OpenSCAD
OpenSCAD is a free, open-source programmatic 3D CAD modeler that creates parametric solid models through a declarative scripting language. It serves makers, engineers, educators, and CNC/woodworking users globally via community-driven distribution with no commercial revenue.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersNorth Chicago, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What OpenSCAD does
OpenSCAD is a free, open-source software application for creating solid 3D CAD models through a declarative scripting language rather than interactive mouse-based modeling. Users describe geometry using code statements (cube(), sphere(), cylinder(), translate(), rotate(), boolean operations) and the software compiles these scripts into 3D solid models exportable to STL, OBJ, AMF, and 3MF formats compatible with standard 3D printing and CNC toolchains. The platform is built around parametric design principles, where all geometry is inherently parameterized through variables and functions, enabling reproducibility, version control, and rapid iteration on technical parts. The core product is a cross-platform desktop application available for Linux/UNIX, MS Windows, and Mac OS X, supplemented by a web-based Playground prototype, a comprehensive documentation set, a cheat sheet, and an ecosystem of 30+ community-contributed libraries (BOSL, BOSL2, dotSCAD, NopSCADlib, BOLTS, and specialized modules for threads, enclosures, and mechanical parts).
The project's user base spans makers and 3D printing enthusiasts, engineers and designers, educators and students (including math and computational thinking instruction), and woodworkers and CNC operators requiring precise, dimensionally accurate designs. The software is supported by an active community with an 800+ subscriber mailing list, IRC channel, Mastodon and Bluesky accounts, and 15+ published books in English, French, German, and Spanish. Annual Advent Calendars (2019-2025) drive recurring community engagement.
OpenSCAD operates as a community-driven open-source project under the GNU GPL with no formal corporate ownership, no employees beyond the listed 1-10, and no commercial revenue stream. The project sustains itself through volunteer contributions and voluntary donations via Open Collective and direct sponsorship email. Its go-to-market motion is purely product-led: free download from openscad.org and GitHub, organic discovery through search engines and 3D printing communities, and word-of-mouth from existing users. There is no sales team, marketing organization, or institutional investor base, distinguishing OpenSCAD structurally from a venture-backed software company.
OpenSCAD firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- OpenSCAD
- Legal name
- OpenSCAD
- Website
- https://openscad.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- OpenSCAD is a free, open-source programmatic 3D CAD modeler that creates parametric solid models through a declarative scripting language. It serves makers, engineers, educators, and CNC/woodworking users globally via community-driven distribution with no commercial revenue.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
OpenSCAD industry classification
Industry- Product category
- 3D CAD Software
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- 3D Design & CAD for Additive Manufacturing (IMAAACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Digital Inventory, Part Libraries & Secure File Management (IMAAACAH)
Keywords
Where OpenSCAD is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- North Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
OpenSCAD business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel
Revenue model
- Free Open Source Software: OpenSCAD is entirely free software distributed under the GNU General Public License. There is no revenue generation from software sales, licensing, or subscriptions. The project is community-maintained with volunteer contributions. Donations are accepted via Open Collective for sponsoring the project.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | 100% Free - All Features Included |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
OpenSCAD product offering
Product offeringCore offering
OpenSCAD is a free, open-source desktop application for creating solid 3D CAD models through a declarative scripting language rather than interactive GUI modeling. Users write code using primitives (cube, sphere, cylinder), transformations (translate, rotate, scale), and boolean operations (union, difference, intersection) to define parametric geometry, then export to standard formats including STL, OBJ, AMF, and 3MF for 3D printing and CAD workflows. The software is available for Linux/UNIX, MS Windows, and Mac OS X and is community-maintained under the GNU General Public License.
Product overview
OpenSCAD is a free, open-source parametric 3D CAD modeler described as "The Programmers Solid 3D CAD Modeller." Unlike interactive modelers, OpenSCAD creates objects through descriptive code/scripts, making it particularly suited for parametric designs where dimensions can be easily adjusted. The core product is a desktop application available for Linux/UNIX, Windows, and macOS. The ecosystem includes community-contributed libraries (BOSL, BOSL2, dotSCAD, NopSCADlib, and many specialized libraries), comprehensive documentation with tutorials and a cheat sheet, published books in multiple languages, and community events such as the annual Advent Calendars featuring user-created designs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- OpenSCAD Free, open-source desktop application for creating solid 3D CAD models via a declarative scripting language, targeting makers, engineers, students, educators, and CNC/woodworking users who need parametric, reproducible designs. Available for Linux/UNIX, MS Windows, and Mac OS X.
Companies that use OpenSCAD
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
OpenSCAD technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
OpenSCAD partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
OpenSCAD competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TinkerCAD: Autodesk's free, browser-based 3D modeling tool aimed at beginners, educators, and 3D printing hobbyists. Targets the same entry-level maker segment, prioritizing ease-of-use over OpenSCAD's scripting flexibility.
- SolveSpace: Free, open-source parametric 2D/3D CAD modeler with constraint-based modeling. Closely aligned with OpenSCAD's parametric, exact-dimension philosophy and maker/engineer target users.
- Onshape: Browser-native parametric CAD platform with a free tier for hobbyists. Competes for the same engineering/maker audience seeking parametric, cloud-accessible 3D modeling, with a different (GUI + cloud) delivery model.
- FreeCAD: Open-source parametric 3D CAD modeler targeting the same maker/engineer audience as OpenSCAD. Differs by being GUI-based rather than script-based, but competes directly for the parametric, free-CAD-for-3D-printing use case.
Broad incumbents
- SolidWorks: Industry-standard commercial parametric 3D CAD platform from Dassault Systèmes. Competes for professional mechanical engineers and designers who might otherwise consider OpenSCAD for precise parametric parts.
- Blender: Free, open-source 3D creation suite covering modeling, sculpting, animation, and rendering. Adjacent to OpenSCAD in the free 3D tool space, but with a vastly broader scope and visual (non-parametric) focus.
- Autodesk Inventor: Autodesk's professional 3D mechanical CAD platform with parametric, direct, and rules-based modeling. Targets the same engineering/CNC audience as OpenSCAD but with enterprise-grade tooling and licensing.
- Rhino / Grasshopper: Commercial NURBS modeler with the Grasshopper visual programming environment for parametric/generative design. Targets designers and architects seeking parametric workflows comparable in spirit to OpenSCAD's scripting approach.
- Fusion 360: Autodesk's flagship CAD/CAM/CAE platform with a free personal-use license. Competes for hobbyist and professional engineers with a far broader feature set than OpenSCAD, including simulation, CAM, and rendering.
Emerging players
- DesignSpark Mechanical: Free, direct-modeling 3D CAD tool from RS Components aimed at hobbyists and engineers. Overlaps with OpenSCAD's free-for-makers positioning but uses an interactive rather than script-based workflow.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
OpenSCAD social profiles
Digital presenceOpenSCAD financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
OpenSCAD leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
OpenSCAD funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
OpenSCAD 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 OpenSCAD
What does OpenSCAD do?
OpenSCAD is a free, open-source desktop application for creating solid 3D CAD models through a declarative scripting language rather than interactive GUI modeling. Users write code using primitives (cube, sphere, cylinder), transformations (translate, rotate, scale), and boolean operations (union, difference, intersection) to define parametric geometry, then export to standard formats including STL, OBJ, AMF, and 3MF for 3D printing and CAD workflows. The software is available for Linux/UNIX, MS Windows, and Mac OS X and is community-maintained under the GNU General Public License.
Is OpenSCAD a public or private company?
OpenSCAD is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was OpenSCAD founded?
OpenSCAD was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is OpenSCAD based?
OpenSCAD is headquartered in North Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does OpenSCAD make money?
One revenue line is on record: free Open Source Software.
Who are OpenSCAD's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TinkerCAD, SolveSpace, Onshape and FreeCAD. Broad incumbents are SolidWorks, Blender, Autodesk Inventor, Rhino / Grasshopper and Fusion 360. DesignSpark Mechanical is listed as an emerging player.
Does OpenSCAD have an API?
No public API is recorded for OpenSCAD.
What industry is OpenSCAD in?
OpenSCAD's product category is 3D CAD Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAAACAA, 3D Design & CAD for Additive Manufacturing, with a secondary code of IMAAACAH, Digital Inventory, Part Libraries & Secure File Management. Its NAICS code is 5132 and its SIC code is 7372.