Trial Systems
Trial Systems is a UK-based CAD software company selling Drawing Express and Landscape Express on a one-time license model with a three-month trial, serving individual professionals and small practices in drafting and landscape design.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersBurton Upon Trent, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Trial Systems does
Trial Systems is a privately held UK software company headquartered in Burton Upon Trent that develops and sells CAD (computer-aided design) software. Its core product, Drawing Express, is a general-purpose CAD application, complemented by Landscape Express, a vertical-specific CAD tool tailored for landscape design professionals, and a Drawing Express Small Tablet version designed for portable/field use. The company has been operating since 1986 and maintains a very small team of 1-10 employees.
The company's revenue model is based on one-time software license sales, supported by a three-month free trial period to onboard users. Go-to-market is product-led and direct: the company runs its own website with enquiry forms, conducts on-premises demonstrations, and maintains a social media presence across Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. There is no disclosed SaaS subscription tier, no channel partner network, and no enterprise sales motion apparent in the available data.
Trial Systems also offers a training services program consisting of 3-day Basic and Advanced courses, providing a secondary revenue stream and a mechanism for deeper customer engagement post-purchase. The company has no disclosed funding rounds, acquisitions, partnerships, or named customers, and operates exclusively from a UK .co.uk domain, indicating a domestically focused, owner-operated software business with niche vertical specialization.
Trial Systems firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Trial Systems
- Legal name
- Trial Systems
- Website
- https://trial-systems.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Trial Systems is a UK-based CAD software company selling Drawing Express and Landscape Express on a one-time license model with a three-month trial, serving individual professionals and small practices in drafting and landscape design.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Trial Systems is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Burton Upon Trent
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
Trial Systems business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Software License Sales: Trial Systems generates revenue through the sale of CAD software licenses. Their primary products include Drawing Express and Landscape Express. The company offers a three-month trial period before purchase, converting trial users to paying customers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Three-month trial period |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Training courses |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Trial Systems product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Trial Systems develops and sells CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software for professional drawing and design work. Their primary product, Drawing Express, is offered on a free three-month trial basis to allow users to evaluate the software before purchase. They also offer Landscape Express, a specialized CAD variant tailored for the landscape design market with pen and tablet support, and a Small Tablet version of Drawing Express for increased portability.
Product overview
Trial Systems offers a portfolio of CAD software products centered around Drawing Express. The core product, Drawing Express, is a CAD package available on a three-month trial basis. Landscape Express is a variant tailored for the Landscape Design market, incorporating the same core CAD functionality with pen & tablet support. Drawing Express Small Tablet is a recent version update that enables operation from smaller tablets for enhanced portability. The company also provides training services including 3-day Basic Training and Advanced Courses.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Drawing Express: CAD software package offered on a three-month trial basis, also available in a small tablet version
- Landscape Express
Products and services
- Drawing Express CAD software package offered on a three-month trial basis, designed for any professional looking to use a CAD package for their line of work.
- Landscape Express CAD software incorporating core CAD functionality with pen and tablet support, tailored specifically for the Landscape Design market.
- Drawing Express Small Tablet A version of Drawing Express CAD software that can be operated from a smaller tablet, offering users increased portability.
- Drawing Express Training Training services including 3-day Basic Training and Advanced Courses for Drawing Express users, with course dates available by phone inquiry.
Companies that use Trial Systems
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Trial Systems technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Trial Systems partnerships and signals
Strategic signalExpansion highlights3 records
Trial Systems competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ZWSOFT: ZWSOFT's ZWCAD is a direct 2D CAD competitor positioned as an affordable AutoCAD alternative, sold on a similar perpetual-license basis. Both compete in the general-purpose 2D CAD market with similar value propositions.
- Corel (CorelCAD): CorelCAD is a 2D/3D CAD product from Corel that competes directly with Drawing Express in the professional CAD market with comparable perpetual licensing and DWG compatibility.
- Bricsys: Bricsys offers BricsCAD, a direct 2D/3D DWG-compatible CAD competitor with similar perpetual-license pricing and a comparable target user of professional CAD customers. Both serve the same general-purpose CAD drawing use case.
- Vectorworks: Vectorworks Landmark is a CAD platform purpose-built for landscape design professionals — the same vertical served by Landscape Express. The vertical-specialization approach is directly comparable.
- ProgeCAD: ProgeCAD is a 2D/3D CAD software directly comparable to Drawing Express in target user, DWG compatibility, and perpetual-license pricing. Both pursue professional CAD users seeking a lower-cost alternative to AutoCAD.
- DynaSCAPE: DynaSCAPE is a landscape design software suite that directly competes with Landscape Express for landscape architects and designers, offering specialized tools (plant databases, hardscape, 3D) for the same vertical.
Emerging players
- LibreCAD: LibreCAD is a free, open-source 2D CAD application. It represents the floor of pricing in the same general-purpose 2D CAD category and applies sustained downward price pressure on Trial Systems' horizontal offering.
- Trimble (SketchUp): SketchUp is a 3D modeling platform with strong adoption among landscape and architectural designers. While more 3D-focused than Drawing Express, it competes for the same landscape-design user base that Landscape Express targets.
Broad incumbents
- Autodesk (AutoCAD): AutoCAD is the dominant 2D/3D CAD product globally. Trial Systems competes in the same horizontal CAD drawing market but as a small niche alternative for users seeking more accessible or specialized offerings.
- Dassault Systèmes (DraftSight): DraftSight is Dassault Systèmes' 2D CAD product, directly competing with Drawing Express in the affordable 2D CAD space as part of a much broader PLM portfolio that includes SOLIDWORKS and CATIA.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Trial Systems social profiles
Digital presenceTrial Systems financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Trial Systems leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Trial Systems funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Trial Systems 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 Trial Systems
What does Trial Systems do?
Trial Systems develops and sells CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software for professional drawing and design work. Their primary product, Drawing Express, is offered on a free three-month trial basis to allow users to evaluate the software before purchase. They also offer Landscape Express, a specialized CAD variant tailored for the landscape design market with pen and tablet support, and a Small Tablet version of Drawing Express for increased portability.
Is Trial Systems a public or private company?
Trial Systems is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Trial Systems founded?
Trial Systems was founded in 1986. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Trial Systems based?
Trial Systems is headquartered in Burton Upon Trent, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Trial Systems make money?
One revenue line is on record: software License Sales.
Who are Trial Systems's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ZWSOFT, Corel (CorelCAD), Bricsys, Vectorworks, ProgeCAD and DynaSCAPE. Emerging players are LibreCAD and Trimble (SketchUp). Broad incumbents are Autodesk (AutoCAD) and Dassault Systèmes (DraftSight).
Does Trial Systems have an API?
No public API is recorded for Trial Systems.