This isn't a hit piece on AutoCAD. Autodesk's flagship product is genuinely impressive software with decades of development behind it. But impressive software and the right software aren't always the same thing.
Here's an honest look at how the two compare — and more importantly, when each one makes sense.
Price
AutoCAD costs approximately £2,000 per year on a subscription licence. BenCAD is free. For professional architectural or engineering practices where AutoCAD is used every day by trained staff, that cost is entirely justified. For a sole trader who needs to draw a floor plan occasionally, it is not.
Learning curve
AutoCAD has a famously steep learning curve. Becoming proficient takes weeks of dedicated practice; becoming expert takes years. BenCAD is designed to be usable in under a minute by someone who has never opened a CAD application. The trade-off is capability — BenCAD does less, but what it does, it does immediately.
What AutoCAD does that BenCAD doesn't
3D modelling. BIM integration. Parametric constraints. Xrefs. Paper space layouts. Dynamic blocks. If you need any of these things, you need AutoCAD or similar professional software. BenCAD makes no attempt to compete on these features.
What BenCAD does that AutoCAD can't match
Opens in a browser in two seconds. Runs on a phone. Costs nothing. Requires no training. These aren't minor conveniences — for most everyday spatial drawing tasks, they're exactly what makes the difference between a tool you actually use and one that stays on the shelf.
The honest verdict
If you're a professional architectural practice producing complex drawings every day, you need AutoCAD. If you're a tradesperson, small contractor, or anyone who occasionally needs to draw a floor plan accurately and share it quickly, BenCAD is almost certainly sufficient — and the time and money you save are yours to keep.