Turbocad
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersNovato, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Turbocad does
IMSI Design, doing business primarily as TurboCAD, is a privately held, US-based developer of retail-oriented 2D/3D computer-aided design (CAD) and home design software, founded in 1983 and headquartered in Novato, California, with 101–250 employees. Its product portfolio is built around three brands: TurboCAD (the flagship general-purpose 2D/3D CAD line for Windows and Mac, sold in tiered editions from Designer through Platinum), DesignCAD (an entry-level 2D/3D CAD line positioned for beginners), and FloorPlan (home and landscape design software for Windows and Mac). The core technology stack integrates Spatial Corporation's ACIS solid modeling kernel for 3D geometry, the RedSDK rendering engine for photorealistic visualization, and the LightWorks plug-in for rendering, with a new TurboCAD Copilot AI assistant layered on as a term-licensed add-on.
The company operates a horizontal go-to-market targeting AEC professionals, mechanical designers and makers, homeowners/DIY users, and CAD students/beginners. Distribution is multi-channel: a self-serve e-commerce storefront (imsidesign.com) with free evaluations, a formal reseller/VAR program, an affiliate program, and phone-based inside sales (1-800-833-8082). The business model combines one-time perpetual licenses (the historical core), an expanding set of term/subscription licenses across the product line and add-ons, and a broad ecosystem of plug-ins and CAD companions (rendering, animation, CAM, project management, PDF conversion, symbols libraries). The company claims 20M+ worldwide users since 1983 and consistent placement among the top 10 global CAD brands, though it discloses no revenue, no funding history, and no ownership structure, leaving material financial and corporate-governance data gaps.
Turbocad firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Turbocad
- Legal name
- IMSI Design
- Website
- https://turbocad.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Turbocad industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Software
- NAICS
- Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- 3D Design & CAD for Additive Manufacturing (IMAAACAA)
Keywords
Where Turbocad is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Novato
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Turbocad business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Software Licenses (Perpetual): One-time purchase model for TurboCAD, DesignCAD, and FloorPlan products sold in multiple tiers (Designer, Deluxe, Professional, Platinum) for Windows and Mac platforms
- Subscription/Term Licenses: Annual term license options available for TurboCAD, DesignCAD, and various add-ons including TurboCAD Copilot, Content Server, and Training licenses
- Add-on Products: Additional revenue from plug-ins (LightWorks, RedSDK, Animation Lab, CAM), training materials, CAD companions, and specialized tools like Furniture Maker and Civil Design Suite
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | TurboCAD product line with tiered editions for Windows and Mac |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Turbocad product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IMSI Design develops and sells the TurboCAD line of general-purpose 2D/3D CAD software for Windows and Mac, available in tiered editions (Designer, Deluxe, Professional/Pro, Platinum), alongside the DesignCAD beginner-friendly CAD product and the FloorPlan home and landscape design product. The portfolio is supplemented by paid add-on plug-ins, CAD companions, and training materials, and is sold via direct e-commerce, resellers, and an affiliate program with both perpetual and subscription licensing.
Product overview
IMSI Design offers a portfolio of CAD and home design software products. The core offerings include TurboCAD (professional 2D/3D CAD software available in Windows and Mac versions with Designer, Deluxe, Professional, and Platinum editions), DesignCAD (easy-to-use 2D/3D CAD for Windows beginners), and FloorPlan (home and landscape design software for Windows and Mac with Express, Deluxe, and Pro variants). The portfolio follows a platform-plus-modules architecture where the core CAD products serve as the foundation, supplemented by add-on plug-ins including TurboCAD Copilot (AI assistance), rendering tools (LightWorks, RedSDK), animation (Animation Lab), manufacturing (CAM), and CAD companions (SectionCalc, PDF2CAD, CADsymbols, TurboPDF, TurboDraw). Additional add-ons include TurboProject for project management, FORMTOOL for form creation, and training resources. Products support extensive file formats including DWG, STL, and U3D/PDF 3D export.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- TurboCAD: All-Purpose 2D/3D CAD Software Solutions for Windows and Mac Users. The flagship CAD product line offering multiple editions from Designer to Platinum.
- DesignCAD
- FloorPlan
Products and services
- TurboCAD All-purpose 2D/3D CAD software for Windows and Mac, available in tiered editions (Designer, Deluxe, Professional/Pro, Platinum) with professional drafting palette, ACIS solid modeling, photorealistic rendering, and advanced architectural and mechanical toolsets. Targets architects, engineers, builders, mechanical designers, makers, and home users.
- TurboCAD Mac 17 macOS version of TurboCAD released in 2026, available in Designer, Deluxe, Pro, and Platinum editions for professional 2D/3D CAD work.
- DesignCAD Easy-to-use 2D/3D CAD software for Windows, positioned as a great beginner CAD solution and general-purpose drafting tool, with DesignCAD 3D Max and DesignCAD 2D Express variants.
- FloorPlan (TurboFloorPlan 3D) Complete home and landscape design software for Windows and Mac, available in Express, Instant Architect, Deluxe, and Pro editions, enabling users to design homes from foundation through landscaping.
- TurboCAD Copilot AI-powered design assistance add-on for TurboCAD, available as a professional term license (1-year and 3-year options).
- LightWorks Plug-in for TurboCAD Rendering plug-in for TurboCAD enabling advanced visualization.
- RedSDK Plug-in for TurboCAD Plug-in that enhances drawing performance with wireframe, hidden-line, and conceptual rendered viewing capabilities.
- Animation Lab Plug-in Animation creation plug-in for TurboCAD.
- CAM Plug-in for TurboCAD Platinum Computer-Aided Manufacturing plug-in for TurboCAD Platinum.
- TurboCAD Content Server Content management add-on for TurboCAD with annual term licensing.
- Civil Design Suite Civil engineering design suite plug-in for TurboCAD.
- Furniture Maker Furniture and woodworking design plug-in for TurboCAD.
- Beam Analysis Tool Beam analysis plug-in for TurboCAD.
- U3D and PDF 3D Plug-in Plug-in enabling U3D and 3D-PDF export for TurboCAD.
- TurboProject Pro v7 Project management add-on for CAD workflows.
- SectionCalc 4.0 CAD companion tool for section calculations.
- PDF2CAD PC v12 Tool to convert PDF files to CAD format.
- CADsymbols 20 CAD symbols library add-on.
- TurboPDF 4 PDF creation and editing tool.
- TurboDraw Drawing and vector editing add-on.
- FORMTOOL Form creation and management tool for CAD, available in Professional, Deluxe, and Standard v7 editions plus Form Packs.
- PowerPack Mac Pro Power enhancement pack for TurboCAD Mac Pro, with an annual term-license variant.
Quantifiable outcome
- 20M+ worldwide users served since founding in 1983
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Turbocad
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Turbocad technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature5 records
Turbocad partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- ACIS (Spatial Corp)coreACIS solid modeling technology is integrated into TurboCAD as a core component, providing professional-grade 3D geometry creation and editing capabilities. This technology partnership enables TurboCAD's advanced mechanical design and 3D modeling features.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Turbocad competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ZWSOFT (ZWCAD): ZWCAD is a global DWG-compatible CAD alternative with strong presence in Asia and emerging markets, competing head-to-head with TurboCAD in the affordable AutoCAD-replacement category.
- Bricsys (BricsCAD): BricsCAD is a direct DWG-compatible CAD alternative for Windows, Mac, and Linux, positioned similarly to TurboCAD as a cost-effective AutoCAD replacement for professionals and SMBs.
- Chief Architect Software: Chief Architect is a leading home design CAD product, directly comparable to IMSI's FloorPlan/TurboFloorPlan line in the residential and light-commercial design segment.
- Dassault Systèmes (DraftSight, SolidWorks): Dassault's DraftSight competes directly with TurboCAD in the affordable 2D/3D CAD space, and SolidWorks overlaps in mechanical 3D design. Notably, Dassault owns Spatial Corp, which supplies TurboCAD's ACIS kernel.
- Corel (CorelCAD): CorelCAD is a general-purpose 2D/3D DWG-compatible CAD product sold across Windows and Mac at competitive price points, targeting the same SMB/prosumer segment as TurboCAD.
- Autodesk (AutoCAD): Autodesk's AutoCAD is the dominant general-purpose 2D/3D CAD product and TurboCAD's primary named competitor. Both target AEC, mechanical, and general drafting users with DWG-based workflows on Windows and Mac.
Emerging players
- Vectorworks (Nemetschek): Vectorworks is a CAD/BIM product used by architects, landscape, and entertainment designers. It overlaps with TurboCAD's AEC and FloorPlan use cases, particularly in the Mac-based design professional segment.
- Trimble SketchUp: SketchUp is a popular 3D modeling tool used across architecture, interior design, and DIY. It overlaps with FloorPlan and TurboCAD's 3D use cases but is a much larger free/freemium community-driven product.
Broad incumbents
- Siemens Solid Edge: Siemens' Solid Edge is a mainstream mechanical CAD platform, comparable to TurboCAD Platinum in the mid-market mechanical design space, though part of Siemens' much larger PLM portfolio.
- PTC (Onshape, Creo): PTC's Creo is a broad mechanical CAD incumbent and Onshape is a cloud-native CAD platform. Both overlap with TurboCAD in mechanical design, but PTC is a much larger portfolio player with enterprise-focused tools.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Turbocad social profiles
Digital presenceTurbocad financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Turbocad leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Turbocad funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Turbocad M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Turbocad
What does Turbocad do?
IMSI Design develops and sells the TurboCAD line of general-purpose 2D/3D CAD software for Windows and Mac, available in tiered editions (Designer, Deluxe, Professional/Pro, Platinum), alongside the DesignCAD beginner-friendly CAD product and the FloorPlan home and landscape design product. The portfolio is supplemented by paid add-on plug-ins, CAD companions, and training materials, and is sold via direct e-commerce, resellers, and an affiliate program with both perpetual and subscription licensing.
Is Turbocad a public or private company?
Turbocad is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Turbocad founded?
Turbocad was founded in 1983. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Turbocad based?
Turbocad is headquartered in Novato, United States, in the North America region.
How does Turbocad make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Software Licenses (Perpetual) is the primary driver. The others are subscription/Term Licenses and add-on Products.
Who are Turbocad's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ZWSOFT (ZWCAD), Bricsys (BricsCAD), Chief Architect Software, Dassault Systèmes (DraftSight, SolidWorks), Corel (CorelCAD) and Autodesk (AutoCAD). Emerging players are Vectorworks (Nemetschek) and Trimble SketchUp. Broad incumbents are Siemens Solid Edge and PTC (Onshape, Creo).
Does Turbocad have an API?
No public API is recorded for Turbocad.
What industry is Turbocad in?
Turbocad's product category is Computer-Aided Design (CAD) Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAAACAA, 3D Design & CAD for Additive Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 541511 and its SIC code is 7372.