What Microspot does

Microspot Limited is a privately held UK software company (registered in Aylesford, Kent; founded 1964 as Contractrol Ltd and renamed in 1980) that develops native 2D computer-aided design applications for macOS and Windows. The company's product centre is the MacDraft line — originally acquired from IDD Inc. in 1996 — covering a Professional tier (architectural plans, elevations, engineering layouts, electronic schematics and construction drawings with precise dimensioning, layer control, and a fully scaled drawing environment), a Personal/Lite tier aimed at hobbyists, home users and SMEs, and a parallel PC Draft line for Windows plus a DWG/DXF viewer for read-only collaboration on Mac. The technology stack is a native 64-bit app with Apple Silicon support, DWG/DXF interop up to AutoCAD 2022 (AC1032), cross-platform .md60 file compatibility, an object-database-backed symbol library system (bundled libraries of up to 7,500+ vector symbols), and smart unit/scale handling in metric and English units.

Microspot generates revenue exclusively through one-time perpetual software licences — there is no subscription model — at price points from $49 (DWG Viewer) to $499 (MacDraft Pro), with multi-license business discounts of up to 35% and education discounts of up to 70% (up to 60% on the marketing homepage). Distribution is multi-channel: a direct e-commerce storefront at microspot.com with instant digital download and SSL checkout, UK-based phone and email sales, the Mac App Store, and dedicated education and business volume-licensing programmes. Ancillary revenue streams include standalone symbol-library add-ons (engineering, electronic, safety signs) and online training services.

The addressable customer base spans architects and architectural firms, mechanical/electrical/civil engineers, interior and kitchen designers, town and site planners, landscaping businesses, educational institutions (students, teachers, classrooms, schools, universities) and home-design hobbyists. Named reference customers include NASA, British Airways, CERN, Warner Bros., Disney, Pixar, Harvard University, Shell, CBS News, JPL, JC Penney, MassDOT and Pinewood Studios. The company is founder/director-owned (Robert Coulling and Roger Holmes among the directors), has no external VC or PE capital, and operates with a small UK-based team. Marketing is conducted through content/SEO, an active social presence (Facebook, Instagram, X), a free community forum, a newsletter, and Capterra verified reviews (4.4-4.5 stars).

Name

Microspot

Legal name

Microspot Limited

Website

https://microspot.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Microspot Limited is a UK-based, privately held software company that develops native 2D CAD applications (MacDraft and PC Draft) and a DWG viewer for macOS and Windows. It sells perpetual one-time licences directly, via the Mac App Store, and through dedicated education and business volume programmes to architects, engineers, designers, educators and hobbyists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ashford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Software License Sales: One-time perpetual license purchases for MacDraft Pro, MacDraft PE, PC Draft Pro, PC Draft PE, and DWG Viewer. Lifetime license with free incremental updates within the purchased version. No subscription model.
2. Multi-User/Business Licensing: Discounted multi-license purchases for businesses (up to 35% savings for 5+ licenses), including individual machine licenses or network licenses
3. Education Licensing: Specialized education pricing for students, teachers, classrooms, schools and universities with discounts up to 70%
4. Symbol Library Add-ons: Additional professional symbol libraries sold as part of bundled packages (Home & Garden, Starter, Complete) containing thousands of vector symbols

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Microspot develops and sells native 2D CAD software products (MacDraft Pro, MacDraft PE, PC Draft Pro, PC Draft PE, and DWG Viewer) for macOS and Windows, targeting architects, engineers, construction professionals, home designers, students and hobbyists. The software is sold via one-time perpetual licenses (no subscription), with bundled symbol libraries, Apple M1 native support, and AutoCAD DWG/DXF compatibility up to version 2022.

Product overview

Microspot offers a portfolio of 2D CAD software products for Mac and Windows, centered around the MacDraft and PC Draft product lines. The core products include MacDraft Pro (professional 2D CAD for Mac), MacDraft PE (personal edition for hobbyists/home users), PC Draft Pro (professional 2D CAD for Windows), PC Draft PE (personal edition for Windows), and DWG Viewer (for viewing AutoCAD files on Mac). Products are available in themed bundles: Home & Garden packs (with landscape/home symbols), Starter packs (with electronic, seasonal, safety symbols), and Complete packs (with all 7,500+ symbols). Additional offerings include Interiors Professional (3D room layout), symbol library add-ons (engineering, electronic, safety signs), and training services. The company follows a one-time purchase model with no subscriptions, targeting architects, engineers, construction professionals, educators, hobbyists, and students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MacDraft: Professional 2D CAD software for Mac, designed for architectural plans, engineering layouts, electronic diagrams, and technical drawings with precise dimensioning and layer control.
• MacDraft PE
• PC Draft
• PC Draft PE
• DWG Viewer
• Interiors Professional

Products and services

• MacDraft Pro Professional 2D CAD software for macOS designed for architects, engineers and construction professionals to create architectural plans, elevations, engineering layouts, electronic schematics and construction drawings with precise dimensioning, layer control and a fully scaled drawing environment.
• MacDraft PE (Personal Edition / Lite) Entry-level 2D CAD software for macOS for hobbyists, home users, students and small businesses to create basic home plans, vector illustrations and technical layouts with a simple, easy-to-learn interface.
• PC Draft Pro Professional 2D CAD software for Windows offering architects, engineers and construction professionals the same flexible toolsets, precise dimensioning, layer control and fully scaled drawing environment as MacDraft Pro.
• PC Draft PE (Personal Edition / Lite) Entry-level 2D CAD software for Windows for hobbyists, home users, students and small businesses to create basic home plans, vector illustrations and technical layouts with simplified features and a lower price point.
• DWG Viewer Easy-to-use application for macOS to view, annotate, mark up and export AutoCAD DWG, DXF and MacDraft files to vector PDF for printing or sharing, supporting team collaboration across PC/Mac workflows.
• Interiors Professional 3D room layout and interior design application for macOS featuring rendering software and QuickTime movie walkthroughs, designed for interior designers and home users.

Quantifiable outcome

• 86% of users find MacDraft intuitive, easy to use and learn
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and historical.

• CapterracoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Capterra for verified user reviews and ratings. MacDraft maintains an average rating of 4.4-4.5 stars out of 5 on the platform, providing social proof for potential customers.
• IDD (International Drafting and Design)historicalStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal developer of MacDraft software. Microspot purchased MacDraft from IDD in 1996 and has since made major upgrades including Intel compatibility, OS X transition, and continuous development.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• LibreCAD: Open-source 2D CAD application for Windows, Mac, and Linux with DWG support via DXF. Competes with Microspot's free DWG Viewer and entry-level MacDraft PE at the hobbyist/student/very-small-business level where price is the dominant buying criterion.
• FreeCAD: Open-source parametric 3D CAD/CAE tool with Mac, Windows, and Linux support. Targets hobbyists, students, and educators—the same demographics Microspot serves via education licensing—and threatens Microspot's position in the hobbyist/education segment.

Direct peers

• DraftSight (Dassault Systèmes): Dassault's professional 2D CAD product family targeting AutoCAD-displaced users with DWG-native compatibility and across Mac, Windows, and Linux. Directly comparable as a DWG-based, multi-platform 2D drafting solution for similar professional segments.
• Chief Architect: 2D/3D architectural CAD for Mac and Windows used by residential architects, interior designers, and kitchen/bath designers—core overlap with Microspot's MacDraft Pro and Home & Garden segments where floor plan and elevation drafting is the primary workflow.
• TurboCAD: 2D/3D CAD suite for Mac and Windows sold on a perpetual license model. Directly comparable to MacDraft Pro and PC Draft Pro in pricing tier, platform coverage, and target professional/SMB audience in architecture and engineering drafting.
• BricsCAD (Bricsys): Full 2D/3D CAD platform with DWG compatibility for Windows, Mac, and Linux with perpetual licensing. Overlaps with Microspot's value proposition of DWG-native drafting without subscription, and targets similar architects, engineers, and construction professionals.
• Vectorworks (Nemetschek): Professional 2D/3D CAD and BIM platform with strong macOS presence, serving architects, landscape designers, and entertainment designers. Competes for the same Mac-based professional design segment that MacDraft Pro targets, with deeper BIM/3D capabilities.
• CorelCAD: Corel's DWG-compatible 2D/3D CAD for Windows and Mac with both subscription and perpetual options. Competes head-to-head with Microspot in the affordable Mac/Windows 2D CAD segment with similar DWG file format support.

Broad incumbents

• Autodesk AutoCAD: Industry-standard 2D/3D CAD platform with native macOS support. Microspot positions its DWG-compatible, Mac-native alternative against AutoCAD's subscription pricing, serving Mac-based architects and engineers who want a lower-cost perpetual license.
• SketchUp (Trimble): 3D modeling platform from Trimble with Mac/Web/iPad availability, widely used in architecture, interior design, and landscaping—segments Microspot directly addresses with MacDraft Home & Garden. Strong substitute at the conceptual design end of Microspot's customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Microspot_Ltd
• Facebookfacebook.com/MicrospotLtd
• Instagraminstagram.com/microspotltd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/microspot-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Microspot