GstarCAD

A great alternative to AutoCAD!

For more than 20 years, people in China have been working hard on GstarCAD. This CAD program is now so good that more and more companies are switching to it for their professional technical drafting. It’s virtually identical to the slightly older versions of AutoCAD, and the one-time purchase price is even lower than the annual subscription fee for AutoCAD LT.

Start the free trial immediately via the download button below. Permanently activate the software by purchasing one of the three available licenses.

Download the GstarCAD software here.

GstarCAD 2026 Standard

For all conceivable 2D and 3D drafting tasks, with additional tools and maximum programmability. Dynamic blocks can be used but cannot be customized. No solid modeling.

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GstarCAD 2026 Professional

Everything GstarCAD Standard offers, plus 3D solid modeling and the ability to configure dynamic blocks.

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GstarCAD 2026 Plus

Everything GstarCAD Professional has to offer, plus Constraints and a large collection of useful tools.

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DWG FastView

DWG FastView is a free, universal, lightweight software that lets you quickly open, measure, and edit 2D and 3D CAD drawings on Windows, mobile devices, and the web. The software is fully compatible with DWG and DXF files.

DWG FastView was developed by Gstarsoft, the creators of GStarCAD. While GStarCAD is the powerful desktop software for complex drafting, DWG FastView serves as the perfect mobile and web extension for use on the go and on the construction site.

Click here to use the free DWG FastView.
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Why Choose GstarCAD

  • GstarCAD costs just €650, including one year of help desk support
  • AutoCAD just won’t get any cheaper, despite the weak dollar
  • The Chinese are talented and won’t sit idly by
  • In many situations, not even 50% of the functionality is needed
  • It took 20 years before text in AutoCAD would finally follow the scale (this has only worked since AutoCAD 2008!)
  • There is also a network version of GstarCAD (but not of AutoCAD LT)
  • IDEOMA’s database products can integrate with GstarCAD
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AutoCAD, a true premium brand

In late 2006, Autodesk shook up the market by imposing new regulations on the dealer channel. This inevitably led to higher prices for you, the end user. For various parties, including IDEOMA, this was the reason to look for alternatives. GstarCAD emerged as the best option.
Our specialists rate GstarCAD as more than adequate: it offers about 80% of the functionality of the latest version of AutoCAD. It lacks features such as tool palettes, dynamic blocks, tables, and fields, and its 3D functionality is less advanced. So it offers less, but for most users, it’s more than enough.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about GstarCAD

We’re happy to help with any queries you may have. Can’t find your question here? Please feel free to give us a call or send us an email.

General

Yes. GstarCAD is one of the most widely used AutoCAD alternatives in the Netherlands. It is 100% legal, works on exactly the same .dwg basis and costs a fraction of the price of an Autodesk licence.

Yes. GstarCAD uses .dwg and .dxf formats by default. You can open and save files seamlessly without the need for conversion.

Yes, provided you have the Professional version. The NLCS applications (widely used in the Dutch civil engineering and infrastructure sectors) run smoothly on GstarCAD via specific add-ons supported by local IT partners.

Yes. You can use existing dynamic blocks without any problems. Please note: only in GstarCAD Professionalcan you create these dynamic blocks yourself or adjust their parameters.

Licences and installation

Click on GstarCAD 2025 Network License Manager Guide to view the network installation guide in PDF format.

GstarCAD offers permanent licences (purchase) and annual subscriptions. These are available as either standalone licences or network licences.

The Professional version includes all the features of the Standard version, plus full 3D modelling (solids) and the ability to edit dynamic blocks.

Interface en Functionality

Yes. Virtually all the familiar commands (such as LINE, TRIM, HATCH) and keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V) are exactly the same.

Click on the cog icon (Workspace Switching) in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen and select ‘GstarCAD Classic’ or ‘2D Drafting’.

Press the shortcut key Ctrl + 9 to bring the command line back on screen straight away.

Type the command PLOT. Under ‘Printer’, select ‘DWG to PDF.pc3’, choose your paper size and the window, then click OK.

Place the missing Dutch font files (.shx) in the folderC:Program FilesGstarsoftGstarCAD [versie]Fonts. Restart the programme to ensure the text is legible again.

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