Onshape’s Free plan gives makers browser-based CAD tools at no charge for non-commercial work. The key trade-off is that Free-plan documents are public to Onshape users, and Onshape’s terms reserve creating or editing designs for commercialization or business support to paid subscriptions outside a trial.
What Onshape Free offers makers
Onshape describes its Free subscription as an option for hobbyists and maker communities working on non-commercial projects. It is browser-based, and the Free account has no time limit or credit-card requirement, according to Onshape’s account help.
Onshape’s subscription FAQ, last updated September 9, 2026, says Free includes the same CAD and data-management functionality as Professional except for private documents and release management. That is a comparison with Professional, not a claim that every paid tier has no other differences.
Understand the public-document rule before starting
Free users cannot create private documents: designs made in a Free account are public to all Onshape users and may be viewed or copied. Onshape’s Terms of Use also describe broad reuse rights for content in Free-plan documents. Do not put confidential designs in a Free account, and review the terms carefully before placing original intellectual property in a public document.
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Onshape’s sharing help explains public-document access and sharing controls. Sharing settings do not change the Free plan’s core limitation: Free documents are public.
When Free is—and is not—the right plan
Onshape’s Terms of Use say free versions are intended for creating and editing intellectual property for non-commercial purposes. They also allow viewing, commenting, and import/export for commercial or non-commercial purposes to the extent the plan offers those features. If you intend to create or edit designs for commercialization or business support, Onshape says to upgrade to a paid subscription outside a trial.
| Question | Free | Paid subscription |
|---|---|---|
| Design intent | Non-commercial creating and editing; commercial viewing, commenting, or import/export only where the plan offers those features (Onshape Terms of Use). | Required by Onshape for creating or editing designs for commercialization or business support outside a trial; other paid-tier distinctions are not stated here. |
| Document privacy | Documents are public to Onshape users; private documents are not available (Onshape subscription FAQ, updated September 9, 2026). | Private documents are available with Professional; availability in other paid tiers is not stated here. |
| Release management | Not included, per Onshape subscription FAQ updated September 9, 2026. | Included with Professional, per the same FAQ; availability in other paid tiers is not stated here. |
| Cost | No charge, with no time limit or card requirement, according to Onshape account help. | Current prices are not stated here; check Onshape’s pricing page for current options. |
Can Onshape Free be used for 3D printing?
Yes. Onshape’s export help lists STL and 3MF among supported formats, so you can export a model for a 3D-printing workflow. Exporting a file is a handoff to a slicer or other tool; it does not establish that a particular model is correctly oriented, structurally sound, or ready to print.
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How to decide before creating a document
- Choose Free if your work is non-commercial and you are comfortable making your documents public to Onshape users.
- Choose a paid plan if you need to create or edit designs for commercialization or business support, or require private documents or release management.
- Check the current plan details on Onshape’s pricing page before subscribing; plan features and prices can change.
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