. This can be ascribed to the infrastructure development in emerging economies, which helps in improving the productivity of users via better data sharing and collaboration, and increasing workflow efficiency; the high adoption rate of advanced technologies; the rising demand for advanced modeling solutions, owing to the growing automotive, construction, and healthcare industries, in which 3D visualization and refined prototypes are needed to develop high feature-based products; the burgeoning media and entertainment industry; and the proliferating number of SMEs that seek digitally advanced solutions to streamline their operations.
In addition, the market growth in Europe is ascribed to the well-established automobile sector, the growing healthcare industry, the rising spending on R&D to develop more precise equipment used during surgical procedures, and the ever-growing need for tooling and rapid prototyping in the aerospace & defense and industrial sectors, in the region.
The market is fragmented as developing CAD software is not a technically challenging or financially straining process.
The CAD software market is observing notable changes in recent years, especially owing to the emergence of hardware startups, and personal technology products, such as 3D printers with democratized design.
The market is going through a rapid evolution, due to cloud, and mobile technology, with consumer demand increasing among engineers, entrepreneurs and consumers.
The players and developers are heavily investing in R&D activities attributing the consistent expectation of consumers regarding upgrades in the existing design and drafting products.
Furthermore, the developers are focusing on innovation in production technologies to improve efficiency and shelf life.
The software industry poses limited barriers for new entrants, with increasing availability of computing power at progressively lower prices.
Moreover, with a shift of industry from the personal computer to cloud and mobile computing lowers the barriers to entry and characterizes competition among existing and new entrants with innovative technologies.
Major Companies in 3D CAD Software Market:
Autodesk Inc.
Dassault Syst?mes SE
PTC Inc.
Bentley Systems Inc.
3D Systems Inc.
Hexagon AB
Aveva Group PLC
IronCAD LLC
Siemens AG
Gstarsoft Co. Ltd.
Trimble Inc.
Gehry Technologies Inc.
3D CAD Software Market News
In November 2024, Autodesk Inc. received the moderate-level FedRAMP authorization for its Autodesk BIM Collaborate Pro for Government and Autodesk Docs for Government software.
In October 2024, Bentley Systems Inc. announced new generative AI capabilities in its OpenSite+ civil site design software.
In September 2024, Dassault Systèmes SE launched the SOLIDWORKS 2025 line of 3D design and collaboration software.
In September 2024, PTC Inc. entered a collaboration with Amazon Web Services Inc. to advance the adoption of the former’s Onshape cloud-native CAD and PDM solution.
Frequently Asked Questions About This Report
What was the size of the 3D CAD software market in 2024?+
The 3D CAD software market size stood at USD 12.0 billion in 2024.
What is the competitive analysis of the 3D CAD software market?+
The 3D CAD software industry is fragmented.
Which is the largest application area in the 3D CAD software market?+
Manufacturing is the largest application area in the 3D CAD software market.
What are the major drivers for the 3D CAD software industry?+
The major drivers for the 3D CAD software industry are the advancements in industrial design, engineering, simulation and manufacturing methodologies and emergence of cloud-based 3D CAD software.
Which region has the highest 3D CAD software market CAGR?+
APAC is the fastest-growing market for 3D CAD software.
Leading companies across industries trust us to deliver data-driven insights and innovative solutions for their most critical decisions. From data-driven strategies to actionable insights, we empower the decision-makers who shape industries and define the future. From Fortune 500 companies to innovative startups, we are proud to partner with organisations that drive progress in their industries.
Client Testimonials
Working with P&S Intelligence and their team was an absolute pleasure – their awareness of timelines and commitment to value greatly contributed to our project's success. Eagerly anticipating future collaborations.
McKinsey & Company
India
Unmatched Standards
Our insights into the minutest levels of the markets, including the latest trends and competitive landscape, give you all the answers you need to take your business to new heights
Complete Data Security
We take a cautious approach to protecting your personal and confidential information. Trust is the strongest bond that connects us and our clients, and trust we build by complying with all international and domestic data protection and privacy laws